Blue Notes to perform at Arts Council
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on June 11, 2017 1:45 AM
The Blue Notes of Eastern Wayne High School will be the featured performers at the June Jazz event at the Arts Council of Wayne County.
The free show will take place Friday, June 16 from 7 until 8:30 p.m. at the Arts Council.
"The Blue Notes, under the direction of Bobby Sherard, won our Battle of the Bands contest April 1 at Art in The Park Festival at Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, and they were featured performers during Parks and Recreation's Sunday in the Park at the beginning of May," said Arts Council director Wendy Snow Walker.
The Blue Notes Jazz Ensemble is the high school's jazz performance group in the music department.
Sherard created the group in 2014. Its members consist of 9th through 12 graders who are specifically chosen based on their musical performance abilities, their character and their academic success.
"The jazz ensemble currently performs music in the genres of classic jazz, jazz fusion, Latin jazz, blues, pop and rhythm and blues," Sherard said.
The group has also performed at the Wayne County Public School Jazz Festival, Spring Creek Elementary School, Wayne County Teacher of the Year banquet and the Wayne County Retirement Banquet.
Its normal repertoire consists of instrumental music.
"But we will feature some of our vocalists at the Wayne County Jazz Showcase performance," Sherard said.
Ms. Walker said that, according to Americans for the Arts, statistical data proves that students who engage in the arts have higher GPAs and standardized test scores, as well as lower drop-out rates.
"We here at the Arts Council are thrilled to offer so many options for area students to participate in creative classes as well as have performance opportunities at multiple venues," she said.
For more information about the concert, call the Arts Council at 919-736-3300.