DANBURY, CONN. — Nothing puts people in a festive mood like classic holiday music, and it’s even better when the music is live and has a jazz vibe. So head on over to Western Connecticut State University at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13, for the Holiday Jazz concert in Ives Concert Hall in White Hall on the university’s Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. The concert will be free and open to the public; donations to support the music department will be accepted.

Featured performers will be the Frankensax group directed by Andrew Beals, the Jazz Ensemble directed by Dave Scott and the WCSU Jazz Orchestra directed by Jamie Begian, coordinator of WCSU’S Jazz Studies program.

Begian promises an afternoon of familiar holiday hits.

“This concert should be something special as the Jazz Orchestra will team up with members of the concert choir to re-create some classic arrangements of “Sleigh Ride” and “Walking in a Winter Wonderland,” as performed on Andy Williams’ holiday shows in the 1960s,” Begian said.

“Frankensax will feature Beals’ intricate arrangements of hard-bop classics, while the Jazz Ensemble will provide some more standard jazz repertoire for the afternoon,” Begian continued. “From some swinging Thad Jones to festive holiday music, this concert offers something for everyone!”

For more information, call the music department at (203) 837-8350.

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.