Ames residents Suzy and John Shierholz will open their home on Wednesday for ISU Scholarship Musicales’ “Jazzin’ Up the Night.”

Musicales was established several years ago to raise money for scholarships to undergraduate students in music. Supporters around Ames welcome ISU faculty and student music presenters into their home to perform for an audience.

Jim Bovinette, associate professor of music, will give audience members an idea of what jazz is about by performing in a jazz quartet with three of his students. Bovinette says this presentation connects community members with the music program at Iowa State.

“[This program] gives a taste of the music department’s diversity,” Bovinette says. “I’m showing what I do here at ISU.”

Nicholas Anderson, senior in music, plays string and electric bass in the quartet and agrees with Bovinette.

“I think it’s a good idea,” Anderson says. “I’m a transfer student, and there was nothing like this at my other school. I think this is a nicer way of raising money to help the department.”

The intimate setting of Ames residents’ homes is another positive to this music presentation, Anderson says.

“Audience members get a lot more contact with the instrumentalists,” says Anderson, who also performed in the jazz program last year. “We had a great time. We got to talk to some of the guests and it was quite interesting — a lot of them are a lot more knowledgeable about jazz than we think.”

A passion for jazz is what makes these musicians so excited about playing on Wednesday, and this is evident in the freedom of the program, Bovinette says.

“We’ll play what the taste of the audience is,” Bovinette says.

Clint Clark, senior in liberal studies and jazz keyboardist for the group, says jazz is a great way for him to express himself.

“I’m not much of a rule follower,” Clark says. “Jazz allows me to let my soul soar because there are no rules to follow. It’s a great experience.”