In September of 1964, Southwestern’s first music professor, Frank Leuck, and the first president of the College, Wendell Van Loan, realized a vision that began the previous year . . . to create a music department at the newly formed college (which was only 3 years old at the time)! This endeavor culminated in the First Annual Christmas concert on Sunday December 13, 1964 at 4:00 pm in the afternoon. Fifty years later, the Music Department at Southwestern Oregon Community College (SWOCC) is pleased to continue that tradition with its fall concert series on December 1 – 3, 2014 in the Hales Center for Performing Arts (PAC) at 7:00 pm each night. Celebrating 50 years of music here at SWOCC, the Symphonic Choir, Community Orchestra, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and the Jazz Combo will perform a variety of works for large and small ensembles. Admission to all concerts is free, but donations to help support the music department will be gratefully accepted. In addition, the Music Club will be collecting non-perishable food items for SWOCC’s annual Van Jam which is part of the community Bus Jam. Boxes will be placed in the foyer of the PAC. The SWOCC Symphonic Choir, under the direction of David Aakre, will perform a number of works for large chorus including some holiday favorites and excerpts from Handel’s Messiah on Monday Dec. 1 at 7:00 pm. The choir consists of about 45 members mostly from the community with a few SWOCC students performing with them as well. The SWOCC Orchestra, under the direction of Mark Allen, will perform Mozart’s Symphony #25 on Tuesday Dec. 2 at 7:00 pm. Also performing will be the Pacifica String Quartet who will perform a variety of works for string quartet. The Orchestra consists of approximately 20 members from the community and student body with the Concertmaster of the orchestra being a second year music student: Rolly Toribio! Wednesday Dec. 3 is Jazz night at the college with the SWOCC Vocal Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Charlotte Pierce and accompanied on piano by Sarah Kimball, performing a variety of Jazz works for multiple voices and percussion. Also performing will be the SWOCC Jazz Combo, under the direction of Professor Mike Turner, performing a variety of Jazz standards including a brand new composition by Professor Turner. The personnel of both groups is entirely SWOCC students and the performance will begin at 7:00 pm. In addition to the above concerts the SWOCC music department sponsored Bay Area Community Concert Band is performing their winter concert at 7:30 pm on Thursday Dec. 11 at the North Bend First Presbyterian church in North Bend next to the Pony Village Mall. For more information please contact Mike Turner, Professor & Director of Music, at 541-888-7241 or mturner@socc.edu.