2024-2025 Season

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”)

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.

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

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.