GORHAM – Christina Zahn of Lewiston and Owen Conforte of Lovell are among the members of the USM Vocal Jazz ensembles who will perform Friday, Nov. 20, in Corthell Concert Hall on the school campus.

The program begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $6 for the general public, $3 for seniors and students. The ensembles are directed by Michelle Snow. For this concert the guest conductor is graduate student John Coons of Corrina, who was recently a featured vocalist on the Ben Folds tour with the Boston Pops and the Providence Symphony Orchestra. He’s also a Vocal Jazz Ensemble alumnus.

The larger Vocal Jazz Ensemble II will perform a wide range of tunes including “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” a Stevie Wonder classic featuring several soloists and vocal percussion; the pop/jazz waltz, “Yours”; “A Wink and a Smile” from the movie “Sleepless in Seattle” as sung by Harry Connick, Jr.; plus a student composition / arrangement featuring improvisation.

The smaller Vocal Jazz Ensemble I will sing “Selfless, Cold and Composed” by Ben Folds, intricately arranged by Kerry Marsh as a seven-part a cappella, featuring vocal percussion and improvisation solos (pop with jazz re-harmonization); “Lady Be Good,” an up-swing tune arranged by the New York Voices featuring tight harmonies, a vocalese and improvisation; “A Child is Born,” the classic Thad Jones ballad featuring Tom Clukey on flugel horn; “Dry Cleaner from Des Moines,” a Joni Mitchell/Charles Mingus blues tune featuring senior Julia Forbush on voice and Owen Conforte on electric bass; plus a spontaneous improvised “composition” by the group.