A Joy-Filled Year | Happy Holidays 2025!

Published December 26, 2025

A Joy-Filled Year | Happy Holidays 2025!

2025 was an exciting year for the Reno Jazz Orchestra (RJO): a full year under the direction of music director Greg Johnson, full houses for our concerts featuring guest artists Matt Mauser and Morgan James, and our robust education program featuring the Reno Youth Jazz Orchestra (RYJO) are all a reflection of the community’s support.

Our Home for the Holidays concert on December 7 was a wonderful example of that support. This year’s theme highlighted homegrown musicians and singers, and the sold-out Nightingale Hall enthusiastically responded. RYJO, under the direction of Nichole Heglund, opened the concert which traditionally is the first concert of their season. They opened with Thad Jones’ Big Dipper and closed and featured the RYJO vocalists on Slightly Out of Tune. RYJO is going to New Orleans in January (more about that later). The RJO followed with Christmas favorites Little Drummer Boy and Jingle Bells. Our guest artists Cami Thompson, Kyle Rea, and Whitney Myer each had a turn at the mic. I have had the pleasure of working with Thompson for 40 (yes, 40!) years. She is not only a marvelous singer she is also an actor, band leader, music director, arranger, songwriter, and teacher. Myer’s performance was her premiere with the RJO; you may know her from the band Cruz Control or her appearance on The Voice. We will be certain to welcome her back. Rea is another fantastic local singer who has also joined us in the past. After a brief intermission, Music director Johnson asked a show of hands who had attended previous RJO concerts and then who were first timers. I was so pleased to see how many newcomers there were. The concert concluded with Myer singing Donny Hathaway’s This Christmas with Thompson and Rea singing back up. A joyous song to end the concert but the audience wanted more and the RJO obliged them with an encore after several standing ovations. What a joyful experience!

I need to thank our volunteers:

Matt and Suzanne Booher
Linda Newberg
Lisa Wood
Barbara Perez-Sterling
John Linden
Joe McElhinney
Barbra Day
Steve Peeck
Gail Betz

Our Staff

Vernon Scarbrough, Executive Director

Greg Johnson, Music Director
Nichole Heglund, RYJO Music Director
Lee Koch, Marketing / Development Director
Dr. David Brennan, Education Director
Diana Stewart, Event Manager
Danne Polk, Web Master / Graphic Design
Alana Ridge, Social Media Manager
Sara Depaoli, Grant Manager and Writer

These folks are the secret sauce for our concerts and education programs. And how about that band!

I must sadly acknowledge the passing of three dear friends of the RJO this year. Jim Kidder was a great supporter of Reno’s performing arts community, a mentor of mine, and a dear friend. His passion for the arts was felt throughout the performing arts and will be missed. The RJO’s longtime pianist Bill Hecht left us as well. He was one of the first musicians I worked with when I first moved here in 1979. A consummate pianist, arranger, and technical wizard he was also a dear friend to me, the band, and anyone who had the pleasure of working with him. Mac McGrannahan was our first president, played in the band for many years, and was the person who connected us to UNR.

Looking ahead, RYJO is off to New Orleans in January to attend and perform at the Jazz Education Network conference. They will be able to sit in on jazz workshops and listen to jazz ensembles big and small from all over the country. This is, in large part, to several generous donations to fund travel and hotels for 17 students and chaperones.

Our Quintessence series continues at Nightingale Hall March 8 with The Art of Big Band featuring trumpeter Mike Rocha and May 10 for An Afternoon of Romance featuring vocalist Nicolas Bearde.

Here is the ticketing info. Discounts available: renojazzorchestra.org

I wish you all the best holiday season and a Merry Christmas!