TICKETS are $10 General/$5 Student.

Concerts and events made possible, in part, with support from the Wells Philanthropic Services provided by grants from the John, Anna, and Martha Jane Fields Memorial Trust Foundation and the Florence V. Carroll Charitable Trust, The Esther and George Jaruga Charitable Foundation, the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County's ArtsEverywhere initiative, and the Arts Project Support Grant and Arts Recovery Grant through the Indiana Arts Commission.

Our Home Grown Jazz Performance Series presents the Don Lerman and Billy Foster Duo. A duo of Don Lerman on saxophone, and Billy Foster on piano will perform a varied program of jazz and popular standards. Songs from the 1930s and 1940s, as well as more contemporary selections, are planned, from composers Jerome Kern, Jimmy van Heusen, and Branislaw Kaper in the standard repertoire, and from Benny Golson, Freddie Hubbard, and Roland Hanna in the jazz idiom.

Don Lerman, a native of South Bend who graduated from Riley High School, spent many years performing on sax and clarinet in big bands around the Washington, D.C., area, most notably with the Harry James Orchestra that continued after the legendary big band trumpeter’s death in 1983. His influences include Art Pepper, Lucky Thompson, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Charlie Parker and Gerry Mulligan.

Billy Foster is a respected pianist, composer, educator and producer. Mr. Foster worked as a music educator in the Gary Community Schools for 35 years, served as jazz piano instructor at Valparaiso University for 34 years and is currently piano and Jazz History instructor at Indiana University Northwest. He has conducted many jazz lectures, clinics and educational performances and remains active as a professional musician and band- leader. He has played concerts with acclaimed jazz artists Jimmy Heath, Red Rodney , Clark Terry, Terell Stafford, Curtis Fuller, Tom Harrell, Ernie Watts, Bobby Watson, Henry Johnson and many others. Billy Foster’s work may be heard on several CDs including “For The Moment” and “Journey” recorded by the Valparaiso University Faculty Jazz Trio. “Portrait” and “Music For Jazz Vespers” are CDs recorded by the Billy Foster Trio. Mr. Foster received a B.S. from Defiance College and M.M. from Roosevelt University, with additional study at New York University and with pianist Jaki Byard. 

Billy Foster acts as host of the popular radio program “The Billy Foster Jazz Zone” WGVE 88.7FM, Tues, Thurs, Fri 11:00am - 1:00pm .