ESU Jazz Ensemble bound for Europe

The ESU Jazz Ensemble is warming up for a trip to the Montreux International Jazz Festival in Switzerland – and the group is looking for help from the community.

While the students are paying for most the trip on their own, they have been working hard to raise money to help defray their expenses. Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma have sold candy to benefit the ensemble, and the group has set up donation boxes at its concerts. The jazz ensemble is also planning a dinner and dance to raise more money for the trip.

“Every little bit helps,” said trombonist Ryan Conley.

The Montreux festival attracts a quarter of a million people each year. The 16-day concert features performances from top university and professional artists in courtyards and halls all over the Swiss resort town of Montreux.

“The band has been invited twice to perform at the premiere jazz festival in the world,” said jazz ensemble director Gary Ziek.

The ESU ensemble will perform July 3, but their ten day tour begins in Munich and includes visits to historic sites in Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

In Munich, the band will tour Olympic Park, Nymphenburg Palace, Konigsplatz, the Ludwigstrasse, and the Marienplatz. They will travel to Dachau to visit the first Nazi concentration camp, now serving as a memorial to those victims of the Nazi regime and a warning against extreme nationalism.

Throughout the rest of their trip, the students will visit many other historical cities and places such as Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart -- and Neuschwanstein, which served as the model for Disneyland’s Cinderella’s castle. As they travel, they will see the beautiful landscapes of the countries including their passing through the Bavarian Alps.

“It is a lifetime experience,” said trumpeter Kara Franke.

The next ESU Jazz Ensemble concert will be April 22 at 7:30 p.m. in Albert Taylor Hall. If you are interested in making a donation toward the trip, contact Gary Ziek at (620) 341-6673.

Last Updated July 2, 2007>