Grove City College Jazz Ensemble and Stage Band present a concert of big and jazz featuring GCC professor Cedric Lewis and student vocalists Kirsten Ward and Corey Kerstetter. The Christmas themed concert includes swing classics, hot modern jazz, and new arrangements by Director of Jazz Dr. Joseph Hasper.
Cedric Lewis (JD, MBA), Guest Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Legal Studies at Grove City College, has a successful record of accomplishment as an entrepreneur, starting his first business at age 17. While actively developing and consulting with emerging actors and musical artists he splits his time between Unashamed Clothing Co. his Christian Clothing Line, and STAND Media and Film. A former attorney, Lewis managed a successful law practice and then found his way back to his first love, business, and discovered a new passion in teaching and developing future entrepreneurs.
The Grove City College Jazz Program includes an 18-piece Stage Band, an 18-piece advanced Jazz Ensemble and smaller jazz combos. Ensembles are open to all Grove City students regardless of major. The jazz ensembles perform multiple concerts each year both on and off campus and have given special performances in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Charlotte, Tampa, West Palm Beach, and Walt Disney World in Orlando. The ensembles frequently perform as the “honors band” at local and regional high school festivals.
The jazz ensembles are directed by Dr. Joseph Hasper, an accomplished composer and arranger with numerous national and international credits. Dr. Hasper joined the music faculty in 2017 after many years as a freelance composer and previously taught music theory and composition at the University of Oklahoma, Shippensburg University, and Kutztown University.