Jazz Ensembles | Jazz Combos | After Hours

Rehearsals and Literature

KU Jazz Studies has three large ensembles. Jazz Ensemble I rehearses Monday, Wednesday and Friday at noon. Jazz Ensemble II on the same days at 1 pm and Jazz Ensemble III Monday and Wednesday at 6 pm. Compositions and arrangements by masters Strayhorn, Elllington and Thad Jones and modern works by Schneider and McNeely are performed and studied. Students are taught how to play in the appropriate style for the composers they are performing through both rehearsal guidance, recordings, and live performances by visiting artists.

Performances and Guests

The Jazz Ensembles have had the opportunity to perform with and receive clinics from many of the greats in jazz performance and education including Tim Hagans, Scott Wendholt, Rachel Z, Bob Mintzer, Michael Philip Mossman, Brent Wallarab, Steve Fidyk, Scott Lee, Allison Miller, Steve Wilson, Mike Davis, Randy Brecker, Fred Sturm, Bob Baca, Tom Walsh, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Steve Houghton, Ray Drummond, Bruce Barth, Cyrus Chestnut, Gary Vercase, Jeff Herschfield, Bill Reichenbach, and many others.

Jazz Ensemble I performs both on and off campus, often touring area schools as requested. A formal concert is presented by each ensemble at the close of each academic term.

Admission

Admission to the large ensembles is through audition. For more information, contact Kevin Kjos at kjos@kutztown.edu.

Visit the Recordings page to hear some tracks from the Kutztown Jazz Ensembles!

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The KU Jazz Studies Area has several student-led Combos. These Combos range in size from vocal-guitar duets to quartets to septets. These combos meet with KU Jazz Studies Faculty Scott Lee in Master Classes held weekly.
 
The KU Jazz Combos perform on a formal “Combo Concert” at the end of each term. Selected combos also record selections each year on the KU Jazz Studies CDs, and perform regularly around the area.

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Vocal Jazz from Kutztown University

Do you like songs written by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, and Irving Berlin? Do you like to hear them sung by groups like The Modernaires, The Four Freshmen, Manhattan Transfer, New York Voices, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, The Hi-Los, Beachfront Property, and The Ink Spots? If you do, then you'll love KU's AfterHours.

Designed after the famous vocal swing and jazz groups from the past, AfterHours specializes in standards and show tunes from the 1920s, 30s, and 40s but jumps with ease into interpretations of tunes of the 50s and 60s and an occasional best of the newer songs.

AfterHours is the premier vocal jazz ensemble from Kutztown University in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. The group is made up of student singers and musicians majoring in a wide variety of academic disciplines, including Elementary Education, Psychology, Business, Art, Telecommunications, English, Related Arts, and Music. Many of the members study voice, piano, or another instrument and several take other music courses to enhance and improve their musical skills. Members are chosen through competitive auditions held twice each year.

Founded in 1989 by Dr. Alan Apple, the group's musical director, AfterHours performs frequently both on- and off-campus to enthusiastic audiences. Of special interest are the group's local school performances and their busy community outreach schedule. For some great hand-clapping, finger-snappin' and toe-tapping' music, come here KU's AfterHours!

For information on AfterHours, including performance bookings, auditions, and appearance schedules, contact: