UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State's Centre Dimensions Jazz Ensemble will perform its annual fall concert at 8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 16, in Esber Recital Hall. The program features two guest soloists. In celebration of Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday, Penn State student Matthew Lasor will sing Sinatra favorites “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “The Summer Wind,” and “Get Me to the Church On Time.” Penn state tuba professor Velvet Brown will also be featured on the Thad Jones classic “Don’t Get Sassy,” as well as the standard “Georgia On My Mind.” In addition, the band will perform the classics “Body & Soul,” “When You’re Smiling,” and “You Go to My Head.” Junior saxophone major Patrick Fehrer will be featured on “Cry Me a River.” The music director of Centre Dimensions is Dan Yoder.
General admission tickets are $4.99, and student tickets are $2. Tickets will go on sale 45 minutes prior to the concert in the lobby; advance ticket purchases are not available. The concert will also be streamed live on the Penn State School of Music website.
Brown is professor of tuba and euphonium at Penn State. Prior to joining the faculty in 2003, she taught at Bowling Green State University in Ohio and Ball State University in Indiana, and she served as an associate director of university bands at Boston University.
She enjoys a professional career as an international soloist, chamber ensemble performer, recording artist, conductor and orchestral player. She has made regular appearances throughout Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Finland, France, England, Hungary, Slovenia, Russia, Japan, Canada and the United States. Many of her successful students have won prestigious playing and teaching positions and are prize winners at various regional, national and international competitions.
Centre Dimensions, the premier 20-piece jazz ensemble at Penn State, performs frequently on campus and tours throughout Pennsylvania and the East. In addition, Centre Dimensions performs and works with several internationally known artists each year. Previous guests have included Phil Woods (saxophone), Cyrus Chesnut (piano), Bob Mintzer (saxophone), Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), George Rabbai (trumpet, vocals), Frank Morgan (saxophone), Lynn Seaton (bass) and John Riley (drums). They perform a challenging repertoire of modern and classic jazz, as well as originals written by the director. This highly selective ensemble is open by audition to undergraduate and graduate students in all majors.