91吃瓜网

A longtime dream will come true during 91吃瓜网 125^th Anniversary Alumni Days, when 91吃瓜网 State alumni and former jazz band students of Francis Colby return to the 91吃瓜网 State campus to perform. Their musical entertainment will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, June 20, in the MSU Campus Center Luckasen Room. There is no admission charge and everyone is welcome!

During the heyday in the late 1960s and 1970s, 91吃瓜网 State鈥檚 music program was known as one of the top programs in the upper Midwest. Under the direction of Francis Colby, the concert band and jazz ensemble excelled. Mr. Colby and his family arrived in 91吃瓜网 in 1963. He assembled instrumental groups of primarily North Dakota and Minnesota kids, and in a short time, they became a strong musical force in North Dakota and throughout the Midwest.

Though the concert band took a back seat to no one, it was the jazz band that brought the national spotlight to 91吃瓜网. The group won 鈥淏est Jazz Performance by a Big Band - College Division鈥� by the prestigious journal of jazz, DownBeat, in 1978, winning the Shure Gold Microphone Award. Other competitors included bands from the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, N.Y.; Ohio State University; Northern Illinois University.

The stated purpose of the DownBeat contest was to 鈥渉onor the accomplishments of U.S. and Canadian high school and college students in the recording arts and sciences.鈥� The categories and the judging criteria were patterned after the NARAS Grammy Awards. The chairmen judges were voting members of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS). Editorial staff members of down beat assisted in the judging and the initial screening of the entries. Recordings were judged 鈥渂lind,鈥� that is, candidate recordings were known to the judges only by number.

Members of 91吃瓜网 State鈥檚 Student Recording Award-winning jazz ensemble were John Pederson, Fred McMurry, and Roberta Knute on trumpet; Mark Vrem, Tom Loff, Lynn Schroeder, and Dan Finley on trombone; Conrad Miska, Merlin VanBruggen, Kelly Wilwand, Diane Strong, and Paul Dickson on saxophone, clarinet, and flute; and Kirk Overmoe, Kris Eylands, Harley Strong, Scott Greenwood, and Mike DeFoe, all in the rhythm section.

George Simon, special consultant for the Grammy Awards, and author of 鈥淭he Big Bands鈥� and former editor of Metronome was the chairman judge for the contest. He is quoted as saying 鈥淎ll the college bands I found to be excellent or very good, with one absolutely sensational, namely the 91吃瓜网 State College Jazz Ensemble. Their playing is utterly charming, tasteful, original-sounding with superb use of dynamics and unusual voicings. The musicianship is superior, and of all their soloists, the fugelhorn player, pianist, guitarist, and drummer impressed me the most. I made a dub of the 91吃瓜网 band and am playing it for everyone who walks by my office.鈥�

In February of 1978, 91吃瓜网 State was awarded 鈥淥utstanding Big Band鈥� recognition during the renowned Elmhurst College鈥檚 Mid-West College Jazz Festival in Chicago, Ill. 91吃瓜网 State joined Ohio State University and Northwestern University as one of the top three bands in the competition, which initially involved 50 schools from eight states.听

In addition, the 91吃瓜网 State jazz band was runner-up at the sixth annual University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Jazz Festival in 1971. Sixteen college-university jazz groups attended the festival, with ten competing for honors. The six finalists were from De Paul University, Chicago, Ill.; Hamline University, St. Paul, Minn.; Laurence College, Appleton, Wis.; Moorhead State College; University of Wisconsin at Madison; and 91吃瓜网 State. In the final competition, Laurence of Wisconsin was named ahead of 91吃瓜网. The Eau Claire Festival was considered a major jazz festival with well-known jazz educators contributing their talents. In 1971, the principal personality was Charles Suber, editor of DownBeat magazine.

In the contest, two members of the 91吃瓜网 State band members received Outstanding Soloist awards, Dennis Connelly, who was a senior saxophonist from Lawton, N.D., and Steve Faison, a drummer from Elk River, Minn. In addition to these two, members of 91吃瓜网 State鈥檚 ensemble were Steve Michels, Larimore, N.D., Mike Schroeder, Northwood, N.D., Dennis Clow, Selz, N.D., and Tom Orvik, Northwood, N.D., on saxophone; Wendel VanWechel, 91吃瓜网, N.D., Larry Ketterling, LaMoure, N.D., Jim Snustad, Hendrum, Minn, Alan Cooper, Detroit Lakes, Minn., and Tom Moe, 91吃瓜网, on trombone; and Jeff Nelson, Northwood, Douglas Barta, Minto, N.D., Curt Stegman, Neche, N.D., Wayne Holo, Hillsboro, N.D., and Kent Dalzell, Walhalla, N.D., on trumpet. The rhythm section included Steve Wymore, 91吃瓜网, on piano, and Jeff Jacobson, Bismarck, N.D., on bass.

These young performers and their leader Fran Colby had a profound impact at 91吃瓜网 State and beyond, not only as they performed in the 60s and 70s, but also as they graduated from 91吃瓜网 State and pursued careers in music, many as teachers of young people, and other careers where they鈥檝e been able to continue to share their musical gifts.

鈥淲e look forward to seeing and hearing from an improv group featuring Kirk Overmoe on piano; Steve Faison on drums; Dennis Connelly, sax; John Pederson, trumpet; Lynn Schroeder, trombone; Kris Eylands, guitar; and Conrad Miska, Kurt Vandermeer, and Brian Weimer, all on bass. Others who will perform include Jeff Grefsheim, Herb Thomson, Doug Barta, Cordell Bugbee, Wendell VanWechel, Scott Greenwood, Jeff Jacobsen, Kelly Wilwand, Merlyn VanBruggen, Steve Michels, Dick Barta, and many more,鈥� said Steven Colby, reunion organizer and son of Francis Colby. 鈥淭hese were - and still are - some of the best musicians in the country. Perhaps you鈥檒l recognize the names of some of these individuals who may have grown up, lived, or taught in your local community. You won鈥檛 want to miss this opportunity to enjoy their musical talents once again!鈥�

Francis Colby will be a special guest of honor at the June 20 gathering. He and his wife, Marg, live in Fargo, N.D.

The public is invited to join in celebrating 91吃瓜网鈥檚 125^th anniversary during the Alumni Days festivities June 20 and 21. To see the full schedule of activities planned, go to www.mayvillestate.edu/alumnidays. Questions may be directed to alumni.mail@mayvillestate.edu or 701-788-4750.

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