2022-2023 Season

You Can Dance —Outside! returns for another summer of movement and community across southeast Michigan.

Join 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.

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! returns for another summer of movement and community across southeast Michigan.

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! returns for another summer of movement and community across southeast Michigan.

Celebrating 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! returns for another summer of movement and community across southeast Michigan.

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

UMS is partnering with Sidewalk Detroit to present Songs of Freedom, an evening of music, dance, and a candlelight healing ceremony. Join us!

Sir 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.

‘Everything is a Portal’ is a live performance companion to Cranbrook Art Museum’s current exhibition, Tunde Olaniran: Made a Universe.

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.

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 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.

Wynton 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.

Electrifying 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

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.

In 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)

How can we access the beauty and power of the earth while it is simultaneously disrespected, colonized, and exploited?

Captured live in 2011, this thrilling production has become an international sensation and appears for one night only — a perfect way to celebrate Halloween!

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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

Join 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.

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.

Ann Arbor’s most beloved holiday tradition with the UMS Choral Union and the Ann Arbor Symphony in Hill Auditorium.

Classic West African and Caribbean tales come to life through the magic of digital storytelling!

For 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

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.

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.

Hear from the creator of The Plastic Bag Store, part of UMS’s No Safety Net 3.0 Festival.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

UMS 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.

Families are invited to visit The Plastic Bag Store and participate in a guided hands-on workshop.

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.

Hear from the creator of Cultural Exchange Rate, part of UMS’s No Safety Net 3.0 Festival.

Diehl’s new project, Mirrors, showcases his fluency in both classical repertoire and dynamic jazz improvisation, connecting Bach’s counterpoint with the vocabulary of bebop.

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

Turn inspiration into impact with insights from researchers, scientists, artists, and activists tackling the question: What can we do about single-use plastics?

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Dennis 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.

Calling All Curious Movers…You Can Dance! returns for another season of movement and community at Riverside Arts Center.

Travel into a digital world of swirling skirts, sashaying socks, glitter ball jackets, and tumbling t-shirts.

Contemporary dance superstar Angelin Preljocaj tackles the Mount Everest of the ballet world with his new take on Swan Lake.

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)

Immerse yourself in the world of stepping and learn some of the signature styles.

The 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.

Calling All Curious Movers…You Can Dance! returns for another season of movement and community at Riverside Arts Center.

Step Afrika! introduces audiences to the importance of stepping in cultural identity and the use of body percussion as a means of communication.

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.

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

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.

UK-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.

Calling All Curious Movers…You Can Dance! returns for another season of movement and community at Riverside Arts Center.

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)

A UMS favorite since her 2017 debut, Cécile McLorin Salvant continues to defy expectations with her genre-obliterating virtuosity.

St. John Street Historical Committee and UM-Flint’s Community Design Studio invite you to reflect and share stories from our past while envisioning our shared future.

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.

UMS’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.

UMS celebrates 130 years of Hill Auditorium’s Frieze Memorial Organ with virtuoso Christian Schmitt and a digital-exclusive performance.

Six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald returns to the Hill Auditorium stage for one night only!

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.

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, which is made up of community members of every stripe, comes together to bring Ypsilanti a one-of-a-kind musical experience.

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.

Bring 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.

Ghostly International artist Todd Osborn leads a free late-night DJ set, following Open Mic Night at the Freighthouse.

In 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.

Experience Detroit Puppet Company’s presentation of The Carnival of the Animals and learn how to make your own shadow puppets.

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.

In a special Pride Month digital presentation, music collective Wild Up champions the music, life, and legacy of composer Julius Eastman.

The UMS Choral Union invites you to take part in the return of Summer Sings. Just come as you are to this no-audition, no-performance evening of memorable music-making!

UMS and UMMA co-host our annual K-12 season opening party to launch the 23/24 Season. Please join us for drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and live music at this special event for educators and administrators.

With 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.

Yoga instructor and Ypsilanti resident Marly Spieser-Schneider, will touch on fundamental physical and philosophical elements of the Iyengar Yoga practice, accompanied by live music.

Following 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 exclusive US tour marking the 50th anniversary since their first concerts.

Singer, songwriter, and composer Shara Nova (My Brightest Diamond), who spent formative childhood years in Ypsilanti, hosts this open mic night and local artist showcase.. Bring yourself, your friends, and whatever creative contribution you can offer!

Just for families, join us for a musical and theatrical adventure provided by the unique electric bassoon and percussion quartet slapslap, which brings together up-tempo dance, music, storytelling, and creative play in a unique interactive event.

Detroit-based saxophonist Marcus Elliot leads a seven-piece band of musicians and artists in this special collaboration with the African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County that celebrates the history of Ypsilanti as a refuge for Black Americans dating back to the 1830s.

Join us for an evening of Square Dancing with the Detroit Square Dance Society. We’ll start with light refreshments before heading to the dance floor as we bring the Southern Square Dancing tradition to the Ypsilanti Freighthouse, with live music, non-gender calling, and line dances for anyone and everyone to enjoy.

Soprano superstar Renée Fleming is a leading advocate for the study of powerful connections between the arts and health, and has worked with the National Institutes of Health and other leading organizations to bring attention to research and practice at the intersection of music, health, and neuroscience. During her Ann Arbor visit, she will be joined by local researchers and medical practitioners for a public conversation exploring these important topics.

One of the most highly acclaimed singers of our time, Renée Fleming returns to Hill Auditorium for the first time since 2011 in a recital with pianist Inon Barnatan. Inspired by Renée’s 2023 Grammy Award-winning album, Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene, this special performance spans the classical, romantic, and contemporary eras, with beloved songs and new commissions exploring nature as both inspiration and victim of humanity. The National Geographic Society is providing an original video to reflect the musical selections.

UMS is delighted to collaborate with Heads Over Heels Productions and Chroma Productions for two different sets in this drag show extravaganza.

Originating from the Malinke people of West Africa, Moribayassa is a traditional practice in which participants are invited to relieve their burdens through movement and music.

Created especially for families, participants in this workshop will experience traditional West African Dance as well as contemporary AfroBeat dance moves! Afterward, families will participate in an art-making workshop that connects movement to visual art.

Pianist Inon Barnatan performs a free recital for students and general public audiences on North Campus, including his own virtuosic solo piano arrangement of Rachmaninoff’s acclaimed Symphonic Dances.

The Jerusalem Quartet returns for the first time in five years to Rackham Auditorium, performing Paul Ben-Haim’s rhapsodic quartet along with a quartet by Haydn, plus Dvořák’s sublime Piano Quintet with pianist Inon Barnatan.

Program

Franz Joseph Haydn String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 76, No. 6
Paul Ben-Haim String Quartet No. 1, Op. 21
Antonín Dvořák Quintet for Piano and Strings in A Major, Op. 81

Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About A Terrible Monster uses hundreds of illustrated puppets, book pages, two-dimensional props, furry monster puppets, live music, and the wonder of real-time filming to bring Mo Willems’ books to life.

Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars is a gripping portrayal of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin, Ireland, a six-day conflict led by Irish Republicans who were attempting to establish an independent Ireland while the British were preoccupied by World War I.

In The Shadow of a Gunman, Sean O’Casey explores the Irish War of Independence (1920-21). Set in a tenement house in Dublin, the story centers around the character of Donal Davoren, a struggling poet mistaken for an Irish Republican Army gunman by his neighbors, who approach him with a mixture of fear and intrigue.

The Irish Civil War of 1922-23 provides a backdrop of political unrest and social upheaval that amplifies the struggles of the working-class characters in Sean O’Casey’s Juno and the Paycock.

Carlos Miguel Prieto, named 2019 Conductor of the Year by Musical America, leads the Minería Symphony in their first Ann Arbor performance. Latin Grammy Award-winning pianist/composer Gabriela Montero, known for her passionate virtuosity and brilliant improvisation, performs her own first piano concerto.

Program

Gabriela Ortiz Kauyumari
Carlos Chávez Symphony No. 2 (“Sinfonía India”)
Gabriela Montero Piano Concerto No. 1 (“Latin”)
Silvestre Revueltas La noche de los mayas

The world music quartet DakhaBrakha create a world of unexpected new music with their exuberant, transnational sound rooted in Ukrainian culture.

British-Iranian theater maker Javaad Alipoor and Iranian musician, writer, actor, and podcast host King Raam sit down to discuss their cultural backgrounds and theatrical murder mystery “Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World”, moderated by Neda Ulaby from NPR.

Are We Dreaming the Same Dream? is an electrifying concert experience that blurs the lines between classical, jazz, and contemporary music. Ann Arbor’s own Akropolis Reed Quintet — composed of clarinet, oboe, saxophone, bass clarinet, and bassoon — joins forces with Grammy-nominated composer and jazz pianist Pascal Le Boeuf, and drummer Christian Euman.

Javaad Alipoor’s Things Hidden investigates the nature of investigation, with the unsolved murder of an Iranian pop icon at its center.

This thrilling new work by Javaad Alipoor explores the story of an unsolved murder and challenges the audience to question how we consume information in a post-colonial world.

Acclaimed violinist Maxim Vengerov brings his radiant and exuberant sound to the stage.

Program

Clara Schumann Three Romances for Violin and Piano, Op. 22
Johannes Brahms “Scherzo” from F-A-E Sonata
Robert Schumann Violin Sonata No. 3 in a minor, WoO27
Sergei Prokofiev Five Melodies, Op. 35bis
Sergei Prokofiev Violin Sonata No. 2 in D Major, Op. 9

The U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance Department of Voice, in conjunction with UMS, is pleased to present three Master Classes, each led by a soloist from this year’s UMS presentation of Handel’s Messiah.

Scott Hanoian, Music Director of the UMS Choral Union, in conjunction with the annual Handel’s Messiah performances, presents a pre-performance talk about the Saturday evening concert. He gives a conductor’s inside look at Handel’s treatment of the Charles Jensen’s libretto.

Hear Handel’s Messiah, Ann Arbor’s most beloved holiday tradition, with the UMS Choral Union and the Ann Arbor Symphony in Hill Auditorium.

Immerse yourself in the virtuosity of the ukulele, an instrument rich with tradition that originated in Hawai’i in the 1800s.

Shimabukuro draws on a vibrant catalog of holiday classics for his return appearance in Hill Auditorium.

Jake Shimabukuro returns to the UMS School Day Performance series to present a program of holiday fun sprinkled with a little Hawaiian tradition.

Two of today’s most celebrated artists join forces in an innovative program for two pianos that celebrates the music of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, and more.

With all of the plot twists, emotional outbursts, and suspenseful scenes of a true grand opera, Francis Ford Coppola’s epic film The Godfather deserves a full sensory experience.

Papa Penguin receives a special delivery from the sky — a baby chick penguin! The hapless pair navigates slippery slopes and perilous adventures in this funny and moving story about love, life, and learning.

Hélène Grimaud returns to Hill Auditorium for her UMS recital debut, bringing her thoughtful and tenderly expressive sound to the stage.

Program

Ludwig van Beethoven Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109
Johannes Brahms Three Intermezzi, Op. 117
Johannes Brahms Fantasies, Op. 116
J.S. Bach Chaconne from BWV 1004 (arr. F. Busoni)

LaTasha Barnes presents The Jazz Continuum, a new production centering the prolific artistry of jazz music and dance as a cornerstone of Black American culture and community.

A new generation takes mariachi to whole new heights when Latin Grammy nominee Mariachi Herencia de México presents Herederos (the “heirs”).

Introduce your students to the traditions of mariachi performed by the next generation of young, talented musicians.

This classical superstar trio returns to the Hill Auditorium stage with an all-Beethoven program.

Program

Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Trio in D Major, Op. 70, No. 1 (“Ghost”)
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21 (arr. Wosner)
Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 70, No. 2

Composer Nkeiru Okoye sits down with classical radio host Terrance McKnight to discuss her world premiere work, When the Caged Bird Sings, and her vibrant career.

When the Caged Bird Sings is a new commission by American composer Nkeiru Okoye, fusing elements of oratorio, theater, and opera in a multi-movement musical ceremony. Okoye describes the work as “a gathering” that invokes the ritual of the concert experience as a ritual of community.

Join the UMS Student Committee for food, games, and performances by U-M’s own Meghan Tuttle, Tarps Off, Maddy Ringo, and SANYA.

Explore Martha Graham’s life and work led by local dance artist Peter Sparling.

Bring your students to this riveting performance and experience not only the rich history of the ensemble but also the fresh innovation of artists expanding the landscape of dance.

Two of the most sought-after recitalists on the international stage join forces, as Canadian violinist James Ehnes and his longtime recital partner, American pianist Andrew Armstrong, make their UMS live performance debuts together in a concert that will also include faculty and students from the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance.

Program

Leclair Violin Sonata, Op. 9, No. 3
Shostakovich Violin Sonata in G Major, Op. 134
Howard They Have Just Arrived At This New Level (for string quartet, flute, and clarinet)
Sarasate Spanish Dances, Op. 22
Wieniawski Polonaise Brillante, Op. 21

The Martha Graham Company, recognized as a primal artistic force of the 20th century, gives a performance rooted in cultural history. These performances will include a new work choreographed by Jamar Roberts and set to music by Rhiannon Giddens, as well as Agnes DeMille’s 1942 classic Rodeo, with its iconic score by Aaron Copland reorchestrated for a bluegrass ensemble. Martha Graham’s final complete work, Maple Leaf Rag, rounds out the program.

In his much-anticipated return after his 2016 UMS debut, pianist Igor Levit performs a recital of transcriptions by Mahler, Hindemith, and Beethoven in Hill Auditorium.

Program

Paul Hindemith Suite 1922
Gustav Mahler Adagio from Symphony No. 10 (arr. for piano by Ronald Stevenson)
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (“Eroica”) (arr. for piano by Franz Liszt)

In its exciting UMS debut, the dynamic Isidore String Quartet takes the audience through a musical journey from the 18th to the 21st centuries.

Program

Franz Joseph Haydn String Quartet in C Major, Op. 20, No. 2
Billy Childs String Quartet No. 2 (“Awakening”)
Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet No. 15 in a minor, Op. 132

Marvin loves exploring the parks around his home looking for birds, bugs, and animals. On his ninth birthday he receives his very own pair of grown-up, pro binoculars! But then something terrible happens: he loses them, and to get them back, he must face the intimidating park warden.

The Orchestre de Paris returns to Hill Auditorium for the first time since 2002, featuring the UMS debuts of two young superstar artists — music director Klaus Mäkelä and Van Cliburn gold medal-winning pianist Yunchan Lim — in a program of Debussy, Rachmaninoff, and Stravinsky.

Program

Claude Debussy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
Sergei Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 in c minor, Op. 18
Igor Stravinsky The Firebird (complete version)

Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and pianist Sullivan Fortner join forces for a concert at the intersection of jazz and chamber music in a tribute to the collaboration between Louis Armstrong and Earl “Fatha” Hines.

We regret to inform you that Batsheva has postponed its March tour to the United States, including the March 23-24, 2024 performances co-presented by UMS and Detroit Opera. We look forward to bringing the company back to Southeast Michigan in the future. Ticketholders will receive an email with options to refund or donate their tickets.

The role of women in jazz goes back nearly a century. Local jazz bassist Marion Hayden leads this exploration of women who have made their name in this uniquely American art form.

At 24, Samara Joy is already setting the music world on fire, winning the 2023 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album, as well as the Best New Artist nod — only the second time in Grammy history that award has been bestowed upon a jazz musician.

Join Riverside Swings and Swing Ann Arbor for a night of swing dance at the Freighthouse! Learn the basics, then dance the night away to the sounds of special guest band The Aston Neighborhood Pleasure Club.

Grab a drink and raise your glass – we’re celebrating this Michigan-based ensemble’s 10th birthday with an intimate night of chamber music at the Freighthouse. 

Back by popular demand: Drag Night is back in millennium glitching fashion! Dust off your favorite low-rise jeans, velour tracksuits, and platform sandals, because we are throwing it back with this 1990s and 2000s themed night. 

UMS is thrilled to collaborate with the Independent Film Festival Ypsilanti (iFFY) to present The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog, a 1927 British silent thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock about the hunt for a serial killer in London. Michigan’s Little Bang Theory, a trio founded by Detroit avant-garde music legend Frank Pahl, performs an original score on toy instruments to bring life to the timeless art of silent cinema.

The Takács Quartet, a perennial UMS favorite, returns with a program that nods to the natural world, including a new UMS co-commission by Nokuthula Endo Ngwenyama.

Program

Franz Joseph Haydn String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 76, No. 4 (“Sunrise”)
Nokuthula Ngwenyama flow (UMS co-commission)
Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet No. 8 in e minor, Op. 59, No. 2

Open Mic Night is back! From soulful music to gripping poetry, this is a platform where raw passion meets an appreciative audience and celebrates the incredible talent that exists in our own community.

The Philadelphia Orchestra and music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin return to Hill Auditorium in two programs:

Sat Program

Florence Price Symphony No. 4 in d minor
Sergei Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2 in e minor, Op. 27

Sun Program

Johannes Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 45

Joe Reilly is a singer/songwriter, social worker, and Michigan educator who writes songs from his heart. The Italian, Irish, and Native American (Cherokee) singer draws from his three children’s albums of environmental and community songs in this Earth Day-themed concert for families. After the performance, families are invited to stay for a hands-on Earth Day activity. 

Michigan electronic musician Shigeto joins artists Marcus Elliot (saxophone), Ian Fink (keyboards), and special guests for this late-night show.

Part symphony, part jam session, part group meditation, the Regenerate! Orchestra invites audiences to participate at whatever level is comfortable: performing with the group, or sitting back and enjoying the results of a bespoke performance from musicians in our community.

UMS hosts a special project and culminating performance with renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, composer and kamancheh (spiked fiddle) virtuoso Kayhan Kalhor, conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto, and the Orchestra of the Americas on the University of Michigan campus.

Program

Gabriela Ortiz Téenek
Kayhan Kalhor Double Concerto for Cello and Kamancheh
Ottorino Respighi Roman Festivals
Ottorino Respighi The Pines of Rome

The UMS Choral Union invites you to take part in the return of Summer Sings. Just come as you are to this no-audition, no-performance evening of memorable music-making!

The UMS Choral Union invites you to take part in the return of Summer Sings. Just come as you are to this no-audition, no-performance evening of memorable music-making!

In this digital-exclusive performance, the New York City-based Isidore String Quartet performs music by trailblazing composer, jazz pianist, and six-time Grammy winner Billy Childs. Streaming through August 7, 2024.

Join us for an evening of Contra Dance, a traditional folk style with English and Scottish roots, featuring live music, gender neutral calling, and line dances for anyone and everyone to enjoy.

Michigan-based musicians are bringing sounds from the underground to the Freighthouse through an immersive concert brought to you by iconic members of the Michigan noise and punk scene.

Featuring oud, violin, electric bass, synthesizer and world percussion, the Worlds Quartet masterfully blends rhythms, sounds, and textures from across the globe with world music-inspired original compositions.

With vibraphone, percussion, bass, piano, and vocals, the all-women salsa sextet presents an explosive and joyful show that encourages dancing and singing as well as reflection.

Calling all singers, poets, jugglers, storytellers, and rappers of Ypsilanti! Come try out that new piece you just wrote, dust off some old favorites, or grab a drink and find out what your neighbors have been working on.

Rhythm of the Feet takes you through the history and come-up of this uniquely Detroit dance style, with high energy footwork performed by the House of Jit collective.

Kicks, wiggles, spinning on the floor, plus fancy footwork paired with the music of Funk and Techno give us Detroit’s dance style called Jit. Join House of Jit founder and Jit master Michael Manson along with Queen Gabby, aka the Queen of Jit, as they perform this homegrown dance style for people of all ages.

On the brink of a presidential election that people on both sides have called the most consequential in history, Belgium’s extraordinary Ontroerend Goed offers a fun and thought-provoking examination of free will and politics that puts electronic voting devices — and the candidates’ fates — directly into the hands of audience members.

Led by Grammy-nominated violinist and composer Jeremy Kittel, Kittel & Co. inhabits the space between classical and acoustic roots, Celtic and bluegrass aesthetics, and folk and jazz sensibilities. 

Vocalist, writer, and arts educator Jazzy Ash invites you to come along on a pizzazzy, energetic musical adventure. This interactive concert delves into the history and development of jazz from its origins in New Orleans’ Congo Square to the present. 

Go 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!

Pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason performs works composed over a 168-year period by a wide range of composers including Haydn and Chopin, showcasing her emotional depth.

Program

Joseph Haydn Piano Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI:50
Clara Schumann Nocturne from Soirées Musicales, Op. 6
Carl Nielsen Chaconne, Op. 32
Sofia Gubaidulina Chaconne
Frédéric Chopin Piano Sonata No. 3 in b minor, Op. 58

Encore: George Gershwin “The Man I Love” (arr. Percy Grainger for piano)

Elevator Repair Service’s John Collins and Scott Shepherd discuss the founding of ERS, the arc of its work, the importance of literature as a cultural influence, and their upcoming performance, Ulysses.

The London Philharmonic returns to Hill Auditorium after 13 years — with UMS debuts by principal conductor Edward Gardner and violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja — in a program of Shostakovich, Sibelius, and works by composer-in-residence Tania León and Benjamin Britten.

Program

Benjamin Britten Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20
Dmitri Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 1 in a minor, Op. 77
Tania León Raices (Origins)
Jean Sibelius Symphony No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 82

Seven performers present an eclectic sampling from James Joyce’s life-affirming masterpiece, Ulysses, chronicling the experiences of three Dubliners on a single ordinary day in June 1904.

Learn about the process of voting and why it’s important to have your voice heard. After the performance, students will experience the power of puppetry in a hands-on puppet-making workshop, where they will make their own hand puppets to take back to the classroom for even more puppet adventures!

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan returns to Ann Arbor for the first time in 13 years with an evocative performance of childhood and cultural memories that blends Taiwanese folk songs, Taoist chant, and electronica.

Join us for a 60-minute dance workshop led by members of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre.

Learn about the instruments featured in the Silkroad Ensemble’s performance of American Railroad, with a particular focus on the banjo, an instrument played and championed by artistic director Rhiannon Giddens.

Silkroad’s American Railroad illuminates the impact of the Transcontinental Railroad and westward expansion on the communities it displaced. The program includes new commissions by jazz artist Cécile McLorin Salvant and Silkroad artist and renowned pipa player Wu Man, as well as new arrangements by Rhiannon Giddens and other Silkroad musicians.

The Escher Quartet, inspired by graphic artist M.C. Escher’s interplay between individual components working together to form a whole, performs Bartók’s second quartet alongside Mendelssohn’s anguished last major composition, and Dvořák’s joyful final quartet.

Program

Felix Mendelssohn String Quartet No. 6 in f minor, Op. 80
Béla Bartók String Quartet No. 2, Op. 17, Sz. 67
Antonín Dvořák String Quartet No. 14 in A-flat Major, Op. 105
[encore] Florence Price “Juba” from String Quartet No. 2

One of the most sought-after figures in contemporary music, Tyshawn Sorey has changed jazz as we know it. This genre-defying composer and drummer takes the stage for a performance featuring pieces from his acclaimed album Mesmerism, which showcases the joy of improvising over songs from the Great American Songbook. 

Join UMS and the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance for a free panel discussion about the Berliner Philharmoniker’s unique governing structure, its innovative educational and research initiatives, and the flagship Digital Concert Hall.

In the first of two programs by the Berliner Philharmoniker and chief conductor Kirill Petrenko, UMS welcomes back Benjamin Beilman (replacing Hilary Hahn) to perform Erich Korngold’s heart-tugging and cinematic violin concerto. Also on the program: Rachmaninoff’s first orchestral masterpiece, Isle of the Dead, and Dvořák’s dramatic Symphony No. 7.

Program

Sergei Rachmaninoff Isle of the Dead, Op. 29
Erich Korngold Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35
Antonín Dvořák Symphony No. 7 in d minor, Op. 70

Observe members of the internationally renowned Berliner Philharmoniker interacting with students from the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance for a series of masterclasses.

The Berliner Philharmoniker and chief conductor Kirill Petrenko perform Bruckner’s monumental Symphony No. 5, which explores themes of struggle, redemption, and spiritual transcendence, with rich brass chorales in the final movement. 

Program

Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major

This timeless masterpiece has enraptured audiences for centuries with its sublime beauty and profound spirituality. From the jubilant “Hallelujah” chorus to its stirring arias and evocative chorales, Messiah is brought to life by friends and colleagues from the community through both the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra and the UMS Choral Union. 

The Ariel Quartet and cellist Alisa Weilerstein explore how folk music influences art music, with an uninterrupted suite of traditional folk music from around the world, along with pieces dating back to the origins of Western classical music. Then, they perform Schubert’s Cello Quintet in C Major, one of the most influential works in classical repertoire.

The charismatic four-piece a cappella quartet Kings Return joins forces with mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato in a special holiday program.

Jazz musician, composer, and storyteller Etienne Charles brings a moving multimedia jazz performance shedding light on the people and regions that are, or soon will be, severely affected by climate change.

Earth Tones, multimedia jazz performance, invites students into a sensory journey that includes sounds, video, stories, and musical idioms from at-risk coastal communities, depicting the effects of global warming from tropical islands to the Louisiana Bayou.

Caroline Shaw and Gabriel Kahane, both renowned contemporary composers and performers, present a new work inspired by the magical realism of Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges’s 1939 short story, “The Library of Babel.” Their first large-scale collaboration invites audiences to contemplate the joy, grief, wonder, and bewilderment that spring from a life oversaturated in information.

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra honors the rich heritage of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Louis Armstrong while presenting a stunning variety of new works from illustrious names, many of whom perform regularly with the ensemble. From swinging to supple, it’s all sheer jazz perfection — and no wonder their regular appearances are UMS audience favorites!

Natalie Palamides premiered her show Nate to wide acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2018, before Amy Poehler produced it as a Netflix special. Nate careens between making the audience laugh and making them uncomfortable, and its clever and provocative deconstruction of toxic masculinity sticks with you long after the performance ends!

In his much-anticipated UMS recital debut, pianist Seong-Jin Cho celebrates Maurice Ravel’s 150th birthday with a concert featuring the composer’s complete works for solo piano.

Program

Complete solo works of Maurice Ravel:
Sérénade grotesque
Menuet antique
Pavane pour une infante défunte
Jeux d’eau, M 30
Sonatine
Miroirs, M. 43
Gaspard de la nuit
Menuet sur le nom de Haydn
Valses nobles et sentimentales, M.61
Prélude
A la manière de Borodine
A la manière de Chabrier
Le Tombeau de Couperin, M.68

asses.masses invites you to play out the epic journey of a herd of donkeys trying to get their jobs back. Animal Farm meets Pokémon meets Final Fantasy in an inspiring day of video gaming and uprising!

One of the most influential and revered figures in contemporary music for over four decades, three-time Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis makes his UMS debut.

Saxophonist Branford Marsalis brings his classical chops to Rackham Auditorium in a chamber music evening featuring two members of the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance community: saxophone professor Timothy McAllister and collaborative pianist Liz Ames.

Third Coast Percussion and Zakir Hussain share the stage for the first time as part of a collaborative concert presentation that blends the timbres of tabla with a classically trained percussion ensemble.

This interactive performance will engage students and introduce them to the building blocks of music and the incredible range of percussion instruments that can be found in cultures from around the world. 

Named for the patron saint of music, La Santa Cecilia draws inspiration from all over the world, utilizing Pan-American rhythms including cumbia, bossa nova, rumba, bolero, tango, jazz, and klezmer music. This family-friendly concert features opening artist Sonia De Los Santos whose uplifting set celebrates women who make music in a joyful journey of Latin American rhythms.

You’ll dance right out of your seat as you take a joyful journey of Latin American music ranging from the joyous, energetic sounds of Afro-Peruvian music to the percussive beats of Colombian rhythms and the beautiful melodies of traditional Mexican folk.

The Rosamunde String Quartet unites esteemed musicians from renowned ensembles such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and Los Angeles Philharmonic. Together, they share their love of chamber music with audiences worldwide.

Program

Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Op. 18, No. 3
Béla Bartók String Quartet No. 3
Franz Schubert String Quartet No. 14 in d minor (“Death and the Maiden”)

Arts collective TRIBE, founded by choreographer and performer Shamel Pitts, presents Black Hole, a captivating dance performance of unity, vigor, and unrelenting advancement.

Engulfed in an evocative soundscape of original music, sound samples, and spoken word, the dancers embark on an hour-long, uninterrupted journey in movement, in which their tenacity and grace are emphasized by cinematic video projections and stark, monochromatic lights.

The 1938 Soviet historical drama was directed by Sergei Eisenstein with a score written by Sergei Prokofiev. It depicts the attempted invasion of Novgorod in the 13th century by Knights of the Holy Roman Empire and their defeat by Prince Alexander, aka Alexander Nevsky. The film and music were a true collaboration in that some of the film was shot to Prokofiev’s music and some of Prokofiev’s music was composed to Eistenstein’s footage. 

In the labyrinthine world of Triptych, the audience is plunged into a man’s mind. Become the witness…or perhaps the voyeur…of what usually remains hidden and unsaid, taken into subconscious worlds to discover nightmares, fears, and desires.

Four-time GRAMMY winner and violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter returns to Ann Arbor after 12 years featuring pianist Lambert Orkis, as they present a program of favorite violin sonatas by Mozart, Schubert, Clara Schumann, and Respighi.

Program

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Violin Sonata No. 18 in G Major, K. 301
Franz Schubert Fantasie in C Major for Violin and Piano, D. 934
Aftab Darvishi Likoo
Clara Schumann Three Romances, Op. 22
Ottorino Respighi Sonata for Violin and Piano in b minor

Legendary Lebanese composer, singer, and oud master Marcel Khalife returns to Ann Arbor for the first time in 20 years, joined by his son, virtuoso pianist Rami Khalife, and his nephew, cellist Sary Khalife.

This program frames Vivaldi’s iconic concertos in a new light, inviting questions about the fleeting cyclical nature of our existence, our relationship with nature, and the eternal renewal of earth’s cycles, now being modified by climate change.

Program

Claudio Monteverdi Adoramus te, SV 289
Antonio Vivaldi Concerto for strings and basso continuo, RV 129 (“Madrigalesco”)
Marco Uccellini Bergamasca
Vivaldi Concerto in d minor, RV 813
Francesco Geminiani Concerto No. 12 in d minor “La Folia” (after Corelli)
Vivaldi Concerto in E Major, Op. 8, No. 1, RV 269 (“Spring”)
Vivaldi Concerto in g minor, Op. 8, No. 2, RV 315 (“Summer”)
Vivaldi Overture to La fida ninfa (“The Faithful Nymph”), RV 714
Vivaldi Concerto in F Major, Op. 8, No. 3, RV 293 (“Autumn”)
Vivaldi Grave from Violin Concerto in B-flat Major, RV 370
Vivaldi Concerto in f minor, Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297 (“Winter”)

Known for his singular combination of robust swing and poetic insight, the two-time Grammy winner brings his one-of-a-kind brand of contemporary lyricism and vocal ingenuity to vocal jazz. This celebration of Weather Report, one of jazz’s great supergroups, which was active in the 1970s and early 80s, will reimagine the fusion band’s iconic songs in addition to new arrangements inspired by their constellation of musicians. 

Following his enthralling performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Orchestre de Paris in March 2024, Yunchan Lim returns to Hill Auditorium for his UMS recital debut, performing Bach’s vibrant Goldberg Variations and Webern’s Variations for Piano.

Program

Anton Webern Variations for Piano, Op. 27
J.S. Bach Goldberg Variations, BWV 998

The cherished ensemble celebrates its 50th anniversary with a program that pairs Haydn and Beethoven, two innovators of the string quartet form, with Benjamin Britten’s rarely-performed String Quartet No. 2.

Program

Joseph Haydn String Quartet in C Major, Op. 54, No. 2
Benjamin Britten String Quartet No. 2 in C Major, Op. 36
Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135

Filled with humor, music and movement, these songs, dances and folktales not only teach about our past but provide valuable wisdom for growing up today and our collective future.