Utah Valley University’s School of the Arts, in conjunction with the Jazz Orchestra, is proud to present Monk in Space. The performance will be held in the Ragan Theater on April 5, at 7:30 p.m.
This concert pays tribute to two of history’s most unique and innovative jazz musicians, Thelonious Monk and Le Sony’r Ra (aka Sun Ra). Born just three years apart, both were highly successful pianists, composers, and bandleaders.
Thelonious Monk was known for his angular melodies, quirky dissonances, and an unorthodox percussive approach to piano playing. Many of Monk’s compositions have become standards of the jazz repertoire, performed by musicians around the world.
While Monk gained prominence performing as a sideman with many of jazz’s biggest stars such as Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Sun Ra’s career took a very different path. His work focused almost exclusively on his own ensemble known as the “Arkestra”. Ra’s music was inextricably linked with an Afro-futurist philosophy related to ancient Egypt and the Space Age. His performances often featured theater, poetry, costume, and dance along with music. Though he lacked mainstream success, he developed a strong cult following and is now regarded as a major musical innovator and one of jazz’s most prolific composers.
In an effort to bring some of Ra’s eccentricities to the performance, assistant professor Alex Heitlinger made a creative decision saying, “Because we are performing the music of Sun Ra, we will be in costumes similar to those that his ‘Arkestra’ wore.”
Audience members will see an authentic show through the music, the costumes, and the work of our top jazz musicians.
The performance for Monk in Space will be held in the Ragan Theater on April 5, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the event are $5 for students and children, and $10 for the general public.
To purchase advance tickets, visit: uvu.universitytickets.com or Campus Connection. Tickets will also be available at the the door.
###
About Utah Valley University
At 37,282 students and growing, Utah Valley University is the largest public university in the state of Utah and one of a few in the nation offering a dual-mission model that combines the rigor and richness of a first-rate teaching university with the openness and vocational programs of a community college.
UVU’s unique model, which focuses on student success, engaged learning, rigorous academic programs and faculty-mentored research, is transforming higher education by making it more affordable and accessible to students of all backgrounds.