The Poly Post

Issue date: 3/4/08 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: Brandon Tan/Poly Post Saxophonists play at the six-hour "Rehearsathon" Thursday.

The Cal Poly Jazz Band held its second annual "Rehearsathon" last Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Twenty-five jazz musicians rehearsed and performed for the six hours and raised about $2,000. The money raised will offset travel costs to the University of Northern Colorado and Greeley Jazz Festival in April.

Money from ASI is helping with the Jazz Band's traveling expenses, but it still needs to raise enough money to cover the cost of hotels, food and transportation from the airport to the university.

"The idea is a little like the old 'dance marathon,' except we are playing and rehearsing instead of dancing," said David Kopplin, director of the Jazz Band. "In those marathon dances, people raised money for good causes. With the budgets being so tight, we thought this was a good way to raise money for our touring and participation in festivals."

Last year, the Jazz Band also raised $2,000 at the "Rehearsathon".

The idea for a "Rehearsathon" was brought up in the classroom when the band was brainstorming fundraising ideas.

"A student mentioned that his band had done it in high school, as I recall," Kopplin said. "It seemed like a better idea than selling chocolate or magazines or things like that."

This year will be the first year the Jazz Band participates in the Greeley Jazz Festival.

"It is a high level educational event that isn't really about competition," Kopplin said. "It is about learning and growing.

Experts will clinic the band and help us sound better and perform at a higher level."

Traditionally, a jazz band is made up of musicians who play alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, trombone, trumpet, and a rhythm section made up of a drum set, guitar, bass guitar or string bass, and piano.

In the Cal Poly Jazz Band, some members of the saxophone section double on flute, soprano saxophone, and bass clarinet. The Jazz Band also features a vocalist for some of its songs.

The Jazz Band started the "Rehearsathon" with "Early Afternoon Blues." The musicians kept plenty of water by their side in preparation for the long rehearsal ahead.

This event allowed the audience to see how a rehearsal is run. Kopplin gave notes to the jazz band, stopping them to run individual sections when necessary.

Continued...

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