Booker High Students Perform Pops and Jazz Concert

When you hear the music of Duke Ellington share the stage with that of Lady Gaga it can only mean that it's time for the Booker High Pops and Jazz Concert.

The Music Department, part of the school’s Visual and Performing Arts Program, will present a Pops and Jazz Concert at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, through Friday, in the school’s Visual and Performing Arts Center.

The show, which features an eclectic mix of music selections ranging from Duke Ellington to Lady Gaga, is a high-energy spectacle that showcases the talents of students in the VPA Music Department, the VPA Jazz Combo and the VPA Vocal Jazz Ensemble.

Ned Rosenblatt, VPA Music Department chair, directs and arranges the production. He has been directing similar concerts for almost 20 years, with a mix of pop, 1980s music, Broadway show tunes and jazz standards.

Rosenblatt said that, for this concert, audiences can expect an evening of pizzazz as students perform songs American Idol-style, complete with a full band, choreography and light show.

“The Pops and Jazz Concert is an audience favorite,” said Rosenblatt. “Students also love the show, which gives them a chance to take on current hits. Much of the VPA curriculum focuses on classical music and jazz standards, so this concert gives students the chance to try their talents singing and dancing the works of today’s artists.”

For the concert, Rosenblatt teamed up with Scott Keys, VPA Theatre teacher, and Victoria Miller, a VPA Theatre senior, who choreographed the numbers.

Featured music will be from Christina Aguilera, Daughtry, Ellington, Lady Gaga, Michael Bublé, Stevie Wonder, Linda Eder, the Manhattan Transfer and more, plus selections from the Broadway hits “The Sweet Smell of Success” and “City of Angels.” The '80s set features “Footloose,” “It’s Raining Men,” and “Jessie’s Girl,” among other songs.

“Because today’s entertainment industry features musician-performers — those with not only the pipes but the moves, like Christina Aguilera and — this concert gives students the opportunity to brush up on skills that may make them more marketable,” Rosenblatt explained.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.vpabooker.com or by contacting Judy Piercy at 941-355-2967. Prices are $10 for the public and $5 for students. Tickets will be available at the door, but reservations are recommended.

The VPA Center at Booker High School is located at 3201 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota.