McHenry County College (MCC) is welcoming two acts this month as part of its popular Concert Series.
On Sunday, March 10 at 3 p.m., Sessions Jazz will perform works from Thelonious Monk, Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, and more. The ensemble is composed of Bill Toalson and Dr. Terry Bugno on the trumpet, Hugo Alcazar on the saxophone, Al Skaronea on piano, Charlie Rigg on bass, and Brad Skaronea on drums.
Later that week on Wednesday, March 13 at 7 p.m., the College will honor St. Patrick’s Day with performances from Pat Gaughan, Nancy Maio, and L.J. Slavin. The group combines Pat’s rich voice and intricate guitar playing with Nancy’s beautiful fiddle and LJ’s virtuosity on many instruments, including the mandolin, flute, and Irish pennywhistle. The trio will present a program of traditional Irish ballads, pub songs, and Irish dance tunes.
The McNulty Irish Dancers, a talented group of students from one of the largest, most active dance studios in the Midwest, will open the concert performing some traditional Irish dances.
“This concert is one of our most popular events of the year,” said Michael Hillstrom, music instructor and department chair at MCC. “We look forward to celebrating Irish heritage through music and dancing.”
Both performances will be held in MCC’s Luecht Auditorium, 8900 US Hwy. 14, Crystal Lake, IL. The concerts are free and open to the public.
The MCC Concert Series features a variety of classical, jazz, and folk musicians from the greater Chicago area along with semiannual concerts featuring the MCC chorus, concert band, and jazz ensemble. Upcoming performances include Winds off the Lake on April 14 at 3 p.m. and the Cor Corps Horn Ensemble April 20 at 7 p.m.
For more information about the MCC Concert Series, call Michael Hillstrom at (815) 479-7814 or email mhillstrom@mchenry.edu.