2021-2022 Season
Looking Forward to Fall 2021:
A Conversation with UMS President Matthew VanBesien and Dr. Preeti Malani
You Can Dance — Outside!
Shantese Robinson (Fearless Jazz Hip-Hop Fusion)
UMS is proud to announce the return of You Can Dance – Outside!, a free, outdoor dance workshop for all.
JAM3A
Presented by the Arab American National Museum
A Travel Guide for Talking Hearts
Public event with Yo-Yo Ma, Michigan artists, and U-M students
BLISS
Presented by Michigan Opera Theatre
BLISS is a Michigan Opera Theatre production that replays three sublime minutes of The Marriage of Figaro with the same cast and the same orchestra, without pause, for 12 hours.
You Can Dance — Outside!
Heather Mitchell (West African and AfroBeat)
UMS is proud to announce the return of You Can Dance – Outside!, a free, outdoor dance workshop for all.
Premiere Screening:
The Making of “The Four Journeys”
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble
Join our world premiere documentary film exploring the creation of a new work for Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble.
(Digital) School Day Performance for and Grades K-3 and Families:
Acrobuffos
Air Play
You Can Dance — Outside!
Haleem “Stringz” Rasul (Detroit Jit)
UMS is proud to announce the return of You Can Dance – Outside!, a free, outdoor dance workshop for all.
New Season Opener!
Jonas Kaufmann in Recital
Hailed as “the world’s greatest tenor” by The Telegraph, Jonas Kaufmann has been an international star since his sensational breakout appearance in 2006 at the Metropolitan Opera, performing over 70 different roles in the world’s leading opera houses.
Digital Artist Residency:
Spektral Quartet x Tarek Yamani
As the culmination of their collaborative 2020/21 UMS Digital Artist Residency, the Spektral Quartet performs the world premiere of a new four-movement suite composed by Tarek Yamani.
Program
Works by Tarek Yamani:
Berytus (world premiere for string quartet)
Skylines Ahead (for string quartet and Lebanese percussion)
Preview
(Digital) School Day Performance for Grades K-12 and Families:
Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán
A Celebration of Day of the Dead From Tequila, Mexico
Audiences everywhere simply love Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, known as the greatest mariachi in the world!
Big Band Holidays
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
UMS champion and iconic trumpeter Wynton Marsalis welcomes audiences back to Hill Auditorium this Thanksgiving Weekend, when his Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra brings its fun, one-of-a-kind holiday extravaganza to brighten up the season.
(In-Person) School Day Performance for Grades K-12:
Big Band Holidays
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Iconic trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra welcome students back to Hill Auditorium for our return to in-person School Day Performances.
Takács Quartet with
Julien Labro, bandoneón
The Takács Quartet returns for a special collaboration with accordion and bandoneon player Julien Labro, including new works by Clarice Assad and Bryce Dessner.
Program
Bryce Dessner Circles *
Julien Labro Meditation No. 1
Dino Saluzzi Minguito
J. S. Bach (arr. Labro) Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645
Julien Labro Astoración
Maurice Ravel String Quartet in F Major
Clarice Assad Clash *
* UMS co-commission / World-premiere performance
Handel’s Messiah
UMS Choral Union
Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra
Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth
A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
Choreographer and MacArthur Fellow Kyle Abraham and pioneering producer, composer, and electronic music artist Jlin have come together to create a new work through a reimagining of Mozart’s Requiem in d minor.
Canceled: You Can Dance
A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
Join artists from A.I.M by Kyle Abraham for a 75-minute exploration of the company’s signature movement style.
No dance training or experience is necessary, and all levels are welcome. Recommended for ages 13 and up. Free, but advanced registration is strongly encouraged.
(Livestream) School Day Performance for Grades 3-6:
Imani Winds
Now celebrating over two decades of dynamic, adventurous, and imaginative music-making, Imani Winds is a groundbreaking ensemble deeply committed to education.
(In-Person) School Day Performance for Grades 3-6:
Imani Winds
Now celebrating over two decades of dynamic, adventurous, and imaginative music-making, Imani Winds is a groundbreaking ensemble deeply committed to education.
Imani Winds with the Catalyst Quartet
Saturday, January 29, 2022The Imani Winds and the Catalyst Quartet present a program called (im)migration: music of change, commissioning music from new voices that reflect historical events and the times we live in.
Program
Ramón Mongo Santamaria (Arr. V Coleman) Afro Blue
Florence Price Negro Folksongs in Counterpoint
Jessie Montgomery Sergeant McCauley (UMS Co-Commission)
Roberto Sierra Concierto de Cámara
Canceled Event:
Sphinx Symphony Orchestra
with EXIGENCE
As Detroit’s Sphinx Organization celebrates its 25th anniversary, UMS presents the full orchestra on its first-ever national tour, immediately after its performances as part of the Sphinx Competition.
Let’s Talk About Earthseed
Parable of the Sower Community Read
Discussion #1 (Chapters 1-8)
Join fellow readers and engage in a three-part discussion exploring Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, part of the Parable Path A2Ypsi Community Read.
Exhibition:
Fiddler on the Roof: A Story Told on Polish Posters
UMS and the Copernicus Center for Polish Studies are proud to present a collection of Polish posters of Fiddler on the Roof from the last four decades. Each creation, by some of the most significant artists of the Polish School of Poster Design, uniquely captures an aspect of this rich musical play.
You Can Dance
Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández
Join artists from Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández for a 75-minute exploration of the company’s signature movement style.
No dance training or experience is necessary, and all levels are welcome. Recommended for ages 13 and up. Free, but advanced registration is strongly encouraged.
Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández
Sunday, February 6, 2022Mexico’s national dance company returns to Ann Arbor for the first time in over 15 years in a special Hill Auditorium performance that showcases the cultural richness of México.
(Livestream) School Day Performance for Grades K-12:
Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández
You’ll experience the explosion of colors, movement, and music that celebrates the vibrant tapestry of Mexican culture in this exciting livestream from Hill Auditorium.
(In-Person) School Day Performance for Grades K-12:
Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández
Return to Hill Auditorium to experience the explosion of colors, movement, and music that celebrates the vibrant tapestry of Mexican culture.
UMS 101: Ballet Folklórico
Wednesday, February 9, 2022Explore some of the signature movements and roots of this colorful and dynamic art form in this 90-minute UMS 101 workshop that correlates with the February 6, 2022 UMS performance of Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández.
UMS Live Session:
Jlin
Electronic music producer Jlin performs tracks from her new EP album, Embryo, in a stunning DJ set immersed with live projections.
Layl (Night)
A Performance by Ali Chahrour
Lebanese choreographer and theater maker Ali Chahrour draws inspiration from Arabic stories, legends, and poems relating to love. Performed in Arabic with English supertitles.
You Can Dance
Ali Chahrour
Join artists from Ali Chahrour’s Layl (Night) for a 75-minute exploration of the company’s signature movement style.
No dance training or experience is necessary, and all levels are welcome. Recommended for ages 13 and up. Free, but advanced registration is strongly encouraged.
Roundtable Discussion:
From There to Here: The Yiddish Origins and The Cultural Travels of Fiddler on the Roof
This roundtable features scholars of the Jewish experience in Eastern Europe and specialists in Yiddish who will provide the historical context and geo-political setting of the play, discuss the translation and adaptation of the original Yiddish text into the English-language play, explore the role of the play in representations of Jews and Jewish culture in North America and Europe, and analyze some of the key themes of the play.
Discussion
Refugee Crises in Contemporary Europe, From the English Channel to the Polish-Belarusian Border
A discussion exploring the current crisis taking place in the corner of Europe where the fictional shtetl of Anatevka was set, as well as concurrent crises, showing the ongoing relevance of a key theme of Fiddler on the Roof, that of people forced from their home into desperate circumstances.
Fiddler on the Roof in Concert
featuring the orchestrations of John Williams
Professional Broadway singers Chuck Cooper (Tevye) and Loretta Ables Sayre (Golde) star alongside phenomenally talented U-M Musical Theatre students in this lightly-staged concert performance.
Ypsilanti District Library:
It All Seemed So Far Away Then, or The Future is Black Women (Virtual Event)
UMS Prelude Dinner
Fiddler on the Roof
Back by Popular Demand!
Let’s Talk About Earthseed
Parable of the Sower Community Read
Discussion #2 (Chapters 9-17)
Join fellow readers and engage in a three-part discussion exploring Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, part of the Parable Path A2Ypsi Community Read.
UMS Live Session:
Nicholas Phan, tenor
with Martin Katz, piano, and the Calista Quartet
Recognized as “one of the world’s most remarkable singers” (Boston Globe), lyric tenor and University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance alumnus Nicholas Phan leads a digital-exclusive recital of songs written by women composers.
Pre-Concert Discussion:
Orchestral Programming for an Evolving World
The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Matias Tarnopolsky and Doris Parent join a discussion about the value of orchestral programming today, ways exclusionary history is being addressed, and the development of new frames and contexts.
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Friday, March 11 - Saturday, March 12, 2022The Philadelphia Orchestra returns to Ann Arbor for a two-performance residency, with music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting the first night and principal guest conductor Nathalie Stutzmann the second.
Fri Program
conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Wynton Marsalis Tuba Concerto
Johannes Brahms Symphony No. 1 in c minor, Op. 68
Sat Program
conducted by Nathalie Stutzmann
Missy Mazzoli Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres)
Max Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 in g minor, Op. 26
Franz Schubert Symphony No. 9 in C Major, D. 944 (“The Great”)
Livestream
Masterclass with Hai-Ye Ni, cello
Join Hai-Ye Ni, Principal Cellist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, for a masterclass with students at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance.
Livestream
Masterclass with Don Liuzzi, timpani
Join Don Liuzzi, Principal Timpanist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, for a masterclass with students at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance.
Livestream
Masterclass with Dara Morales, violin
Join Dara Morales, Assistant Principal Violinist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, for a masterclass with students at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance.
Livestream
Masterclass with Ricardo Morales, clarinet
Join Ricardo Morales, Principal Clarinetist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, for a masterclass with students at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance.
UMS Prelude Dinner
Philadelphia Orchestra
Back by Popular Demand!
Digital Presentation:
Sermon
Davóne Tines & The Philadelphia Orchestra
In this special digital performance, bass-baritone and activist Davóne Tines intersperses a group of readings with musical selections for a powerful, expressive sermon on themes of social justice.
Express Yourself // Protect Yourself
Hip Hop, Poetry, and Storytelling with Jamall Bufford
Through a series of monthly workshops intended to build vaccine confidence held from February through May 2022, Washtenaw County youth are invited to learn new skills as means of self-expression, communication, and self-care.
National Arab Orchestra
with Abeer Nehme
Founded a decade ago by Detroit-born conductor Michael Ibrahim, the National Arab Orchestra is dedicated to preserving and performing classical and contemporary Arab music.
Parable Path A2Ypsi:
Earthseed Visionaries — Permaculture Futures
In celebration of the UMS presentation of Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, Booksweet is proud to partner with Northside to explore the book’s themes of self-reliance and embracing change.
Parable Path A2Ypsi:
The Infinite Detail of This Place & Time
Virago and The A.W.E. Society
with special guest Apaixonar
A participatory microcinema. A ritual for worlds present in the now.
Octavia’s ‘Spaces in Community Places’ Scavenger Hunt
Octavia E. Butler Week Event
Parable Path A2Ypsi:
Canceled: Toshi Reagon & Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs in Conversation
An Octavia E. Butler Week Event
Parable Path A2Ypsi:
Parable Paint Night
An Octavia E. Butler Week Event
Parable Path A2Ypsi:
Reading Octavia Butler: A Panel Discussion
An Octavia E. Butler Week Event
Art & Afrofuturism Virtual Panel
An Octavia E. Butler Week Event
An exploration of Afrofuturism in a variety of art forms, including music, literature, film, video, and the visual arts. Featuring Naomi Andre, Tananarive Due, John Jennings, and Susana Morris. Moderated by Christopher Audain.
Treats for the Trail
An Octavia E. Butler Week Event
Parable Path A2Ypsi:
Parable Party & Open Mic at NOW studios
Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower
Friday, March 25 - Sunday, March 27, 2022Based on the post-apocalyptic novel written in 1993 by the late Afro-futurist and science fiction author Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Sower is a genre-defying work that harnesses two centuries of Black music.
Benjamin Grosvenor, piano
Sunday, March 27, 2022Young piano sensation Benjamin Grosvenor makes his UMS debut in an electrifying recital program.
Program
César Franck Prelude, Chorale, and Fugue
Franz Liszt Sonata in b minor, S. 178
Isaac Albéniz Iberia (Book 1)
Maurice Ravel Jeux d’eau
Maurice Ravel La valse
Let’s Talk About Earthseed
Parable of the Sower Community Read
Discussion #3 (Chapters 18-25)
Join fellow readers and engage in a three-part discussion exploring Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, part of the Parable Path A2Ypsi Community Read.
SW!NG OUT
Directed by Caleb Teicher
Acclaimed choreographer Caleb Teicher brings the best of the swing dance world to the concert stage!
UMS Live Session:
Takács Quartet with Julien Labro, bandoneón
This digital concert features three world premieres by Clarice Assad, Bryce Dessner, and Julien Labro, all written for string quartet plus bandoneón and co-commissioned by UMS as part of the Music Accord commissioning consortium.
Program
Bryce Dessner Circles
Julien Labro Meditation No. 1
Clarice Assad Clash
Family Performance
SW!NG OUT
Directed by Caleb Teicher
Dance Party! Twelve extraordinary dancers will show how much fun it can be to celebrate the history and tradition of Lindy Hop, an American dance form, in this special one-hour family performance.
You Can Dance
Caleb Teicher & Company
Join artists from Caleb Teicher & Company for a 75-minute exploration of their signature movement style.
No dance training or experience is necessary, and all levels are welcome. Recommended for ages 13 and up. Free, but advanced registration is strongly encouraged.
سهرة
Sahra: An Evening of Performance in Detroit
UMS’s Arab World focus closes with Sahra, which is Arabic for “soiree” or “evening.” This event — held at a new performance and gallery space in Detroit — brings together wildly different performances.
EDEN
Joyce DiDonato, mezzo-soprano
Maxim Emelyanychev, conductor
il Pomo d’Oro
Joyce DiDonato explores the majesty, might, and mystery of Nature in EDEN, joined by original instrument ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro in a night of evocative music and theatrical effects.
Redman | Mehldau | McBride | Blade
A MoodSwing Reunion
Student HOUSE Party at NOW studios
Friday, April 22, 2022Featuring music from Clay in the Woods and Karen Jane Ludwig and poetry from Malin Andersson.
HOME
Friday, April 22 - Saturday, April 23, 2022After a year spent examining the interiors of our own homes in excruciating detail and fantasizing about others through Zillow, a theater piece that explores the idea of “home” may seem counterintuitive. Yet this piece, which premiered in 2017, takes a completely different look at these structures that not only house us but, in many ways, define who we are.
ash arder rock garden
UMS/U-M Flint Artist in Residence
From Ash Arder, UMS/U-M Flint Artist in Residence, rock garden is a presentation of in-progress physical forms and conceptual ideas exploring the relationship between Black musical performance and ecological belonging.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, cello &
Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano
Sibling cello and piano duo Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason return to Ann Arbor and close the 2021/22 season.
Program
Frank Bridge Sonata for Cello and Piano in d minor, H. 125
Benjamin Britten Cello Sonata, Op. 65
Karen Khachaturian Cello Sonata
Dmitri Shostakovich Sonata in d minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 40
UMS Live Session:
Imani Winds & Catalyst Quartet
The Imani Winds and Catalyst Quartet join forces for a special digital presentation, featuring a UMS Co-Commission that was composed by the Catalyst Quartet’s former violinist, Jessie Montgomery.
UMS Live Session:
Tammy Lakkis
Singer, songwriter, producer, and DJ Tammy Lakkis performs a digital-exclusive set, filmed and recorded at Spot Lite in East Detroit.
K-12 Teacher Appreciation Party
Tuesday, May 17, 2022We know it’s been a challenging year. UMS and our partners at UMMA want to show our appreciation for all that you do!
UMS Live Session:
Elvis Perkins
Hear singer/songwriter Elvis Perkins’ signature sound, blending contemporary folk with nostalgic Americana, in a special solo set recorded at the University of Michigan’s Blanche Anderson Moore Organ Recital Hall.
UMS Choral Union presents Summer Sings:
Johannes Brahms
Ein deutsches Requiem
All singers are welcome to this popular choral reading session!
National Theatre Live in HD
Prima Facie
Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) makes her West End debut in Suzie Miller’s award-winning, one-woman play, captured live from the intimate Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End in 2022.
You Can Dance — Outside! Dearborn
Bachata and Salsa
You Can Dance—Outside! returns for another summer of movement and community across southeast Michigan.
National Theatre Live in HD
Cyrano de Bergerac
James McAvoy (X-Men, Atonement) returns to the stage in an inventive adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac, captured live in 2020 from the West End in London.
National Theatre Live in HD
No Man’s Land
Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart lead the cast in this glorious revival of Harold Pinter’s comic classic.
You Can Dance–Outside! Flint
Majorette and Hustle
You Can Dance—Outside! returns for another summer of movement and community across southeast Michigan.
You Can Dance–Outside! Ypsilanti
Hip Hop and Afrobeat
You Can Dance —Outside! returns for another summer of movement and community across southeast Michigan.
Ash Arder: Solar Juke
Saturday, September 3, 2022Join Ash Arder, UMS’s Flint Artist-in-Residence, in a Detroit garden party and sound performance that uses “Whoop House” — a completely solar-powered sound sculpture — as a musical instrument.
National Theatre Live in HD
Straight Line Crazy
Ralph Fiennes leads the cast in David Hare’s searing social critique of the most powerful man in New York, a master manipulator whose legacy changed the city forever.
You Can Dance–Outside! Ann Arbor
West African Dance
You Can Dance—Outside! returns for another summer of movement and community across southeast Michigan.
Sold Out!
Trevor Noah: Back to Abnormal
Experience Trevor Noah, host of Comedy Central’s Emmy and Peabody Award-winning The Daily Show, in his first live UMS appearance!
You Can Dance — Outside! Ypsilanti
Step Dance
You Can Dance—Outside! returns for another summer of movement and community across southeast Michigan.
This Is America: Johnny Gandelsman & Kinan Azmeh
Friday, September 23, 2022Celebrating a 20-year friendship, violinist Johnny Gandelsman and clarinetist & composer Kinan Azmeh explore the sounds of their adopted home through music written by American and U.S.-based composers.
You Can Dance—Outside! Ann Arbor
Afro-Cuban Rhythms
You Can Dance—Outside! returns for another summer of movement and community across southeast Michigan.
Songs of Freedom
An Evening of Healing and Celebration
UMS is partnering with Sidewalk Detroit to present Songs of Freedom, an evening of music, dance, and a candlelight healing ceremony. Join us!
Emerson String Quartet
The Farewell Tour
The Emerson String Quartet returns to Ann Arbor as part of its farewell tour.
Program
Felix Mendelssohn String Quartet No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 12
Johannes Brahms String Quartet No. 3 in B-flat Major, Op. 67
George Walker Lyric for Strings
Antonin Dvořák String Quaret No. 14 in A-flat Major, Op. 105
Tunde Olaniran: Everything is a Portal
Friday, October 7 - Saturday, October 8, 2022‘Everything is a Portal’ is a live performance companion to Cranbrook Art Museum’s current exhibition, Tunde Olaniran: Made a Universe.
Sir András Schiff, piano
Friday, October 7, 2022Sir András Schiff brings masterful and intellectual insights to his performances which have inspired audiences and critics alike. The program will include works by Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert, with each selection introduced from the stage.
Penny Stamps Speaker Series:
Wynton Marsalis and Warde Manuel In Conversation
Wynton Marsalis sits down with UM Director of Athletics Warde Manuel to explore art, athletics, and the creative process. These two successful New Orleans natives come together in a conversation moderated by Christopher Audain, Managing Director of the U-M Arts Initiative.
School Day Performance for Grades K-12:
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra kick off our season of in-person School Day Performances with a Big Band concert tailored for young people.
Wynton Marsalis’s All Rise
Friday, October 14, 2022Wynton Marsalis’s All Rise combines a symphony orchestra, a jazz orchestra, and a chorus in a 12-movement arc built on the structure of the Blues, that moves from uplifting and energetic to dark and distressing to Marsalis’s vision of the “togetherness and ascendance” of humanity.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Sunday, October 16, 2022Wynton Marsalis and his Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra honor the rich heritage of Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, while presenting a stunning variety of new works from illustrious names.
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Wednesday, October 19, 2022Electrifying conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla brings the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra to Ann Arbor as part of a limited US tour with cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
Program
Benjamin Britten Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes
Edward Elgar Cello Concerto in e minor, Op. 85
Thomas Adès The Exterminating Angel Symphony
Claude Debussy La mer
Hill Auditorium Student Open House
Wednesday, October 19, 2022Go behind the scenes of Hill Auditorium and experience the venue like never before. Stroll through the venue, check out the view from the stage, and learn interesting facts about the history of the building. Bonus: we’ll send you off with a free bagel and coffee to enjoy on your way to your next class!
The Rite of Spring /
common ground[s]
Pina Bausch / Germaine Acogny & Malou Airaudo, choreographers
Pina Bausch’s pioneering work, one of the first that established her iconic approach to dance theater, is danced by a newly assembled company of dancers from more than a dozen African countries. Rite is paired with a new work created, performed, and inspired by the lives of two remarkable women: Germaine Acogny, the founder of the Senegalese company École des Sables who is widely considered “the mother of contemporary African dance,” and Malou Airuado, who performed leading roles in many of Bausch’s early works as a member of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch.
Danish String Quartet: Doppelgänger
Friday, October 28, 2022In its third UMS appearance, The Danish String Quartet brings its Doppelgänger project, an ambitious four-year international commissioning project in which composers create new works in response to a masterwork by Franz Schubert.
Program
Franz Schubert String Quartet No. 14 in d minor, D. 810 (“Death and the Maiden”)
Lotta Wennäkoski Pige
Franz Schubert “Death and the Maiden” (Schubert song arranged by the Danish String Quartet)
No Safety Net Prologue:
What Does the Sand Say?
A.W.E. Society and Kaleigh Wilder
How can we access the beauty and power of the earth while it is simultaneously disrespected, colonized, and exploited?
National Theatre Live in HD
Frankenstein
Captured live in 2011, this thrilling production has become an international sensation and appears for one night only — a perfect way to celebrate Halloween!
UMS 101: Viva La Ranchera
Aida Cuevas con Mariachi Aztlán
Explore the world of the mariachi art song and learn about the history, traditions, and interpretations of artists in traditional Mexican and Latin American music.
National Theatre Live in HD
Jack Absolute Flies Again
Based on Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s The Rivals, Jack Absolute Flies Again is a rollicking new comedy that The Guardian called “one of the funniest productions in the National’s history.”
School Day Performance for Grades K-12:
45 Aniversario: Yo Creo Que Es Tiempo
Aida Cuevas with Mariachi Aztlán
For this School Day Performance Aida Cuevas, known as the “Queen of Ranchera Music,” exhibits her stunning vocals and her unwavering devotion to traditional mariachi music.
Aida Cuevas
with Mariachi Aztlán
45 Aniversario: Yo Creo Que Es Tiempo
With a career of over 40 years and nearly as many albums, Grammy Award-winner Aida Cuevas, “the Queen of Ranchera Music, “is joined by Mariachi Aztlán, one of the top collegiate mariachi bands in the country.
Berliner Philharmoniker
in two different programs
The Berlin Philharmonic’s new chief conductor, Kirill Petrenko, makes his UMS debut with this two-concert residency.
Fri Program
Andrew Norman Unstuck
W.A. Mozart Violin Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Major, K. 207
Erich Korngold Symphony in F-Sharp Major, Op. 40
Join host Doyle Armbrust for “The Society for Disobedient Listeners” — a special pre-performance talk. (Friday only)
Sat Program
Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 7
Berlin Philharmonic Master Classes
Friday, November 18 - Saturday, November 19, 2022Join members of the internationally renowned Berlin Philharmonic and students from the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance for a series of master classes on North Campus.
National Theatre Live in HD
Much Ado About Nothing
Shakespeare’s rom-com on sun, sea, and mistaken identity takes place at the family-run Hotel Messina on the Italian Riviera, a legendary spot that has been visited by artists, celebrities, and royalty. But when the owner’s daughter weds a dashing young soldier, not all guests are in the mood for love. A string of scandalous deceptions soon surrounds not only the young couple but also the adamantly single Beatrice and Benedick.
Handel’s Messiah
Saturday, December 3 - Sunday, December 4, 2022Ann Arbor’s most beloved holiday tradition with the UMS Choral Union and the Ann Arbor Symphony in Hill Auditorium.
Anansi The Spider: Re-Spun
for Pre-K – 3rd Grade Students and Families
Classic West African and Caribbean tales come to life through the magic of digital storytelling!
Itzhak Perlman and Friends
Saturday, December 10, 2022For this special performance in Hill Auditorium, superstar violinist Itzhak Perlman brings together pianists Emanuel Ax and Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the Juilliard String Quartet for a mixed chamber music program.
Program
Jean-Marie Leclair Sonata for Two Violins in e minor, Op. 3, No. 5
W.A. Mozart Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-Flat Major, K. 493
Ernest Chausson Concerto for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet, Op. 21
Sold Out!
UMS 101: Roots of Red, White, and Bluegrass
American Folk Music & Storytelling
Learn about the origins of American roots music known as bluegrass, and get to know some of the instruments and artists that make this uniquely American genre so soulful.
Béla Fleck My Bluegrass Heart
and Punch Brothers
When Punch Brothers and Béla Fleck come together in this special double-bill evening, one thing is certain: audiences benefit from their lifelong devotion to bluegrass as much as the musicians.
Ash Arder: Whoop House
Work in Progress Showing
Penny Stamps Speaker Series
Robin Frohardt:
The Magic of the Mundane
Hear from the creator of The Plastic Bag Store, part of UMS’s No Safety Net 3.0 Festival.
Limited Availability!
Robin Frohardt
The Plastic Bag Store
The Plastic Bag Store is a public art installation and immersive film experience that questions our culture of consumption and convenience — specifically, the enduring effects of our single-use plastics.
salt:dispersed
Selina Thompson
In this digital presentation, performance artist Selina Thompson recreates her award-winning dramatic monologue about a journey she made by cargo ship to retrace the triangular route of the transatlantic slave trade.
Takács Quartet with
Jeremy Denk, piano
The Takács Quartet and Jeremy Denk return to Rackham Auditorium with a program featuring Fanny Mendelssohn, Haydn, and Schumann.
Program
Franz Joseph Haydn String Quartet in F Major, Op. 77, No. 2
Fanny Mendelssohn Quartet in E-Flat Major
Robert Schumann Piano Quintet in E-Flat Major, Op. 44
Ypsilanti Freighthouse Community Arts Forum
Friday, January 20, 2023UMS is thrilled to share some exciting news about a partnership with the City of Ypsilanti, that will result in a two- to four-week artistic residency at the Ypsilanti Freighthouse twice each year. Join a free Community Arts Forum to provide input on and ideas for the kinds of programming you’d like to see during these residencies.
School Day Performance for Grades 9-12:
Are we not drawn onward to new erA
Ontroerend Goed
Climate change — an issue that is frequently cited by youth as one of the most pressing issues of our time — takes center stage in this ingenious theatrical presentation.
Are we not drawn onward to new erA
Ontroerend Goed
Like its title, this performance is a palindrome that you will be able to see both forwards and backwards. A visual metaphor for this crucial moment in our future history, tracing the process of humans moving towards their downfall — or their salvation.
The Plastic Bag Store
Family Art Making Activity
Families are invited to visit The Plastic Bag Store and participate in a guided hands-on workshop.
Cultural Exchange Rate
Tania El Khoury
Lebanese artist Tania El Khoury presents an interactive live art project, in which you immerse yourself into one family’s secret boxes to explore sounds, images, and textures that trace more than a century of border crossings.
Penny Stamps Speaker Series
Tania El Khoury:
Cultural Exchange Rate – A Case Study
Hear from the creator of Cultural Exchange Rate, part of UMS’s No Safety Net 3.0 Festival.
Aaron Diehl Trio: Mirrors
Friday, January 27, 2023Diehl’s new project, Mirrors, showcases his fluency in both classical repertoire and dynamic jazz improvisation, connecting Bach’s counterpoint with the vocabulary of bebop.
25th Anniversary Tour
Sphinx Symphony Orchestra
EXIGENCE Vocal Ensemble
Celebrating its 25th Anniversary, the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra of top Black and Latinx professional musicians from around the country presents its first national tour.
Program
Carlos Simon Motherboxx Connection
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Ballade for Orchestra
Valerie Coleman Seven O’Clock Shout
Michael Abels Delights and Dances
Traditional, arr. Augustus Hill Fix Me, Jesus
Carlos Cordero Holding Our Breath
Joel Thompson Seven Last Words of the Unarmed
John Legend / Common, arr. Eugene Rogers “Glory” from Selma
Talking Trash
An Interactive Discussion Inspired by The Plastic Bag Store
Turn inspiration into impact with insights from researchers, scientists, artists, and activists tackling the question: What can we do about single-use plastics?
Our Carnal Hearts
Rachel Mars
Rachel Mars and four belting female singers come at you with a hilarious dark show about the hiding workings of one of our uglier emotions…envy.
No Safety Net 3.0 Student Closing Party
featuring Cece June and the Calista Quartet
Join the University Musical Society Student Committee for a night of performances to celebrate UMS’s No Safety Net Festival, featuring two sets of music from Cece June and the Calista Quartet.
Your Sexts Are Shit: Older Better Letters
Rachel Mars
Rachel Mars’s filthy, funny, and intimate show creates a love letter to the lost art of letter writing…which has degraded into X-rated anonymized sexts from platforms like Whatsapp and Grindr.
Prelude Dinner:
Joshua Bell
Join us at the Michigan League for an opportunity to park early, gather with friends, enjoy a meal, and learn more about the evening’s performance.
Joshua Bell, violin
Peter Dugan, piano
Joshua Bell, one of the most celebrated violinists of his era, returns for his fifth recital program with UMS.
Program
Ludwig van Beethoven Violin Sonata No. 1 in D Major, Op. 12
Robert Schumann Violin Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op. 121
Ernest Bloch “Nigun” from Baal Shem
César Franck Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano
Brno Philharmonic
Friday, February 10, 2023Dennis Russell Davies and the Brno Philharmonic perform works from Leoš Janáček and William Bolcom alongside the UMS Choral Union, brass players from SMTD, and organist Christian Schmitt.
Program
Leoš Janáček Sinfonietta
William Bolcom Humoresk for Organ and Orchestra
Leoš Janáček Glagolitic Mass
Join host Doyle Armbrust for “The Society for Disobedient Listeners” — a special pre-performance talk.
You Can Dance!
Detroit Jit with Haleem “Stringz” Rasul
Calling All Curious Movers…You Can Dance! returns for another season of movement and community at Riverside Arts Center.
Getting Dressed
for Pre-K – 2nd Grade Students and Families
Travel into a digital world of swirling skirts, sashaying socks, glitter ball jackets, and tumbling t-shirts.
Ballet Preljocaj
Swan Lake
Contemporary dance superstar Angelin Preljocaj tackles the Mount Everest of the ballet world with his new take on Swan Lake.
National Theatre Live in HD
The Seagull
Following his critically acclaimed production of Cyrano de Bergerac, Jamie Lloyd brings Anya Reiss’s adaptation of Chekhov’s classic play to the stage. Starring Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones). “A maverick show that proves how dangerous and daring a revival can be.” (The Guardian)
UMS 101: We Came to Step
Wednesday, March 8, 2023Immerse yourself in the world of stepping and learn some of the signature styles.
Maria Schneider Orchestra
Saturday, March 11, 2023The NEA Jazz Master, Pulitzer Prize finalist, David Bowie collaborator, and seven-time Grammy winner Maria Schneider brings her 18-member collective to Hill Auditorium for its UMS debut.
You Can Dance!
Ballroom with Mr. Smooth
Calling All Curious Movers…You Can Dance! returns for another season of movement and community at Riverside Arts Center.
Step Afrika!
Sunday, March 12, 2023Step Afrika! introduces audiences to the importance of stepping in cultural identity and the use of body percussion as a means of communication.
School Day Performance for Grades K-12:
Stepping with Step Afrika!
Step Afrika! integrates song, dance, storytelling, humor, and audience participation in highlighting the importance of stepping in cultural identity and the use of body percussion as a means of communication.
Prelude Dinner:
Daniel Hope with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra
Daniel Hope, violin
with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra
Violinist Daniel Hope returns with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra in a new program that takes a deep dive into the rich repertoire of American music, exploring its roots and distinctive qualities.
Program
Aaron Copland “Hoe-Down” from Rodeo
Duke Ellington “Come Sunday” from Black, Brown and Beige
Florence Price Adoration
Kurt Weill American Song Suite
Samuel Barber Adagio for Strings, Op. 11
Aaron Copland “At the River” from Old American Songs
Philip Glass Echorus
George Gershwin Song Suite
Canceled:
Farida and the Iraqi Maqam Ensemble
Due to health considerations, Farida has canceled her March 2023 concert with the Iraqi Maqam Ensemble. We are in the process of reaching out to ticketholders for this event.
Chineke! Orchestra
Saturday, March 25, 2023UK-based Chineke! Orchestra makes its UMS debut, in a program featuring Florence Price’s first symphony and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Violin Concerto performed by Elena Urioste.
Program
Carlos Simon Fate Now Conquers
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Violin Concerto in g minor, Op. 20
Florence Price Symphony No. 1 in e minor
Join host Doyle Armbrust for “The Society for Disobedient Listeners” — a special pre-performance talk, 7 pm in the lower lobby of Hill Auditorium. Armbrust will be joined by LaRob K. Rafael, producer and director of Chicago-based Hearing in Color and host, WFMT.
You Can Dance!
Tap with Bruce Bradley
Calling All Curious Movers…You Can Dance! returns for another season of movement and community at Riverside Arts Center.
National Theatre Live in HD
The Crucible
Lyndsey Turner directs this contemporary new staging, designed by Tony Award-winner Es Devlin (The Lehman Trilogy). Starring Erin Doherty (The Crown) and Brendan Cowell. “A gripping revival of Arthur Miller’s masterpiece.” (The Telegraph)
Cécile McLorin Salvant
Friday, April 14, 2023A UMS favorite since her 2017 debut, Cécile McLorin Salvant continues to defy expectations with her genre-obliterating virtuosity.
Julius Eastman’s Femenine
Wild Up
American composer, pianist, vocalist, and dancer Julius Eastman was young, gay, and Black when it was even more difficult to be young, gay, and Black in America. The Los Angeles music collective Wild Up is carrying the music of Julius Eastman forward, performing his chamber work Femenine.
Come Together: An Evening of Community and Song
Saturday, April 22, 2023UMS’s Ypsilanti Freighthouse residency begins with an invitation to community members to share their voices through a Community Sing, led by Detroit native Dr. Brandon Waddles, a transcriber of Black gospel music whose choral compositions and arrangements have been performed around the world.
Audra McDonald
Sunday, April 23, 2023Six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald returns to the Hill Auditorium stage for one night only!
Power Moves:
Breakdancing, Art, and Creativity
with Maurice Archer and Curtis Wallace
In this workshop, local movement artist Maurice Archer will lead families in an interactive breakdancing demonstration and a graffiti artist will guide families through developing their b-boy and b-girl names.
Kaleigh Wilder Trio:
The Story Cuts Across What the Map Cuts Up
Baritone saxophonist Kaleigh Wilder has performed around the world, led her first album release, and now has plans to release two more albums as a bandleader with a New York-based record label—among several other ongoing projects. Hear her perform at the Freighthouse with Jaribu Shahid on bass, drummer Ben Hall, and dancer Alexandria Davis.
The Regenerate! Orchestra
Wednesday, April 26, 2023The Regenerate Orchestra, which is made up of community members of every stripe, comes together to bring Ypsilanti a one-of-a-kind musical experience.
Reconnecting Currents: A Healing at the Huron
with Marsae Lynette
In this participatory public event, Marsae Lynette presents an evening of film, performance, and community, inviting audiences to reconnect with one another and freshwater sources like the Huron River.
Open Mic Night
Friday, April 28, 2023Bring yourself, your friends, and whatever unique creative contribution you can offer in a local artist showcase hosted by Ypsilanti resident and singer/songwriter Rochelle Clark.
Late Night DJ Set
with Todd Osborn
Ghostly International artist Todd Osborn leads a free late-night DJ set, following Open Mic Night at the Freighthouse.
John E. Lawrence & The Power Band
Saturday, April 29, 2023In the closing performance of UMS’s April Ypsilanti Freighthouse residency, John E. Lawrence and The Power Band take the stage for a sophisticated evening of jazz.
Puppetry Workshop:
The Power of Light & Shadow
with the Detroit Puppet Company
Experience Detroit Puppet Company’s presentation of The Carnival of the Animals and learn how to make your own shadow puppets.
National Theatre Live in HD
Othello
Shakespeare’s compelling tragedy of boundary-defying love is brought startlingly up-to-date by a stellar cast, including Giles Terera (Hamilton) as Othello, Rosy McEwen as Desdemona, and Pal Hilton as Iago.
Snarky Puppy
Sunday, September 10, 2023With their 2023 Grammy-winning Empire Central, the genre-defying super-band Snarky Puppy returns to Ann Arbor for its third UMS appearance and its first since 2019.
Shakti: 50th Anniversary Tour
Feat. John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain, & Shankar Mahadevan
with very special guest Béla Fleck
Following word of the Summer 2023 release of This Moment – their first new studio album in 46 years – revolutionary ensemble Shakti will continue to discover and explore the musical common ground bridging East and West on an extensive U.S. tour.