Joliet Symphony, Joliet Junior College ensembles presenting concerts over holiday season

The Joliet Symphony Orchestra will present “Pictures” at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, and 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, at the University of St. Francis.

The concerts will take place in the Sexton Auditorium (Moser Performing Arts Center) on the main campus of USF, located at 500 Wilcox St. in Joliet.

This concert of musical “postcards” offers a special opportunity for audience members to connect with the music and make special memories, according to the university.

The program will include Jean Sibelius’ “Finlandia,” Sir Edward Elgar’s striking “Serenade for Strings,” Maurice Ravel’s melancholic “Pavane pour une infante défunte” and Alexander Borodin’s panoramic “In the Steppes of Central Asia” leading to the final piece, Modest Mussorgsky’s tour de force “Pictures at an Exhibition.”

Those who come to the performances 45 minutes early can learn more about the music during the “Noteworthy” pre-concert chats with artistic director and conductor Sean Paul Mills and guests, according to a release from USF.

Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for seniors, alumni and non-USF students. USF students and staff (with ID) and music educators (with ID) can attend for free.

Tickets may be bought in advance at stfrancis.edu/music-at-moser, or reserved in advance by phone at 815-740-3367 or by email to kmacek@stfrancis.edu.

Walk-ins are welcome, but ticket availability cannot be guaranteed because concerts often sell out. Visit stfrancis.edu/music-at-moser for upcoming shows.

Joliet Junior College lineup

Joliet Junior College will host several concerts next month. The lineup includes:

Community Band

The Joliet Junior College Community Band will present its winter concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, in the Fine Arts Theatre, 1215 Houbolt Road. The band is under the direction of Professor Charles Morgan, music coordinator and director of bands at JJC.

This concert promises a diverse program, featuring marches, transcriptions and original compositions for band, according to the college. The first half will include a transcription of “Zampa Overture” by J. Ferdinand Herold, “Joy Cometh in the Morning,” a beautiful piece by Steven J. Pyter, and “As We Forgive,” an exhilarating original composition for concert band by Ryan Nowlan.

The second half will be filled with music to usher in the holiday season with works by Bertauche, Gould, Lent, Grainger and Leroy Anderson.

The JJC Community Band is celebrating its 45th year.

Jazz Band

The JJC Jazz Band, under the direction of Richard Moore, will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, in the JJC Fine Arts Theatre.

The program will include music by composer and saxophonist Benny Carter. The band will recreate the 1987 recording “Benny Carter and the American Jazz Orchestra: Central City Sketches.”

The show will also feature original arrangements and compositions by the JJC Student Jazz Combo under the direction of David Nuccio, and the concert will open with the Coal City High School Jazz Band under the direction of Annie Ternes.

Tickets cost $10 for general admission and $5 for students and seniors. All ticket proceeds go toward music student scholarships.

Steelband

The JJC Steelband will present a concert at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at the JJC Fine Arts Theatre.

The band, directed by Adam Cowger, performs on authentic steelpans which stems from the musical traditions of Trinidad and Tobago. Musical selections will include arrangements of soca, calypso, reggae, Brazillian, Afro-Cuban, pop and classical music.

Chamber Singers and Chorale

The JJC Chamber Singers and the JJC Chorale, conducted by Annette Oh, will present music of the holiday season at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, at the JJC Fine Arts Theatre.

The program will feature a variety of vocal jazz pieces, as well as music celebrating Christmas and the holiday season.

Percussion concert

The JJC Percussion concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, will feature the JJC percussion ensemble and several student performances of solo repertoire.

Musical selections will include genres of ragtime, contemporary, classical, pop, jazz and holiday, as well as adaptions from TV and film and Santana. The guitar and percussion concert under the direction of Adam Cowger and Adam Roth will be held in the Mainstage Theatre.

For ticket information on these performances, call the Joliet Junior College box office at 815-280-2221 or email at boxoffice@jjc.edu.

Many performances will be live-streamed. Go to jjc.edu/fine-arts-events for more information.