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UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY ANNOUNCES MARCH 2015 EVENTS
ANN ARBOR, MI (January 19, 2015) –The University Musical Society (UMS) heads into spring of its 2014-2015 season with an eclectic March line-up. The month of performances begins with jazz guitarist Bill Frisell performing a rare and intimate solo-guitar concert (Thursday, March 12), followed by a performance by Bill Frisell and his band When You Wish Upon a Star, featuring Petra Haden, Eyvind Kang, Thomas Morgan, and Rudy Royston (Friday, March 13).
Also that week, 2013 MacArthur Fellow Kyle Abraham and his dance company Abraham.In.Motion perform two companion pieces that explore race, identity, and the global aspiration for freedom: The Watershed (Friday, March 13) and When the Wolves Came In (Saturday, March 14). The following week, UMS and the Michigan Theater present a Live HD Screening of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Love’s Labour’s Lost, set in the period leading up to World War I (Sunday, March 15).
The month continues with the Chicago Symphony Winds, whose program features two beloved Mozart serenades in Rackham Auditorium (Sunday, March 22). Later in the week, the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and pianist Jeremy Denk perform works by J.S. Bach and Igor Stravinsky in historic Hill Auditorium (Wednesday, March 25), bringing an exciting month with UMS to a close.
Tickets to All Events on Sale Now
How to Order:
www.ums.org
734-764-2538 In person: Michigan League (911 North University Avenue) At the performance venue: beginning 90 minutes before performance start time Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., closed Sunday
Performances & Events
STRATFORD FESTIVAL HD: SHAKESPEARE’S KING LEAR Starring Colm Feore Antoni Cimolino, director
Sunday, March 8, 7 p.m. Michigan Theater (603 East Liberty Street, Ann Arbor)
Presented in partnership with the Michigan Theater
Since its revolutionary first season in 1953, the Stratford Festival has welcomed more than 26 million theatergoers from around the world. Now a select number of these Shakespearean masterpieces will be available as filmed events.
A kingdom divided, a family destroyed, the faithful banished and the hateful left to wreak inhuman havoc in the realm. Four hundred years after it was written, King Lear, resonates as never before. This powerful and unforgettable production of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy stars the incomparable Colm Feore in the role of a lifetime, directed by Stratford Festival Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino.
Production info: http://www.stratfordfestival.ca/landingpages/default.aspx?id=29862
A BILL FRISELL AMERICANA CELEBRATION Bill Frisell, solo guitar (Thursday) Bill Frisell’s When You Wish Upon a Star (Friday) Petra Haden, violin/vocals Eyvind Kang, viola Thomas Morgan, bass Rudy Royston, drums
March 2015 Events Page 2 of 9
Thursday, March 12, 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 13, 8 p.m. Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre (911 North University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109)
Supported by the Renegade Ventures Fund, established by Maxine and Stuart Frankel Hosted by Gary Boren Endowed support from the JazzNet Endowment Fund Media Partners: WEMU 89.1 FM, WDET 101.9 FM, Ann Arbor’s 107one FM
Spin referred to Bill Frisell as the Clark Kent of the electric guitar: “Soft-spoken and self-effacing in conversation, he apparently breathes in lungsful of raw fire when he straps on his guitar… In one of the biggest leaps of imagination since the Yardbirds and Jimi Hendrix, Frisell coaxes and slams his hovering split-toned ax into shapes of things to come.” The New Yorker adds, “Bill Frisell plays the guitar like Miles Davis played the trumpet: in the hands of such radical thinkers, their instruments simply become different animals.” Frisell returns to UMS for the first time in over a decade with two different concerts, Thursday in a solo setting and Friday with a quartet of leading jazz musicians.
Related Events:
Tune In with UMS Thursday, March 12, 7 pm Michigan League Henderson Room (3rd Floor) Tune In with UMS for a 15-minute pre-performance talk. Hosted by UMS Guest Scholar Garrett Schumann, this Tune In talk offers interesting information and provocative questions for thinking about, listening to, and watching the performance.
Getting to know Bill Frisell: 4 Fast Facts 1. Bill Frisell is an American guitarist, composer, and arranger; he is 63 years old and hails from Baltimore, MD. 2. Frisell collaborates with huge names in popular culture (Elvis Costello, Suzanne Vega, Rickie Lee Jones, Brian Eno, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and many others). 3. He had a robust career creating soundtracks for film/tv (including the 2000 Wim Wenders’ film Million Dollar Hotel). 4. For his Friday 3/13 performance, Bill Frisell performs with his band When You Wish Upon a Star, which includes violinist and vocalist Petra Haden, a frequent collaborator with Frisell and known in indie circles for her involvement with bands such as That Dog, Tito & Tarantula, and The Decemberists. Haden is also the daughter of jazz bassist Charlie Haden, who passed away last year.
Artist Info: http://billfrisell.com/
March 2015 Events Page 3 of 9 Previous UMS appearances: These concerts will be Bill Frisell’s second and third UMS performances. UMS last presented Frisell in the Power Center on October 28, 1999. When You Wish Upon a Star was on the program.
KYLE ABRAHAM/ ABRAHAM.IN.MOTION Friday, March 13, 8 pm Saturday March 14, 8 pm Power Center (121 Fletcher Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109)
Program Friday 3/13 – The Watershed Saturday 3/14 – When the Wolves Came In
Sponsored by: University of Michigan Health System Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, and the Arts Midwest Touring Fund Media Partner: WEMU 89.1 FM
Kyle Abraham and Abraham.In.Motion’s work intertwines a sensual and provocative vocabulary with a strong emphasis on sound, human behavior, and all things visual. The company’s work explores Abraham’s diverse training in classical music, visual art, and a multitude of dance forms ranging from ballet to hip-hop. His latest work, which will be performed over two different programs, is inspired by the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and civil rights movements in South Africa and the United States. The Watershed, an all-new evening-length work for nine dancers, is a commanding and provocative cross-cultural exploration of freedom featuring Abraham’s signature style of mellifluous fluidity juxtaposed with sharp accents. It follows the universal aspiration toward freedom, simultaneously referring emancipation following the Civil War, the political tumult of the 1960s, and civil rights challenges of our present day. With arresting scenic design by visual artist Glenn Ligon and a score ranging from a contemporary cello suite to the soulful sounds of Otis Redding. When the Wolves Came In explores the historical legacy of two triumphs in the international history of Civil Rights: the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 20th anniversary of the abolishment of apartheid in South Africa. The works take their inspiration from Max Roach’s iconic 1960 protest album “We Insist! (Freedom Now Suite),” which shed a powerful light on the growing Civil Rights movement in South African and the U.S. With scenery by Glenn Ligon and music by Max Roach and Robert Glasper.
Related Events: UMS Night School: Dancing Social Justice with Kyle Abraham
March 2015 Events Page 4 of 9 Monday, March 9, 7 pm U-M Alumni Center (200 Fletcher St.) Hosted by Clare Croft, assistant professor of dance at the University of Michigan, this winter’s UMS Night School will feature 90-minute classes that combine conversation, lecture, and interactive exercises focused on dance. UMS Night School is free and no preregistration is required; this session features special guest Kyle Abraham.
Post Performance Q&A Friday, March 13 Where does inspiration come from? What makes an artist tick? Join us for a post-performance Q&A and get a glimpse into the lives and minds of the artists that bring creativity to the stage. Must have a ticket to this evening’s performance to attend.
You Can Dance: Abraham.In.Motion Saturday, March 14, 1:30 pm Ann Arbor YMCA (400 W. Washignton St.) In this session for curious and novice movers, join choreographer Kyle Abraham for an exploration of his movement style. No dance training or experience necessary, and all levels, ages 13 and up, are welcome. Free, but first come, first served until studio reaches capacity. Sign-up begins at 12:45.
Getting to know Kyle Abraham: 3 Fast Facts 1. 2013 Macarthur Genius Award recipient 2. 2012 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award recipient 3. Abraham received training in classical music, visual art, and several dance forms – all of which contribute to his style of choreography, although he did not begin dance training until his senior year of high school.
Artist Info: http://abrahaminmotion.org/ Video asset: http://vimeo.com/87132057 Previous UMS appearances: This is Kyle Abraham’s UMS debut.
ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY LIVE IN HD: SHAKESPEARE’S LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST By William Shakespeare Christopher Luscombe, director
Thursday, March 15, 7 p.m. Michigan Theater (603 East Liberty Street, Ann Arbor)
Presented in partnership with the Michigan Theater
March 2015 Events Page 5 of 9 Set in the summer of 1914, Shakespeare’s sparkling comedy delights in championing and then unravelling an unrealistic vow, for the King and his friends to avoid the company of women for three years to dedicate themselves to a life of study. When the Pricess of France and her ladies-in-waiting arrive, they mischievously suggest that the study of the opposite sex is in fact the highest of all academic endeavors and present the men with a severe test of their high-minded resolve. Only at the end of the play is the merriment curtailed as the lovers agree to submit to a period apart, unaware that the world around them is about to be utterly transformed by the war to end all wars.
Artist Info: http://onscreen.rsc.org.uk/
Video asset: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA3SZBkyBYI
CHICAGO SYMPHONY WINDS Musicians of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Guests
Sunday, March 22, 4 p.m. Rackham Auditorium (915 East Washington Street, Ann Arbor)
Program: Mozart Serenade in c minor, K. 388 Mozart Serenade in B-flat Major, K. 361(“Gran Partita”)
Endowed support from the Charles A. Sink Memorial Fund Media Sponsors: WGTE 91.3 FM
Wind players of the Chicago Symphony come together for this special concert that features two of Mozart’s compositions for wind ensemble. In addition to writing large-scale music, Mozart produced lighter music for special occasions, including the two well-known serenades on this program. The Serenade in c minor is a wind octet, scored for pairs of oboes, clarinets, horns, and bassoons; the “Gran Partita” is scored for 12 wind instruments, including the seldom-heart basset horn, plus string bass. Members of the Chicago Symphony join together with other musicians to perform these delightful works.
Getting to know the Chicago Symphony Winds: 2 Fast Facts 1. Includes 13 magnificent wind players from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra 2. The group was founded in 1978 by the orchestra’s then principal oboist, Ray Still (1920-2014)
March 2015 Events Page 6 of 9 Previous UMS appearances: This is second UMS appearance by the Chicago Symphony Winds, who made their debut in April 1993.
ACADEMY OF ST. MARTIN IN THE FIELDS JEREMY DENK, PIANO
Wednesday, March 25, 7:30 p.m. Hill Auditorium (825 North University Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48109)
Program: Stravinsky Concerto in D Major J.S. Bach Concerto in d minor, BWV 1052 J.S. Bach Concerto in f minor, BWV 1056 Stravinsky Apollo
A Prelude Dinner Precedes this performance
Sponsored by MASCO Corporation Foundation Supported by Linda Samuelson and Joel Howell, Gary and Diane Stahle, Marina and Bob Whitman, and Ann and Clayton Wilhite Media Partners: WGTE 91.3 FM and WRCJ 90.9 FM
The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields – one of the finest chamber orchestras in the world and recipient of the 2012 UMS Distinguished Artist Award – is renowned for its polished and refined sound, rooted in outstanding musicianship. Formed in 1958 from a group of leading London musicians, and working without a conductor, the Academy gave its first performance in its namesake church in November 1959. Today, the Academy performs some 100 concerts around the world each year, with as many as 15 tours each season. Pianist Jeremy Denk joins the ensemble for two piano concertos by J.S. Bach, bookended by works for string orchestra by Igor Stravinsky.
Related Event: Prelude Dinner Wednesday, March 25, 5:30 p.m. Rackham Building (4th Floor) Park early, dine with fellow patrons, and hear about the artist, the performance, and the history of the work from our guest speaker Linda Gregerson, the Carolyn Walker Bynum Distinguished University Professor of English at U-M. This evening begins at 5:30pm with complimentary wine followed by a catered buffet dinner by local caterer Food Art. Cost: $75 per person. Valet parking is available
March 2015 Events Page 7 of 9 Advance reservations required. Order online, or contact Esther Barrett at 734-764-8489 or [email protected] to learn more.
Getting to know Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Jeremy Denk: 5 Fast Facts 1. Sir Neville Marriner said that the small ensemble he founded in 1958 “had no intention of giving any concerts or continuing forever.” More than 50 years later, the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields is one of the world’s leading chamber orchestras — and Marriner, at age 90, is still active on the international concert circuit as a conductor 2. The group was the UMS Ford Honors recipient in 2012 alongside their music director Joshua Bell. 3. Academy of St. Martin in the Fields played a big part in the revival of Baroque music and is the most recorded chamber orchestra in the world, with over 500 recording sessions. 4. Jeremy Denk is a 2013 MacArthur Fellow, winner of the 2014 Avery Fisher Prize, and is Musical America’s 2014 Instrumentalist of the Year. 5. Denk is a graduate of Oberlin, Indiana University, and the Juilliard School. Next season he will launch a four-season tenure as an artistic partner of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.
Video Asset: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsybyvhWNOo Artist Info: http://www.asmf.org/, http://jeremydenk.net/ Previous UMS appearances: This will be the 8th UMS performance by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; they debuted in 1980 and last appeared in 2012. This will be the 3rd UMS performance by Jeremy Denk. Denk’s debut was in 2007 in recital with Joshua Bell, and he performed at UMS most recently in 2012 with the San Francisco Symphony.
Comprehensive March 2015 Calendar of Events
Sunday, March 8, 7 pm Stratford Festival HD: King Lear Michigan Theater, $
Monday, March 9, 7 pm UMS Night School: Dancing Social Justice with Kyle Abraham U-M Alumni Center
Thursday, March 12, 7pm Tune In with UMS: Bill Frisell Michigan League Henderson Room
Thursday, March 12, 7:30 pm UMS Performance: A Bill Frisell Americana Celebration Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, $
Friday, March 13, 8 pm UMS Performance: Bill Frisell with When You Wish Upon a Star Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, $
Friday, March 13, 8 pm UMS Performance: Kyle Abraham/ Abraham.In.Motion
March 2015 Events Page 8 of 9 The Watershed Power Center, $
Friday, March 13 Post-Performance Q&A: Kyle Abraham Power Center
Saturday, March 14, 1:30 pm You Can Dance: Abraham.In.Motion Ann Arbor YMCA (400 W. Washington St.)
Saturday, March 14, 8 pm UMS Performance: Kyle Abraham/ Abraham.In.Motion When the Wolves Came In Power Center, $
Sunday, March 15, 7:00 pm Royal Shakespeare Company Live in HD: Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost Michigan Theater, $
Sunday, March 22, 4 pm UMS Performance: Chicago Symphony Winds Rackham Auditorium, $
Wednesday, March 25, 5:30 pm Prelude Dinner: Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Jeremy Denk Rackham Building, 4th floor, $
Wednesday, March 25, 7:30 pm UMS Performance: Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Jeremy Denk, piano Hill Auditorium, $
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