The Jazz Ensemble presents Swinging Into the Future: Introducing UVA Director of Jazz, Sharel Cassity on Saturday, November 22nd at 8pm in Old Cabell Hall. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the UVA Arts Box Office or at the door, one hour prior to the concert. Program for 11/11/15
The UVA Jazz Ensemble has become one of the more creative college big bands in the country. The group’s performances feature classic repertoire from across the spectrum of jazz history, jazz arrangements of music from diverse genres, and original compositions and arrangements by the students and the director.
Giving two major concerts a year in Old Cabell Hall, and various extra performances, the Jazz Ensemble is an extended big band that includes flutes, vocalists, and, sometimes, other instruments not normally associated with big band music.
The Jazz Ensemble is directed by Sharel Cassity, our new Director of Jazz Music at UVA. Saxophonist, Flutist, and Educator Sharel Cassity is prominent on the New York and Chicago jazz scenes. Voted the 2023 "Rising Star Alto Saxophone" and having a cover feature in Downbeat Magazine, Sharel has appeared on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and The Colbert Show; she is in the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and is a recipient of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award.
Sharel has worked with Multi-Grammy Award-winning artist Jennifer Hudson, Top 40 hit singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant, Aretha Franklin, Vanessa Williams, Trisha Yearwood, Ruben Blades, & DJ Logic, among others. An avid jazz artist, Sharel has performed with NEA Jazz Masters Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jimmy Heath, and Gary Bartz; she has also appeared as a featured soloist with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. As a bandleader, Sharel's five albums as a leader have received top-rated reviews in publications like the Chicago Tribune, New York Times, JazzTimes, Jazziz, American Indian News, & earned cover stories in Saxophone Journal and Downbeat Magazine. Cassity's collaborations have led her to co-lead recent releases by groups Altoizm, Precarious Towers, and her upcoming 2024 female collaboration, Alliance.
An advocate for Jazz Education, Cassity established the non-profit educational program "Jazz Up!" which brings jazz professionals to students in the suburbs who cannot go to hear live Jazz or play in combo settings.
The Jazz Ensemble invites its members to engage deeply with jazz, understand its historical context within American history, and discover their unique voices within its legacy. Originating from African Americans in the American South, jazz and blues have significantly enriched American culture, influencing popular music worldwide.
Through jazz, students develop essential skills such as critical listening, communication, real-time decision-making, adaptability, and self-expression. Mastering jazz requires humility and dedication while providing insights into American history, social justice movements, and cultural traditions. We emphasize theory, ear training, mastery of one’s instrument, and improvisation as pathways to greater artistic expression.
Jazz fosters community, where each member's contribution is both valid and necessary. Drawing inspiration from the Duke Ellington Jazz Orchestra, we value collaboration while celebrating individuality. The Jazz Ensemble empowers students to master the musical language, understand the music's historical significance, and develop their own voices. We passionately pursue expertise, legacy, and self-expression, enabling students to continue their creative journeys long after graduation.
Individual Tickets: $10 General Admission / $9 UVA Faculty & Staff / $5 students / Free for UVA Students who reserve in advance. Tickets are available at the UVA Arts Box Office by calling 434.924.3376, or by visiting artsboxoffice.virginia.edu. Individual tickets will also be available at the door one hour prior to the concert. UVA students need to reserve their tickets 24 hours in advance at the UVA Arts Box Office student ticket portal.
Old Cabell Hall is located on the south end of UVA's historic lawn, directly opposite the Rotunda. Parking is available in the central grounds parking garage on Emmet Street, in the C1 parking lot off McCormick Rd, and in the parking lots at the UVA Corner. Handicap parking is available in the small parking lot adjacent to Bryan Hall.
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All events are subject to change.