University of Virginia Library

University Bands
Get New Conductor

Joel Lazar, noted concert band director, is
the new conductor of the 47 piece University
Concert Band and University Orchestra. Mr.
Lazar, who is also the full-time director of
instrumental music in the College, has had long
experience in band and orchestral direction. He
was the former conductor of the University
Heights Orchestra at New York University, is
the founder and conductor of the Cantabrigia
Orchestra at the Harvard Summer School, and
was assistant conductor of the Greater Boston
Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Civic
Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Lazar graduated from Harvard University
and has studied under both ler Solomon
and Walter Susskind at the Aspen Music School
and with Richard Burgin in Boston.

Mr. Lazar has stated that the band and
orchestra have three roles. The first is to
provide the community with more enjoyable
music. The second role is that the orchestra and
band should be large enough to let as many
musicians as want to play to participate in the
program. The third role of the two organizations
is to allow students to come into close
association with music to see if they are
interested in continuing in the field of music.

The concert band, along with the University
Orchestra and Glee Club, is now carrying credit
hours on an experimental basis. The concert
band is a two credit course, as is the glee club,
while the orchestra carries one credit hour.

The concert band will be presenting a
concert Friday, October 24 at 8:30 in the
Cabell Hall Auditorium. Selections by Ives.
Jacob, Mendelssohn, Mennin, Prokofiev, Sousa,
and Wagner will be presented in accord with
Mr. Lazar's intentions to emphasize no
particular kind of music in the concerts.

Joel Lazar

University Orchestra Director