Meet the Artist: Víkingur Ólafsson
Nicknamed “Iceland’s Glenn Gould” by The New York Times and praised as “breathtakingly brilliant” by Gramophone, pianist Víkingur Ólafsson makes his much-anticipated UMS debut on October 24 with the Philharmonia Orchestra of London.
Ólafsson grew up in Reykjavík surrounded by music with his mother, Svana Víkingsdóttir, as his first piano teacher. In his youth, he also studied with Erla Stefánsdóttir and Peter Máté, before moving to New York City to study at The Juilliard School, where he earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees under Jerome Lowenthal and Robert McDonald.
Ólafsson has become one of the most sought-after and heard classical artists of his generation, with his recordings amassing over a billion streams. His recent album of Bach’s Goldberg Variations captured a 2025 Grammy for Best Classical Instrumental Solo. Among his accolades, he is a past recipient of Album of the Year at the BBC Music Magazine Awards (2019), Artist of the Year at the Gramophone Awards (2019), and has received national recognition and the Order of the Falcon from his home country.
Víkingur has established a career that both respects tradition and embraces the new, with a command for repertoire that spans from J.S. Bach to Philip Glass.
Beyond his technical brilliance, Ólafsson brings a deeply personal, almost philosophical approach to the his playing, with interpretations described as “uncommonly sensitive” (Gramophone) and “mesmerizingly original” (The Guardian). With a reputation for performances that balance crystalline clarity with deep emotional insight, Ólafsson will be a perfect virtuosic match for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 with the Philharmonia Orchestra.
The famous “Emperor” concerto opens with thunderous, kingly chords and unfurls into music of radiant strength and introspection — signatures of Beethoven’s “heroic” period of grand works. Preview its triumphant finale movement, in this recording by Glenn Gould:
Alongside the Philharmonia Orchestra and conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Ólafsson will join a long list of legendary pianists who have set foot on the stage of Hill Auditorium. Join us on October 24 to hear a meeting of brilliant minds across centuries: Beethoven’s revolutionary fire and Ólafsson’s modern mastery, united in one unforgettable performance.
Tickets start at just $26 (+fees), with many student ticket discount opportunities available.
More to Explore
Ólafsson appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk series in 2024:
In an earlier 2020 interview with NPR, Ólafsson describes having synesthesia — an association of musical pitches with colors.
Ólafsson signed an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon in 2016, and his debut DG album was devoted to the music of Philip Glass (whose etudes are making an appearance later in UMS’s 25/26 season).
Ólafsson was interviewed by Rick Rubin, Grammy-winning record producer and co-founder of Def Jam Recordings:
September 2025 at the Freighthouse: Embracing Local Roots
Kicking off the fall season, we were thrilled to be back at the Ypsilanti Freighthouse in September for a three-week residency of exciting performances and community events. Over the course of the residency, we were proud to host 16 events at the Freighthouse, ranging from film to gospel music to indie rock.
This residency came alive through music, movement, and meaningful community connection. From lively line dancing to joyful family performances, each gathering celebrated creativity, tradition, and the vibrant Ypsilanti community. Let’s take a look back at the highlights!
Week 1
Dust Off Your Boots – It’s Time to Dance!
Cowboy boots were scootin’ and smiles were shinin’ as community members stepped into a lively evening of line dancing at the Freighthouse. Led by Ashley, participants learned basic dances to country classics.
Want more? You can find Ashley at Revel Run for more line dancing sessions – join her for the next session on October 17th!
Stories in Motion
The screen lit up with bold visions, tender truths, and powerful performances during this special night of Film Night with Independent Film Festival Ypsilanti (iFFY). Drawn from Michigan-ish (iFFY’s regional independent short film showcase), the program featured nine inspiring short films, ranging from intimate explorations of identity to unique queer narratives, all followed by an insightful panel featuring both filmmakers and performers.
Be sure to support iFFY’s annual festival taking place in April at Riverside Arts Center.
Detroit’s Gospel Voices Unite
Voices soared and hearts lifted as Detroit gospel legend Alvin Waddles and the all-female vocal quintet, Testimony Sings, brought a powerful afternoon of gospel music to the Freighthouse. Drawing from the rich musical culture of Detroit, the group filled the space with soulful harmonies that touched everyone in the room.
Week 2
Relax, Reflect, Renew
A soothing midweek calm settled over the Freighthouse as King Sophia and Sophiyah E. guided participants through a sonic meditation coupled with the sounds of looped cello and singing bowls. Participants unwinded with moments of stillness and renewal amid the busy week’s hustle. No better way to recharge!
Songs for Healing and Hope
Joy, music, and unity filled the Freighthouse as Joe Reilly and his band, The Community Gardeners, brought together families and community members to gather in song. Blending folk, soul, and storytelling, Joe offered a heartfelt performance that reminded us all to “put our feet in the river of goodness.”
Detroit Jazz, Reimagined
The Freighthouse pulsed with energy as GRAMMY-nominated bassist, cellist, and composer Noah Jackson returned to his Detroit roots for two intimate performances with his ensemble, Full Circle. From seasoned jazz fans to first-time listeners, the audience was drawn into an immaculate journey of sound.
Back to School with Birds of a Feather
The vibe was infectious as groups of elementary school students and area families gathered for four lively performances with Little Miss Ann and Suzi Shelton of Birds of a Feather. With back-to-school season in full swing, the beloved duo sang about friendship, bravery, and celebrating what makes us unique, inspiring our youngest community members.
Week 3
Spotlight on Ypsi
Voices rang out and laughter roared as Ypsi’s very own singers, comedians, and poets gathered for the fifth iteration of Open Mic Night at the Freighthouse. Hosted by indie-rock songwriter Kelly Hoppenjans, whose witty charm set the tone for the night, the community took the stage in a supportive environment to witness each others’ talents.
Unlikely Duets, Unfiltered Creativity
Ypsi-born indie rock musician Fred Thomas brought a fresh energy to the Freighthouse with Three Mirrors: Excursions in Collaboration, featuring an evening of unlikely collaborations between some of Ypsi’s most inventive sound artists. The audience was awed by the bold and beautiful musical conversations performed by six different unique artists/bands.
Movin and Groovin’ with Fun Girl Dance Company
Elementary school groups, as well as families had the chance to move and groove with joy as Fun Girl Dance Company, spearheaded by Ypsilanti’s very own Chloé Gray, brought together participants of all ages through performances and creative movement workshops, transforming the Freighthouse into a vibrant hub for unapologetic fun for all.
Thank you to our generous sponsors, and to everyone who joined us for our September residency at the Freighthouse. Sign up for our Ypsilanti Freighthouse interest list and be first to learn about our April 2026 lineup as soon as it’s announced.
The September 2025 Ypsilanti Freighthouse residency was supported by Linh and Dug Song.
The Belonging Project: A Musical Bridge Through Walls
Celebrating nearly three decades of transformative music-making, the Grammy-winning Imani Winds returns to Ann Arbor on October 26 in a special performance with composer-percussionist Andy Akiho. Their collaboration, The Belonging Project, stands as a compelling testament to music’s capacity to transcend, to heal, and to give voice to those who cannot speak up themselves.
A Meeting of Mission and Sound
Imani Winds by Titilayo Ayangade
Imani Winds has long championed adventurous programming and repertoire beyond convention. Their name, meaning “faith” in Swahili, signals the ensemble’s deep commitment to representation and purpose. Imani’s programming reflects the urgency of our times, amplifying stories often left unheard.
Andy Akiho by Da Ping Luo
Andy Akiho is a composer and virtuoso percussionist whose works often blur the lines between classical forms and sonic worlds. When Imani and Akiho came together for Belonging, their partnership did not just become an artistic endeavor, but a profound social one.
Their new piece, BeLoud, BeLoved, BeLonging was born from a spark of indignation, solidarity, and curiosity, and an urge to respond to protest and confinement, and marginalized voices.
The Origins
The seed of BeLoud, BeLoved, BeLonging was planted in 2019, when Andy Akiho and Imani Winds heard, from the street, the sounds of immigrants pounding on walls and windows at a Brooklyn detention center during a protest over freezing and unsanitary conditions.
“We couldn’t hear such rhythmic sounds of protest and NOT be moved by them,” the artists recalled in an article by Musical America.
From that moment, the project deepened. Imani Winds commissioned the new piece by Akiho, and brought elements of it back to Rikers Island, where incarcerated young men participated in workshops and improvisatory sessions. Drumming on books, trash cans, and tables, they made music in confinement and silenced spaces.
This feedback loop, between outside concert halls and inside walls of detention, is central to understanding the piece. The art does not merely mimic protest; it interacts with protest’s echo, its roots, and its bodies.
The Structure
Originally conceived as a three-movement cycle, BeLoud, BeLoved, BeLonging blossomed into seven movements, each with its own character and role, as described below in its album notes:
Loud tells the origin story, with actual audio footage of the protest itself, the words shot into and out of a vacuum chamber.
BeLoud begins with a unison, lock-stepped meandering loop, interspersed with a repetitive clanging from the lower instruments, perhaps evoking the sound of people banging on the walls of the detention center. The movement grows in density and virtuosity as it progresses, ending with tightly wound swirls that come to an abrupt end.
Loved is a brief steel pan solo interlude, an improvisation on some of the motives from other movements.
BeLoved is open arms, it is circling high above the ground on a cloudless day, it is a moment to breathe, it is a composite sound equally made by all the players.
Longing, a steel pan solo, spills over into itself again and again. It flirts with perpetual motion or the infinite.
BeLonging starts simply with militaristic and percussive motives, and adds more and more layers of virtuosity as it moves inexorably forward. The extended clarinet solo provides a welcome break in the momentum, but by the end, the movement has become both firmly rooted and flying free, with a complicated bassoon reveille that signals its close.
Being — The final movement is the musical continuation of the many questions and answers raised in the creation, planning, and execution of the project. It keeps the cyclical nature of this party going, with circular electronic samples and recordings of all of the artists speaking to the humanity of our country’s most marginalized people.
Recording and Tour
The Belonging album was released in June 2024, and received Grammy nominations in two categories: Best Classical Compendium and Best Classical Instrumental Solo.
In the 25/26 performance season, Imani Winds and Andy Akiho perform The Belonging Project at Lincoln Center in New York, here in Ann Arbor, and across other university and arts presenters nationwide. When UMS presents this impactful work on October 26, we invite our audiences to be part of the conversation. Be Loud. Be Loved. Be Longing. And, Be Present.
Tickets start at just $30 (+ fees), with many student ticket discount opportunities available.
Herbie Through the Years
Herbie Hancock’s career is a remarkable journey through the evolution of modern music, marked by constant innovation, genre-defying collaborations, and groundbreaking achievements. From his early days as a child prodigy in Chicago to becoming one of the most influential figures in jazz, Hancock has continually pushed boundaries in performance, composition, and technology.
In advance of his October 25, 2025 performance in Hill Auditorium, enjoy this timeline that highlights the key moments in his life and career, showcasing his artistic growth, landmark recordings, and numerous accolades across decades of musical exploration.
Early Years
1940: Born in Chicago.
1947: Began piano lessons, establishing himself as a child prodigy.
1952: At age 11, performed a Mozart piano concerto at a Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young People’s Concert.
1960: Graduated from Grinnell College with degrees in music and electrical engineering.
1960s
1960: Discovered by Donald Byrd, American jazz and rhythm & blues trumpeter, composer and vocalist.
1963: Signed with Blue Note Records and released debut album Takin Off featuring the hit “Watermelon Man.”
1963-1968: Joined the Miles Davis Quintet and recorded classics such as ESP, Nefertiti, Sorcerer.
1966: Composed score for the film Blow-Up.
1970s
1971: Released Mwandishi with the sextet consisting of Bennie Maupin, Eddie Henderson, Julian Priester, Buster Williams, and Billy Hart. Mwandishi (“composer”) is the Swahili name Hancock adopted during the late 1960s and early 1970s. All members of the sextet adopted a Swahili name: Mchezaji (“player”) for Williams, Jabali (“strong as a rock”) for Hart, Mganga (“doctor”) for Henderson, Mwile (“body”) for Maupin, and Pepo Mtoto (“demon baby”) for Priester.
1973: Formed The Headhunters and released Head Hunters, crossing over to funk and rock audiences, bringing jazz fusion to mainstream attention. Head Hunters was the first jazz album to go platinum and featured the hit “Chameleon.”
1975: The final studio album featuring The Headhunters is released called Man-Child. It is arguably one of his most funk-influenced albums and it represents his further departure from the “spacey, higher atmosphere jazz,” as he referred to it, of his earlier career.
1978: Sunlight is released and featured Hancock’s vocals through a Sennheiser VSM-201 covoder.
1980s
1981: Discovered trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, producing his album and touring with him. Herbie also released the album Quartet with Wynton Marsalis, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams.
1983: Released Future Shock, the first release of his electro-funk era and an early example of instrumental hip-hop. The album’s big hit, “Rockit,” won several MTV Music Video Awards and the Grammy for best R&B performance.
1984: Released Sound-System, his thirtieth album, winning his second Grammy for Best R&B Performance.
1986: Won an Oscar for the film score of ‘Round Midnight.
1990s
1994: Released Dis Is da Drum, reflecting Herbie’s move to acid jazz, a music genre combining elements of funk, soul, hip hop, jazz, and disco.
1996: Released The New Standard, winning a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition.
1998: Released Gershwin’s World, containing songs written by George and Ira Gershwin and featuring prominent musicians such as Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, Chick Corea, Kathleen Battle, and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
2000s
2001: Future 2 Future album released, integrating hip hop and electronic music with jazz.
2002: Joined Roy Hargrove and Michael Brecker for the live album Directions In Music: Live at Massey Hall, a tribute to jazz legends John Coltrane and Miles Davis.
2005: Released Possibilities with a wide array of collaborators like Sting, Christina Aguilera, Carlos Santana, and John Mayer.
2007: Released River: The Joni Letters, a tribute album to Joni Mitchell and earned three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, making Herbie one of the few jazz musicians to receive the honor.
2010s
2010: Released The Imagine Project, featuring artists like Jeff Beck, Dave Matthews, India Arie, Seal, and P!nk, and won Grammys for Best Pop Collaboration and Best Improvised Jazz Solo.
2013: Received a Kennedy Center Honor, one of the highest cultural accolades in the United States.
2014: Published his memoir, Herbie Hancock: Possibilities.
2016: Honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
2020s
2024: Performed “Make It Rain” with H.E.R. and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, celebrating architect Frank Gehry.
2025: Along with Cynthia Erivo, Herbie performed “Fly Me To The Moon” at The 67th GRAMMY Awards.
Spanning over six decades, Herbie Hancock’s career has redefined the possibilities of music, blending innovation with timeless artistry. On October 25 at Hill Auditorium, audiences will have the rare opportunity to experience the visionary genius of a true musical icon.
Tickets start at just $40 (+ fees), with many student ticket discount opportunities available.
Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony: Defiance in the Face of Fear
Santtu-Matias Rouvali with the Philharmonia Orchestra
On Friday, October 24, 2025, UMS welcomes back London’s Philharmonia Orchestra on their limited US tour with one of the most gripping works of the 20th century: Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5.
It has been more than two decades since Shostakovich’s Fifth last thundered on a UMS presentation in Hill Auditorium. Now, conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali conducts the work in his UMS debut, bringing the same urgency, defiance, and raw humanity that stunned audiences at its 1937 premiere.
Illustration of Dmitri Shostakovich
A Symphony Under Surveillance
Shostakovich composed his Fifth Symphony during one of the most dangerous chapters of his life. Just months earlier, Joseph Stalin had walked out of a performance of his opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, prompting the infamous Pravda newspaper editorial titled “Muddle Instead of Music.” Suddenly, the Soviet Union’s brightest young composer found himself in mortal danger. He kept a suitcase packed by the door, prepared for arrest at any moment.
The premiere of his Fourth Symphony was canceled under political pressure, prompting Shostakovich to focus on his Fifth. Publicly, it was described as “a Soviet artist’s creative response to just criticism.” But privately, it was something far more complicated: a daring act of survival, full of coded resistance, irony, and emotional truth too dangerous to state outright.
In the following documentary-performance from 2009, conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony discuss how the Fifth marked the composer’s triumphant return, offering clues to unlocking Shostakovich’s musical secrets:
Music That Speaks Without Words
Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 is widely interpreted as a coded act of defiance, using music to express the hidden anguish and tragedy of life under oppression.
From the uneasy opening in the strings to the brutal brass fanfares and the ambiguous finale that oscillates between triumph and tragedy, the Fifth Symphony is a masterpiece that refuses to be pinned down. Audiences in 1937 wept openly at its premiere, recognizing their own fear, grief, and resilience in the music.
Here in Ann Arbor, UMS presented the work just three years after its Leningrad debut, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and conductor Serge Koussevitzky. Eighty-five years later, its power remains undimmed, and the work feels just as urgent in our turbulent times.
The Philharmonia in Ann Arbor
Founded in 1945, the Philharmonia Orchestra has shaped the modern sound of classical music for nearly eight decades alongside a suite of legendary principal conductors: Otto Klemperer, Riccardo Muti, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Christoph von Dohnányi, Vladimir Ashkenazy, and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Today, it thrives under the dynamic leadership of Santtu-Matias Rouvali, hailed by the Los Angeles Times as “exceptional even in an era with a number of remarkable young conductors.”
Joining the orchestra on the October 24 program is star Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, a Grammy-winning artist whose poetic intensity has made him one of today’s most sought-after soloists. His performance of Beethoven’s monumental “Emperor” Concerto — another work that has not been performed at UMS in two decades — promises to be a highlight of the evening.
Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson with Santtu-Matias Rouvali and the Philharmonia Orchestra
A Return and a Reawakening
This concert is a chance to experience Shostakovich’s searing emotional landscape in the very hall where Ann Arbor audiences first encountered the work 85 years ago. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear one of the most significant and powerful symphonies of the 20th century, brought to life by musicians who understand its every nuance.
Tickets start at just $26 (+fees), with many student ticket discount opportunities available.
The ‘Lowdown’ on Boz Scaggs: 10 Songs to Know
Smooth vibes. Legendary grooves.
Before he was topping the charts with smooth, genre-blending hits, Boz Scaggs was a kid growing up in Texas with a love for blues, R&B, and soul. Over the decades, he’s carved out a career that defies labels, moving easily between rock, pop, jazz, and funk, while always keeping a distinctive, laid-back vocal style that feels instantly recognizable.
With more than five decades of music-making under his belt, Scaggs has given us a soundtrack of unforgettable songs that continue to resonate with fans old and new. From sultry grooves to heartfelt ballads and blues-drenched deep cuts, his catalog is full of gems worth rediscovering. Ahead of his November 7 performance in Ann Arbor, here’s a “Lowdown” on Boz Scaggs: a playlist of ten iconic tracks that showcase his enduring artistry.
Listen to this playlist on Apple Music or Spotify.
Behind the Tunes
“Lowdown”
Probably his signature track: infectious groove, funky R&B bassline, smooth vocals, huge crossover hit from Silk Degrees.
“Lido Shuffle”
Upbeat, rolling energy, a shuffle groove that sticks. Also from Silk Degrees, it captures the more fun pop/soul side of his work.
“We’re All Alone”
Slower, more emotional. Showcases his vocal warmth and songwriting finesse. A song often covered by others, which speaks to its strength.
“Breakdown Dead Ahead”
One of his rockier/pop-rock hits from 1980. Good example of his ability to shift styles while keeping strong craft.
“JoJo”
Funky, jazzy, soulful — shows a more playful side, and the musicianship is strong.
“Look What You’ve Done to Me”
A power ballad tied to Urban Cowboy soundtrack; shows his lyrical vulnerability and ability to write in different moods.
“Heart of Mine”
One of his smooth, swagger-filled love songs. Good example of his softer side, with strong melodies.
“Miss Sun”
Bright, catchy, uplifting—good pick-me-up song, shows his phrasing and harmonies.
“What Can I Say”
Represents his thoughtful songwriting and is a staple on many of his “best of” collections.
“Loan Me a Dime”
One of his deeper blues-rooted numbers. Powerful, emotional, shows where his heart in music lies beyond mainstream hits.
Hear Boz Live!
Whether you’ve been spinning Silk Degrees since the ’70s or are just discovering Boz Scaggs’ signature sound, his live performances are where the music truly comes alive. Secure your seats now for an unforgettable evening of timeless hits and soulful storytelling, Friday, November 7 in Hill Auditorium!
Tickets start at just $30 (+ fees). $15-20 student tickets available.
Why You Shouldn’t Miss Nigamon/Tunai: An Insider’s Look
Mary Roeder has been on staff at UMS for nearly 20 years. In her role as associate director of programming, her responsibility is to scout out innovative new dance and theater offerings from around the world, connecting with artists and agents to determine the feasibility of their complex productions for a tour to Ann Arbor.
Mary Roeder
We spoke with Mary about UMS’s first theater offering of the 25/26 season, Nigamon/Tunai, a unique performance that will immerse audiences directly on the Power Center stage this October. Translating to “song” in the Anishinaabemowin and Inga languages, respectively, Nigamon/Tunai is a collaboration by two indigenous creators: Canadian artist Émilie Monnet and Colombian artist Waira Nina.
Discover how Mary first learned of the show, why she thinks it will resonate with audiences in powerful and unexpected ways, and how she and the UMS production team are working with the University of Michigan’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens to transform the stage into a space surrounded by nature.
How did you learn about the performance?
I’ve known about Emilie Monnet’s work for a while. She’s usually presented in a museum context, but her work really lives between visual art and performance. Nigamon/Tunai is a great example of that.
I had planned to see Nigamon/Tunai in Montreal at Festival TransAmériques, but my flight got delayed. I had to decide whether to rearrange everything to catch it or stick with my original schedule.
I ended up skipping it, partly because I knew the space it needed probably wasn’t something we had access to. We’re missing that kind of large, flexible black box in our venue portfolio. So at the time I thought, why see something we can’t realistically present?
Then I started hearing from folks in Montreal that the show was incredible. They told me it was worth seeing no matter what. So when I found out it was also being presented at the Edinburgh International Festival, I made sure to catch it, and it completely blew me away.
It was exciting but kind of heartbreaking, because I still didn’t think we’d be able to do it here. We have occasionally turned the Power Center stage into a black box space for special projects, but this always requires special consideration and approvals due to building codes.
Thankfully, the fire marshal generously worked with us to find a solution. So it actually turned out to be a perfect setup for the piece.
What should people expect in terms of seating and the immersive experience?
The full experience runs close to 90 minutes, and the best way to experience the piece is by really immersing yourself in the natural world the artists have created on stage. That means sitting low to the ground, either on a cushion or simple wooden seating. At one point, I think I was sitting on a tree stump.
Thankfully, the setup also includes accessible options, and riser seating with chairs for those who prefer a bit more comfort or a bird’s-eye view of the action. So there’s a range of seating experiences, depending on how close you want to be to the world unfolding in front of you.
How does the show engage the audience’s senses?
I encourage people to enter into the experience prepared for something that feels theatrical. There’s a bit of narrative, but it’s best to approach it as a sonic experience, or really, a multi-sensory one.
There’s beautiful lighting, but for me, the strongest sense memory is auditory. Sound that borders on tactile, to the extent that you can “feel it.” There are all these different sounds and textures that the audience engages with. It’s really about feeling your way through the experience.
This show offers a tactile, visual, and sonic insight into the natural world. Whether it’s hearing the sound of a rock or the sound of trees, it gives a kind of voice to things we don’t usually think of as having one.
Looking at past seasons and the audiences who typically attend, who do you think might connect with this show?
I don’t love prescribing who a show is for. With something like this, I wouldn’t want anyone to assume it’s not for them.
This is the kind of piece people might decide isn’t for them based on the description, and I’d really encourage them to take a chance. I was surprised by how emotionally moving it was.
Sometimes when a show is about an issue or a crisis — like an environmental crisis — it can feel didactic or overly intellectual. That can create distance, where you feel removed from the experience. This didn’t do that. It reached me on a much more emotional and sensory level.
One thing people often look for, especially when seeing something in a theater series or season, is to understand what’s happening at every moment. This is a great example of a show that’s more about creating a “vibe” and an emotional trajectory. It’s not always explicitly narrative. The invitation is to give yourself over to that, and not stay in your head trying to interpret every detail.
Could you expand on the partnership UMS has with Matthaei Botanical Gardens for this performance?
Matthaei Botanical Gardens seemed like an obvious partner from the very beginning, honestly for a couple of reasons. When we were initially planning the show, the artists were aiming for a touring window around January.
However, some of the theatrical effects in the show [such as using live trees] depend on the trees not being dormant—they need to be fully leafed out and actively moving water through their system, from roots up into the leaves, because certain sound effects amplify those living elements.
I reached out to the tree experts at Matthaei Botanical Gardens to ask if there was any way to keep trees from going dormant or to “trick them” into staying active through January. It turns out there are some techniques, but they’re very labor-intensive and there’s no guarantee of success.
So we spoke with the artists and considered shifting the timing to September or October. Even then, trees are beginning to enter dormancy, so there was still some uncertainty about whether the trees would be just right.
The team at Matthaei was incredibly helpful in advising us on what varieties would work best. They are helping us source these trees and then find homes for them afterward.
We’re also collaborating with Matthaei Botanical Gardens on an event happening September 28. Our artists will be taking part in Harvest Fest, an afternoon celebration of the garden and some of its indigenous initiatives. They use the term “rematriation” to describe efforts to restore and honor elements of the gardens, which ties beautifully into the themes of the show.
In addition to engaging with the artists of Nigamon/Tunai during the performance from Oct 2 – 8, community members can also catch them at various events during Climate Week:
- Sunday, September 28 // 1-4pm // Campus Farm, Matthaei Botanical Gardens
- Guided walk to the water with conversation and song
- Beading workshop
- Thursday, October 2 // ~9:15 pm // Power Center Stage
- Post-show Q&A
- Thursday, October 9 // 5:30-7pm // Michigan Theater
- Penny Stamps Speaker Series
Tickets start at just $48 (+ fees), with many student ticket discount opportunities available.
Introducing Shanzell Page, 25/26 UMS/UM-Flint Artist in Residence
UMS is pleased to announce Shanzell Page as the 25/26 season’s UMS/UM-Flint Artist in Residence.
Shanzell is a Flint-rooted, Detroit-based movement artist, educator, and cultural strategist with over 30 years of experience in tap dance and arts education. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of Mindful Movement with Shanzell, a performing arts initiative that blends rhythm, cultural storytelling, and wellness.
Her work is distinguished by a commitment to preserving the legacy, traditional techniques, and history of tap dance, by pushing the boundaries of the art form through innovative educational approaches and interdisciplinary learning.
Shaped by personal experiences with chronic illness, caregiving, and spiritual transformation, her mission is to create spaces where artistry meets accountability, providing life-affirming experiences that foster performance as an act of remembrance, presence, and return.
UMS interviewed Shanzell about her hopes for the residency, inspirations, and personal connection to Flint.
What is your connection to Flint, Michigan, and how will it inspire your work during this residency?
My relationship to Flint is home. This city is my blueprint. It’s where rhythm and storytelling first entered my life, and where I learned to hold more than one truth at a time. Flint has shown me that delight and struggle can live side by side, that discipline and improvisation are both necessary, and that community can be fragile and strong at once. All of that shaped not just my artistry but the way I move through the world.
As a teenager, I did one of my first full-length tap shows at the University of Michigan-Flint. Coming back now as a resident artist feels like answering a call I sent out years ago, an echo from my younger self.
This residency gives me a chance to honor that history while also moving forward. Flint taught me endurance, but it also taught me imagination, and curiosity. That’s the energy I want to carry into this work so people can feel the rhythm of Flint. Unshakable, and full of life. So anyone who experiences it can feel the spirit of the place I call home.
What draws you to the genre of tap dancing?
Tap dance is never finished. No matter how long you have been in it, there is always another layer to explore in the music, in your body, and in the stories it carries. That ongoing investigation is magnetic.
There is also a freedom in the sound, a language we speak without words. The dialogue becomes a conversation with the past, present, and future that only you can have in your own rhythm. And that is not something you can easily walk away from.
It’s also an inseparable connection to a layered history and the ancestors. It feels like both a privilege and a responsibility to preserve something people before me used as a means of survival and fought to keep alive. That commitment keeps me tethered to the form.
And it sharpens me! Tap is like a mirror, it does not let you hide. You have to meet yourself in the moment, stay present, stay aware. It demands refinement, self-discipline, and recovery. Those lessons carry beyond the floor, and they are much a part of the work as the steps are itself.
That is why I keep returning.
Your artistic work as a dancer and choreographer is deeply focused on your relationships to rhythm and legacy. Could you give us some background about your process and your artistic heroes? How do you connect your work to their legacy, and how do you innovate to continue building on this artistic lineage?
Shanzell Page | Photo by Quatiece Salter
This is a beautiful question. My approach is based on call and response. I don’t always start with asking “What do I want to say?” Often, it’s “What needs to be honored or made relatable?” That balance of listening and offering is how I create.
I am inspired by visionary voices. Katherine Dunham and Carmen de Lavallade show me how art can be anthropological, revolutionary, and liberating. The Clark Sisters remind me of how necessary family and the gospel are. John and Alice Coltrane show me how risk can be integrity. Tap artists like Dianne Walker, Jason Samuels Smith, and Ayodele Casel reveal how mastery, depth, and stories are carried by the dance through generational lineage. Sonia Sanchez, Carrie Mae Weems, and Renell Medrano shape how I think about space, intimacy, and clarity of voice.
Although, my greatest influences are my family’s testimonies. My grandfather and uncles used their musical gifts to minister and serve. My grandmother earned her degree and became a teacher at sixty-three after decades of factory work, teaching me that learning has no age. My mom worked over thirty years at GM while living with life-long challenges to her mobility, teaching me perseverance and independence. My aunt, after remission, losing her hearing with life-altering surgery, chose to heal through running even when doctors told her she never would again. Their courage and refusal to accept limitation has shaped me as much as any stage or studio.
Jimmy Slyde said, “It takes a lifetime to become a dancer.” For me, that lifetime is built not only on technical study but on witness. I see myself as a vessel, but also as a participant in the natural cycles that move through daily life. Everyday my body is changing, aging, adapting and offers a new layer of experience to translate into rhythm. That is how I honor legacy, and also how I keep finding ways to innovate: by staying open to the ongoing lessons of faith, imagination, and endurance that life itself keeps placing in my path.
You have extensive experience as an educator, working with students of all ages. What are some examples of how you have connected tap dancing to other educational disciplines?
First of all, by having fun! Leading with joy, because the love is the most honest and infectious energy in the room. So in my teaching practice, tap dance welcomes a special type of intelligence. It opens doors. When I teach, a rhythm pattern can easily turn into a lesson about fractions, sequencing, or even physics if we start talking about vibration. A phrase of choreography can turn into a story or a way for students to see their own history inside the art. And studying jazz, social dance, or the Great Migration always grounds us in the cultural make-up and history of the United States.
I also know that students don’t walk into class as blank slates. They bring their whole lives with them. So my priority is to create a room where they feel safe to move at their own pace, to take risks, and to be heard. I’ve worked with beginners, advanced dancers, neurodivergent learners, youth and adults navigating difficult emotions, and I want each of them to feel like there’s a place for them in this form.
I’ve seen this work in many places; the studio, residencies, after-school programs, and community workshops. What connects it all is the moment a person leaves more curious, confident, and connected than when they walked in. My goal is to help them see themselves as artists, thinkers, and keepers of culture.
Tell us about the work you will develop during this residency. What are you most excited about with this project?
This new work, Salt in the Soil: Seeds and Fruit, grows from my belief that rhythm itself can feed us. Tap dance carries a wisdom beyond technique, holding knowledge that is physical, sonic, and ancestral. It reminds me that art and life are not separate. Just as food sustains the body, rhythm sustains the spirit. The work asks: what seeds do we plant in ourselves and in each other, and what kind of fruit do those choices bear?
I’m most excited to share the joy in performing, even if the heart of my practice lives in the process. The classroom, the archives, studying with the students, faculty, and the master teachers who treat their craft as service, the rehearsals that invite participation. All of it becomes an exercise of cultivation. On stage, that becomes a continuation, a chance to water memory, plant imagination, and nurture the spirit through the dance.
This shared act of offering with live music and call-and-response will turn the space into an ecosystem where the “fruits” circulate. Everyone present becomes part of it. My hope is that each person leaves with something nourishing to carry forward. A rhythm in their body, a story they can share, or a deeper connection to their own sense of aliveness.
Is there anything else you would like us to know about you and your work?
I would add that my work comes from lived truth. I don’t approach this form as a foreigner to its struggles or beauty. I know what it means to fight to be seen and to keep creating when the odds are against you. That is where my practice stands.
I hold myself accountable to the lineage of the dance and to the people who shaped it. Preservation, accessibility, and intergenerational exchange are not ideas I use lightly. They are the ways I work to keep this tradition visible, valued, and alive. With respect, I build spaces where elders, peers, and young dancers can share across one another, and it’s essential because the future depends on these crossings.
If I am remembered for anything, I hope it is for sharing the dance with care, and creating spaces where people felt they truly belonged. Where they were challenged, supported, and able to see themselves inside the work. That, to me, is as much advocacy as preservation than any step. Making sure the tradition is alive in the people who dance it now and those yet to come.
Where can folks find out more information about you?
People can connect with me and follow my work in a few different ways:
- On my website, mindfulmovementwithshanzell.org, you can subscribe to my mailing list for updates, newsletters, and behind-the-scenes moments
- My personal and business Instagram accounts (@zelldoesitwell and @mindfulmovementwithshanzell) are both spaces where you can keep up with all my shenanigans!
- On Facebook, follow Mindful Movement with Shanzell for events, community offerings, and program highlights.
- I also like to keep a reflective blog on Tumblr, shanzellqpage.tumblr.com, where I share writing about tap, drumming, jazz, and the influences currently feeding my practice.
Please reach out to share the shuffle ball change, or create spaces where we can all move, learn, and imagine together. I welcome everyone to be part of the conversation. Whether it’s a tap show, workshop, reflections on history, or glimpses into new creative ideas, my platforms are spaces to stay connected to the ongoing movemeng of art, tap, and rhythm-based dancing. I’ll see you out there. Keep swinging!
Verdi’s Requiem and the Dies Irae: From Stage to Silver Screen
Jader Bignamini and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Audiences will be swept away when the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the UMS Choral Union bring Giuseppe Verdi’s towering Messa da Requiem to life in Hill Auditorium on September 26. Composed in 1874, this dramatic and deeply moving work remains one of the most beloved masterpieces in choral repertoire.
But it’s the chilling, thunderous, and instantly recognizable second movement — the Dies Irae — that transcends concert halls and echoes through our shared cultural imagination. Preview this excerpt featuring maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus:
The phrase Dies Irae (“Day of Wrath”) originally comes from a 13th-century Latin sequence used at Catholic funeral Masses. Over centuries, a particular melodic idea from that chant became shorthand in Western music for death, fate, or looming catastrophe. Its four-note motif is also a cinematic cue heard in many films, from The Lion King to Star Wars to It’s a Wonderful Life. Relive some famous movie scenes in this video and article from Vox:
Verdi’s Dies Irae doesn’t quote the four-note chant note-for-note, but it inherits its drama and symbolism, and amplifies it! His Requiem explodes with fortissimo brass, pounding bass drum, and rapid string figures, creating the same apocalyptic mood the chant once conveyed, but now on an operatic scale.
Experience Its Power in Person
More than 150 years after its premiere, Verdi’s Requiem remains a living force that continues to thrill and move us. When you attend this performance, you’re stepping into a dramatic legacy that unites centuries of human emotion, from sacred ritual to epic cinema.
Hear the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and music director Jader Bignamini, the UMS Choral Union, and four outstanding soloists pack the Hill Auditorium stage on Friday, September 26, with Verdi’s monumental Requiem. Feel the drama in the full breadth of its seven movements…and then let the Dies Irae echo in your mind as you leave!
Tickets start at just $26 (+fees), with many student ticket discount opportunities available.
Help Prevent Michigan Budget Cuts to the Arts
On August 27, 2025 the Michigan House of Representatives passed a preliminary budget that completely eliminates state government funding for arts and culture. This proposal serves to decimate Michigan’s creative sector, threaten thousands of jobs, weaken local economies, and strip communities of the programs and cultural resources they rely on.
The overall House budget is over $5 billion smaller than the version passed by the Senate earlier this summer and includes drastic cuts in many sectors, including the zeroing out of Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC) grants.
This proposed House Republican budget now goes to the Conference Committee to be negotiated with the State Senate and the Governor’s Office. Funding for the arts in our state should receive bipartisan support. If this budget moves forward as is, the impacts will be dire:
- Thousands of jobs lost across the state.
- Economic instability for communities where arts and culture drive tourism, small businesses, and local investment.
- Loss of access to programs that support education, historic preservation, creative therapies, and cultural institutions statewide.
Negotiations are happening right now, and this is a moment to act and advocate. We encourage UMS audiences and supporters to take action and contact the Governor’s Office and your legislators in the state House and Senate.
The Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan (or CAN), the state arts advocacy association, recommends the following:
- Call, email, and schedule meetings with your representatives.
- Use CAN’s email template and phone script to make it easy.
- Share your story—explain how these cuts would affect your organization, your community, and Michigan’s future.
- Find your Legislators
Thank you for playing your part and advocating for continued state funding for the arts in Michigan!
The Debuting Stars of Verdi’s Requiem
On Friday, September 26, 2025, UMS’s 25/26 season opens in extraordinary fashion with Verdi’s Requiem — one of the most dramatic pieces of music ever written. This one-night-only performance in Ann Arbor by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and UMS Choral Union features the UMS debuts of five outstanding international artists: the DSO’s Italian music director Jader Bignamini, South African soprano Vuvu Mpofu, American mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, Mexican American tenor René Barbera, and Chinese bass-baritone Shenyang.
Learn more about these incredible performers before they take the Hill Auditorium stage for the first time:
Jader Bignamini
DSO music director
A native of Crema, Italy, Bignamini studied at the Piacenza Music Conservatory and began his career as a musician (clarinet) with Orchestra Sinfonica La Verdi in Milan, later serving as the group’s resident conductor. Captivated by the operatic arias of legends like Mahler and Tchaikovsky, Jader explored their complexity and power, puzzling out the role that each instrument played in creating a larger-than-life sound. When he conducted his first professional concert at the age of 28, it didn’t feel like a departure, but an arrival.
Drawing on his operatic sensibilities, Bignamini brings a striking theatricality and emotional gravitas to his conducting, whether on the opera house stage or in the symphonic realm. In 2020, he was appointed the 18th Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, where his warmth, expressive immediacy, and chord-shaking energy have made him a beloved leader.
Enjoy this excerpt of Bignamini leading the DSO in Puccini’s Turandot…
Vuvu Mpofu
soprano
The young South African soprano Vuvu Mpofu is already entering the international spotlight with her shimmering vocal quality and technique, boundless musicality, and authentic stage presence. In 2019, she was awarded the prestigious John Christie Award at the Glyndebourne Festival, and she is also a recent prizewinner at the Operalia Competition and the Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition.
This season, Mpofu will make her debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Clara in Porgy and Bess. She also makes two major role debuts: as Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor for Opera Vlaanderen and as Mimì in La bohème with Pittsburgh Opera.
Hear Mpofu’s remarkable vocal control and dynamic range in “Caro Nome” from Verdi’s Rigoletto…
Sasha Cooke
mezzo-soprano
Two-time Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke has been called a “luminous standout” by the New York Times and “equal parts poise, radiance and elegant directness” by Opera News. Ms. Cooke has sung at the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, English National Opera, Seattle Opera, Opéra National de Bordeaux, and Gran Teatre del Liceu, among others, and with over 90 symphony orchestras worldwide frequently in the works of Mahler.
In this excerpt, Cooke masters the tender fourth movement, ‘Urlicht,’ from Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, from her 2022 performances with the Houston Symphony Orchestra…
René Barbera
tenor
Tenor René Barbera has quickly established himself as one of today’s most exciting vocal artists. The first-ever recipient of all three top awards of the Operalia Competition in 2011 and winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2008, Barbera has earned critical praise and audience acclaim for his effortless singing, his “old-fashioned warmth” (Opera News), and his expressive musicality.
Barbera captivates the crowd in the beloved aria “La donna è mobile,” in this excerpt from Verdi’s Rigoletto. (And just wait until you hear his last note!)
Shenyang
bass-baritone
From the moment Shenyang won the prestigious BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 2007, his ascent to international prominence was assured. His career, defined by elegant and precise singing, was launched with early acclaim for interpretations of Mozart, Rossini, and Handel. In recent years, Shenyang has ventured into more dramatic and psychologically complex repertoire, embracing the works of Beethoven, Strauss, and Wagner.
Hear Shenyang in his 2007 Rosenblatt Recital Song Prize-winning performance of Henri Duparc’s “Phidylé”…
We cannot wait until these phenomenal artists join forces with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and UMS Choral Union (led by music director Scott Hanoian) on a packed Hill Auditorium stage! Please join us for an unforgettable opening night of music on Friday, September 26.
Tickets start at just $26 (+fees), with many student ticket discount opportunities available.
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
Each year, August 9 commemorates the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, a day chosen in recognition of the first meeting of the United Nations’ Working Group on Indigenous Populations held in Geneva in 1982. The U-N’s spotlight for 2025, Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures, highlights a growing concern: many AI systems are developed without Indigenous participation, raising serious risks of data misuse and environmental harm, particularly in rural and sacred lands.
At a time when Indigenous perspectives are often excluded from technological and cultural conversations, UMS is proud to spotlight two powerful Indigenous-led performances in its 25/26 season. These events bring Indigenous knowledge, storytelling, and artistry, to our stages.
Nigamon/Tunai
Émilie Monnet and Waira Nina
Thu Oct 2 – Wed Oct 8, 2025 // Power Center
At the crossroads of friendship and resistance for the protection of water and against extractivism in their respective territories, the two women invite us to a precious sharing nourished by the living knowledge, cosmogonies and struggles that link them. In Canada, mining and oil companies still thrive, while over there, in the Amazon, on the territory of the Inga people, they destroy entire living environments to plunder their resources – including copper, central to Anishinaabe culture.
Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band
Thu Jan 29, 2026 // Michigan Theater
Led by the celebrated vocalist Julia Keefe (Nez Perce), this 16-piece ensemble of Native musicians highlights an often overlooked by rich history of Indigenous bands that existed on reservations across the country in the early 20th century. The group revives a vibrant legacy of Indigenous improvisation and creativity, blending traditional melodies made famous by earlier Indigenous jazz artists with new works inspired by their Native heritage.
Honoring the Past, Listening to the Present, Shaping the Future
These two performances offer opportunities to engage with Indigenous voices, histories, and visions for the future. As we mark this year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, let’s reflect on how art can challenge exclusion, build community, and celebrate resilience.
UMS invites you to be part of this journey — to listen more deeply, to learn more fully, and to stand in solidarity with Indigenous communities through the transformative power of performance.
All 25/26 Season Events On Sale Now!
Vibrant Voices: 25/26 Choral Performances
Design a Series That Sings to You!
The 25/26 season brings many powerful voices to the stage. Take a peek at the choral performances and phenomenal singers coming soon to Hill Auditorium!
Curate your own singing-centered series with a Series:You season ticket package. As a Series:You subscriber, you get it all: a 10% discount, access to the best seats in the house, free exchange privileges, and the opportunity to purchase additional tickets to the entire UMS season for friends or family members.
Verdi’s Requiem
Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the UMS Choral Union
Fri Sep 26, 2025
UMS’s 25/26 Season opens with Verdi’s monumental Requiem, which fuses the drama of opera with the spiritual depth of sacred music. This concert by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra will be performed exclusively in Ann Arbor and features a stellar international cast of singers making their UMS debuts: South African soprano Vuvu Mpofu, American mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, Mexican-American tenor René Barbera, and Chinese bass-baritone Shenyang.
Handel’s Messiah
Sat-Sun Dec 6-7, 2025
The first words sung in Handel’s Messiah invite us all into a world of hope, renewal, and transcendence. Led by conductor Scott Hanoian and brought to life each year by friends and colleagues throughout the community who perform with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra and the UMS Choral Union, this musical tradition continues to shine brightly. This year’s performances welcome back outstanding soloists who dazzled audiences in our 22/23 season: soprano Sherezade Panthaki, countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, tenor, and bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca.
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir
Arvo Pärt 90th Birthday Celebration
Fri Feb 13, 2026
The internationally acclaimed Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, under the direction of Tõnu Kaljuste, celebrates the famed Estonian composer Arvo Pärt and the indelible mark he has left on choral singing and classical music over his 90 years. Profound, powerful, and beloved worldwide, his work transcends time and space, taking us beyond everyday existence into another realm.
More Powerful Vocalists
Add these incredible vocalists to your Series:You package to create the ultimate singing series! Don’t miss the chance to turn your series into a standout showcase of vocal talent.
Angélique Kidjo
Thu Mar 26, 2026
Five-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo returns to Ann Arbor, bringing her powerhouse voice and electrifying stage presence.
Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band
Thu Jan 29, 2026
Led by vocalist Julia Keefe (Nez Perce), the Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band reimagines traditional Indigenous jazz melodies.
Rhiannon Giddens
Tue Apr 21, 2026
Artist, composer, and author Rhiannon Giddens has built a career out of expanding her brand of folk music into nearly every field imaginable.
American Icons 250
UMS is excited to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country in 2026. To honor this milestone, our 25/26 season includes a number of events that center around America’s diverse and iconic voices, exceptional creativity, and innovative spirit.
Centennial Celebrations
Three of the American Icons 250 presentations double as centennial celebrations. These milestones aren’t just about looking back — they’re about recognizing the long-lasting influence these icons have had on American culture and creativity. From shaping artistic movements to redefining performance and storytelling, their legacies continue to resonate today.
Martha Graham Dance Company
GRAHAM100
Fri-Sun Jan 16-18 // Power Center
Martha Graham is recognized as a primal artistic force of the 20th century. She radically expanded the dance vocabulary, rooting it in social, psychological, and sexual ideas, and forever altering the art form. Her company, celebrating its 100th season since its 1926 beginnings in a small studio at Carnegie Hall, exemplifies its founder’s timeless and uniquely American style of dance. The Graham company will present three different performances in the Power Center.
Terence Blanchard and Ravi Coltrane
Miles Davis and John Coltrane Centennial
Sun Feb 15 // Hill Auditorium
The year 1926 saw the birth of two towering figures who reshaped the landscape of 20th-century music: Miles Davis and John Coltrane. In this limited tour, Terence Blanchard and Ravi Coltrane, two of today’s most visionary musicians, come together to honor their legacies in a concert that is both a centennial tribute and a living, breathing continuation of their spirit.
GATZ
Elevator Repair Service
Fri-Sun Mar 27-29 // Power Center
A century after the publication of The Great Gatsby and 20 years after its acclaimed off-Broadway run, Elevator Repair Service’s GATZ comes to Ann Arbor following its sold-out run at New York’s Public Theater in November 2024. Told over a single 6½-hour production (plus dinner break), GATZ is not just a retelling of the Gatsby story, but a complete enactment of the novel, in which Fitzgerald’s masterpiece is cleverly delivered word for word.
Instrumental Figures
Each of the other performances featured as part of American Icons 250 recognizes America’s history in unique ways, using instruments not only as tools for music-making but also as voices that carry cultural memory, identity, and innovation across generations.
Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band
Thu Jan 29 // Michigan Theater
Led by the celebrated vocalist Julia Keefe (Nez Perce), this 16-piece ensemble of Native musicians highlights an often overlooked but rich history of Indigenous bands that existed on reservations across the country in the early 20th century. It both deepens and challenges our understanding of the “uniquely American” art form known as jazz.
Wynton Marsalis Symphony No. 5
Fri Feb 6 // Hill Auditorium
This preview of Wynton Marsalis’s new Symphony No. 5, composed in honor of America’s 250th birthday, will be performed by musicians from the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance and the beloved Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
The Complete Philip Glass Piano Etudes
Co-presented with the Gilmore Piano Festival
Sat Apr 18 // Hill Auditorium
As America celebrates its 250th year, Philip Glass’s collection of 20 piano etudes stands as a powerful tribute to innovation and artistic dedication. These intimate and inventive works reflect both Glass’s personal journey and the creative spirit that defines the nation’s cultural legacy. Ten different pianists will perform the 20 short pieces over the course of a single evening.
Meet the 25/26 Season 21st Century Artist Interns
Each year, UMS and the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance select students for a unique internship experience. Students are paired with internationally renowned artists and companies, including dance, theater, and music ensembles.
The 21st Century Artist Internship is a highly competitive program developed to prepare students for new demands that working artists face in the contemporary marketplace.
This summer, interns will develop industry contacts, hands-on work experience, and deep connections with internationally recognized performing artists. And upon their return to campus, the interns continue their work via a one-credit independent study where they serve as campus ambassadors, educators, and marketers to support their respective artists during their visit to Ann Arbor in UMS’s 2025/26 season.
The 21st Century Artist Internship program is made possible in part by Tim and Sally Petersen.
This Year’s Interns
Adithya Sastry
Class of 2026
Major: Sound Engineering
Placement: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
Originally from New Jersey and growing up in India, Adithya Sastry developed an early interest in music, which evolved into a love for music production and recording, leading to his pursuit of sound engineering at U-M. In Ann Arbor, Adithya has worked on a range of projects, from live concert mixing and producing a full album to sound design for student films and theatrical productions, as well as multimedia audio experiences. Skilled in industry-standard software such as Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Ableton Live, Adithya is also gaining hands-on experience with analog gear and advanced recording techniques.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Duke in Africa
Sat Feb 7, 2026 // Hill Auditorium
Alyssa Hernandez
Class of 2026
Major: Dance
Placement: Ballet BC
Alyssa Hernandez is a rising senior at the University of Michigan studying Dance and minoring in Performing Arts Management & Entrepreneurship. Alyssa is from Saginaw, Michigan, and graduated from Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy in 2022. Throughout her undergraduate degree thus far, she has performed in multiple senior thesis works, DSA’s Student Choreography Showcase, and the Dance Department’s annual performance at the Power Center, working with choreographers like FlockWorks and Rosanna Tavarez. Alyssa has performed various stage crew roles such as stage manager, sound/light board operator, and videographer. Outside of performing, she is extremely passionate about performing arts management, focusing on community engagement, fundraising, marketing, and project management. Alyssa has had the opportunity to work with students ages 4-17 in programs such as Ballet & Books and as a counselor for MPulse Performing Arts Summer Program. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, content creation, and watching reality television shows.
Ballet BC
Fri – Sat Oct 17 – 18, 2025 // Power Center
Brenna Lantz-Lewis
Class of 2027
Major: Percussion Performance
Placement: Andy Akiho
Brenna Lantz-Lewis, originally from Lansing, Michigan, is a rising junior studying Percussion Performance at the University of Michigan. Additionally, she is an aspiring arts administrator pursuing a minor in Performing Arts Management and Entrepreneurship. She engages in coursework and conversations about how art can serve people on an individual and collective level, and what it means to be a leader and participant in the arts. Brenna is particularly interested in critical issues such as the relevance and relatability of classical music in the digital age. As a percussionist, she has been a part of many noteworthy projects including the VR recording of Hamlet by Carolyn Chen, and the recording of Michael Gordon’s 36-percussionist piece, Field of Vision, and has performed in venues such as Hill Auditorium, Detroit’s Orchestra Hall, and Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall. Brenna works as a percussion mentor for the Detroit Symphony Civic Youth Ensembles, and serves as the secretary of the Shipman Scholars Society at the University of Michigan.
Imani Winds & Andy Akiho, steel drum
The Belonging Project
Sun Oct 26, 2025 // Rackham Auditorium
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