Undergraduate Artist SeriesGrow Your Knowledge
and Understanding of Music

Music is more than notes and lyrics. Music enriches the heart and soul. For the Music Matters Artist Series, Cornerstone University invites accomplished artists and music professionals to perform and present lectures about relevant music-related topics. These artists draw from real-life experiences and God’s Word as they share about topics like music performance, education, business and more.

All events are in the Matthews Performing Arts Center

Solo Classical versus Jazz Influenced Repertoire Preparation and Performance
March 27, 2024, at 12:15 p.m.

Saxophonist Gary McCourry and pianist Todd Wilkie will perform movements I and II of “Sonata”, by Bernard Heiden, one of the most well-known standard classical works for alto saxophone and piano. They will then perform a transcription of “Concertino for Tenor Saxophone, Strings and Winds”, a 3-movement jazz-influenced work by saxophonist and composer Bob Mintzer. Following the performance segment of the program, Mr. McCourry will discuss the similarities and differences in his approach to preparing and performing in the two contrasting styles. He will also discuss appropriate scale selection for improvising over various chord types used in segments of the Concertino and present a summary of common practice chord/scale relationships used in jazz improvisation.