Guitars, flutes and saxophones

Nestor Torres

Guitars, flutes and saxophones are on the agenda as the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University presents a variety of performances this week:

Sax Ensemble
The Dana School of Music’s Saxophone Studio performs 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 323 Wick Avenue, in Youngstown.

 Music performed includes a diverse repertoire from 20 composers.

Members of the studio include Garrett Kuchmaner, Kathryn Kimes, Anthony Bonamase, Kathleen Brown, Lucas Ciesielski, Christie Hrdlicka, Colt Hutchinson, Jake Jeges, Jimmy O’Donnell, Noah Landry, Santino Almasy, Max Klauscher, Andrew Kovaleski, Billy McKinney, Makenzie Poe, Stephanie Pavlovich, Mark Reinke, Daniel Slencsak, Joe Stanford and Thomas Turnbull. Accompaniment is provided by Diane Yazvac and Mary Ann Bush.

Parking is available in lost adjacent to the church. For more information, call 330-941-2307.

Music at Noon
Students and faculty in the Dana School of Music perform free Music at Noon concerts Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m. in the Beecher Court of the Butler Institute of American Art The schedule for November:

Nov. 7, Clarinet Studio Recital

Nov. 14, Barbershop Chorus

Nov. 28, Saxophone Studio Recital (Location: Butler North)

Parking is available in the Wick Avenue deck for a nominal fee or in the Butler lots. For more information, call 330-941-2307.

Flute residence
Grammy Award-winning jazz flautist Nestor Torres will be in residence at the Dana School of Music Nov. 7 to 9.

The residency is sponsored by Jim and Sue Stratton, whose daughter, Nadya, is a senior flute student majoring in jazz performance. All events are free and open to the public:

  • Wednesday, Nov. 7, 3 to 5 p.m., Torres rehearses and teaches the YSU Jazz Ensemble and YSU Jazz Quintet in Bliss Hall, Room 2222.
  • Thursday, Nov. 8., 1 to 2:50 p.m., Torres hosts a master class for the YSU Jazz Combos in Bliss Hall, Room 2222.
  • Friday, Nov. 9, noon to 12:50 p.m., Torres teaches the Flute Seminar in Bliss Hall.
  • Friday, Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m., Torres performs with the YSU Jazz Ensemble and YSU Jazz Quintet in Kilcawley Center’s Hub.

Torres has completed 16 recordings as a soloist; earned five Latin Grammy nominations, one Grammy nomination and one Latin Grammy Award, and has collaborated with diverse artists including Gloria Estefan, Kenny Loggins, Dave Mathews and Herbie Hancock. He has performed with the Cleveland, Singapore and New World Symphony Orchestras, among many others.  

Parking is available in the Wick Avenue deck for a nominal fee. For more information, call 330-941-2307.

Guitar Ensemble
The Guitar Ensemble at the Dana School of Music performs in concert 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, followed the next day by a master class with guest artist Zvonimir Tot,  a Chicago-based jazz guitarist, composer and arranger.

The ensemble performs in Bliss Recital Hall. Members include Dan Mihelarakis, Nicholas Frank, Angela N. Buzzacco, Shaun McCune, Andy Pickard, Dan Paterson, Marco Morgione, Nico Morgione, Isaac Hraga, Gina Love and Ethan Lyons.  

On Friday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m., Tot conducts a master class in Bliss Hall, Room 2222. Tot has performed internationally with a variety of world-renowned musicians. He is a visiting assistant professor of Music at the University of Illinois at Chicago and is the founder and owner of Groove Art Records, as well as a full member of ASCAP, GRAMMY, Jazz Education Network and the American Composers Forum. He has composed more than 50 jazz compositions for ensembles, ranging from duo to sextet.

Parking is available in the Wick Avenue deck for a nominal fee. For more information, call 330-941-2307.