ISSUED: 13 October 2023
MEDIA CONTACT: Cecelia Mason
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — The Shepherd University Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Kurtis Adams, will present an exciting night of jazz on the stage of the Frank Arts Center Theater on Friday, October 20, at 7:30 p.m. performing Duke Ellington’s tone poem “Black, Brown, and Beige” in its entirety.
“Black, Brown, and Beige,” one of the seminal works of Ellington’s legendary career, represents several major innovations in the world of jazz. It took Ellington the better part of 1942 to complete this ambitious, multilevel work that he described as a “tone parallel to the history of the American Negro.”
It was Ellington’s first major attempt at a long-form composition, consisting of the three main parts mixing formal traditions of symphony and opera with instrumental soloists taking on “roles” more akin to opera. The work also challenged political and cultural barriers by openly presenting jazz in artistic rather than popular terms while celebrating African American culture.
The performance will feature Shepherd School of Music clinical faculty member Dr. Erica Rumbley on violin. Also on the program is a shorter work by Ellington, “C Jam Blues.”
Tickets are $15 general admission; $10 Shepherd employees, alumni, senior citizens, active-duty military, and students aged 18 and under; and free for Shepherd students with a valid Rambler ID. Tickets can be purchased in advance online.
For more information about upcoming events, visit the Calendar of Concerts and Events webpage.
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