Aw, Applesauce, are you ready to cut a rug?”
Hey good lookin’, it’s time to slip into your glad rags for an evening of dancing, live jazz music and vocal entertainment featuring Hutchinson High School band and choir students.
Swing into Spring promises to be the cat’s pajamas — doors open 6:30 p.m. with the opportunity to shake a leg beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, May 19, at Crow River Winery. Tickets can be purchased at music-boosters.square.site.
The annual off-campus jazz production started is 2015. It has grown steadily and has become a popular sell-out event with around 300 attendees.
“... The major goal of Swing into Spring is to give the kids the experience of playing at a venue outside of school, in the community, hopefully with some attendees dancing and just enjoying themselves,” said Leah Otte, president of the Hutchinson Music Boosters and hosts of the annual event.
Profits from the fundraiser go directly to support the Hutchinson High School music programs. Past purchases have included buying keyboards for the practice rooms and helping to support the marching band.
“We also give some scholarships and awards to seniors each year,” Otte added. “We have had fundraising efforts in the past (that have included) cookie dough sales, as well as concession stands.”
JAZZ AND SPECIAL GUESTS
Like Otte, Nick Buroker, director of instrumental music and marching band at Hutchinson HIgh School, is a big believer in Swing into Spring.
“We keep doing it because it’s a fantastic event!” he said. “It’s a fun evening, a great fundraiser for the Music Boosters, and something the students get excited about — even though we do not travel far from school, they enjoy performing off-campus. The winery is a perfect venue.”
If you’re a fan of hits such as “Fever,” “Fly Me to the Moon” and “My Funny Valentine,” you’re in luck because these favorites are on the bill.
When it comes to selecting the music for Swing into Spring, Buroker said he tries for a mix of old and new tunes.
“We need to learn more music for this event than any other concert we put on, and even though we start rehearsing in January, it is a lot to learn,” he said.
According to Buroker, the 25-member Jazz Band will perform two sets with guest artists Zach Miller on saxophone and Ben Elgan on trumpet.
“In addition to the performance, they put on a clinic with our students that day,” Buroker said. “It is valuable for our students to hear a professional sound and interact with those individuals. They bring new perspectives and expertise that our students would not otherwise be exposed to.”
WHAT’S UP, BUTTERCUP?
Nathaniel Raabe, Hutchinson High School music instructor, directs the New World Singers, who will perform Friday. The 18-member chamber/vocal jazz ensemble will entertain the crowd between jazz band sets. Songs range from “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got that Swing)” to “And So It Goes” to “Build Me Up Buttercup.”
“Songs are chosen based on a number of factors including: musical ability of the group, variety of style (within the context of vocal jazz), variety of musical elements such as tempo, harmony, and rhythm, and the nature of an event centered around dancing and music,” Raabe said. “We start rehearsing music for the event a few months beforehand, typically after our midwinter concert and solo/ensemble contest.”
Raabe encourages the public to come out and support the Hutchinson jazz and vocal jazz musicians and Hutchinson Music Boosters organization.
And if you need more of a reason, Raabe summed it up by saying, “it’s a fun event.”
“... full of dancing and music meant to bring the community together to celebrate the season (and also our talented musicians),” he said. “It also serves as a fundraiser for Hutchinson Music Boosters. Crow River Winery provides a more formal space for an event of this type, almost like a wedding reception. The atmosphere and stage provide a backdrop for a great night of music and dancing.”
