Author: facweb

Thursday, February 21, 8PM, Bowker Auditorium
Trombonist and composer Craig Harris composed “Souls Within the Veil”, in 2003 to commemorate the centennial of W. E. B.  Du Bois’ seminal work, “The Souls of Black Folk”. A 10-piece ensemble interprets Harris’ musical score, which captures the book’s timeless social commentary, using Du Bois’ concept of Double Consciousness, the  “two-ness” of being African and as well as American. Harris has been a major figure in jazz since the mid-70s when he began associations with Sun Ra, Abdullah Ibrahim, David Murray, Lester Bowie and Sekou Sundiata.

General Admission: $12; $7 students

 

UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE

Friday, February 8, 8PM & 10PM, Bowker Auditorium

The Upright Citizen’s Brigade (UCB) Theatre is the greatest producer of comedic talent in America today and the UCB Touring Company brings the very best of their theatres in NYC and LA directly to us. This is your chance to see stars of today and tomorrow live on stage from the improvisational theatre that brought you comedy greats like Horatio Sanz, Amy Poehler, Rob Corddry, Ed Helms, MTV’s Human Giant, the Daily Show’s Rob Riggle and many, many more.  

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All seats $20; FC, GCC, STCC and 17 & under $10
(Advisory: Performances are improvisational. Content is likely to include mature subject matter.)

 

“When “SNL” and “The Daily Show” needs comics, they turn to the Upright Citizens Brigade”

– Larry Getlen, New York Post

Wednesday, January 30, 7:30PM, Concert Hall

“You don’t go to a Ladysmith Black Mambazo show for innovation; you go to be reminded that the human voice is the most beautiful sound on Earth.” —Washington Post

For 45 years, the voices of Ladysmith Black Mambazo have married the intricate rhythms and harmonies of their native South African musical traditions to the sounds and sentiments of gospel music. The a cappella group became internationally famous when Paul Simon featured them on his 1986 album Graceland. They tour the world regularly and have won three Grammy Awards. They will feature favorites from their catalogue as well as selections from Songs From A Zulu Farm, their most recent release which has been nominated for a 2011 Grammy Award.
$40, $35, $15; FC, GCC, STCC and 17 & under $10

For more information please visit our website at https://fac.umass.edu/online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=E40E281A-F0FA-4E49-81AD-AC3DEE5D37CC

NATALIE MACMASTER

Saturday, December 1, 8PM, Concert Hall

We’re thrilled to welcome the return of virtuoso Cape Breton fiddler Natalie MacMasterto the Fine Arts Center stage to take us on a musical sleigh ride through Nova Scotia at Christmastime with this spirited performance of traditional and contemporary Celtic melodies and Christmas carols. Fiddling fireworks and ferocious step dancing accentuate her lively performances, helping make MacMaster one of Canada’s most captivating performers. This Grammy-nominated artist has captivated audiences around the world with her signature sound that spans genres, combining Celtic, bluegrass, folk, and contemporary acoustic sounds
with jazz, rock, and even classical music.

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$40, $35, $15; FC, GCC, STCC and 17 & under $10

MARY HALVORSON/JESSICA PAVONE

Tuesday, November 27, 8PM, Bezanson Recital Hall

Guitarist Mary Halvorson and violist Jessica Pavone‘s longstanding duo embraces a wide range of musical traditions.  The Village Voice likened them to “an avant-garde Thelma and Louise, blazing a trail across the stylistic horizon like a 1966 Ford Thunderbird jerry-rigged from scraps of Eric Dolphy, Django Reinhardt, Appalachian gothic campfires, Charles Ives, and Hendrix-laced psychedelia.” They have performed at venues ranging from small cafés to major international festivals since 2002, and released their fourth recording, “Departure of Reason” (Thirsty Ear).
General Admission: $10; $5 students

 

Metropolitan Museum New York Bus Trip

Saturday, November 17

Sign up now! Join us for this unique tour to see more than one thousand works from the pre-eminent collection of the Museum’s Department of Islamic Art—one of the most comprehensive gatherings of this material in the world—have returned to view in a completely renovated, expanded, and reinstalled suite of fifteen galleries.

Fore more information please visit our website at https://fac.umass.edu/online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=9BC10224-AFD8-4ECB-AFB6-2E0C254C4043

Thursday, November 15, 7:30PM, Bowker Auditorium
An intoxicating jazz singer with a warm and supple voice and perfect pitch, Jane Monheit has the chops to do just about anything she chooses. Audiences have long responded to her fearless honesty through her performances and over her 10-year recording career. She sings like she knows what the song is about and has lived its story. Jane Monheit is the real deal. She will help us celebrate Women in Jazz on November 15^th and will be in residence for three days as part of the Billy Taylor Jazz Residency.
35, $15; FC, GCC, STCC and 17 & under $10

For more information please visit our website at https://fac.umass.edu/online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=E77EEF3C-3975-46C3-964A-2456F2A6139A

KIDD PIVOT “TEMPEST REPLICA”

Sunday, November 18, 7PM, Chamber Concert Hall
Kidd Pivot’s seven-strong company presents the full-length work The Tempest Replica in its North American premiere. Based on motifs from Shakespeare’s epic play, award-winning Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite stages a game of revenge and forgiveness, reality and imagination in this magical narrative retelling. A theatrical sensibility complements the mastery of the dancers – their fluidity heightening the dramatic articulation of the plot. Swathed in white light, shadows abounding, with music composed by longtime collaborator Owen Belton and a film montage by Jamie Nesbitt, Pite’s latest work is a startling innovation.

”One of those rare and wonderful performances that not only delivers an exceptional evening of dance and theater but also offers enough intellectual provocation to fuel spirited dialogue long after the show ends.” – The Star Tribune 

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$35, $30, $15; FC, GCC, STCC and 17 & under $10

DR. JOHN & THE LOWER 911 WITH THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA

Thursday, November 8, 7:30PM, Concert Hall
Be ready to be on your feet and making a joyful noise when Dr. John & The Lower 911 with The Blind Boys of Alabama bring a touch of New Orleans to Amherst with a program of “Spirituals to Funk.” Under the direction of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Dr. John, the world premiere of Spirituals to Funk represents the first-ever touring partnership between two icons of American music. Dr. John & The Lower 911 and The Blind Boys of Alabama will build on this legacy synonymous with their “Big Easy” style. Based on the legendary Carnegie Hall concerts produced by John Hammond in the 1930s, this version of Spirituals to Swing features an integrated show that explores the connections between gospel, blues, and jazz. We don’t need to say anything else except get your tickets early!

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$40, $35, $15; FC, GCC, STCC and 17 & under $10

Thursday, November 1, 7:30PM, Concert Hall

Direct from Beijing, the National Circus of the People’s Republic of China, performing “Cirque Chinois,” was founded in 1953, making it one of the longest running and most distinguished circus troupes in China.  The National Circus of the People’s Republic of China is especially acclaimed in China because of the unique acts in their program such as Great Teeterboard, Grand Flying Trapeze, Group Contortion, Straw Hats Juggling, Girls’ Balance with Bowls and many other outstanding acts. Many of the Artists in the troupe have won international awards.

$40, $30, $15; FC, GCC, STCC and 17 & under $10

For more information please visit our website at https://fac.umass.edu/online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=11A16E4B-3147-436C-9F55-B0E3223AC14D