THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4TH -- 7PM

VIP EARLY ENTRY at 5:30PM

GENERAL ADMISSION DOORS at 6PM

SHOW at 7PM

TICKETS

GENERAL ADMISSION: $25 + admission tax & processing fee

VIP EARLY ENTRY : $30 + admission tax & processing fee

DOOR: $25 + admission tax

VIP EARLY ENTRY TICKETS allow entrance to the venue half an hour before doors open to the public, allowing you first choice of seating

Advance ticket sales end at 5PM the day of the show. If tickets are not sold out by this time they will be available for purchase when the doors open.

ALL TICKET SALES ARE FINAL unless the show is cancelled or rescheduled

IMPORTANT INFO

This is an all-seated event

GENERAL ADMISSION - arrive early for best choice of seating

ALL AGES

FOOD & DRINK available for purchase

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WINCHESTER JAZZ COLLECTIVE

The Winchester Jazz Collective celebrates the music of Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, John Kirby and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

This holiday season, the Winchester Jazz Collective brings Ellington’s arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite to life with a special performance at the Bright Box on Thursday December, 12 at 7:00PM. The show includes other holiday favorites and the music of Winchester’s own John Kirby.

In 1960, American pianist, composer, and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded The Nutcracker Suite for Columbia Records. The now beloved holiday album features jazz interpretations of the 1892 ballet "The Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky, arranged by Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. In 1939, Ellington and Strayhorn formed a musical partnership that endured until Strayhorn’s passing in 1967. Ellington once described Strayhorn as: "my right arm, my left arm, all the eyes in the back of my head, my brain waves in his head, and his in mine." This collaboration resulted in a catalog of some of the most significant American songs of the 20th century.

Winchester’s own John Kirby, jazz bassist and band leader, is also celebrated on this occasion. Kirby performed prominently with Benny Goodman and led his own sextet "John Kirby and His Onyx Club Boys" in the 30’s and 40’s . He had several hits, including Charlie Shaver’s Undecided” and his version of Loch Lomond.

About the Winchester Jazz Collective: Shenandoah University’s Director of Jazz & Commercial Music and Professor of Trombone Matthew Niess, created, produced and launched the Winchester Jazz Collective at the Barns of Rose Hill in December 2023. The group includes Professor of Jazz and Trumpet Craig Fraedrich, Professor of Jazz Saxophone Darryl Brenzel, Professor Emeritus of Jazz Piano Robert Larson, jazz professionals in the region, and prominent jazz students from the University.