About: With this performance, the Winchester Jazz Collective will celebrate the legacies of Duke Ellington and composer Billy Strayhorn, whose artistic collaboration is widely regarded as one of the most important in the history of American music.

In 1939, Ellington and Strayhorn formed a musical partnership that endured until Strayhorn’s passing in 1967. Ellington once described Strayhorn as: "my right arm, my left arm, all the eyes in the back of my head, my brain waves in his head, and his in mine." They shared a common approach to composition to the point that most listeners still can’t tell the difference between the writing of either man. In spite of clashes over credit, Strayhorn and Ellington’s collaboration resulted in a catalog of some of the most significant American songs of the 20th century.

About the Collective: Shenandoah University’s Director of Jazz & Commercial Music and Associate Professor of Trombone Matthew Niess, created, produced and launched the Winchester Jazz Collective at the Barns of Rose Hill in December 2023. The group includes Auxiliary Adjunct Associate Professor of Jazz and Trumpet Craig Fraedrich, Adjunct Associate Professor of Jazz Saxophone and Jazz Studies Darryl Brenzel, Professor Emeritus of Jazz Piano Robert Larson, and several jazz students from the University.

Date & Time: Saturday, July 13, 2024. Doors open at 6:00 PM and the concert starts at 7:00 PM.

Ticket Price: All tickets are general admission. $25 in advance until 3:00 PM on the day of event. $30 at the door. Children 12 years and below are free when accompanied by an adult.

Ticket Information: Reserve tickets in advance online or by calling the Barns of Rose Hill Box Office at 540-955-2004. When our Box Office is closed, please leave a message. All ticket sales are final; no exceptions.