They did it again. The students of UNLV’s Jazz Studies program not only were invited back to the Monterey Next Generation Jazz competition, staged March 9-11, but saw their Honors Combo win first place in the College Jazz Combo category. It’s the second victory in as many years by UNLV’s jazz musicians, as Jazz Ensemble I tied for first last year in the College Big Band category (it placed as a finalist during this month’s contest, which also saw Las Vegas Academy of the Arts’ big band compete in the high school division). The Honors trio, meanwhile, has already been asked to return to Northern California to perform during the revered Monterey Jazz Festival in September.

In his legendary career, Leonard Bernstein played many roles: conductor, pianist, TV star, cultural ambassador.

The Las Vegas Philharmonic performs its second Spotlight concert of the season, titled "A Little Romance," on Thursday, March 15, 2018 at 7:30 PM in Troesh Studio Theater at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts featuring three of the Las Vegas Philharmonic's principal musicians: Janis McKay (bassoon), Bill Bernatis (horn) and Voltaire Verzosa (piano) performing classical works for duet and trio.

If Uli Geissendoerfer says there’s a great deal of artistic energy in Vegas’ jazz scene, you should believe him. He’s the director of the Latin Jazz Ensemble and coordinator of Jazz Small Groups at UNLV and the musical director/curator/performer at the Dispensary Lounge, among other hats he wears. As such, the pianist/composer spends a great deal of time with some of the most talented players in town, and he wants to unify their creative efforts.

2017 was in just its second day, but Foothill High School’s marching band and color guard were making a memory to last all year, and maybe many more.

The Las Vegas Philharmonic is gearing up for another season of fantastic orchestral performances and smaller chamber-music concerts. It all kicks off September 10, when music director Donato Cabrera conducts the full symphony through some Mozart, some Mahler and a West Coast premiere by living composer Kevin Beavers.

When you think of symphonic music, the human voice may not be the first instrument that comes to mind.

More than 100 people attended the 2nd Annual VIVA Awards presented by the Forgotten Song Foundation recently at the Fifth Street School in downtown Las Vegas.

Who has better Las Vegas entertainment stories than the people who were backstage, and even onstage, with the stars?

A couple of recent books remind us of the big role supporting musicians played in the city’s show business history. Admittedly, I’m a little partial to both.

You try to cross this bridge with Seth MacFarlane, linking his affection for the crude/brilliant humor in “Family Guy” — where the highbrow canine Brian will talk of his in-progress novel and suddenly scratch at his fleas with his hind leg — and love of big-band standards.

Six nights a week, Dave Loeb, UNLV professor of music and director of jazz studies, takes to the stage of Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas for the spectacular “Showstoppers” with its talented cast of 66 singers and dancers and full orchestra.

Virko Baley began teaching at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 1970.