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The Arts

Instrumental Jazz Concert, April 30

By April 18, 2011November 16th, 2018No Comments

Award-winning artist performs with student groups; free masterclass offered

One of the country’s foremost woodwind artists will take the stage at Kirkwood Community College as a jazz musician and educator. Winner of an Emmy, Golden Globe and two Academy Awards, Chris Vadala headlines the April 30 performance in Kirkwood’s Ballantyne Auditorium. Vadala shares the stage with the Kirkwood Jazz Ensemble and the CR Jazz Big Band beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Vadala will perform with both groups as a featured artist, led by Kirkwood Instrumental Music Director Timothy Feldkamp. A saxophone/jazz masterclass will be conducted as part of Vadala’s April 30 appearance. The public is invited to the free clinic in 375 Cedar Hall from 1-2:30 p.m.

A native of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Vadala graduated from the Eastman School of Music, earning the Performer’s Certificate honor in saxophone, a B.M. in Music Education and an M.A. in clarinet from Connecticut College. He has appeared on more than 100 recordings to date, as well as innumerable jingle sessions, film and TV scores, performing on all the saxophones, flutes and clarinets.

Vadala’s performing career is highlighted by a long tenure as a standout woodwind artist with the internationally recognized Chuck Mangione Quartet; a group credited with five gold and two platinum albums. The quartet has had performances in all 50 states, Canada, Australia, Japan, Philippines, China, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Bermuda and Puerto Rico to name a few. In addition, Vadala performed/recorded with music greats such as Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, B.B. King, Chick Corea, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Placido Domingo, Sarah Vaughn, Natalie Cole, Herbie Hancock, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Henry Mancini, Doc Severinsen, Joe Lovano and many others. In 2009, he became a member of the award-winning Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and has been the first call saxophonist with National Symphony Orchestra for many years.

Vadala is a distinguished scholar-teacher at the University of Maryland, where he is the director of Jazz Studies and a saxophone professor. As one of Selmer Company’s most requested artists in residence clinicians, Vadala travels worldwide, performing with and conducting student and professional jazz ensembles, symphonic bands and orchestras.

Tickets for the April 30 performance by Chris Vadala are $8 for adults and $5 for seniors and students with current ID. Kirkwood employees and students are admitted free. For advance tickets, please call (319) 398-5899 ext. 4331.