The Ohio Northern University Department of Music presents a faculty concert featuring Dave Kosmyna, associate professor of music, in the Snyder Recital Hall in the Presser Building on Monday, Nov. 17, at 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Kosmyna will be accompanied by Pamela Ashmore, ONU lecturer of music, on piano and Tyler Graves, a 2011 ONU graduate, on trumpet. The program includes Vivaldi Concerto in C for two trumpets, Arutunian Trumpet Concerto, and Sachse Concertino in Eb for cornet. The second half will feature the classic jazz of Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton with guests Alex Belhaj on guitar and James Dapogony on piano.
Kosmyna teaches trumpet, theory and composition and directs the Jazz Ensemble at Ohio Northern University. Kosmyna served as principal trumpet of, and performed as a soloist with, the Western New York Chamber Orchestra and performed as guest soloist with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra in 2012. Kosmyna has recorded extensively in both classical and jazz styles and, in 2003, was awarded Best Traditional Classic Jazz Album by the Canadian Collector’s Congress for his work with the Climax Jazz Band of Toronto, Canada.
Graves is an active trumpet player and instructor and has recently performed in Carnegie Hall, at Lincoln Center/Julliard, and at the 2012 Ravinia Festival. He prides himself on being a well-rounded player, able to play various styles such as baroque, classical and jazz. He currently holds a trumpet studio in the Cincinnati area and substitutes with various ensembles around the area. Some of those ensembles include the Hamilton/Fairfield Symphony Orchestra, Middletown Symphony Orchestra, and the Ron Purdon Big Band.
Dapogny holds degrees in composition from the University of Illinois, where he studied with Robert Kelly, Hunter Johnson and Ben Johnston. He maintains an active nationwide career as pianist-bandleader, arranger and recording artist with James Dapogny’s Chicago Jazz Band. He is editor of “Jelly Roll Morton: The Collected Piano Music,” a first-of-its-kind collected edition of a jazz musician’s work, and an editor and editorial board member of Jazz Masterworks Editions, a publication project of Oberlin College and the Smithsonian Institution.
Belhaj is a guitarist, singer and composer and is influenced by traditional jazz, blues and folk music. He independently released a CD of original music in 2006, including two ensemble recordings of his tunes “Randal Song” and “Tomorrow.” He currently fronts his traditional hot jazz group, The Crescent City Quartet. He also has shared the stage with many talented musicians and ensembles, including Heather Schwartz, Brad Battey, James Dapogny, The Cakewalkin’ Jass Band, The New Orleans Party Asylum, Joe Summers Gypsy Jazz Trio and The Easy Street Jazz Band.
