'Hot Jazz on a Cool Night'
Two Butler County high school jazz bands will have a chance to perform March 1 in the main ballroom of Pittsburgh's Syria Shrine accompanied by soloists from Duquesne University's School of Music.
Taking part in the inaugural “Hot Jazz on a Cool Night” concert will be the jazz ensembles of Butler and Slippery Rock high schools, according to Michael Panza, who is with the Syria Shrine and organized the event.
The Butler High School Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Jeff Kroner will be accompanied on the saxophone by Michael Tomaro.
Kroner, Butler High band director and instrumental music teacher, said this is the first time the Butler musicians have been invited to play at the Syria Shrine.
Kroner said, “I know Mike Panza personally. We've worked together. We would be very excited to perform especially working with a world-class talent like Tomaro.”
Tomaro has been director of jazz studies at Duquesne since 1997. Before coming to Pittsburgh, Tomaro was a member of the Army Blues Jazz Ensemble for 17 years.
He has performed on the local and national level with such artists as Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Bellson and Joe Negri.
The Slippery Rock High School Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Les Fine, will be accompanied by trombonist Edward Kocher.
Kocher earned his doctorate from the University of Illinois, Chicago. Beginning in 2004, Kocher served as the dean of the Duquesne University Mary Pappert School of Music.
Before coming to Duquesne, Kocher was a member of the faculty at DePaul University in Chicago for 20 years.
He has performed with the Chicago Symphony, the Chicago Lyric Opera and performed on Nancy Wilson's 2007 Grammy Award-winning record, “Turned to Blue.”Panza said, “Mike Tomaro and I graduated from the Duquesne University School of Music together in 1979. Our paths went a little differently.“But he returned to Pittsburgh and we reunited,” said Panza.He added he plays tuba in a bass quintet with Kocher.“Dr. Kocher and Tomaro will go to the schools and give a jazz seminar before the concert,” he said. “They will work out a number with these bands.”Kroner said, “He's (Tomaro) is going to come up here to do a clinic and rehearse with the kids. It hasn't been scheduled yet.”Although jazz is an improvisational art form, Panza said, “You can rehearse for it. It may not sound the same way twice, but they will rehearse.”A third band, the Deer Lakes High School Jazz Ensemble will also accompany Tomaro.Panza said, “We're hoping we can create interest in jazz and support the students' musical education.”The Butler jazz ensemble's Syria Shrine appearance begins a busy March which also sees the 20-member group playing a concert at Butler County Community College and providing music for a swing dance at the high school.
