Skip to main content

Lafayette Jazz Ensemble

Facebook Link Twitter Link

Time:

Thursday
December, 18, 2025
04:30 PM - 05:30 PM

Location:

W196

Category

High School Jazz Ensemble

Conductor

Conductor Thumb
Chris Strange

Performer Details

Performer Bio Synopsis

The Lafayette Jazz Program is composed of students in the Lafayette Band who desire to expand their musical experience in a different genre. This aspect of the music program began during the tenure of director Les Anderson in the early 1970s. Dr. Chris Strange became the director of the Jazz Studies program in 2008 and since this time it has it grown into a full-year performance class featuring two auditioned ensembles. The Jazz Band provides an opportunity for the training and development of students who are beginning their study in jazz. Basic jazz style and theory as well as an introduction to improvisation are taught in this course. In addition to school concerts they also perform alongside the Jazz Ensemble at the Jazz Band Dance in the spring. The Lafayette Jazz Ensemble is the primary performing group, and its members must be able to demonstrate a high proficiency on their instrument to meet the challenges demanded by this style of music. The ensemble performs literature that covers several contrasting styles in the jazz idiom. A strong emphasis is placed upon furthering knowledge in jazz theory and the development of more advanced skills in improvisation. The Lafayette Jazz Ensemble has been selected to perform at the annual KMEA Profession Development Conference three times since Dr. Strange became the director, 2014, 2019 and most recently in 2023. In 2024 the ensemble participated in the University of Louisville Jazz Fest and was selected as the “Outstanding Ensemble” for the festival and invited to open the evenings concert. Other performances include the Jazz Band Dance in the spring, run-out elementary school concerts, and a performance at the Comedy off Broadway club as the opening act for the DiMartino-Osland Jazz Orchestra (DOJO).

Lafayette Jazz Ensemble

Conductor's Bio

TBD

Back

Take me to:

Other Performers:

2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946