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“Once” signals intensity, a singularity of purpose. Never a thing, once is always in action: a fleeting opportunity to be seized in time and witnessed. Once is energy, excitement, ambition, possibility, community. Every art, in its broadest sense, aspires to once. Performance catalyzes intent to transform time into communication: while materials may be reused—performer, audience, and context are always in motion, always changing, and thus artistic expression occurs in precisely the same way only once.

Editor’s note: Sankai Juku return to Ann Arbor on October 23-24, 2015. Sankai Juku was here in town this past weekend with their show, Hibiki, and I thought it’d be fun to…

With next Wednesday’s “Seasons Project” featuring the Venice Baroque Orchestra and violinist Robert McDuffie performing both Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Philip Glass’s “American” Four Seasons in Hill Auditorium, we thought you might…

Many members of the UMS staff keep a watchful eye on local and national media for news about artists on our season, pressing arts issues, and more. This week’s round-up includes a charming video of a three-year-old conducting Beethoven’s 5th, Ann Arbor native Nicholas Phan preparing for his Carnegie Hall debut, controversy over the latest Chopin Competition winner, and clips from the Hot Club of Detroit.

You never know WHO you’ll meet at a UMS concert! Take for example longtime UMS patrons Henry and Lana Pollack who met during a Choral Union concert in 1960 — and were married three years later in 1963!

Many members of the UMS staff keep a watchful eye on local and national media for news about artists on our season, pressing arts issues, and more. Each week, we pull together…

This week, we were sad to hear the news of soprano Joan Sutherland’s passing.

Last season, UMS Director of Programming Michael Kondziolka had the chance to sit down with Edward Dusinberre, violinist of the Takács Quartet, to talk about what it’s like to play for the Ann Arbor audience, why Ann Arbor audiences are special, and how the adrenaline always rushes before an Ann Arbor performance

This week’s news includes a proposal by the Dutch government to shut down four major ensembles, the opening of the Met Opera’s season of high-def broadcasts, previews of Paul Taylor Dance Company and the Mariinsky Orchestra, and more.