Lincoln College dance, jazz and chorale groups to grace Johnston Center stage in April

[April 02, 2013]  The Lincoln College performing arts schedule for April is packed with first-class entertainment. In addition to the theatrical presentation of "Woyzeck," three other performances are on the schedule: dance, jazz and chorale concerts.

Lincoln College dance instructor Audra Turley will showcase her two LC dance companies in the Johnston Center on April 20 at 7:30 p.m. and April 21 at 2 p.m. Dance Force and members of the Jazz Dance class will perform to a variety of music from contemporary to Beethoven.

"The choreography for the dance concerts is mostly done by the students," Turley points out. "I will do two pieces for the Jazz Dance class and two for Dance Force. The rest are from the students in the dance companies."

General admission tickets are $1 at the box office on the day of the concert.

It may not be generally known, but Turley is an alumna of Lincoln College. After graduating, she enrolled at Western Kentucky, where she earned a master’s in their dance education program. She then brought her passion for dance and teaching back to Lincoln. She runs Audra’s Studio of Dance in downtown Lincoln and teaches at Lincoln College.

Turley may be reached at her studio at 217-732-9137 or by email at [e-mail] for more information about the dance concert.

On April 26, a week after the dance performance, Professor Scott Woger will bring his jazz bands to the stage at the Johnston Center at 7:30 p.m.

The famous Lincoln College Big Band will perform some of the most challenging music ever presented by a LC jazz ensemble. The four-person jazz combo and the saxophone quartet will also be on stage to rock the audience. The majority of the performers are in the LC jazz baccalaureate degree program.

"This will be professional-level music," said Woger, "with different styles from swing to funk and blues."

Tickets are $2 at the box office on the evening of the concert. A silent auction will accompany the concert to raise funds for a travel program for the jazz musicians.

Woger may be reached at [e-mail] or 217-732-3155, ext. 281.

The next evening, April 27 at 7:30, Professor Cynthia Fox brings her choirs to the Johnston Center main stage. She calls the concert "A Taste of Culture," with music in languages from around the world. The Lincoln College Chorale and the Chamber Singers will perform music in French, Latin, Korean, Spanish, Yiddish and many others.

If you heard the exciting African music during the December holiday concert, get ready for more from that continent. "The choir enjoyed the African music so much that they wanted to do it again," Fox said.

Fox can be contacted at 217-732-3155, ext. 284, or by email at [e-mail].

The performing arts program at Lincoln College is turning out professional-level actors, musicians, vocalists and jazz musicians right here in Lincoln. Make it a point to attend these concerts to see how fortunate Lincoln is to have entertainment of this quality in a venue as terrific as the Johnston Center on the Lincoln College campus.

[By CURT FOX]