AHS Jazz Ensemble Director Andrew LaPrade swings by WTJU
By WTJU
Date: 03/15/2024
Time: 11:00 am
Albemarle High School Jazz Ensemble Director Andrew LaPrade will stop by WTJU Friday morning for the final hour of the Jazz Messenger to chat about the March 17 “Swing into Spring” Benefit Concert at Paramount Theater on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall. The annual event is designed as a benefit for the band to give back to the Charlottesville community. Some of this year’s guest artists are John D’earth, Charles Owens, Andrew Randazzo, Taylor Barnett, Greg Thomas, Bobby Gregg, and more!
For this year’s event, the Albemarle High School Jazz Ensemble is holding this benefit concert to support the City of Promise. City of Promise’s goal is to make a positive impact on generational poverty and support a culture of achievement through child-centered dual generation, family self-sufficiency initiatives in Charlottesville. It is the Jazz Ensemble’s goal to raise at least $5,000 to support our elementary schoolers’ reading proficiency, our high schoolers applying for college, and our parents who are working towards self-sufficiency.
According to Albemarle High School Jazz Ensemble Director Andrew LaPrade, “This concert is an incredible opportunity for our students to interact with and play with some of the area’s great musicians of all genres. In working on this project, the students become aware of cultural issues that affect the area in which they live and how they can make an immediate impact with their music. This concert is a springboard to continue this line of work to better their community.” The award-winning AHS Ensemble has for decades earned high-profile recognition for its consistent dedication to excellence and for its unwavering respect and love for this uniquely American art form. The group has enjoyed the support of the Charlottesville community and is proud to headline an event to give back to our community.
