NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@alpha.nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

8/28/2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES -Performances by nationally renowned jazz musicians Tony Dagradi and Byron Stripling are part of varied concert schedule planned by the University Jazz Orchestra at Northwestern State University. The orchestra is under the direction of Galindo Rodriguez.

"This year's concert schedule is part of our effort to create a strong jazz presence in our overall music program," said Rodriguez. "We will be bringing experienced, world-class professionals to Northwestern to work with our students and perform."

A pops concert with the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra will start the season on Oct. 4 in Prather Coliseum. Richard Rose will conduct the NNSO. The Jazz Orchestra will perform a number of popular big band dance tunes.

Dagradi will present a masterclass for NSU students and perform with the orchestra Nov. 14. An associate professor of saxophone at Loyola University in New Orleans, Dagradi is an active jazz performer. Dagradi and his group, Astral Project, have performed throughout the United States and in Europe and Japan. He has been a faculty member at Loyola since 1990.

The Jazz Orchestra will take part in the annual Christmas Gala on Nov. 30 along with the entire Mrs. H.D. Dear and Alice E. Dear Department of Creative and Performing Arts at NSU. On Feb. 1, the group will perform at the annual Miss Northwestern ­ Lady of the Bracelet Pageant.

Stripling will perform at Northwestern March 2 as part of the Spring Trumpet Extravaganza. He was selected by conductor John Williams of the Boston Pops Orchestra, as featured soloist on the PBS television special, "Evening at Pops." An accomplished actor and singer, Stripling was chosen, following a world wide search, to star in the lead role of the Broadway bound musical, "Satchmo." He also had a cameo performance in the TV movie, "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles." Stripling also gave a critically acclaimed virtuoso trumpet and comedic performance in the 42nd Street production of "From Second Avenue to Broadway."

In addition, Stripling has also been a featured soloist on The Grammy Awards. He has also done trumpet solos and voiceovers on television commercials, TV theme songs and movie soundtracks.

Stripling made his Carnegie Hall debut with Skitch Hendersen and the New York Pops and has soloed with The Boston Pops, Virginia Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Boca Raton Pops, Knoxville Symphony, Baton Rouge Symphony, Illinois Philharmonic,
Minnesota Orchestra, and American Jazz Philharmonic. He was also lead trumpeter and soloist with the Count Basie Orchestra and recorded extensively with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, and Buck Clayton in addition to The Lincoln Center Classical Jazz Orchestra, The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and The GRP All Star Big Band.

The Jazz Orchestra will close out the 2001-02 season with "The Best of the Sacred Concerts of Duke Elllington" April 17. The concert will feature Northwestern alumnus David Hardin of Shreveport on trumpet, the combined NSU choruses and the NSU Dance Ensemble.

"This year's program will be very beneficial for our students," said Rodriguez. "They will have the chance to learn from and observe outstanding professional musicians. We will emphasize the creative side more by letting them do more improvisation and will balance that with the practical side which is performing."

For more information on the upcoming Jazz Orchestra season, contact Rodriguez at (318) 357-5799.

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