By Emily Goggins, Kirstynne Hock & Maddy Majewski
Tis the season!
Green Bay’s Jazz Orchestra played its third holiday concert at the Weidner Center on
Thursday, December 16 at 6:30 pm. This concert was full of festive songs, as well as had some
fun surprises for those that attended.
Facebook Graphic from the Weidner Center’s Facebook Page https://bit.ly/3p6ewZN
of the Green Bay Jazz Orchestra, shared his insights on how the Weidner Center had been
preparing for the concert. Stranz stated,” The Weidner Center has been preparing for the Swing
for the Holidays concert since I started in August. We’ve been brainstorming ideas, planning for
setting up, and coordinating with other campus departments to make sure that Swing for the
Holidays will be a unique and exciting experience for our patrons.”
Adam Gaines has been the director and a member of the Green Bay Jazz Orchestra since 2016
when he founded the orchestra. Gaines plays the trumpet in the orchestra. Gaines said, “The Green Bay Jazz Orchestra is a non-profit organization whose mission is to share jazz, one of the most important arts created in America, with the community, through concerts and educational outreach. The performing orchestra is made up of professional musicians from Green Bay and surrounding areas.” The Green Bay Jazz Orchestra has been around since 2016, and they have been doing Swing for the Holidays since 2018. They did take off in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. Swing for the Holidays requires a lot of outside work from each of the 17 members, and they have a two-and-a-half-hour rehearsal on the 15th in the Weidner Center in preparation for the concert the next day.
❖“Volga Vout” – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, arranged by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn
❖”I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me War” – Irving Berlin, adapted by Alan Glasscock/ Courtney Sherman, vocals
❖“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” – John Marks, arranged by Frank DeVol/ Courtney Sherman, vocals
❖“Winter Wonderland” – Felix Bernard and Richard Bernard Smith, adapted by Myles Collins/ Courtney Sherman, vocals
❖“Let It Snow” – Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne, arranged by Riamantas Giedraitis/ Courtney Sherman, vocals
❖“Blue Christma” – Billy Hayes and Jay Johnson/ Courtney Sherman, vocals
❖“Linus & Luc” – Vince Guaraldi, arranged by Mark Taylor
❖“Christmastime is Her” – Vince Guardaldi, arranged by David Pugh
❖“Sugar Rum Cherry” – Pyotr Cherrych Tchaikovsky, arranged by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn
❖“Danse of the Floreadore” – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, arranged by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn
❖“Wintertime” – Norah Jones/ Courtney Sherman, vocals
❖“Last Christmas” – George Michael, arranged by Jesper Riis/ Courtney Sherman, vocals
❖“Oh Holy Night” – Adolphe Adam and John Dwight, arranged by Ed Wilson/ Courtney Sherman, vocals
❖“Sleigh Ride” – Leroy Anderson, arranged by J. Mitchell Parish and John LaBarbera/ Courtney Sherman, vocals
❖”It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” – Eddie Pola and George Wyle, arranged by Denver Bierman
❖ “Jingle Bells” – James Pierpont
One person who attended the show, who preferred to remain anonymous, said they heard about the Swing for the Holidays from a family member. Their favorite song is Oh Holy Night because “it is a family favorite and what they liked from the concert was the rendition of the Nutcracker songs.” They said, “What the holidays mean to them is a time to gather with family and friends. Also remember to be kind to others.” They really liked the Swing for the holiday concert and wish to attend next year.
Photo of the performance by Emily Goggins.
Those who came out to the concert were entered into a free raffle if they chose to. There were three raffles for three different shows from the Weidner Center. One winner got two tickets for one of the shows coming to the Weidner. These shows were “Brit Floyd,” “Jim Jeffries, and “Weidner Philharmonic – Wizard of Oz.” And who announced the tickets? Santa himself!