Press Release: The Big Broadcast

DATELINE: February 6, 2012

MOUNT HOLYOKE JAZZ ENSEMBLES PRESENT 7TH ANNUAL “BIG BROADCAST” ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4.

South Hadley, MA--The Jazz Ensembles of Mount Holyoke College will travel back in time to the 1940s for the 7th annual and all-new presentation of The Big Broadcast!, to be held on Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 2PM and 7PM in Chapin Auditorium on the campus of Mount Holyoke College, on Route 116 in South Hadley, MA.

Mount Holyoke College Music faculty member Mark Gionfriddo originally created The Big Broadcast! for a small cabaret group he directed, and incorporated it into the concert season at Mount Holyoke College.

“Students and I researched live radio broadcasts of the 1940s: the big band swing music, the radio serials and the commercials of the day”, said Gionfriddo. “We incorporate all of these elements into our production to give the audience the feel of an authentic radio variety program on a fictitious station named WJAZ".

Brian Lapis, chief meteorologist of WWLP-22 News, returns to the Big Broadcast for his fifth season as WJAZ announcer and emcee “Fred Kelley”.

Mark Gionfriddo, as WJAZ Maestro “Matt Morgan”, directs the students of the Mount Holyoke Big Band, Vocal Jazz, and Chamber Jazz Ensembles, who will perform well-known tunes from the swing era, including music by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, and Glen Gray, among others.

Mark Gionfriddo (“Matt Morgan”) is well known to area concertgoers as pianist, accompanist, composer, arranger, and musical director. His versatility and knowledge of many musical styles has brought him together with a wide range of popular and classical artists through the years, among them Mitzi Gaynor, Liberace, Al Martino, Anna Moffo, and Garrison Keillor. A native of Holyoke, MA, Mark started piano studies at the age of four, began performing at six, and directed his first musical project at twelve. His adventures while assistant conductor on board Cunard's MS Royal Viking Sun brought him around the world to 30 countries. Mark received his Bachelor's Degree in Piano from Skidmore College and Masters Degree in Accompanying from UMASS/Amherst. He has been based at Mount Holyoke College, since 1986 where he is a Senior Instructor in Jazz Piano, Director and Founder of the Mount Holyoke College Jazz Ensemble, and Music Department Staff Accompanist. In 2006, Mark conducted the MHC Big Band during two episodes of the popular public radio quiz show “SaysYou!”

Brian Lapis ("Fred Kelley") joined the 22News Storm Team in 1996. He got his start in broadcasting at the age of 15 at radio station WILI, in his hometown of Willimantic, CT. He's worked as a radio on-air talent for stations in Hartford, CT; Philadelphia, PA; Syracuse, NY; and Providence, RI. Brian has a Bachelor's degree in Television Radio Film Management from Syracuse University. In addition he holds a certificate in Broadcast

Meteorology from Mississippi State University.

Cheryl Cobb, Lecturer in Music at Mount Holyoke College, will be featured as a sound effects artist in the second act radio play. Gionfriddo’s student producers are Miriam Cantor-Stone ’MHC’12, Wendy Mellin ’MHC’12 and Emily Moner ’MHC’13. Moner and Linn Jennings MHC’12 serve the ensembles as coordinators of the vocal and instrumental jazz groups.

The Big Broadcast! sponsors include: Mount Holyoke College, Loomis Communities, The Republican/MassLive, New England Public Radio, WFCR and WNNZ.

Tickets are general admission. $20.00 premium front and center seating; $15.00 regular seating; $8.00 seniors and students. Tickets are available at Odyssey Bookshop (9 College Street, South Hadley, MA at The Village Commons), and The Northampton Box-Office (76 Main Street, Northampton, MA). For phone orders: 413-586-8686 or 1-800-THE TICK. For online orders: www.nbotickets.com.

Tickets will also be available at the door, subject to availability, one hour before each performance.

Chapin Auditorium is on the campus of Mount Holyoke College.

For directions to Mount Holyoke College:

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/about/directions.html

For a campus map: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/campusmap/

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New England Public Radio (WFCR) at 50

Thrilled to see their milestone and proud to have been affiliated with them for so many years. http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/02/new_england_public_radio_celeb.html

Media Coverage: The Big Broadcast

Mount Holyoke's Calendar

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/music/calendar_spring.html

Calendar Listings: Mount Holyoke Jazz Ensembles "Big Broadcast"

CALENDAR LISTINGS

The Jazz Ensembles of Mount Holyoke College
present the 7th annual edition of

THE BIG BROADCAST

Sunday, March 4, 2012
2PM and 7PM
Chapin Auditorium
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA 01075

A recreation of a live 1940’s radio broadcast directed by Mark Gionfriddo with WWLP-TV meterologist Brian Lapis as emcee. Under Gionfriddo’s direction, the Mount Holyoke Big Band, Vocal Jazz, and Chamber Jazz Ensembles perform well-known tunes from the swing era, including music by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, and Glen Gray, among others.

Sponsors to date include: Mount Holyoke College.

Tickets are general admission. $20.00 premium front and center seating. $15.00 regular seating. $8.00 seniors and students. Tickets available at Odyssey Bookshop, Village Commons, and The Northampton Box-Office. For phone orders: 413-586-8686 or 1-800-THE TICK. For online orders: www.nbotickets.com. Tickets go on sale 2/01/12.

A limited number of tickets at $5.00 will be available for Mount Holyoke students at the Student Programs Office.

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Some of my "Best of The Valley" Votes

The Best of The Valley Poll

I always like participating in and reading the results in The Valley Advocate’s “Best of the Valley Poll”. I like having the chance to share my favorite restuatns, stores, people etc. and compare my choices with those of readers throughout the area. I also like the opportunity to sample what others around town feel are the best.

I only have one local client eligible for any of the categories. David Pakman, producer and host of The David Pakman Show is a great choice for Local Radio Personality. But, he’s not quite just that. He’s really more of a multi-platform radio/TV/web show host who happens to be based here in the Valley. He went to high school and college in The Valley. He began his radio program in The Valley. He’s got studios in The Valley. He’s not a drive-time presence, unless you’re listening to his podcasts while you’re driving about. Nonetheless, he’s a guy on 150+ radio and TV stations nationally, on YouTube, and available on his website. www.davidpakman.com.

I’ve got to champion the versatile journalist Scott Coen as “Best Blogger” for his “My Wide World” blog, which profiles interesting people in the area. In the last year or so, Scott has made the transition from TV sportscaster (he still does sports on radio and TV) to “features reporter”. His uncanny ability to showcase an individual doing interesting things via print and broadcast highlights his versatility as a journalist.

Scott did a great profile on my client David Pakman. http://www.masslive.com/mywideworld/index.ssf/2011/04/northamptons_david_pakman_brings_his_local_voice_into_the_national_spotlight.html

He also did a beautiful retrospective on one of my closest friends, WFCR “Morning Edition” anchor Bob Paquette, who died suddenly last year. http://www.masslive.com/mywideworld/index.ssf/2011/06/remembering_wfcrs_bob_paquette_a_trusted_voice_in_the_valley.html

So, please cast your vote for these guys. http://www.valleyadvocate.com/ballot/index.cfm?pid=58

PS. I also voted for restaurants and caffeination venues: Esselon (Hadley), Coco (Easthampton), Eclipse (Northampton) and the late-lamented Green Street Cafe (also Northampton). I recognized Jackson & Connor (Northampton) for menswear, Yes Computers (Northampton) for Mac gear, and The Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, because I champion independent booksellers.

New Client: New Project: The Big Broadcast

“The Big Broadcast” returns ! Save the date: Sunday, March 4, 2012.

The Jazz Ensembles of Mount Holyoke College, under the direction of Mark Gionfriddo, perform the 7th edition of “The Big Broadcast”, a recreation of a live 1940’s radio program complete with swing, pop standards of the day, and commercials. Brian Lapis, meterologist at WWLP-TV22, returns for the 5th year as emcee “Fred Kelley”. Two performances, SUN March 4, 2PM and 7PM at Chapin Auditorium, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA. Tickets on sale 2/01/12 at Northampton Box-Office, Odyssey Book Shop, and Student Programs Office at Mount Holyoke.

For the record: Mount Holyoke College’s music program is a somewhat new client. I’ve produced a series of special events at Chapin Auditorium on campus.during my WFCR days. When Garrison Keillor came to town to try out a one-man show he was considering for a tour, he needed a pianist on short notice who could sight read. Mount Holyoke recommended Mark Gionfriddo, and Mark and Garrison were a perfect fit. When I produced a live broadcast of the NPR quiz Show “Says You!” at Mount Holyoke, Mark’s student ensembles provided the music for the shows.

It will be great to work with Mark and the good people at Chapin Auditorium again.

The David Pakman Show Airs in DC

The David Pakman Show begins airing in the Washington DC market on Sundays. http://www.weactradio.com/