Tonight in Music Buildings I's Esber Recital Hall, School of Music big bands Centre and Inner Dimensions will perform as part of the school's annual "Dimensions in Jazz" concert.
Centre and Inner Dimensions will have 18 and 17 musicians performing, respectively. The two-hour jazz showcase will begin with a performance by Inner Dimensions followed by Centre Dimensions. Each band will play about six or seven songs each. Outer Dimensions, a usual participant in the annual performance, will not be performing.
"I pick songs that the musicians can do a good job with," said Mac Himes, conductor of Inner Dimensions.
Centre Dimensions conductor Dan Yoder said he tries to balance the program with a variety of jazz styles. Yoder's original composition, "In the Beginning," will be performed by Centre Dimensions.
Yoder said his students seem to enjoy the music he selects.
"Sometimes we need to get into a piece a little before they like it," he said. "I rarely get a complaint about the music we're playing."
Himes said he tries to feature different sections of his band. For example, "Here's That Rainy Day" -- made famous by big band leader Stan Kenton in the '50s and '60s -- highlights the trombone section.
"It's neat to have that kind of music. I like to pick songs that are written for professional bands," Himes said.
Andrea Rygel (senior-music), a baritone saxophone player in Inner Dimensions, is looking forward to one song in particular.
" 'Tall Cotton' is my favorite piece we are playing on this concert just because it has a happy feel to it," she said. "It's a lot of fun to play and hopefully for the audience to hear."
Yoder said he has to coordinate with Himes to make sure they have variety and freshness in the concert and he and Himes like to have "as much variety as we can get for the concert and still achieve the goals."
The musicians have been working hard and practicing two times a week since the beginning of the semester, Himes said.
Inner Dimensions has been working on repertoire since the second week of classes. It rehearsed a variety of charts and chose its favorites for the concert, Rygel said.
Both conductors said they expect a good turnout for the show.
"We get a real nice mix of town and students," Yoder said. "Centre Dimensions has a pretty good following. We've established a tradition of being pretty good."
