Tag Archives: Concert

The NOVA Community Chorus Presents Broadway Lights!

The NOVA Community Chorus Presents Broadway Lights at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on February 19th, 2019. Photo by Britt Conley

Chorus had an exciting time putting on a great evening of Broadway Tunes.  It all began with “There’s No Business Like Show Business!”  Seriously… It’s true.  Our host?,  Director of the NOVA Community Chorus, Chad Steffey.

The NOVA Community Chorus Presents Broadway Lights at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on February 19th, 2019. Photo by Britt Conley

The evening featured some incredible works, mainly showing off some of our individual Chorus members.  This was their night.  These volunteer  soloists picked their own songs and sang their hearts out!  David Shilton sings C’est Moi from Camelot.

David Shilton. The NOVA Community Chorus Presents Broadway Lights at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on February 19th, 2019. Photo by Britt Conley

They took turns for a well over an hours worth of Broadway Tunes!  Mary Shilton sang What I did for Love, from A Chorus Line.

Mary Shilton. The NOVA Community Chorus Presents Broadway Lights at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on February 19th, 2019. Photo by Britt Conley

Bernie Cohen’s “If I Were a Rich Man” from Fiddler on the Roof, was wonderful.

Bernie Cohen. The NOVA Community Chorus Presents Broadway Lights at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on February 19th, 2019. Photo by Britt Conley

Our Guest Artist, Soloist, Emi Eiting, sang multiple songs, including What More Do I need? from Saturday Night, Times Are Hard For Dreamers, Vanilla Ice Cream, from She Loves Me and Meadowlark from The Baker’s Wife!   Emi is a freelance performer, choral conductor, pianist, director choral adjudicator and vocal coach working in Northern Virginia.  Her voice just fills the hall beautifully.

Emi Eiting. The NOVA Community Chorus Presents Broadway Lights at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on February 19th, 2019. Photo by Britt Conley

There were so many phenomenal Tunes!  The Ensemble Women sang, “And All That Jazz” from Chicago, followed by the Ensemble Men adding “Gee, Officer Krupke from West Side Story.

The NOVA Community Chorus Presents Broadway Lights at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on February 19th, 2019. Photo by Britt Conley
The NOVA Community Chorus Presents Broadway Lights at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on February 19th, 2019. Photo by Britt Conley

With a trip down memory lane we embarked on a great 60’s feel, What a Piece of Work is Man/How Dare They Try from Hair.  The work featured Margot Hanclich, followed by Alison Sheahan singing On a Clear Day.

Margo Hanclich and Alison Sheahan. The NOVA Community Chorus Presents Broadway Lights at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on February 19th, 2019. Photo by Britt Conley
Alison Sheahan. The NOVA Community Chorus Presents Broadway Lights at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on February 19th, 2019. Photo by Britt Conley

Tom Munger and Bernie Cohen had us, “Brush Up on Your Shakespeare” from Kiss Me Kate!

Tom Munger and Bernie Cohen. The NOVA Community Chorus Presents Broadway Lights at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on February 19th, 2019. Photo by Britt Conley

Dylan Nohilly, asked, “Try to Remember” from The Fantasticks.

Dylan Nohilly. The NOVA Community Chorus Presents Broadway Lights at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on February 19th, 2019. Photo by Britt Conley

After a lovely round of soloists, the Chorus came in with a stunning rendition of Singing in the Rain! You can hear a part of it on Instagram!  instagram.com/musicatnova  Follow us and if you take pictures of our concerts feel free to hashtag #musicatnova, so that we can all enjoy them : )

The NOVA Community Chorus Presents Broadway Lights at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on February 19th, 2019. Photo by Britt Conley

This was followed by a beautiful and soulful, Send in the Clowns from A Little Night Music. The final piece of the evening was Do You Hear the People Sing from Les Misérables!

If you want to catch the Chorus soon, we are having our Spring Concert, here at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center on May 3rd at 8:00pm!  Please bring family and friends to help support all the efforts of our students and community with this, our Combined, Chorus, Band and Jazz Ensemble Concert.

For more information contact Lisa Eckstein at Leckstein@nvcc.edu

See you Soon!

 

2018 Holiday Concert

The evening NOVA Holiday Concert began with Chad Steffey directing the NOVA Community Choir in Magnificat in C Major, D. 486 by Franz Schubert.  Soprano – Shelby Young, Altos – Halina Banas-Jones & Jackie Cohen, Tenor – Dave Shepherd and Bass singer Dylan Nohilly performed beautifully.

The NOVA Community Chorus. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

This was followed by, “In the Bleak of Winter” by Harold Darke, featuring Tenor Marcos Sonnenber-Nieves and Soprano, Barbara Shepherd.

The NOVA Community Chorus. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

It was so wonderful to hear a variety of holiday works.  “Ocho Kandelikas” Landino Song for Channukah, by Flory Jagoda was lovely and the final choral work was simple and beautiful, “A Merry Christmas” West Country traditional Song, arranged by Arthur Warrell.

The NOVA Community Chorus. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

The Jazz Ensemble was on it!  Their holiday program included, “Mary Did you Know?” by Mark Lowry and Buddy Green.

The Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

They did a great rendition of Gordin Goodwind’s jazz arrangement for Hark!  The Herald Angels Sing/

The Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

Jay Livingston and Ray Evans’ Silver Bells was a huge hit.

The Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

Of course the biggest surprise was a jazzy Joy to the World. We were all so excited during the applause, I accidentally got of this fun image : )

The Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

The NOVA Alexandria Band was at the ready, for the next section. We began with A Chanukah Celebration, arranged by David Bobrowitz.

The NOVA Community Band. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

I love it when the band don a great cap!

The NOVA Community Band. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

Minor Alterations: Christmas Through the Looking Glass by David Lovrien, followed, just before Greensleeves.

The students have been working hard all semester and this was a perfect night to shine!  They all did an amazing job!

The NOVA Community Band. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

The Christmas March was really fun!

The NOVA Community Band. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

For the finale, Lisa turned to the audience to conduct the Singalong, Christmas Finale!  The lyrics were on the back of the program : )

The NOVA Community Band. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

The audience really enjoyed it!

The NOVA Community Band. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.
The NOVA Community Band. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

We were luckily joined by our NOVA leadership!  President Ralls, our Alexandria Provost, Annette Haggray and The Dean of the Arts, David Epstein were all in attendance.

The NOVA Community Band. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.
The NOVA Community Band. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

The concert was huge hit and the round of applause was rewarding for all.

The NOVA Community Band. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

The students work so hard in all our Music Programs, between the Band, Choir and Jazz Band and this is their big opportunity to perform for family and friends.  We really appreciate your support.

The NOVA Community Band. A Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018. Featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and the NOVA Alexandria Band. Photo by Britt Conley.

Please Join us for our next, wonderful evening Concert at The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center!  The Band will be putting on the Annual Children’s Concert!  Thursday, March 7th, 2019 at 7:30 pm.  The Concert will feature special guest soloists: Trumpeter Dennis Edelbrock, Trombonist Harry Watters, and clarinetists Brian Jones and Charles West! We will also provide the world premier of a piece by composer Robert Thurston!  Joining us will be The George Mason Elementary School Jazz Band, The George Washington Middle School Jazz Ensemble, The Alexandria City Public Schools Student Finalists in the National PTA Reflections Program and the band will be joined by area School Band and Orchestra Students!!!  It’s going to be quite the night!!!!

For more information, please contact Lisa Eckstein leckstein@nvcc.edu

NOVA Night at the Carlyle Club!

NOVA Alexandria Jazz students performing Monday, November 5th, 2018 at the Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Virginia. Photo by Britt Conley

NOVA Alexandria Jazz Ensembles performed at the Carlyle Club on Monday night!  The evening began with “The Generation Gap” One of the great Jazz combos in the Jazz Studies Program, featuring:

John Butler, alto saxophone and flute; Christopher Kaplan, guitar; Burvin Jenkins, guitar (group leader); Jacqueline Rodriguez, piano; Cristhian Arango, bass and Fernando Galleas, drums.

NOVA Alexandria Jazz students performing Monday, November 5th, 2018 at the Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Virginia. Photo by Britt Conley
NOVA Alexandria Jazz students performing Monday, November 5th, 2018 at the Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Virginia. Photo by Britt Conley

Our second Ensemble, The Jazz Standards, features:  Michael Barr, alto saxophone; Marie Himel, tenor saxophone and flute; Andrew Grabowski, guitar; Bryan Dicks, guitar; Rodney Avery, piano; Marcus Levitan, bass; Kurt Steinbacher, drums; Steven Melnick, voice

NOVA Alexandria Jazz students performing Monday, November 5th, 2018 at the Carlye Club in Alexandria, Virginia. Photo by Britt Conley

he Director of our Jazz Studies program, John Kocur, set the story for the NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble’s evening theme “The Sounds of Hollywood.”

John Kocur, director of Jazz studies at NOVA Alexandria directed the evening of NOVA Alexandria Jazz students performing Monday, November 5th, 2018 at the Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Virginia. Photo by Britt Conley

The program included:

Zip-Ah-Dee-Doo-Dah

Flirtibird

Call Me Irresponsible

Soul Bossa Nova

I Wanna Be Like You

Everyday I Have The Blues

You’re Welcome

NOVA Alexandria Jazz students performing Monday, November 5th, 2018 at the Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Virginia. Photo by Britt Conley

The Jazz Band did a wonderful job.  The music was fun, energized and soulful!  Especially Soul Bossa Nova!

NOVA Alexandria Jazz students performing Monday, November 5th, 2018 at the Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Virginia. Photo by Britt Conley

The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble (Big Band) features:

Saxophones: Kevin Bennett, John Butler, Caryl Greenfield,  Marie Himel and Susan Shapiro

Trumpet: Larry Craven, Ludwig Goon, Grason Stewart, Jacob Shapiro and Ronald Umbeck

Trombone: Thomas Fonda, Adam Kissel and  Jason Smith

Rhythm Section: Roger Wood, guitar; Andrew Grabowski, guitar; Brian Kang, guitar; Rodney M Avery, piano;  Owen Squire, piano;  John Kang, bass; Luke Neyland, drums and Joseph Dirsa, drums.

NOVA Alexandria Jazz students performing Monday, November 5th, 2018 at the Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Virginia. Photo by Britt Conley
NOVA Alexandria Jazz students performing Monday, November 5th, 2018 at the Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Virginia. Photo by Britt Conley

Aside from having such a great ambiance, at the Carlye Club, we also enjoyed the amazing menu.  A night of dinner and jazz is always fun.  Some got up and danced the night away!

NOVA Alexandria Jazz students performing Monday, November 5th, 2018 at the Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Virginia. Photo by Britt ConleyWe’d like to thank The Carlyle Club for this phenomenal opportunity for our students to perform in an amazing venue.

NOVA Alexandria Jazz students performing Monday, November 5th, 2018 at the Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Virginia. Photo by Britt Conley

To see the NOVA Jazz Ensembles again, they will be marching in the the Alexandria, Saint Patricks Day Parade on March 2nd!  If you can them there, post a photo on Instagram!  #Musicatnova

The Jazz Ensembles will be performing at The Torpedo Factory on April 30th from 6:30-10:00pm for JAZZ for JUSTICE.

They will also be at The NOVA, Spring Concert on May 3rd in the Schlesinger Arts Center at 8pm!

For more information about our events, please visit www.facebook.com/MusicAtNOVA

And

www.instagram.com/musicatnova