Enjoy a fall afternoon at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory with a concert by the Blair Big Band on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 4 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public, but reservations are required on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations may be made online at www.dyer.vanderbilt.edu. There will be a $10 parking fee per carload with a maximum of eight people per car.
The Blair Big Band is a student ensemble consisting of five saxophones, five trumpets, five trombones and three to five players in the rhythm section. The band also features both male and female vocalists who perform big band swing and Latin music. Noted musician Billy Adair, chair of jazz and folk studies and senior lecturer of jazz studies, is the group’s director.
Gates will open at 2 p.m. for the show and visitors are encouraged to bring a blanket, lawn chairs and pack a picnic basket. After the show, visitors can linger to stargaze using the observatory’s Seyfert telescope.
In the event of rain, the show will be cancelled.
Dyer Observatory is located at 1000 Oman Drive, off Granny White Pike between Old Hickory Boulevard and Otter Creek Road, near Radnor Lake. Directions are available at http://www.dyer.vanderbilt.edu/.
Built in 1953, Dyer Observatory was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. The property consists of the observatory, 1953 house and garage and 2006 Star Chamber. The observatory serves as a community resource for the teaching of science as well as a venue for public, private and corporate events.
Media Contact: Chris Skinker (615) 322-NEWS
chris.skinker@vanderbilt.edu