Skip to main content
Intellect

Synthesis concert Nov. 18 to feature works by members, alumni

Brigham Young University’s award-winning jazz ensemble Synthesis will be performing Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the de Jong Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $8-$11 through the Fine Arts Ticket Office, (801) 422-4322 or at byuarts.com.

“All the pieces in this performance are written by BYU students past and present,” said director Ray Smith. “These are pieces for Synthesis by Synthesis dating as far back as 1981. There is also a dominance of variety of ethnic styles like African, Latin, Spanish, Chinese, Scottish and American.”

In the show they will be performing “Bembe” by Lyle Durland, “It’s a Brand New Day” by Steve Erickson, “Xiao He Tang Shui” by Keke Xu and many other songs by BYU students and alumni.

The ensemble will also take on jazz legend Maria Schneider’s “Buleria, Solea y Rumba,” which Smith describes as “a real tour de force piece.”

Synthesis combines swing, blues, jazz, Latin and fusion styles into one show. The ensemble has performed throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia and has also won festivals in the U.S., Switzerland, Holland and Finland. The student artists have been guest performers at Tokyo Disneyland and in the People’s Republic of China.

For more information on the concert, contact Ray Smith at (801) 422-3391.

Writer: Brandon Garrett

Related Articles

data-content-type="article"

Learning students’ names boosts belonging at BYU, study finds

August 28, 2025
The start of a new semester brings more than fresh syllabi. It brings the challenge—and opportunity—of learning the names behind each new face in a classroom.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"

The next chapter in BYU's origami engineering: Student-discovered patterns unfold like blooming flowers, have major applications

August 19, 2025
BYU Engineering is well known for origami-inspired research and innovations, including foldable antenna systems used in space. Recently, an undergraduate student made a significant discovery—a new family of origami patterns with promising applications across a range of fields, including space systems, medical devices, bulletproof shields, architecture, furniture and aerodynamic components for transportation.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"

Impossible Burgers at a summer BBQ? Impossible! Why plant-based alternatives are still just beyond reach for most people

August 14, 2025
Plant-Based Alternatives (PBAs) — such as the Impossible Burger — are becoming more common, and those who try them say they are actually quite good. And while companies are pouring billions into making PBAs taste just like their meat counterparts, they still aren’t catching on. So what’s the hold-up?
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText=