Mount Vernon presents “Hello, Dolly!”Tickets will be available April 11 for the Mount Vernon High School performance of “Hello, Dolly!” at the Mount Vernon High School Booktix site. The musical will be held Saturday, April 23, Sunday, April 24, Friday, April 29, and Saturday, April 30.
Cornell College Symphonic Band The Cornell College Symphonic Band and orchestra will perform Friday, April 15, at Cornell College’s Kimmel Theatre at 7:30 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.
Cornell College
Spring Music FestThe Cornell College Spring Music Fest will be held Saturday, April 23, from 1-3 p.m. at Cornell College’s Kimmel Theatre. Featuring the Jim Buennig Jazz Ensemble and the Mektoub Ensemble: Illinois native Dr. Jim Buennig is a saxophonist, composer, and educator based in Iowa City, IA. He holds degrees in jazz from the University of Texas at Austin (DMA), the University of Iowa (MA), and Western Illinois University (BM). Buennig often pays homage to his musical heroes while creating innovative music that is engaging and “perpetually in the groove.” Buennig is currently on faculty at Cornell College and Black Hawk College and served as Damani Phillips’ sabbatical replacement at the University of Iowa in spring of 2021. He has written and produced five albums as a leader since 2017 with significant national and international airtime and is an artist for D’Addario Woodwinds. His major influences include Kenny Garrett, Joe Henderson, Miles Davis, Tom Harrell, and Melissa Aldana. Mektoub performs a repertoire of Mediterranean folk-jazz and original music by singer/songwriter Daniel Gaglione, an immigrant to Iowa from Southern France. His compositional style is rooted in influences from reggae, jazz, and musical traditions from North Africa, and his joyful lyrics often speak to values of social progress and love. Violin and woodwind sonorities create vibrant textures with orchestrations by John Rapson and Ryan Smith. Daniel Gaglione—mandole, singer/songwriter Justin LeDuc—drums Tara McGovern—fiddle Drew Morton—bass Ryan Smith—woodwinds.
Cornell College’s Big Event Cornell College’s Big Event will be here Saturday, April 23. The concert is free to Cornell students, staff and community members. with doors opening at Van Metre’s Football Field at Ash Park at 6 p.m. opening act Armani Rogers (also known as Kofish) (Cornell College class of 2021) with doors opening at 5:30 p.m.. The headliner for this year’s Big Event is WizThe Mc.
Cornell Jazz Ensemble concertThe Cornell College Jazz Ensemble concert will perform Friday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m. at Cornell College’s Kimmel Theatre. Admission is free and open to the public. Works by Freddie Hubbard and Roxy Coss will be featured along side jazz standards. Special guest Crystal Rebone will also be featured on bass: Originally from Beloit, Wisconsin, Dr. Rebone graduated Western Illinois University with a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a Master’s degree in Jazz Performance. Graduating with her Doctorate in Jazz Performance from the University of Illinois in 2021, she has striven to research ways that secondary jazz ensemble directors support female students in their jazz programs. An active and diverse performer, Dr. Rebone has performed all over the country with a variety of groups. Her time at the University of Illinois allowed her to perform with Doc Severinsen, Ernie Watts, and Jim Pugh with the University of Illinois Concert Jazz Band at the Jazz Education Network’s mainstage. She was also a part of the award winning University of Illinois Jazz Trombone Ensemble. Outside of the university setting, Dr. Rebone has played with countless musicians around the Midwest. In March of 2020, she was fortunate to tour the east coast with Monkia Herzig’s all-female jazz combo, Sheroes.