Lavender Jazz

Lavender Jazz is Goshen College’s big band. The group plays classic jazz standards and styles, such as swing, blues, world beat, be-bop, hard bop, New Orleans/Dixieland, and fusion. Lavender Jazz performs two concerts in Sauder Concert Hall each academic year, and other performances in a variety of settings both on and off-campus. The ensemble varies in size from year to year and is open to by audition to any Goshen College student regardless of major.

Greg Smucker, Director

Greg Smucker is a trumpeter, composer and teacher. He has performed with a variety of jazz and classical ensembles within northern Indiana, including The Truth in Jazz big band and Maple City Brass Quintet. He is currently the principal trumpet of the Maple City Community Orchestra, while also serving as the Executive Director. He enjoys composing and arranging music for various settings, especially for congregational singing.

Greg studied music at the Fort Hayes Performing Arts Career Center in Columbus, Ohio during high school. He then received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Goshen College. Following graduation, he taught instrumental music at Bethany Christian High School for four years. For the last 33 years, he has owned and managed Snyder Paints in downtown Goshen.

Audio Samples

Title	Performed by	Composer
Blues in the Closet	Lavender Jazz	Oscar Pettiford
I’ve Got You Under My Skin	Lavender Jazz	Cole Porter
Nostalgia in Times Square	Lavender Jazz	Charles Mingus

View all music department events

2023-24 Concert Schedule

For tickets, please visit the Goshen College Box Office.

Lavender Jazz Fall Concert: Fri. November 17, 2023, 7:30 p.m., Sauder Concert Hall

Lavender Jazz Spring Concert: Fri. April 5, 2024, 7:30 p.m., Umble Center