It is never too early in December to get in the holiday spirit, and the University of Iowa School of Music plans to help Iowa City get excited for the holidays.

At 6:30 p.m. today, the music school will host the Johnson County Landmark Christmas Concert at the Mill, 120 E. Burlington St.

The concert will include student ensembles and collaborations with professors from the jazz program. Both the ensembles and collaborations will feature groups that will focus on a particular style or sub-genre of jazz.

Johnson County Landmark is devoted to the performance of original compositions by the masters of jazz from the past and from today. Some of the music it has played include that from Duke Ellington, Tadd Dameron, Billy Strayhorn, Thad Jones, and Charles Mingus. The repertoire also includes Maria Schneider and John Hollenbeck.

Since 1995, Landmark has released six CDs, the most recent of the albums being Dream of Pangaea. In order to become a member, the auditions stress reading and improvisational skills, two central tenets of jazz. The group also requires members to play secondary instruments as well as to be knowledgeable about music from different periods.

The night will be full of good jazz and is the perfect precursor to the holiday season.
— by Claire Dietz

MUSIC
Johnson County Landmark Christmas Concert
When: 6:30 p.m. today
Where: Mill, 120 E. Burlington
Admission: $3