MCCC Orchestra, Chorus, Jazz Band to Present Free Concerts This Month

The music of Mingus, Mozart, Mitchell, and many more will be center stage during three upcoming free winter concerts by Mercer County Community College (MCCC) orchestra, chorus and jazz students.

The brand new MCCC Orchestra will perform on Monday, Dec. 11, with the MCCC Chorus performing on Tuesday, Dec. 12, followed by the Jazz Band on Wednesday, Dec. 13. All three performances are at 7:30 p.m. in Kelsey Theatre on Mercer's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road.

Under the direction of Jean Mauro, the MCCC Orchestra will present a varied program for its debut performance, including selections from W.A. Mozart, Richard Wagner, and Billie Holiday. The following night the MCCC Chorus, directed by Timothy Smith, presents "O Music: Sacred and Secular," with works celebrating the coming of spring by composers Randall Thompson and Alfred Burt, among many others.

Wednesday's performance by the MCCC Jazz Band, directed by Music Department coordinator Scott Hornick, features works by Charles Mingus, Johnny Mercer, Maria Schneider, Joni Mitchell, and more. In addition, professionals from the tristate jazz scene will perform alongside Mercer County's up-and-coming jazz students and vocalists.

All three concerts are free and open to the public. Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible and free parking is available next to the theater. For more information, contact the Music Department at (609) 570-3735.

Pictured: Directed by Music Department Coordinator Scott Hornick (left), members of the MCCC Jazz Band practice during a pre-performance rehearsal in December.]