JazzFest, handbell concert to showcase Concordia musicians

Bells will ring and music will swing with two end-of-the-year concerts at Concordia University, Nebraska. The spring JazzFest will showcase Concordia’s jazz choir and jazz band at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 1, in Weller Hall Auditorium. The handbell concert will showcase Concordia’s two handbell choirs at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 3, in the Recital Hall of the Music Center on campus.

“The final concert is a great capstone experience for the ringers because all of their hard work and learning culminates in this performance,” said Jessica Kite, director of the handbell choirs. “The Recital Hall acoustics and live audience make it a memorable experience for both performers and listeners alike.”

The JazzFest will feature a variety of jazz, swing and blues pieces from both the jazz choir and jazz band. Highlights include performances of “My Funny Valentine,” “I’ve Got the World on a String” and “St. Louis Blues.”

The handbell concert will include a variety of songs such as “Scarborough Fair,” various Lenten and Easter hymns and a lively version of Leroy Anderson's piece, "Plink, Plank, Plunk." The concert features humor, percussion and a time at the end of the concert when audience members can try the bells for themselves.

Members of the jazz choir include (in alphabetical order by state, city, last name):

• Jacob Fink, sophomore, Long Beach, Calif., bass
• Joshua Weishaar, senior, Salinas, Calif., bass
• Evan Root, senior, Naples, Fla., tenor
• Meredith Locke, freshman, Winter Haven, Fla., soprano
• Matthew Kortze, freshman, Rockford, Ill., bass
• Jennifer Reynolds, senior, Fort Wayne, Ind., alto
• Luke Wohlgemuth, senior, Alton, Iowa, bass
• Zachary Klatt, senior, Shawnee Mission, Kan., tenor
• Emily Sievert, sophomore, Frankenmuth, Mich., soprano
• Benjamin Hayter, sophomore, Concordia, Mo., tenor
• Karen Burgess, junior, Lee’s Summit, Mo., soprano
• Tapainga Kahle, freshman, Imperial, Neb., soprano
• Clara Rich, junior, Lincoln, Neb., alto
• Shelby Stolze, senior, Norfolk, Neb., alto
• Adrienne Langewisch, senior, Seward, Neb., alto
• Jordan Miller, senior, Tomball, Texas, tenor

Members of the jazz band include:

• Ryan Gross, junior, Riverside, Calif., trumpet
• Matthew Kortze, freshman, Rockford, Ill., percussion
• Josh Wudtke, junior, Collinsville, Ill., percussion
• Jennifer Reynolds, senior, Fort Wayne, Ind., trumpet
• Charity Espinosa, freshman, Clarinda, Iowa, trombone
• Hannah Weber, senior, Manchester, Iowa, trombone
• Molly Goltl, sophomore, Wichita, Kan., saxophone
• Carlie Mueller, junior, Frankenmuth, Mich., saxophone
• Jessica Krome, senior, Fairmont, Minn., trumpet
• Austin Dukes, junior, Independence, Mo., guitar
• Karl Rovey, senior, Springfield, Mo., trumpet
• Sean Carpenter, senior, Hollis, N.H., piano
• Ryan Adam, sophomore, Franklin, Neb., saxophone
• Jonathon Carnoali, senior, Hampton, Neb., saxophone
• Paul Nelson, sophomore, Norfolk, Neb., bass
• Nicholas Harding, senior, Yerington, Nev., trombone
• Mikayla Eifert, sophomore, Houston, Texas, trombone

Members of the Handbell Choir and Handbell Choir II include:

• Ryan Gross, junior, Riverside, Calif., Handbell Choir
• Abigail Connick, senior, Salida, Calif., Handbell Choir
• Maria Sasieta, senior, Carrotton, Ill., Handbell Choir II
• Jacob Henson, junior, Herrin, Ill., Handbell Choir II
• Leah Maag, senior, Waterloo, Ill., Handbell Choir
• Jennifer Reynolds, senior, Fort Wayne, Ind., Handbell Choir
• James Clausen, senior, Hull, Iowa, Handbell Choir II
• Hannah Weber, senior, Manchester, Iowa, Handbell Choir
• Ellen Franzmeier, senior, Newell, Iowa, Handbell Choir
• Kelsey Adcock, freshman, Wamego, Kan., Handbell Choir II
• Christian Schultz, senior, Wamego, Kan., Handbell Choir
• Thomas Wyatt, senior, Bethel, Minn., Handbell Choir II
• Rebecca Trautman, senior, Moorhead, Minn., Handbell Choir
• Karen Burgess, junior, Lee’s Summit, Mo., Handbell Choir II
• Emma Gottschamer, freshman, Lee's Summit, Mo., Handbell Choir
• Todd Rakow, sophomore, Lohman, Mo., Handbell Choir II
• Barbara Leising, senior, Arapahoe, Neb., Handbell Choir
• Mary Leising, senior, Arapahoe, Neb., Handbell Choir
• Allison Mackie, sophomore, Columbus, Neb., Handbell Choir II
• Lara Bergdolt, senior, Grand Island, Neb., Handbell Choir
• Erik Geilenkirchen, junior, North Platte, Neb., Handbell Choir II
• Laura Hedstrom, sophomore, Oxford, Neb., Handbell Choir II
• Nicolas Harding, senior, Yerington, Nev., Handbell Choir
• Grace Woelmer, sophomore, Allen, Texas, Handbell Choir II
• Rachel Dahlke, senior, Everett, Wash., Handbell Choir
• Lauren Pankow, senior, Milwaukee, Wis., Handbell Choir II
• Kelli Ryddner, seniorr, Mount Pleasant, Wis., Handbell Choir II
• Sarah Aumann, freshman, Racine, Wis., Handbell Choir II