Media Release: Mount Holyoke Jazz Ensembles Premiere Mark Gionfriddo's "For A Fallen Veteran" on December 10

DATELINE: November 10, 2020FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARK GIONFRIDDO’S “FOR A FALLEN VETERAN” TO HAVE WORLD PREMIERE WITH JAZZ ENSEMBLES OF MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE ON DECEMBER 10  South Hadley, MA--For A Fallen Veteran, a new jazz composition by Mark Gionfriddo, creator of The Big Broadcast!,  will have its world premiere performance on Thursday, December 10, at 7PM at The Jazz Ensembles of Mount Holyoke College’s Hot Jazz On A Cold Night concert on ZOOM.Hot Jazz for a Cool Night, is the annual December holiday season concert showcasing The Jazz Ensembles of Mount Holyoke College. The program, in addition to Gionfriddo’s For A Fallen Veteran, include: “The Johnson Rag”, “Silver Bells”, “Rebecca” with singers from the internationally acclaimed Young@Heart Chorus, “Deck The Halls”, “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm / Happy Holiday”, “Java Jive” and “Winter Wonderland”.A Holyoke native, Gionfriddo was inspired by the recent deaths of so many veterans at the Holyoke Soldiers Home due to COVID-19.  For A Fallen Veteran will feature the Mount Holyoke College Chamber Jazz Ensemble, with narration by Brian Lapis, WWLP22News meteorologist, who annually plays emcee “Fred Kelley” in The Big Broadcast! Gionfriddo has also worked with The Berkshire Theatre Group and The Young@Heart Chorus.According to Gionfriddo, "I, like many of my fellow Holyokers, have been greatly saddened by the loss of 76 veterans at the Holyoke Soldiers Home due to COVID-19. My emotions inspired me to write a piece of music to memorialize their loss and to try to comfort their loved ones in at least some small way- to let them know that we won't forget these veterans. "The performance of For A Fallen Veteran can be accessed free on ZOOM at https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/96724667668-30-