FSCJ Artist Series to Present The Glenn Miller Orchestra, 1/18/2015

The Glenn Miller Orchestra plays at the Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts on Florida State College at Jacksonville's South Campus (11901 Beach Blvd.) on Sunday, January 18, 2015 at 7:00PM for one performance only!

The Glenn Miller Orchestra is the most popular and sought-after big band in the world today for both concert and swing dance engagements. With its unique jazz sound, The Glenn Miller Orchestra is considered to be one of the greatest bands of all time. The present Glenn Miller Orchestra was formed in 1956 and has been touring consistently since, playing an average of 300 live dates a year all around the world.

Nick Hilscher, the orchestra's music director and vocalist, creates an atmosphere of richness as the band remains devoted to the Miller sound, interpreting such standards as "String of Pearls," "Tuxedo Junction," "Little Brown Jug," and "Pennsylvania 6-5000." Also joining The Glenn Miller Orchestra is female vocalist, Natalie Angst.

Tickets for The Glenn Miller Orchestra are on sale now through the FSCJ Artist Series, sponsored by Chase, the official presenter of the Jacksonville show. Tickets are $39.00 at www.artistseriesjax.org, (904) 442-2929, and the FSCJ Artist Series Box Office between 10AM-5PM, Monday-Friday. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more at (904) 442-2947 or groupsales@fscj.edu.

"A band ought to have a sound all of its own. It ought to have a personality." - Glenn Miller

Glenn Miller played and recorded with the likes of Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey (who on several of their records, featured an up-and-coming singer by the name of Bing Crosby), Gene Krupa, Eddie Condon and Coleman Hawkins. In addition, during that time, Glenn cut 18 sides for Goodman, and also worked for radio studio conductors like Victor Young, Carl Fenton and Jacques Renard. In 1934, Miller became the musical director of the Dorsey Band, and later went on to organize The Ray Noble Orchestra. In April 1935, Glenn Miller recorded, for the first time, under his own name. Using six horns, a rhythm section and a string quartet, he recorded "Moonlight on the Ganges" and "A Blues Serenade" for Columbia. But selling only a few hundred records, he continued his position with the Noble Orchestra. A few years later, Glenn Miller stepped out to form his own band. There were a few recordings, but it was not to be. Broke, depressed and having no idea what he was going to do, he returned to New York City.

It is said that Miller could never remember precisely the moment he decided to emphasize his new reed section sound. But it was during this disheartening interim that he realized the unique sound - produced by the clarinet holding the melodic line while the tenor sax plays the same note, and supported harmonically by three other saxophones - just might be the individual and easily recognizable style that would set his band apart from all the rest.

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