Three Instrumental Studies Concerts at
Saddleback College
Maestro Yorgos Kouritas, Director of Instrumental Studies at Saddleback College, is pleased to present two concerts and a master class on the weekend of March 11th-12th.
On Friday, March 11th at 7:30 p.m. in the McKinney Theatre, Directed by Maestro Yorgos Kouritas, the Saddleback College Wind Ensemble will present their first concert of the spring semester.
On Saturday, March 12th from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in FA 101, a violin master class will be held by Henry Gronnier, 1st violinist with the Rossetti String Quartet and violin professor at USC’s Thornton School of Music. Saddleback violin students will perform. Admission is free for this master class.
On Saturday, March 12th at 7:30 p.m. in the McKinney Theatre, Conducted by Maestro Yorgos Kouritas, the Saddleback College Symphony Orchestra presents Music Teacher’s Association of California Concerto Competition winners Elisa Yang, piano, Lauren DeMarco, vocalist, and Kristine Lu, piano, in performance.
Tickets for the McKinney concerts are $10 general; $7 students/seniors (presale). Call 949-582-4656 (noon to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday) or online at www.saddleback.edu/arts. Please note that the master class on March 12th at 4:30 p.m. is free.
Saddleback’s Instrumental Studies Department is privileged to have some of the finest musicians of the Pacific Symphony as its instructors. The department has hosted master classes by distinguished violinists such as Eric Silberger, Movses Pogossian, Martin Beaver, Martin Chalifour, William Fitzpatrick, Haroutune Bedelian, and Guillaume Sutre. The Symphony Orchestra and the Wind Ensemble tackle some of the most difficult pieces such as Verdi’s and Brahms’ Requiems. Dr. Kouritas is also teaching violin, viola and chamber music and has performed recently several violin recitals. Recently, he was honored to work with Carl St. Clair in the Ithaca Conducting Master class. In June 2014, he was selected by the Baltimore Symphony to work in a master class with Gerard Schwarz (former Seattle Symphony’s Music Director).
The Music Department has established a comprehensive program which is considered to be one of the finest in California: a complete lower-division curriculum for transferring music majors, numerous performance groups, private and group lessons, a full concert series with faculty and guest artists, and general music courses. The nationally-recognized faculty is dedicated to performance and to teaching in all areas such as vocal, instrumental, jazz, guitar, piano, music technology and commercial music. Other music classes include harmony, musicianship, composition, history and appreciation of western art music, music business, rock, jazz and world music.
World-Class Trombonist John Fedchock Joins the Saddleback Big Band for Jazz Day at Saddleback College
On Saturday, February 27th, Saddleback’s Jazz Day offers performances by the aspiring and the inspiring, a day-long event leading up to a must-hear appearance by the Saddleback Big Band and world-class trombonist John Fedchock on the McKinney stage at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 general; $7 students/seniors (presale). Call the ticket office at 949-582-4656 (noon-4, Tues-Sat) or order your tickets online at www.saddleback.edu/arts.
John Fedchock’s illustrious career in jazz has spanned over three decades. Since his emergence on the scene in 1980, Fedchock has established himself as a world-class trombone soloist, a heralded bandleader, and a Grammy-nominated arranger. An in-demand performer and writer in New York City for over twenty years, his multifaceted talents have led him to become one of New York City’s premiere jazz artists. His critically acclaimed John Fedchock New York Big Band has become a marquee group, showcasing his trombone and arranging as well as the band’s all-star soloists. The band’s four CDs for the Reservoir Music label, “New York Big Band”, “On The Edge”, “No Nonsense”, and “Up & Running”, have all received high praise from critics, and extraordinary success on national jazz radio charts.
Student Jazz Lab Concert at Saddleback College
The highly stylish and musically vibrant Jazz Lab Ensemble of Saddleback College will perform on Monday, March 7th at 7:30 p.m.in the McKinney Theatre. This concert will feature the music of Thelonious Monk and original student compositions. Tickets are $10 general; $7 student/seniors (presale). Call the ticket office at 949-582-4656 (Tues-Fri, noon to 4:00 p.m.) for tickets or online at www.saddleback.edu/arts.
The Saddleback Big Band Brings Their Swing Thing Back to the McKinney Theatre
Jazz Studies at Saddleback College is bringing back the Big Band Swing Thing to Saddleback College on Friday, March 18th at 7:30 p.m. in the McKinney Theatre. This popular event is for all who love to dance and listen to swing music. Joey Sellers and Saddleback’s own Big Band will raise the roof once again along with talented vocalists who will croon classic songs of the 1940s and 50s.
The price is $20 per person or 2 for $35. Proceeds benefit the Saddleback College Jazz Studies Program. Tickets can be purchased by calling (949) 582-4656 (noon-4:00 p.m., Tues-Fri) or online at www.saddleback.edu/arts.
Jazz Studies at Saddleback College emphasizes creativity through improvisation and ensemble performance. Focusing on the historical, theoretical and intuitive aspects of this American music, Director of Jazz Studies Joey Sellers and an outstanding cadre of nationally-recognized musicians comprise the jazz faculty. Curricula include Improvisation, Jazz Composition and Arranging, Jazz History Syllabus, Jazz History Audio, Jazz History Podcast, Jazz Piano, Saddleback Big Band, Jazz Lab Ensemble, and Combos. Students in Jazz Studies at Saddleback College have transferred to prestigious institutions including University of Southern California, Eastman School of Music, Berkeley School of Music, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, The New School for Social Research in New York, Cal State Fullerton, University of California at San Diego, and other regional institutions. Some of our alumni have gone on to play professionally with Frank Zappa, Diana Ross, and other high-profile artists and organizations.
The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace by Karl Jenkins
On Sunday, March 13th at 2:30 p.m. in the McKinney Theatre, under the direction of Dr. Scott Farthing, the Saddleback College Community Chorale presents The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace by Karl Jenkins. This powerful work is based on the format of the Catholic Mass, but includes texts by Kipling, Tennyson, and Sankichi Toge, a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing. Sung in Latin, French, English and Arabic, this incredible choral work will be presented in a multi-media format including dance, choir, and instrumentalists. The focus is on the horrors of war, but it also includes thoughts about the returning veterans and what they carry inside of them, as well as a prayer for peace. It is an exciting work with percussion and orchestral instruments accompanying the choir as well as many images projected on a large screen behind the choir as they sing.
Tickets are $15 general and $10 students/seniors (presale only). Call the ticket office at 949-582-4656 (noon to 4, Tuesday through Friday) or order your tickets or online at www.saddleback.edu/arts.
Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Pkwy in Mission Viejo, just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit. Free parking is available in Lot 12. Take Avery Parkway to Marguerite Parkway turn left to the third traffic light, which is Saddleback’s Marguerite entrance. Turn right into the campus and take the second left to Theatre Circle, turning right into Lot 12.
With a long tradition of excellence in music, the Saddleback College Vocal Program continues building on that tradition with the very finest in both standard vocal repertoire and the music of the cutting edge. The three primary choirs on campus include the Community Chorale and Concert Choir, which perform many concerts around the area throughout the school year. Membership is open in all three ensembles with the successful completion of a vocal placement interview at the beginning of each semester. In addition to beginning, intermediate, and advanced-level vocal classes, Saddleback College offers private voice lessons to a select few vocalists who are planning on pursuing degrees in vocal performance at the University or Conservatory level. Past students in the Applied Music program have been accepted to prestigious music schools across the country. In addition, Saddleback College is proud to be one of a handful of community colleges in the state which offer its students the opportunity to perform in operas and opera scenes each semester.
Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Parkway in Mission Viejo, just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit. Parking is available in Lot 12. Take Avery Parkway to Marguerite Parkway turn left to the third traffic light, which is Saddleback’s Marguerite entrance. Turn right into the campus and take the second left to Theatre Circle, turning right into Lot 12.
Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community. Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers over 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals. For more information, please visit www.saddleback.edu and for Fine Arts information, please visit www.saddleback.edu/arts.
Nina Welch
Fine Arts Public Information Officer
Saddleback College
28000 Marguerite Parkway
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
