Madison College Big Band

press release: This event is FREE and open to the public. Complimentary beer, wine, and desserts will be served. Madison College Big Band will be performing repertoire they have chosen to showcase in Germany this coming June during their German Sister Communities Tour. Get to know the band on April 1st and learn more about our tour. Your support is needed to make this cultural exchange a success.

Madison College Big Band German Sister Communities Tour

Madison College Big Band will go on tour in Germany June 15-27, 2017, deepening our region's connections with Madison's sister city, Dane County's sister county, and Wisconsin's sister state. Madison's 30-year relationship with Freiburg motivated the band's trip to Germany. The Freiburg- Madison Gesellschaft, in collaboration with the Madison-Freiburg Sister City Committee, has invited the Madison College Big Band to perform at Freiburg's biennial celebration of their sister city relationships June 23-24, 2017. In addition to outdoor performances celebrating Madison's sister-city relationship with Freiburg, the band will give master classes and additional performances with three Freiburg area youth jazz orchestras.

Dane County’s German sister county relationship is with Landkreis Kassel. This past October 2016, a jazz trio from the city of Kassel traveled to Madison and performed in several venues, including a joint concert with the Madison College Big Band at Madison College's Mitby Theater. The concert was well- received and started a congenial relationship between the two jazz ensembles. With the assistance of Landkreis Kassel's director of public relations, Madison College Big Band will be giving two performances in the city of Kassel.

Wisconsin's sister-state relationship is with Hessen, the state that includes Kassel. The band will be in Hessen during their annual 10-day state celebration, Hessentag. Madison College Big Band will be performing at Hessentag, and will also conduct jazz workshops with a youth jazz orchestra from Hessen.

Madison College is generously supporting the effort, primarily through the Student Life Music Fund, however, more financial support is needed to make the trip a success.

Madison College Big Band is comprised of degree-credit students and continuing-education adult students at Madison Area Technical College. Jamie Kember directs the ensemble.