Gershwin Rhapsody Centennial Celebration

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February 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin’s jazz piano concerto Rhapsody in Blue. To celebrate, the University of Michigan Gershwin Initiative in partnership with Ann Arbor’s landmark Michigan Theater will host this Gershwin Centennial Celebration Concert.

Pianist Kevin Cole will perform the Rhapsody, SMTD piano faculty member Logan Skelton will offer new Gershwin arrangements, and U-M Musical Theatre students will perform highlights from the Gershwins’ four 1924 Broadway musicals – Sweet Little Devil, Primrose, George White’s Scandals of 1924, and Lady, Be Good.

This event is FREE and open to the public (but you’ll still need to reserve your general admission tickets).

PERFORMERS
Alex Humphreys, Sam O’Neill, Keyon Pickett, Aquila Sol, voice
Jacob Kerzner, piano accompanist
Logan Skelton and Tzu-Yin Huang, piano for the four-handed arrangements
Kevin Cole, piano for solo selections and Rhapsody in Blue
Contemporary Directions Ensemble with Jayce Ogren, conductor

PROGRAM

Selections from Of Thee I Sing (1931): “Love Is Sweeping the Country,” “Of Thee I Sing”

Three Gershwin Songs, arranged for piano four-hands by Logan Skelton: “(I’ll Build a) Stairway to Paradise” (George White’s Scandals of 1922), “Someone to Watch Over Me” (Oh, Kay!, 1926), “Swanee” (1919)

Centenary Songs: “Someone Believes in You” (Sweet Little Devil, 1923–4), “Somebody Loves Me” (George White’s Scandals of 1924), “The Man I Love” (1924), “Fascinating Rhythm” (Lady, Be Good!, 1924)

Three Preludes:
Gershwin Medley, arr. Kevin Cole
Selections from Primrose (1924): “Some Far-Away Someone,” “Wait a Bit, Susie”
Selections from La, La, Lucille (1919): “Someone It Seldom Comes True,” “From Now On”

Rhapsody in Blue for Solo Piano and Jazz Band, orch. Ferde Grofé (critical edition edited by Ryan Raul Bañagale)

Lyrics by Ira Gershwin, Buddy DeSylva, Ballard MacDonald, Arthur Jackson, and Desmond Carter

View a preview from the Gershwin Initiative: