Concerts mark start of fall music season at LCCC

CHEYENNE, Wyoming – Music for the Fall 2023 season is set to kick off at Laramie County Community College with a pair of concerts in back-to-back weekends sure to enthrall audiences. 

The Music Faculty Showcase, set for 3 p.m. Sept. 24 in the Surbrugg/Prentice Auditorium, will feature LCCC instructors performing a variety of pieces solo or with small ensembles. Performers include Bethany Smith-Jacobs, vocal instructor and choir director, Amy Gun, adjunct flute instructor, Andrew Mrozinsky, who teaches private trumpet lessons at LCCC, Ron Coulter, percussion instructor, and more from the music department. There will also be LCCC faculty members from outside of the music department, as well as community members participating. 

Dr. Frank Cook, LCCC music instructor, said it’s an exciting show because it allows the college’s faculty to demonstrate their performance talents. Additionally, it’s the only concert where LCCC students can be a part of the audience, enjoying the performances while also seeing what they can aspire to in their programs. 

“I like to have the first recital of the academic year to be where the faculty performs so the students can see the expectation level while they’re here,” Cook said. 

The following weekend will feature LCCC’s Jazz Band, Chamber Orchestra and Wind Ensemble in “With a Song in Our Hearts,” an exploration of some of the greatest songwriters of the modern era with an emphasis on the pieces’ instrumental elements.

“With a Song in Our Heart” is set for 3 p.m. Oct. 1 in the Surbrugg/Prentice Auditorium. 

Pieces written for big band, renditions of soulful jazz tunes, delightful medleys, music from famous films and more are sure to take some listeners to familiar places and dive into exciting new territory for others. Music from Michael Bublé, Glenn Miller, Billy Joel, Robert Russell Bennett, Alan Menken and others will make for a versatile and captivating afternoon, Cook said. 

“What we’re trying to do is celebrate how widespread songs and songwriting has gone, and that it’s not just for singers, because the music is outstanding,” Cook said.

Both performances are free and open to the public. 

For more information on the events and LCCC’s music programs visit lccc.wy.edu/music or contact Dr. Frank Cook at fcook@lccc.wy.edu or 307.778.1306.