Blog

This week’s news includes a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Renée Fleming’s new album, the restoration of a famous set of jazz recordings from the 1930s and 40s, coverage of the DSO’s contract negotiations, and more.

For a lot of performing artists, summer is the season of creativity–and it’s brimming with residencies, summer festivals, and the creation and performance of new artistic work.

It is so easy these days to attend a performance and never once interact with the presenter. If one purchases their tickets through the online system, has them mailed to their house and never has any questions then this patron of the arts could avoid all true human contact. Ushers are often the combo-breakers for our lack of interaction. Not only is it nearly impossible to pass through the lobby without a hello from an usher or staff member, ushers seat patrons, provide program books and give a warm smile to those that they come into contact with.

When we launched the UMS Lobby last February, we set out to create a space that could capture our community’s response to what we experience at UMS.  With this post, we’re beginning…

We simply couldn’t do business without the support of volunteers, who collectively offer over 45,000 hours each year volunteering for UMS programs.

This week’s news includes the release of Rosanne Cash’s memoir, a look at music copyright enforcement, and coverage of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

We’ve heard the Takács Quartet perform many times here in Ann Arbor (12, to be exact), but I’m also excited to hear them collaborate with other notable musicians: pianist Jeffrey Kahane (who is also music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Colorado Symphony), bassist John Feeney (principal bass of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in New York), and cellist Paul Katz (who performed here three times as cellist of the Cleveland Quartet).

Despite all the diverse interests of the singers in the Choral Union, there is one unifying quality that brings us all together, and makes us more than happy to donate our time: our love of singing and making music as an ensemble.

UMS announces season additions, including superstar Lebanese singer Assi El Helani and six-production series of NT LIVE high-definition broadcasts.