By invitation, the eight-member ensemble performed in鈥疺ienna鈥� for鈥疛AM鈥疞AB鈥疷niversity鈥檚鈥疎rasmus Conference, doing master classes with some of Europe鈥檚鈥痬ost acclaimed鈥痬usic educators.鈥��听
Anderson鈥檚 Jazz Fusion Ensemble was formed by Commercial Music students at the South Carolina School of the Arts. According to鈥疢usic Professor Dr. Derick Cordoba, the AU鈥疛azz Fusion Ensemble was the only group鈥痜rom the U.S.鈥痠nvited to perform at the prestigious鈥痗onference.鈥疛AM LAB offers the only鈥痑ccredited鈥痗ommercial music program in Europe.鈥�听
鈥淲e got to perform on Friday night at a concert… They did an amazing job,鈥� said Cordoba, who led the trip. 鈥淣ot only did we get all these master classes and get to play in their facilities, we got to tour their music production facilities for movie recording and video game composing.鈥疻e have a memorandum of understanding with the school, so students in the future will be able to take summer classes there for credit.鈥濃��
鈥淭his is something I definitely wanted to do, and it’s even better that I got to go with my friends and my peers that I work with closely to make music,鈥� said Kate Strickland, who plays electric violin in the group.听听
Kate Strickland and Nathan Freeman on stage.
Ensemble member鈥疍alvin鈥疓ray got to play for鈥痑n鈥疘talian band鈥痑ttending the conference, filling鈥痠n for their drummer.鈥疓ray recalls he fit right into the group, citing music as a universal language.鈥�听
鈥淭he way that we can all come in together and just mesh as one and have that uniform sound is鈥痡ust鈥痠ncredible,鈥� Gray said.鈥�淢y favorite memory鈥痠s getting鈥痶o鈥痬eet鈥痑 lot of the students over there who have played with or are on projects with big inspirations of mine.鈥疶his one鈥痝uy over there, Adrian鈥疺arday,鈥痺as signed to Quincy Jones at 11 and played in鈥痟is鈥痓and for a while.鈥疓etting鈥痶o meet him and hear his backstory and鈥痡ust getting to hang out with him鈥攚e鈥痗onnected instantly as soon as we met.”鈥�听
Dalvin Gray, right, playing drums with a group from Italy.
鈥淚 do not speak German. I do not speak Italian… but I knew if we reached a solo section and I looked at somebody and they nodded at me, it was my turn. It’s a really coolcollaborative experience,鈥� Strickland said. 鈥淚 view music and cultural exchange as a mission opportunity of going, this is how I see the world, and I hope that you see Jesus in me to the point where you ask me why I am the way that I am.”
Gray will never forget interacting with musicians in Vienna who had a natural ability to play as if they鈥檝e been jamming together for many years.听
“That was literally my biggest memory, having that connection with everyone, knowing that we can make great music and also just be connected through music, because that is the universal language,鈥� Gray said.听
The AU Fusion Ensemble also got to perform at two of Vienna鈥檚 top jazz venues.鈥�听
鈥淭hat was a鈥痳eally鈥痷nique experience for the students because it was something only鈥痑鈥痩ocal jazz musician would really be able to do,” said鈥疌ordoba.鈥�听
Olivia Burdette on keyboard with Duncan Stone on guitar in the background.
鈥淭he jazz scene there is absolutely phenomenal,鈥� Strickland continued. 鈥淭here are so many people there playing jazz and teaching jazz and just speaking that language to each other. I saw people when we were playing at jazz clubs coming up to me and being like, 鈥榳ow, you sound great. This is awesome. Will you be back tomorrow?鈥欌��听
Cordoba said, 鈥淲e had a great time and the schools really enjoyed working with American jazz students. They were very excited for that since the U.S. is where jazz was basically born.鈥� He added that Professor Greg Alewine played a key role in preparation for the trip, rehearsing the ensemble, guiding them in selecting their repertoire and leading in fundraising concerts.听
Music Professor Derick Cordoba speaking on the microphone. At left is Braden Anderson on bass and at right is Nathan Freeman on trumpet.
If you鈥檙e interested in hearing the AU Jazz Fusion Ensemble play, they will be in concert April 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Daniel Recital Hall of the Rainey Fine Arts Center on the 91福利社 campus. 听
