[members-announce] Jazz meets symphony at Pittsfield festival

[EdBride at aol.com]

Pittsfield CityJazz  Festival, Colonial Theatre Collaborating on 
“Jazz Meets Symphony”  Concert for Fourth Annual Festival 

New Black Eagles Jazz Band  to Perform Traditional Jazz Masterpieces 
With Pittsfield CityJazz  Youth Orchestra in Oct. 17 Headline Event 
PITTSFIELD,  Mass., Apr. 24, 2008 – The _Pittsfield CityJazz Festival_ 
(http://www.pittsfieldcityjazz.org/)  and the Colonial Theatre today announced a 
collaboration  that will return the festival to that historic venue for a 
headline concert on  Oct. 17. “Jazz Meets Symphony” will feature the New Black 
Eagles Jazz Band and  the Pittsfield CityJazz Youth Orchestra, performing 
traditional Jazz  masterpieces that have been re-orchestrated for symphony  
configuration. 
The fourth annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival will run from Oct. 10-19.  
Regionally-based musicians will be featured throughout the city on Columbus Day  
weekend (Oct. 10-12), the “Jazz in the Schools” program will occur Oct. 
14-17,  and headline concerts are scheduled for Oct. 17-19. Details will be 
announced  later this spring, with news updates at _www.PittsfieldCityJazz.org_ 
(http://www.pittsfieldcityjazz.org/)  
“This is time-tested, and time-honored, material,” said festival chairman  
Edward Bride. “It has been performed by the New Black Eagles Jazz Band with the 
 Boston Pops, the Scottish National Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony, the  
Limburg Symphony, and more. And now, we are bringing this repertoire to  
Pittsfield for the first  time.” 
One of the top traditional Jazz bands in the country, the _Black  Eagles_ 
(http://www.blackeagles.com/)  have performed at small  clubs and large festivals 
around the world. The youth orchestra is an all-star  group comprising 
members of the Jazz ensembles of  Pittsfield and  Taconic High  Schools, and the 
Pittsfield Chamber  Orchestra. 
“It is very satisfying to be able to deepen our partnerships with local  
performers and performing arts organizations,” said David Fleming, Executive  
Director of the _Colonial Theatre_ (http://www.thecolonialtheatre.org/) . “We are 
particularly proud that the Pittsfield CityJazz  Festival is returning for a 
headline concert that pairs the Black Eagles, who  opened the first festival in 
2005, and the new Pittsfield CityJazz Youth  Orchestra. This collaboration 
demonstrates the Colonial Theatre’s commitment to  community-oriented events 
that deliver memorable musical experiences. The  concert is certain to shine a 
bright light on  Pittsfield and continue to build on  the festival’s reputation 
for bringing high-quality music to  downtown.” 
The concert is made available through a hospitality grant  from the Crowne 
Plaza Hotel, as well as sponsorships from the Legacy Banks  Foundation, the 
Massachusetts Cultural Council, and other organizations. Tickets  go on sale May 
6, from the Colonial Theatre’s box office, 413-997-4444, and at  
www.TheColonialTheatre.org. 
About the Pittsfield CityJazz  Festival 
The Pittsfield CityJazz Festival was established  in 2005. Its goals are 
twofold:  
    *   to present traditional, mainstream, and  contemporary Jazz in an 
urban setting, and thereby contribute to the  renaissance of downtown  Pittsfield; 
and  
    *   to enhance students’ overall educational  experience by introducing 
and presenting Jazz in an educational setting.  
The Pittsfield CityJazz Festival is a collaboration of several  
organizations, including Cultural Pittsfield (the city’s Office of Cultural  Development), 
The Berkshire Music School, and other business and cultural  institutions. 
# # # 
Contact: Edward Bride, 413-442-7718  [JazzPittsfield at AOL.com] 




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