Press Release

October 8, 2012 | By Cole Hatcher

Classical Jam will perform Oct. 26 as part of Ohio Wesleyan University’s Performing Arts Series. The ensemble includes, from left, Justin Hines (percussion), Wendy Law (cello), Cyrus Beroukhim (violin/viola), Jennifer Choi (violin), and Marco Granados (fl

Ohio Wesleyan Event to Spread Sweet Sounds of Classical Jam

Classical Jam will perform Oct. 26 as part of Ohio Wesleyan University’s Performing Arts Series. The ensemble includes, from left, Justin Hines (percussion), Wendy Law (cello), Cyrus Beroukhim (violin/viola), Jennifer Choi (violin), and Marco Granados (flute). (Photo by Beowulf Sheehan)

DELAWARE, OHIO – Guests attending Ohio Wesleyan University’s Oct. 26 Performing Arts Series event will savor a Classical Jam performance of music that “connects, inspires, and uplifts” its listeners.

Classical Jam, a New York City-based quintet of chamber musicians, will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 26 in Ohio Wesleyan’s Jemison Auditorium, located inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. The program will consist of works by Bach, Mozart, Brahms, and Piazzolla, and conclude with an interactive “Classical Master Jam” featuring the ensemble performing with Ohio Wesleyan students.

Classical Jam includes Marco Granados (flute), Jennifer Choi (violin), Cyrus Beroukhim (violin/viola), Wendy Law (cello), and Justin Hines (percussion).

According to the musicians: “Classical Jam was created because we saw the need to reach out to [a] diverse audience in age, cultural and social backgrounds. … We truly believe that Classical Music is something that anyone can relate to, and enjoy. We think that the success of Classical Jam is that we are able to engage any audience, and also be able to connect at a very personal level. We do so by adding some fun to our concerts while retaining the integrity of our art. … Classical Jam connects, inspires, and uplifts.”

Critics agree that the group captures its listeners and earns the name “jam.”

“In addition to performing works by Mozart, Bach and Brahms with the utmost respect and musicianship,” writes Steve Siegel of The (Allentown, Pa.) Morning Call, “these award-winning and internationally performing musicians are not above mixing it up with contemporary pieces, exploring their own arrangements of the classics, and, as their name implies, often adding a healthy dose of improvisation.”

Tickets for this and other Ohio Wesleyan Performing Arts Series events are $20 for general admission and $5 for senior citizens and non-Ohio Wesleyan students (with a valid school ID). Tickets are free for Ohio Wesleyan students and employees with a valid university ID. Tickets may be purchased online at www.ticketweb.com, by phone message at (740) 368-3629, or by email at paseries@owu.edu.

Additional 2012-2013 Ohio Wesleyan Performing Arts Series events include:

8 p.m. Dec. 1 – DOUBLE/TAKE, an evening-length dance performance with original music, in Chappelear Drama Center, 45 Rowland Ave., Delaware. The performance will showcase Meghan Durham of Columbus, Ohio, and Karl Rogers of Rochester, N.Y. 8 p.m. Feb. 22 – Classical and Latin guitarist David Burgess, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. Burgess is recognized as one of today’s outstanding guitarists, and his international appearances as a soloist and chamber musician have taken him to concert halls throughout North and South America, Europe, and the Far East.

Learn more about the university’s 2012-2013 music, theatre & dance, and fine arts events.

Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier small, private universities. Ohio Wesleyan offers more than 90 undergraduate majors, sequences, and courses of study, and 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. OWU combines an internationally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities that connect classroom theory with real-world practice. Located in Delaware, Ohio, OWU’s 1,850 students represent 41 states and 45 countries. The university is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” listed on the 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with distinction, and included on the “best colleges” lists of U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. Learn more at www.owu.edu.