Woger, director of jazz studies at
Lincoln College, has created a four-year bachelor's degree program
in jazz studies at the college. One of the initiatives of the
program is to partner the Lincoln College Jazz Ensemble with area
high school jazz bands. In the first concert of this series, the
college jazz ensemble will take the stage with the high school jazz
band from Pekin on Feb. 23 in the Meyer Theater in the Johnston
Center for Performing Arts on the LC campus. Pekin High School has
had a renowned jazz program for many years. Each jazz ensemble will
perform a set of four to five tunes.
Woger wants this concert to lead to
more visits to the Lincoln College campus by central Illinois high
school jazz bands. Eventually, he hopes to have a jazz festival on
campus.
Woger is excited about the
prospects of the newly created bachelor's degree program, one of two
now offered by Lincoln College. In the past, when only a two-year
degree was possible, he lost his most promising musicians to schools
offering four-year jazz degree programs. Now, the students can
remain at Lincoln College for their entire bachelor's degree. And as
Woger pointed out, "a bachelor's degree is absolutely necessary to
find employment, and the demand for musicians is a growing field."
One exciting prospect of this program is some terrific jazz concerts
for the public.
[to top of second
column] |
The first concert begins at 7 p.m. on
Feb. 23 in the Johnston Center and is free and open to the public.
Woger may be reached on the Lincoln
College campus at 217-732-3155, ext. 281, or by email to
swoger@lincolncollege.edu.
|