From Swing to Symphony

Armstrong Auditorium offers a combination of lighthearted jazz and revered orchestral pieces this month.

Photo by Greg Hegelson courtesy Armstrong Auditorium.

Whether you fancy smooth jazz or classical music, Armstrong Auditorium in Edmond welcomes two world-class groups to the stage this month.

For a top-shelf Valentine’s Day gift, take your beloved to the Julian Bliss Septet, which performs at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14. Plucked from the masses by the famed jazz clarinetist for whom the group is named, these seven talented players incorporate individual musicianship into a cohesive evening of jazz. This performance is a tribute to Benny Goodman, the grandfather of swing music in the United States. Enjoy an upbeat, sometimes funny, evening of tunes to begin or end your romantic holiday.

Feb. 24 features the Shanghai Opera Symphony Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Founded in the 1950s, the group is on its first-ever tour of North America this year. Viewers can expect captivating pieces from famed composers Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Piano Concerto No. 1) and Sergei Rachmaninoff (Symphony No. 2).

For tickets and information, visit armstrongauditorium.org.