The Fine Arts Center

New date and time!
Saturday, November 23 at 8:00 p.m., Fine Arts Center Concert Hall
$42, $38, $15; Five College/GCC/STCC Students and Youth 17 & under: $15, $12, $10

Parsons’ internationally acclaimed, and Valley favorite, troupe blends sexy athleticism and joyous movement in a mixed repertoire that soars. For more than two decades, David Parsons has created works filled to the artistic brim with bouncy, breathtaking, and magical choreographic charm. Welcome this celebrated company back to the FAC— where they are sure to leave you, as always, breathless and absolutely smitten.

Post-show Talk-Back with the company and moderator Umass Dance Prof. Paul Dennis immediately following the performance.

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Artist’s website
Twitter: @ParsonsDance

 

 

 

Thursday, November 21, 8 p.m., Bezanson Recital Hall
$10, Five Collge/GCC/STCC Students and Youth 17 & under: $5

 

Guy Klucevsek, one of the world’s most versatile and highly-respected accordionists, performs polkas, experimental music, and everything in between, with artists as diverse as John Williams, Natalie Merchant, and Laurie Anderson. Violinist Todd Reynolds, a student of Jascha Heifetz, was a member of Bang on a Can and is co-founder of the string quartet Ethel. Imagine what they can do together.

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Guy Klucevsek’s website

Todd Reynolds’ website

Friday, November 15, 10:00 a.m., 
Concert Hall
$7 Ages: All
Running Time: 55 minutes

Yamato’s motto of “Go anywhere if invited and make the world a little more happy” works!
Be awestruck by the amazing sound of these traditional Wadaiko-drums constructed of animal skin and the wood from 400 year old trees. The athletic training for Yamato drummers is intense–they start their day with a 6 mile run to develop the stamina and strength to play drums that weigh over 1100 lbs! Yamato’s intricate drumming choreography has been seen by over 300,000 people in more than 15 countries. Don’t miss the opportunity to see this world class troupe from Japan!

Curriculum connections: World culture, Physics and sound, Musical tradition, Dance and Movement

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20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

Thursday, November 14, 7:30p.m., Fine Arts Center Concert Hall
$40, $35, $15; Five College/GCC/STCC Students and Youth 17 & under: $10 

With a great sense of rhythm and superb choreography, Yamato will take you back to the very beginning of life in tamashy – when the heart beats for the first time. Precision, grace, and power mark Yamato’s acclaimed performances, connecting ancient and modern drumming traditions to create an exhilarating evening of sound and sight. So fasten your seatbelts and let your heart race with the beats!

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November 9, 2013

 

Did you know the Newark Museum of Art has the most distinctive collection of Tibetan art in the Western Hemisphere?

Join us on a very special escorted tour to the Newark Museum of Art. The engaging art scholar and curator Katherine Anne Paul will take us through the ancient and diverse collection of Tibetan art and share exciting “behind the scenes” stories. The centerpiece of this eleven gallery tour is a Tibetan Buddhist Altar consecrated by His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama. 

Participants will have time to explore other wonderful exhibits, enjoy lunch and other Museum spaces. Highly recommended is the upcoming Ming to Modern: Elevating the Everyday in Chinese Art exhibit. The exhibit features 175 treasures of Chinese art acquired by the museum over the past century but never before displayed to the public!

Pickup at UMass Robsham Visitor Center will be at 7:45 a.m. with an estimated return at 9:00 p.m.

Cost: $100 per person includes bus, driver gratuity, admission, artisan box lunch, and special curator guided tour

Reservations please call 413-577-2486. Assigned seating on bus is first come first served. 
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Thursday, November 7, 7:30 p.m., Fine Arts Center Concert Hall
$40, $35, $15; Five College/GCC/STCC Students and Youth 17 & under: $15, $12, $10 

Sweet Honey in the Rock possesses a stunning vocal prowess rooted in a deeply held commitment to create music out of the rich textures of African American traditions. For this concert the Grammy Award-nominated a cappella ensemble perform their most adventurous live presentation yet in appreciation of other great female artists. Featuring a seasoned jazz trio, Sweet Honey In The Rock honors the legacies of distinct and out-spoken musical icons Odetta, Miriam Makeba, and Abbey Lincoln in an incredible program with a special segment dedicated to each artist and new arrangements of some of Sweet Honey In The Rock’s classic and most popular recordings. Premiered at Jazz at Lincoln Center, a live recording was released as an album in February 2013, including Odetta’s “Freedom Suite,” and “Midnight Special,” Miriam Makeba’s “Pata Pata,” and “Sabou Maya,” and Abbey Lincoln’s “A Turtle’s Dream,” and “Down Here Below.”

Pre-Concert Fireside Chat with NEPR Jazz Safari host Kari Njiiri at 6:30 p.m. at the Rand Theater.

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Artist’s website
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SweetHoneyInTheRock 
Twitter: @Shoney73

Friday, November 1, 8 p.m., Bowker Auditorium $25, 15; Five College/GCC/STCC Students and Youth 17 & under: $15   Worldly flavor meets relaxed beauty in this rare US appearance of the UK-based producer and composer Nitin Sawhney. For his Bowker appearance, Sawhney performs with multilingual vocalist Nikki Wells and tabla player Aref Durvesh. Sawhney is known for mixing South Asian musical influences with a variety of other genres such as hip-hop, electronica and jazz. This musical journey will be intimate, yet powerful and haunting making for a sublime concert. Website Connect Website: http://www.nitinsawhney.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NitinSawhney?fref=ts Twitter: @thenitinsawhney

Tuesday, October 29, 7:30 p.m., Fine Arts Center Concert Hall, Chamber Seating
$35, $30, $15; Five College/GCC/STCC Students and Youth 17 & under: $10 

The Idan Raichel Project burst onto Israel’s music scene in 2003, changing the face of Israeli popular music and offering a message of love and tolerance. With a captivating blend of global sounds coupled with sophisticated production and a spectacular live show, the Idan Raichel Project has become one of the hottest world music concerts on the planet, selling out wherever they go.
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Saturday, October 26, 8 p.m., Fine Arts Center Concert Hall, Chamber Seating
$50, $45, $15; Five College/GCC/STCC Students and Youth 17 & under: $15, $12, $10

After singing in Robert Lepage’s Ring cycle at the Metropolitan Opera, the renowned mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe is taking a turn at touring with Les Violons du Roy to perform works by Bach, Handel, and Haydn. Les Violons du Roy has been widely acclaimed for its exceptional energy, brilliance, and vitality. Blythe is hailed for her rich, colorful performances in the world’s finest opera houses and recital halls. You can see this concert in New York for $116 or enjoy it here for $50!

Pre-Concert Fireside Chat with UMass Music Professor Marjorie Melnick at 7 p.m. at the University Club.

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Artist’s Website:
Les Violons Du Roy
Stephanie Blythe

Thursday, October 24, 8 p.m., Bezanson Recital Hall
$10, Five College/GCC/STCC Students and Youth 17 & under: $5

 

JD Parran plays all the saxophones, multiple clarinets and flutes. His virtuosity, and his mastery over a number of extended techniques, has made him a valued collaborator with Leroy Jenkins, Julius Hemphill, and Anthony Braxton. Writes Anthony Davis, “He combines a profound understanding of the composer’s intention with an expressive individual voice that is both nuanced and dramatic.”

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JD Parran’s website
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