Lacey Alexander
Staff Writer
Troy University’s student vocal jazz ensemble will be performing a fall concert for the public after fall break.
The 15-person ensemble, Frequency, will be performing a selection of both acapella and accompanied songs on Nov. 29 in the Long Hall choir room.
“For this concert, I wanted to give a variety of arrangers,” said Dr. Diane Orlofsky, director for Frequency.
One of the songs that will be performed, “Where Is Love” from the musical “Oliver,” was arranged by a junior college student in Indiana that Orlofsky discovered at an international jazz festival last year.
“It was stunning,” said Orlofsky. “I think we were actually the first group to actually buy the rights for it… I think that’s kind of cool.”
The group will also be performing an arrangement of “Pure Imagination” from the film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”
“It uses the voice almost like points of light,” Orlofsky said. “It’s very whimsical and really lovely.”
Paxton Moeller, a soloist for “Pure Imagination,” said the songs in the concert could affect people differently.
“Each song has a special meaning,” said Moeller, a sophomore music education major from Opelika. “Each song could mean a different thing to a different person in the audience… I know they mean something different to all of us in the group.”
Some of the songs performed will be acapella, and some will be performed with accompaniment from a three-person combo, which is also composed of students.
While Orlofsky does teach and rehearse with the class that the group is based from, she does not direct the group in performance.
“They’re self-directed… They have to watch each other and breathe together,” Orlofsky said, “which is really hard. It demands a lot of them.”
The first piece chosen by Orlofsky for the concert was “Holocene” by Bon Iver, which Orlofsky said “sets the tone” for the concert. The piece is arranged by Kerry Marsh, a personal friend of Orlofsky’s that directs a vocal jazz ensemble at the University of Northern Colorado.
“I think Holocene is my favorite number in the concert,” said Leah Lancaster, a senior English major from Enterprise. “It’s a difficult song, but I get chills every time. It does something to me internally.”
Moeller will be returning next year, and is excited to see what material he will learn next.
“It’s kind of like a get-away from the classical stuff we have to learn‑it’s a different style,” Moeller said. “This group would be like my home away from home.”
Lancaster, who is a vocal teacher, will be graduating in December, and said that this group has prepared her significantly for life outside of college.
“Frequency has given me an opportunity to open up my musical horizons,” Lancaster said. “Working with all of the difficult pieces has really helped me learn how to better work with my students.”
Lancaster is also a soloist, being featured in “Don’t You Worry ‘bout a Thing.” Orlofsky said that there are more soloists in this concert than usual.
“I don’t usually do that,” Orlofsky said. “But I have really good voices that needed to be showcased.”
Lancaster said that she wants to share her excitement for the music with the audience at this concert.
“I want them to have just as much fun as I do,” Lancaster said. “For us, this music is very important… I want that to be infectious.”
“It’s just so incredibly versatile and fun,” Orlofsky said. “It’s not as easy as it looks.”
Admission to the concert is free, and the program’s length is under an hour.
