Hundreds of middle school and high school students from across the region will participate in jazz clinics Jan. 30 through Feb. 1 at North Idaho College during the annual JazzNIC program.
Band members from school districts across the region will perform for special guest clinicians during the event. Clinicians include University of Idaho professor Dan Bukvich, who is also an internationally-known composer whose works have been performed at the Lincoln Center and the Vatican. University of Idaho professor and band conductor Alan Gemberling will also provide feedback to students. Lewiston High School band director Gary Gemberling, Alan’s brother, is the final clinician. He is active with the Idaho Music Educators Association and is an acclaimed performer, including performing as a soloist with the Spokane Symphony.
Each of the clinicians will be featured soloists and will perform with the NIC Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Co. choir in the concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31 in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center.
The NIC Jazz Ensemble will perform a special commissioned piece by Bukvich titled “Radio Blues” honoring the life of longtime Coeur d’Alene resident Tom Emerson. The jazz piece has a blues flavor and tributes Emerson’s passion for music and his connection to New Orleans having worked there for a number of years. Tom is the son of Tom Emerson, Sr., a former North Idaho College trustee, as well as the brother of honorary alumnus Sandy Emerson and brother-in-law of Jeanne Emerson, a retired English instructor who taught at NIC for more than 30 years.
Other pieces performed by the NIC Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Co. jazz choir and guest clinicians include “Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby” arranged by Tom Tucker, “Fanfare for the Common Cat” by Dan Cox, “Sing, Sang, Sung” arranged by Gordon Goodwin and the Blood, Sweat and Tears song “God Bless the Child” with Gary Gemberling on lead vocals.
The concert is free and open to the public. The public is also welcome to watch performances by the visiting middle and high school groups, which will perform every hour on the hour beginning at 8 a.m. Jan. 30 through Feb. 1 in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center.
The JazzNIC concert and clinics are sponsored by the Associated Students of NIC (ASNIC).
Information: (208) 769-3276 or www.nic.edu/events.
JazzNIC Band and Choir Clinic Schedule All clinics will be held in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center on North Idaho College’s main Coeur d’Alene campus. Monday, Jan. 30 8 a.m. Woodland Middle School Coeur d’Alene School District 9 a.m. Canfield Middle School Coeur d’Alene School District 10 a.m. Sandpoint Middle School Choir Lake Pend Oreille School District 11 a.m. Centennial Middle School West Valley School District 12:30 p.m. Clark Fork Junior/Senior High Lake Pend Oreille School District 1:30 p.m. Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy Coeur d’Alene School District 2:30 p.m. Sandpoint Middle School Lake Pend Oreille School District 3:30 p.m. Kellogg High School Kellogg Joint School District 4:30 p.m. Cd’A Charter Academy Choir Coeur d’Alene School District 5:30 p.m. East Valley High School East Valley School District Tuesday, Jan. 31 8 and 10 a.m. Post Falls High School Post Falls School District 9 and 11 a.m. Northwood Middle School Mead School District 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. Sandpoint High School Band Lake Pend Oreille School District 1:30, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Sandpoint High School Choir Lake Pend Oreille School District Wednesday, Feb. 1 8 a.m. Coeur d’Alene High School Coeur d’Alene School District 9 and 11 a.m. Mountainside Middle School Mead School District 10 a.m. Horizon Middle School Central Valley School District 12:30 p.m. Shadle Park High School Spokane Public School District 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Lewis and Clark High School Spokane Public School District 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. Lake City High School Coeur d’Alene School District
