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FVCC Offers Jazz Courses

One-credit course is open to anyone with a musical background who knows how to read music.

By Beacon Staff

Flathead Valley Community College is recruiting musicians of all levels for its Jazz Ensemble course this fall.

Instructed by Sky Thoreson, the one-credit course is open to anyone with a musical background who knows how to read music. The course will focus on combo, big band and contemporary jazz, dance music and jazz theory and history. Students will engage in performances on and off campus throughout the semester. Additionally, students will enjoy guest appearances from professional jazz musicians.

A member of the Jack Waller Quintet, Thoreson has played with various local groups, including Swingin’ on High, Don Lawrence Orchestra, Cocinando and renowned Whitefish musician and Downbeat Magazine rising star-nominated Erica von Kleist. He graduated from Whitworth University in Spokane where he studied jazz improvisation and pedagogy and earned a bachelor’s degree in classical trombone performance and a Master in Teaching degree.

The course will meet Tuesdays from 5 to 6:45 p.m. throughout the fall semester on the college’s Kalispell campus beginning Sept. 2. Students will need to supply their own instruments. Preferred instruments include saxophone, trombone, trumpet, drums, bass, piano and guitar.

In conjunction with the Jazz Ensemble course, the college will offer a Vocal Jazz course instructed by Missoula native Nicole Sanford. The one-credit course will meet Thursdays from 3 to 4:50 p.m. on the college campus beginning Aug. 28. Students in the class will prepare and perform vocal jazz literature of the past and present. Prior singing experience and note reading are helpful but not required.

For more information or to register, call 756-3848, visit www.fvcc.edu or contact Thoreson at (406) 548-2636 or [email protected].