Contact: David West
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

8/25/98

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES - Northwestern State University will host a three-day Trumpet Extravaganza Sept. 15-17. The event is sponsored by the Mrs. H.D. Dear, Sr. and Alice E. Dear Department of Creative and Performing Arts at NSU and will include classes for area trumpet students and two free jazz concerts.

The featured guest artist will be Mike Vax, the former lead trumpet with the Stan Kenton Jazz Orchestra. Vax is a clinician for the Yamaha Corporation of America and travels across the U.S. and throughout the world as a jazz solo artist and offering clinics, recitals, masterclasses and concerts with university and high school ensembles. His appearance is sponsored by the Yamaha Corporation of America, the NSU Student Activities Board, the Northwestern chapter of the International Trumpet Guild, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Phillips Music of Shreveport.

"This is a unique opportunity for trumpet players in the area to learn from an outstanding musician," said NSU Associate Professor of Music Galindo Rodriguez, who is coordinating the event. "We have gotten a great deal of cooperation from the administration, including (NSU President) Dr. Randall J. Webb and Bill Brent (head of the Department of Creative and Performing Arts), alumni and friends of Northwestern to begin an event that can hopefully be done each year."

Vax will conduct a masterclass for NSU students on Sept. 15, a jazz combo masterclass on Sept. 16 and a class for area school students on Sept. 17.

On Sept. 16, the David Hardin Jazz Quintet will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Hardin, a NSU alumnus, is the recipient of the 1998 Alumni Band Director of the Year Award. Vax will perform with the NSU Jazz Ensemble Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Hardin, Bill Causey, Jr. and Lamar Smith will be guest soloists for the concert. Admission to both concerts is free and open to the public.

"We wanted to bring an internationally-known trumpet soloist and clinician to Northwestern and were fortunate to be able to get someone like Mike Vax," said Rodriguez. "In addition, alumni like Dave Hardin and trumpeters like Bill Causey Jr. and Lamar Smith agreed to come and play. They are all first-class jazz solo players people will enjoy hearing."

For more information on the NSU Trumpet Extravaganza, call 357-5799.

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