Hillsdale College Big Band Performs Spring Concert
The performance featured guest musician Vincent DiMartino, trumpet.
HILLSDALE, Mich. — The Hillsdale College Big Band performed its spring concert on April 11 and 12. The performances featured guest trumpet player Vincent DiMartino.
“Vince DiMartino is one of my biggest heroes and one of the finest trumpet players on the planet,” said Chris McCourry, director of jazz ensembles. “He’s taught all the great trumpet students, the principals of orchestras, the lead trumpet players in all the bands. Everybody knows Vince.”
“Vince DiMartino is one of my biggest heroes and one of the finest trumpet players on the planet.”
DiMartino and the band performed a variety of jazz standards, big band charts, and Latin jazz tunes, including “Channel One Suite,” “Black Orpheus,” and “Just Friends.”
McCourry began studying with DiMartino after coming to teach at Hillsdale College and says they have become good friends.
“He is an absolute virtuoso,” McCourry said. “The thing about him that really drew me to him is his skill in both classical and jazz playing. He’s the very top in both fields.”
DiMartino is a distinguished artist in residence at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, where he teaches trumpet, jazz history, and brass and jazz ensembles and serves as coordinator of the Centre College Instrumental Program. Equally known as a jazz artist, he is a member of the artist-faculty of the Skidmore Jazz Institute and has been the lead and solo trumpet in the Lionel Hampton Band, the Chuck Mangione Band, the Clark Terry Band, and The Eastman Arranger’s Holiday Orchestra.
For photos from previous fine arts events at Hillsdale, click here. For a high-resolution copy of the Hillsdale College clocktower logo, click here.