Schoolcraft College’s Wednesday Noon Concert Series returns this fall with classical and jazz programs highlighting outstanding woodwind, piano, brass, string and percussion musicians. All performances are from noon to 1:00 p.m. in Kehrl Auditorium in the Vistatech Center.
Please note that the Vistatech Center is undergoing construction and that the main entrance is closed. Go to schoolcraft.edu/progress to download a map with parking and entrance information.
Here’s a brief look at this fall’s performances:
Wednesday, October 5 – Classical
- Musicians: Nancy Ambrose King, oboe; Matthew Thompson, piano; Trevor Ambrose King, bassoon
- About the program: Nancy Ambrose King, Professor of Oboe at the University of Michigan, has appeared with orchestras throughout the United States and abroad and has given solo performances at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Matthew Thompson is an Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Michigan and serves as a vocal coach for graduate voice students. Trevor Ambrose King has performed with numerous ensembles across the United States and Canada.
Wednesday, October 19 – Jazz
- Musicians: The Steve Wood Quartet (Steve Wood, saxophone; Phil Kelly, piano; Ray Parker, bass; Jon Blanchette, drums)
- About the program: Steve Wood, a teacher at Cranbrook Academy and at Michigan State University Community Music School, has performed with many of the world’s finest jazz musicians. He has toured Europe twice and also performs at clubs, concerts and festivals throughout Michigan and Ohio.
Wednesday, November 2 – Jazz
- Musicians: Jonathon Muir-Cotton and Expressions
- About the program: Jonathon Muir-Cotton, a student at Michigan State University pursing a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies, is a multi-award-winning double bassist and bassist. He continues to hone his craft, hopes to tour the world and eventually become a music educator.
Wednesday, November 16 – Classical
- Musicians: Sophia Gilmson and Soonghee Ha, piano duo
- About the program: Sophia Gilmson, a Russian/American pianist and pedagogue, graduated cum laude from the St. Petersburg (Leningrad) Conservatory, studying with Vitaly Margulis. She has performed extensively in the U.S., Europe and Russia and has presented workshops and master classes nationally and internationally. Dr. Soonghee Ha teaches Class Piano and Music History at Schoolcraft College. She received her doctoral degree in Piano Performance and Master of Music Education from the University of Texas.
Wednesday, December 7 – Classical
- Musicians: Today’s Brass Quintet (Jean Moorehead Libs, trumpet; Mitchell Wechsler, trumpet; Brian Robson, trombone; Alan Taplin, horn; Joseph DeMarsh, tuba)
- About the program: Today’s Brass Quintet (TBQ) has enjoyed a reputation as one of the Midwest’s finest artistic ensembles since its inception in 1983. TBQ programs its original arrangements from a full spectrum of styles, ranging from the sparkling baroque masterpieces of Bach and Pachelbel to the toe-tapping pleasures of Sousa, Gershwin and Ellington.
Coming to the Wednesday Noon Concert Series in winter 2023:
- Three classical concerts — cellist Suren Bagratuni, the Brazilian duo João Luiz and Danilo Brito, and the Schoolcraft Music Faculty Recital
- Two jazz performances — the Ellen Roe Trio and the Ingrid Racine Quartet