Tish Oney's Music Blog

Performing with a wide variety of ensembles is one of the distinctly enjoyable aspects of this performer's career. One week I may be fronting a jazz orchestra, while the next I may be playing the piano myself in my own cabaret show in an intimate room. My need for variety and fresh challenges has historically been responsible for my booking certain themed shows before they exist, and then writing the musical arrangements for them out of the necessity of delivering a performance date. Any musician's thirst for new experiences would show this to be the way many of us operate. Along with the theme of the show, I often invite a concert presenter to choose the size of the ensemble they wish to book, which proffers me a great deal of booking flexibility, while giving the presenter some options. Next month I have the distinct privilege of serving the U.S. Army Band, "Pershing's Own," as their Artist-In-Residence for a few days. During our time together, I will teach a ...

I am thrilled to be putting together my first-ever full length big band show which will be taken on tour this coming fall season. I have compiled a show of songs arranged by some of the greatest big band arrangers of our time--Chris Walden, Joe Riposo, Jason Goldman and Jim Hughart. I am tremendously thankful for their time, talents and energy in writing these wonderful charts and sharing them with me for this tour! The tour will be under way in late September with my first big band outing back where it all started--Ithaca College School of Music. Several years ago as a Masters student I fronted the IC Jazz Orchestra on a number of occasions, most notably when Les Brown came and visited the campus for our Commencement Eve gala concert. In September I will return to the Ithaca campus as their 2011-12 Robert G. Boehmler Visiting Artist to teach master classes and workshops, to do some guest lecturing and to give two evening performances in their main concert venue. At this moment, ...