Our community is truly blessed to have the educational institutions we have here. The talent and capabilities of the instructors and staff are shown regularly by the quality of events and activities we have available to enjoy at affordable or often free cost to the students and public as well.
Our family was able to see this first-hand at the annual North Idaho College Jazz Concert held Jan. 31 at the end of workshops for middle and high school music students from around the area. This program is coordinated by NIC Jazz Band Director, Terry Jones and includes top-notch band directors, music instructors, and professors from local schools and colleges.
This year, part of the evening’s jazz concert was a new composition written as a memorial especially for and dedicated to our brother, Tom H. Emerson, who was a jazz and blues aficionado, especially New Orleans jazz and blues, where he lived for many years. Called “Tom Emerson Radio Blues” and composed by Dan Bukvich of the U of I music department, it was creatively presented and played as a musical theater piece that celebrated the type and culture of street music performances in New Orleans neighborhoods and local radio jazz classics that brother Tom recorded when he lived there.
This composition was funded thanks to those who donated to the NIC jazz program in Tom’s memory and will be used in future jazz instruction, workshops and performances. We can’t thank Terry and Dan, the production staff, and the musicians enough. The whole concert was amazing! A special thanks to the NIC Alumni Association for hosting a social prior to the concert for family, friends, and special guests. Rayelle Anderson, NIC Foundation Director, Katie Lien of the NIC Alumni Office, and Erna Rhinehart, NIC Director of Communications and Marketing, and their staffs are just a few of the wonderful folks who helped me to make this event happen in such a quality way. This well-presented and very well-attended concert was a real hit and much appreciated by the family and friends of Tom H. Emerson.
Thanks, Sandy & Jeanne Emerson
Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814
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