On Feb. 3, Schneebeck Concert Hall opened its doors to welcome Grammy Award-winning violinist Mads Tolling to the stage. Along with Puget Sound’s Jazz Orchestra, Tolling treated a lucky audience to a night of jazz and rhythm.
Anybody passing by the hall that night is sure to have heard the blare of trumpets, the low crooning of saxophones and the undeniably bittersweet tones of the expertly played violin.
Both students and community members alike were bobbing their heads and tapping their toes to keep in time with the steady rhythms of songs like “Keep Swingin,” “Tomorrow’s Memories” and “Danish Desert.” Between songs, Tolling himself took to the mic and regaled the show’s audience with stories of his personal inspirations as a musician, of his homeland of Denmark and of how rare an opportunity it was for a violinist to work with a big band.
It wouldn’t be fair to talk about Tuesday night’s performance without also mentioning the dedication and skill that each and every member of the Puget Sound Jazz Orchestra demonstrated.
The orchestra’s extraordinary talent was apparent from the very beginning of the night as they quickly blew their audience away with a fast-paced and jazzy crescendo that had audience members dancing in their seats.
Under the watchful eye of Director Tracy Knoop, the men and women of the Puget Sound Orchestra had their audience excited and hungry for more.
“I most admired his personality and his overall love for the music,” said Knoop when asked about his experience working with Tolling.
Members of the orchestra had one piece of advice for those thinking about joining the group in the future: Go for it.
“Even if you have doubts it’s still a great environment and a challenging one,” senior Kelton Mock said. Mock has been with the group for nearly four years.
I’ll always have my own reasons for finding my school beautiful, but after Tuesday night’s performance and realizing the potential opportunities the school allows to all those who have a passion for music, it’s clear that the school’s beauty is something that cannot only be seen, but also heard.
