FRIDAY'S MAPLEROCK JAZZ FESTIVAL FEATURING VAUGHN WIESTER'S FAMOUS JAZZ ORCHESTRA

Ashland University’s award-winning Jazz program is proud to present the 2013 Maplerock Jazz Festival slated for Friday, March 22.  Along with free performances by area high school jazz ensembles in the afternoon, the event presents a main stage concert at 7:30 p.m. in Hugo Young Theatre featuring VAUGHN WIESTER'S FAMOUS JAZZ ORCHESTRA as guest artist.  The afternoon performances are free and open to the public while tickets for the evening concert are available through the Ashland University Box Office at 419.289.5125, 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or online (additional fees apply) at www.ashland.edu/tickets. 

Vaughn Wiester's Famous Jazz Orchestra takes its place as one of the recent "Young Blood" big bands on the scene, and boasts a roster of some of the brightest and best players offered. Sporting a 12-piece brass section including french horns and tuba, the orchestra's repertoire is selected from the post-bop libraries of Woody Herman, Count Basie, Stan Kenton and others.  Members of the 21-piece orchestra have played with orchestras of Glenn Miller, Guy Lombardo, Woody Herman, Mel Lewis, Tommy Dorsey, Ralph Marterie and Buddy Rich.  

Vaughn Wiester, director, brings a lifetime of experience to his performances.  As a former university jazz instructor, a jazz arranger, and former trombonist with the Woody Herman Orchestra, his passion is to study the music of great composers and arrangers, and to present that music at every opportunity.  After a hitch as a navy trombonist, Vaughn Wiester came to Columbus in 1968 to attend The Ohio State University and to join the Dave Workman Blues Band.  In 1972 he became a member of the Jazz Arts Group led by Ray Eubanks, and was invited to join the Woody Herman orchestra in 1974.  After two years on the road with Herman, Vaughn returned to Columbus to accept a position at the Dave Wheeler Contemporary Music Workshop and to resume his activities with the Jazz Arts Group as a bass trombonist and arranger.  In 1977, Wiester was invited to join the faculty at Capital University as part of their pioneering Jazz Studies degree program.  Wiester's arrangements can be heard on recordings by Woody Herman, Waldo's Ragtime Orchestra, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, and the Keith Henson Octet. 

The Jazz Festival's afternoon performance schedule is as follows:

11:30 a.m. Ashland Middle School 

12:00 p.m. Wellington High School 

12:30 p.m. Lakewood High School Monday Band 

1:00 p.m.   Ashland High School Jazz Band A  

1:30 p.m.   Lakewood High School Tuesday Band
2:00 p.m.   Ashland Jazz Band B  
2:30 p.m.   Rittman High School  
3:00 p.m.   Orrville High School 

In honor of Ashland University Professor of Music Dr. Scott Garlock's tenth year directing the Ashland University Jazz Orchestra, the evening concert begins with several selections performed by the Ashland University Jazz Orchestra  and AUJO alumni.   Immediately following, Vaughn Wiester's Famous Jazz Orchestra will headline the evening concert. 

Tickets for the evening concert are $10 for adults; $5 for senior citizens, non-Ashland University students and Ashland University faculty and staff; and free for Ashland University students.