- This event has passed.
Fall 2023 Student Showcase
December 2, 2023 @ 12:00 pm
Fall Semester Student Showcase
Cotton Mill Hill Open Studios
On Saturday, December 2nd , from noon to 6:00 PM, the Vermont Jazz Center will present its end
of semester showcase. For this concert, nine ensembles will each perform half-hour-long sets
demonstrating the fruits of a semester’s worth of focusing on repertoire. Attendees will hear a
multigenerational array of musicians playing jazz standards, Latin Jazz, samba percussion, jazz
vocals, guitar-based arrangements, carefully scripted horn arrangements and swinging music
from the blue note era. This event is part of the Cotton Mill Hill’s Open Studios, and is free and open to the public.
Suggested donations of $5 will go towards the VJC’s scholarship program,
Schedule, Saturday, December 2nd
1:00 PM VJC Sextet
1:30 PM VJC Young Artists Trio
2:00 PM Individual Performances
2:30 PM Sambaganza Percussion Ensemble
3:00 PM Latin Jazz Ensemble
3:30 PM VJC Youth Jazz Ensemble
4:00 PM Blue Note I
4:30 PM Blue Note II
5:00 PM Guitar Ensemble I
5:30 PM Guitar Ensemble II
The December 2nd show will kick off with the VJC Sextet, VJC’s flagship outreach group
presenting the swinging arrangements the group also brings to area schools and assisted living
centers. This will be followed by a brand-new group featuring three top-notch young players
who have come through VJC’s educational programs and are now performing at a professional
level: Archer Parks, J.J. Hartmann and Sam Lazzaro. At 2:30 PM the VJC’s Samba ensemble,
Sambaganza, will shake the rafters with percussion arrangement of Brazilian rhythms. At 3:00
the Latin Jazz Ensemble, a large group with violin, brass, woodwinds, and four percussionists,
will perform grooves from Brazil and Cuba. At 3:30 the VJC Youth Jazz Ensemble features
young players from BUHS, Leland and Gray and BFUHS playing a repertoire of funky, fun
tunes. At 4:00 PM, Claire Arenius will lead two ensembles performing the soulful jazz sound
made famous by Blue Note Records. Wrapping up the afternoon Draa Hobbs will lead two guitar
ensembles featuring the compositions of Thelonious Monk.
The VJC is also pleased to support the Soubrette Choir, another of our student ensembles. The
Soubrettes will present two area performances, on Dec. 9 th and 10 th . This fall the Soubrettes have
worked up a special program of songs written by director Anna Patton and her brother Ben
Patton. The Patton family shares a love of American swing era songs, and this program is full of
surprising topics treated with poignancy and humor, sung in close harmony style. The choir will
be accompanied by Ben Patton on guitar and Will Patton on bass.
The Soubrette Choir sings the songs of Ben Patton and Anna Patton
December 9 th at 7:00 PM
West Village Meetinghouse
29 South Street
W. Brattleboro VT 05303
Suggested Donation $10-$20
There will be an additional Soubrettes performance in Greenfield MA on the afternoon of Dec
10. For details contact annameryl@gmail.com
