Concert supports jazz studies program
A former Charleston resident was honored through music and food at the “Celebrating the Goodness of David Tanner” concert Saturday.
Charleston residents and students enjoyed music from The Men of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, The Blue Note Jazz Sextet and the Neo-Jeans.
Helen Krehbiel-Reed and Suellyn Garner performed a piano duet with the aid of only one piano.
All proceeds from the event will go to the David Frank Tanner/Ronald Eugene Gholson Endowed Fund Celebrating the “Goodness” of Music.
The endowment fund supports the Eastern jazz studies program.
Ronald Gholson, a retired Eastern professor, created the endowment in honor of his late friend David Frank Tanner.
Gholson described Tanner as a lover of music, though he said Tanner could not play a musical instrument himself.
After Tanner’s death in 2009, Gholson was aspired to create an endowment fund after listening to the song “Dreams” by the Allman Brothers Band.
The song made Gholson remember the dreams of this late friend because the Allman Brothers Band was Tanner’s favorite musical group.
Gholson said the fund will allow students to dedicate some of their music to recognize, celebrate and honor his friend.
Nancy Page, in charge of donor relations in office of philanthropy at Eastern, said the endowment is a versatile fund that will benefit jazz studies.
“Gholson has a real heart for giving,” Page said.
The endowment fund was established in 2009 and could be used for the purchase of musical instruments, equipment, performance clothing and student scholarships.
Katie Best, a senior English major with a teacher certification, said she thought the piano duet with Reed and Garner was a unique musical act.
“I have never seen anything like that before,” Best said.
Elizabeth Edwards can be reached at 581-2812
Concert supports jazz studies program
Aaron Eckert, a sophomore music education major, plays trombone with the Blue Note Sextet Saturday during the David F. Tanner Benefit for Jazz Studies in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. (Kimberly Foster
