SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2026
Is there a better way to spend Valentine’s Day than enjoying live music (always a true labor of love for the musicians involved), especially when that music is romantic jazz? Apparently not, according to everyone who attended the Valley Jazz Orchestra’s Swingin’ Jazz concert, performed in a cozy playhouse in the Hershey area.
The concert’s repertoire focused on classic big band tunes, showcasing a lot of vocal jazz, performed by VJO’s featured vocalist, Sienna Brooks, also occasionally seen on aux percussion. The set included standards such as “Tuxedo Junction,” “Mood Indigo,” “Too Close for Comfort,” and my personal favorite, “If Ever I Would Leave You.”
The most common words spoken throughout this gig may have been “And now, I’ll invite up my colleague,” as the two directors of the band constantly alternated in leading the group. Conducting styles and philosophies can vary dramatically in the jazz world, and in the VJO’s two co-directors, we see the whole range.
Dr. Morell, composer, favors a “less is more,” attitude. After spending so much time defining the musicality of the piece in rehearsal, Morell keeps the pattern simple and entrusts the direction to the students.
Dr. Lovell, on the other hand, meets the music wherever it is, embracing the emotion and energy of the piece, often turning conducting into a full-body commitment. For both, it is clear how much they have invested in these students and how passionate they are about their success, which is really all you can ask for in a director.
Vocalist Sienna Brooks has been performing with the Valley Jazz Orchestra for several semesters, bringing another layer of texture to the band that only a vocalist can bring. Sometimes, this means performing standard big band tunes with familiar vocal parts, as was the case at this event, but it can also be unique vocal parts incorporated into the Morell compositions that the band often plays.
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