Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Nobuyoshi Yasuda.
In Tuesday’s (2/10) Volume One (Eau Claire, Wisconsin), Tom Giffey writes, “Jazz pianist Geoffrey Keezer grew up in Eau Claire, the son of two musical parents—one of whom was a founding member of the Chippewa Valley Symphony Orchestra—making him a fitting choice to help celebrate the symphony’s golden anniversary. He was commissioned to create a work ultimately titled ‘There Must Be Something in the Water!’—a reference to Eau Claire’s ‘Clear Water’ moniker as well as to the confluence of the jazz and classical genres. ‘When asked to compose a piece for the CVSO’s 50th Anniversary, my first thought was the music should be celebratory and festive,’ Keezer said … ‘And it needs to have an American classical music sound, because the CVSO is an American orchestra.… And if you’re talking about American music, Jazz has to be part of the conversation, being America’s true indigenous art form.’ The piece will combine traditional orchestral instrumentation with alto saxophone and drum set as well as the composer himself on the piano…. In 2023 Keezer won the Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition… The March 1 concert, titled ‘Homegrown Harmony: Featuring Geofrey Keezer,’ will also include works by” Aaron Copeland and Leonard Bernstein.
