Illinois Valley Community College’s fall music season opens October 6 and October 8 with two free concerts by the Jazz Ensemble and Wind Ensemble.

The Jazz Ensemble performs in concert on Tuesday, October 6, and the Wind Ensemble performs on Thursday, October 8. Both performances begin at 7 p.m. in the Dr. Mary Margaret Weeg Cultural Centre.

The jazz concert features cherished tunes by Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash, as well as a legendary cowboy ballad. Selections include Parton’s “9 to 5” and Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” paired with “Ghost Riders in the Sky.” Other selections include “Police Squad,” a familiar theme to film and TV fans and “Meet the Band” by Walt Stuart; “Autumn Leaves” by Mercer, Prevert and Kosma; “Night Train” by Washington, Simpkins and Forrest; “Sway,” by Pablo Beltran Ruiz, and “April in Paris.”

Soloists include Steven Meyer, piano; Dave Vieitez, trumpet; Doreen Vieitez, tenor sax; Andrew Jacobi, trombone; Tristan Borovicka, tenor sax; Fred Davis, baritone sax; John Fragoulis, guitar; Abby Dominus, trombone, and Dave Nobel, trombone.

The Jazz Ensemble is led by Brandon Czubachowski.

Following its theme “Seasons of Change,” the Wind Ensemble will perform selections from the musical “Wicked” by Stephen Schwartz and “The Wizard of Oz” by Arlen and Harburg, as well as John Philip Sousa marches.

Musical selections include: “Sesquicentennial Exposition March” and “Washington Post March” by Sousa; “Living Legacy” and “As a Wind from the North” by Robert Sheldon, and “October” by Eric Whitacre.

The Wind Ensemble’s new director is Jennifer Mills, who has been a music educator for more than 24 years and a part-time faculty member at IVCC since 2010. Mills holds a master's in music education and is a Ph.D. candidate in Music Education.

In December, all three IVCC ensembles (jazz, wind, and choir) will stage free holiday concerts. All the groups comprise students and community members.