The start of a new year at Arts & Lectures brings abundant opportunities to learn, reflect and connect. Winter, too, can be a season of renewal.
Inspired by Emily Dickinson – who found revelation in “a certain slant of light” on winter afternoons – we are offering a complimentary copy of her poems as this season’s Thematic Learning Initiative book. Share it with a friend, or savor it until those words return as shimmering new music when Joyce DiDonato and Time for Three perform Emily – No Prisoner Be (Feb 5), one of several Arts & Lectures co-commissions this season.
January also marks the launch of Hear & Now, our series of Santa Barbara debuts at Hahn Hall, with pianist Aristo Sham (Jan 24), the 2025 Van Cliburn Competition Gold Medal winner. Then, take a historic listening journey as Terence Blanchard and Ravi Coltrane (Jan 27) honor the 100-year legacies of Miles Davis and John Coltrane.
The Justice for All programming initiative continues with former University of California President Dr. Michael V. Drake (Jan 22); Pulitzer Prize-winner Caitlin Dickerson (Mar 5); MacArthur Fellow Ibram X. Kendi (Apr 7); and international affairs analyst Masha Gessen (Apr 14) – events that invite us to engage meaningfully with ideas that shape civic life.
This winter also offers a wealth of international performances, including France’s exhilarating Compagnie Hervé KOUBI (Jan 25); the dazzling artistry of Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti (Jan 28); and the soaring bel canto of Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez (Feb 7). We’ll honor an American legend with two extraordinary evenings celebrating choreographer Jerome Robbins, curated and danced by beloved New York City Ballet artist Tiler Peck (Mar 3 & 4).
We’ve added two can’t-miss musical evenings – a double bill with blues legend Taj Mahal and Americana maven Patty Griffin (Feb 17) and, coming in spring, Bluegrass Album of the Year Grammy nominee Sierra Hull (Apr 16).
Your winter adventure awaits, and I can’t wait to see you there!
Warmly,
Meghan Bush
Miller McCune Executive Director
Season Sponsor
Community Partners
photo:
Mélanie
Lhôte
photo: Isaac Hernández
photos
1-6 & inset
(this page):
Isaac Hernández de Lipa; cover photo: Ken Browar and Deborah Ory/NYC Dance Project
Find Your Place at Arts & Lectures
Become a member today and enjoy a range of benefits all year long. (See page 37 for details)
1. A&L Council Member Sara Miller McCune with Itzhak Perlman 2. Chancellor Dennis Assanis and Eleni Assanis with Fareed Zakaria
3. A&L Council Member Cliff Wyatt and A&L Ambassador Crystal Wyatt with Ira Glass 4. A&L Council Member Natalie Orfalea and Community Partner Lou Buglioli with Ezra Klein 5. A&L Council Member Rich Janssen and A&L Ambassador Luci Janssen with Samara Joy
A&L Partners Laura and Geof Wyatt with Fareed Zakaria
Illuminating a wide spectrum of systemic injustice, the Justice for All programming initiative looks to today’s great minds and creators and to the courageous leaders across the globe who are forging a new path forward. Join us as we learn from those confronting uncomfortable questions, solving difficult problems, and guiding us all toward a more equitable world.
Dr. Michael V. Drake, Jan 22
Understanding contemporary higher education
Caitlin Dickerson, Mar 5
Reporting the human cost of deportation
Ibram X. Kendi, Apr 7
Challenging racist ideologies
Masha Gessen, Apr 14
Identifying authoritarian patterns across borders
Look for additional events to be added throughout the season.
JUSTICE FOR ALL Lead Sponsors: Marcy Carsey, Eva & Yoel* Haller, Dick Wolf, and Zegar Family Foundation
JUSTICE FOR ALL UCSB Faculty Advisory Committee: Daina Ramey Berry, D. Inés Casillas, Charles Hale, Beth Pruitt, Susannah Scott, Je rey Stewart, Sharon Tettegah
A Benefit for Arts Education
Tony Award Winner
Jonathan Groff
Mon, Apr 27 / 5 PM Limited Tables Available
“That warm and heady feeling? … It’s secondhand intoxication from the joy Groff radiates in his element.” The Washington Post review of Just in Time
Broadway star Jonathan Groff brings his remarkable versatility and warmth to an intimate evening of song and conversation. Fresh from his “dazzling and immersive love letter to live performance” (The Washington Post) as Bobby Darin in Just in Time and his Tony-winning turn in Merrily We Roll Along, Groff continues to enthrall audiences on stage and screen. Known to millions as the royally hilarious, scene-stealing King George III in Hamilton, as well as for standout work in Spring Awakening, Mindhunter, Frozen and more, he is a performer whose presence lights up every room. Join us for an evening that reveals the heart, humor and artistry behind one of the most captivating performers of our time.
Call Heather Silva, Managing Director of Development, to reserve your table today! (805) 893-3755
Arts & Lectures’ Thematic Learning Initiative (TLI) extends the conversation from the stage into the community, enriching lifelong learning and initiating dialogue and empowerment through special events, book giveaways and more.
2025-2026 Theme: Paradigms at Play
Paradigms shift when we begin to experience the world around us in new ways. This season’s theme highlights artists and thinkers who play with our perceptions and expand how we feel, see, hear and imagine. Through shared experiences, we will play with paradigms to explore how we learn, connect and imagine what’s possible.
Winter Book Giveaway
RELATED EVENT
The Selected Poems of Emily Dickinson
Thu, Jan 29 / 5:30 PM
Santa Barbara Wine Collective FREE (registration required; books available while supplies last)
Discover the paradigms at play in Emily Dickinson’s poetry during a special evening hosted by Santa Barbara Poet Laureate George Yatchisin and featuring UCSB Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature Elizabeth Heckendorn Cook. Explore the essence of life, love, nature and time in exquisite verse with this elegantly designed edition of Dickinson’s finest poems. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
Joyce DiDonato and Time for Three, Emily – No Prisoner Be , Feb 5, (p. 17)
With thanks to our visionary partners, Lynda Weinman and Bruce Heavin, for their support of the Thematic Learning Initiative
Paradigms at Play - Free Events
Listening to Jazz with Professor Jon Nathan
Wed, Jan 21 / 6-7:15 PM / SOhO Restaurant and Music Club
FREE (registration required)
Beloved UCSB Professor Jon Nathan adapts his popular Listening to Jazz course for an evening dedicated to the smooth stylings of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Enjoy live jazz interwoven with discussion on the allure and influence of these American icons. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
Stay for a free performance by the UCSB Jazz Ensemble.
RELATED EVENT Terence Blanchard and Ravi Coltrane, Jan 27 (p. 13)
Community Dance Class with Tango After Dark
Sat, Jan 31 / 2-3 PM
Carrillo Ballroom, 100 E. Carrillo St.
FREE (registration required)
Dancers of all levels are invited to step into the rhythms of authentic Argentinian Tango with Gérman Cornejo’s worldclass tango dancers. This community class will focus on basic tango steps specific to Argentine style. All ages and levels are welcome. Partners are welcome but not required.
RELATED EVENT Tango After Dark, Feb 1 (p. 15)
Dance on Film: Tiler Peck: Suspending Time
Wed, Feb 18 / 7-8:30 PM / Granada Theatre
FREE (registration required)
Take a deeply personal look at one of ballet’s most celebrated artists as she faces a career crossroads. Following a series of life-altering events, including a major injury and a personal loss, New York City Ballet prima ballerina Tiler Peck is forced to reckon with the unknown and reimagine her relationship to dance. (Alex Ramsey, 2025, TV-PG, 52 min.) The screening will be followed by a brief discussion on American choreographer Jerome Robbins with UCSB Arnhold Professor of Dance Studies Ninotchka Bennahum.
Co-presented with The Granada Theatre
RELATED EVENT Ballet Festival: Jerome Robbins, Mar 3 & 4 (p. 27)
Look for additional events to be added throughout the season.
Create Your Own series of 4 or more events and save 10%
Some exclusions apply.
Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy and The Celtic All Stars, Mar 1
Tango After Dark, Feb 1
Nicola Benedetti, Jan 28
Bruce Liu, Feb 12
Winter Events
“She brings her trademark humor and offbeat sensibility to each of her chosen mediums, creating narratives that flip our understanding of relationships inside out.”
Los Angeles Review of Books
An Evening with Miranda July
Tue, Jan 20 / 7:30 PM / Campbell Hall
Tickets start at $28 / $10 UCSB students
“By tangling explicitly with reality across mediums, July pushes autofiction to new limits.” The Guardian (U.K.)
Join celebrated author, filmmaker and performance artist Miranda July for a conversation spanning her groundbreaking work across multiple disciplines and media. Known for her singular blend of vulnerability, humor and imagination, July arrives on the heels of widespread acclaim for her 2024 novel All Fours, a bold exploration of desire, identity and reinvention. Expect the unexpected as July revisits highlights from her groundbreaking films, installations and performances. Share this wild ride through the artist’s creative process, revealing her intimate relationship to risk and provocative take on the evolving role of the artist in contemporary life.
Books will be available for purchase, courtesy of Chaucer’s Books
Event Sponsor: Jordana Brewster & Mason Morfit
photo: Mario Gallucci
One of The New York Times ’ 10 Best Books of 2024
Just added!
UC President Emeritus
An Evening with
Dr. Michael V. Drake
In Conversation with Dr. Susannah Scott
Thu, Jan 22 / 7:30 PM / Campbell Hall
FREE (registration recommended)
“[Michael V. Drake] has used his decades of experience to advocate for better access to higher education for all Californians and has always fought for academic excellence.” – Governor Gavin Newsom
Former UC President (2020-2024), physician and educator Michael V. Drake, M.D. explores higher education’s past, present and future through the lenses of the University of California, our state and our nation. Drawing on decades of leadership, Drake examines how universities can expand access, foster inclusion and strengthen democracy. Following his remarks, he continues the conversation with Dr. Susannah Scott, Distinguished Professor at UC Santa Barbara, Former UC Santa Barbara Academic Senate Chair (2020-2024) and Vice-chair and Chair-elect of the UC systemwide Academic Senate (2025-2027).
photo: ElenaZhukova
Aristo Sham, piano
17th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Gold Medal Winner
Sat, Jan 24 / 7 PM / Hahn Hall
$43 / $10 UCSB students
(very limited availability)
Arts & Lectures proudly presents Aristo Sham, Gold Medalist of the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, in a special debut recital. The prestigious Cliburn Competition has been a global force in advancing classical piano since its founding in 1962, and has launched the careers of some of the world’s most celebrated pianists. Sham is a graduate of Harvard, the New England Conservatory of Music and The Juilliard School. Performing a Romantic program of works by J.S. Bach, Chopin and Brahms, Sham offers a rare chance to experience a rising star at the very beginning of a major international career.
Supporting Sponsor: Anne Smith Towbes honoring the memory of Michael Towbes
photo: Ralph Lauer
Gold Medal Piano Debut
“The dancers of Compagnie Hervé KOUBI… could be mistaken for gods. They glide, spin, toss one another in high arcs through the air, exhibiting an uncanny mastery of the body and a gravitas that renders their movements into poetry.”
The New Yorker
California Premiere
Dazzling Hip Hop Choreography From France
Compagnie Hervé KOUBI
Sol Invictus
Hervé Koubi, Artistic Director
Sun, Jan 25 / 7:30 PM / Granada Theatre
Tickets start at $55 / $20 UCSB students
A Granada facility fee is included in each ticket price
“In Compagnie Hervé KOUBI’s Sol Invictus, the dancers’ extraordinary moves are integrated into a poetic vision.”
The New York Times
The 19 dancers of Compagnie Hervé KOUBI are renowned for their electrifying fusion of street dance, contemporary movement and martial arts, creating performances that are physically exhilarating and deeply poetic. In French-Algerian choreographer Hervé Koubi’s latest work, Sol Invictus, love is the guarantor of peace, and despite fracture, communion emerges as humanity’s saving grace. The music score includes a composition by Swedish composer Mikael Karlsson, with excerpts by Steve Reich and digital composer Maxime Bodson. “I want to talk about light, solidarity, and those bonds that unite us,” says Koubi. “Here, the sun and the dance will emerge victorious.”
Event Sponsor: Marcia & John Mike Cohen
Dance Series Sponsors: Margo Cohen-Feinberg, Barbara Stupay, Sheila Wald, and Anonymous
photo:
Mélanie
Lhôte;
inset:
Nathalie
Sternalski
“[Terence Blanchard’s] succinct solos are always filled with the right amount of rhythmic crackle and subtle nuance.” JazzTimes
“John Coltrane’s saxophonist son puts a clear distance between his own work and his late father’s by often playing spry and subtly crafted lines in a murmur rather than unleashing cloudbursts of sound.”
The Guardian (U.K.)
A Next Generation Jazz Legacy Terence Blanchard and Ravi Coltrane
Miles Davis and John Coltrane Centennial
Tue, Jan 27 / 7:30 PM / Granada Theatre
Tickets start at $50 / $16 UCSB students
A Granada facility fee is included in each ticket price
The year 1926 saw the birth of two giants who forever changed the sound of American music: Miles Davis and John Coltrane. In this rare and powerful collaboration trumpeter Terence Blanchard and saxophonist Ravi Coltrane join forces to celebrate and reimagine the legacies of these jazz titans. A six-time Grammy winner and Oscar-nominated film composer, Blanchard has long drawn inspiration from Miles Davis, channeling his fearless innovation into his own genre-defying body of work. Ravi, the son of John and Alice Coltrane, is a thoughtful, expressive saxophonist whose career has been defined by both deep reverence and fearless individuality. Together, they lead a world-class ensemble in a centennial tribute that’s more than a look back; it’s a bold continuation of jazz’s living tradition. This electrifying event is one of only a handful of performances scheduled worldwide.
Event Sponsors: Jody & John Arnhold and Susan & Bruce Worster
Jazz Series Lead Sponsor: Manitou Fund
RELATED EVENT Listening to Jazz with Professor Jon Nathan (p. 7)
photo: Cedric Angeles
photo: Erin O’Brian
“For an hour the audience sat spellbound by a display of focused virtuosity that was so extraordinary it shouldn’t have been possible.”
The Times (U.K.)
HHHHH
“Her exquisite playing combin[es] true virtuosity and a deep musical intelligence.”
The Herald (Scotland)
“Benedetti is an absorbing musical storyteller. Like all the best, she leaves you wanting more.”
Minnesota Star-Tribune
Debut Performance of U.S. Tour
Nicola Benedetti, violin
Director, Edinburgh International Festival
Wed, Jan 28 / 7 PM / Campbell Hall
Tickets start at $48 / $15 UCSB students
Grammy-winning Scottish violinist and Director of the Edinburgh International Festival, Nicola Benedetti brings her signature blend of passion and virtuosity to an imaginative new ensemble featuring guitar, accordion and cello. Reimagining beloved classical works by such canonical figures as Clara Schumann and Arturo Paganini through this unique instrumentation, Benedetti continues to champion the art form while captivating new audiences with her radiant tone and charismatic stage presence. “This is an artist who exudes star quality,” raves The Herald (Scotland).
Lead Sponsor: Sara Miller McCune
Nicola Benedetti, violin Plínio Fernandes, guitar
Hanzhi Wang, accordion
Adrian Daurov, cello
Program
von Paradis: Sicilienne
Wieniawski: Polonaise Brillante
Ponce: Estrellita
Sarasate: Navarra
Monti: Csárdás
Bloch: “Prayer” from From Jewish Life
Debussy: Beau Soir
Sarasate: Carmen Concert Fantasy
Plus works by Arturo Paganini along with new arrangements of traditional Scottish music
photo: Craig Gibson
Following Sold-out Runs in London Two Performances!
Germán Cornejo’s Tango After Dark
Sun, Feb 1 / 2 PM & 7 PM / Lobero Theatre
Tickets start at $60 / $16 UCSB students
“Sexy, sensuous, stylish and seriously impressive. This is an utter feast for the eyes and a riveting recital of physical poetry.”
Broadway World (U.K.)
This intimate and electrifying dive into the soul of Argentine dance is led by World Tango Champions Germán Cornejo and Gisela Galeassi. Joined by a cadre of exceptional dancers, a powerhouse singer and a live band performing Astor Piazzolla’s revolutionary nuevo tango, this sultry ensemble delivers a breathtaking, high-octane performance. Cornejo’s innovative choreography fuses deep-rooted traditions with a contemporary edge, capturing the seductive pulse of Buenos Aires. Following sold-out runs in London, this highly anticipated Santa Barbara premiere unveils tango in its purest form: bold, sensual and unforgettable. LIVE MUSIC!
RELATED EVENT Community Dance Class with Tango After Dark (p. 7)
photo: Federico
Paleo photo: Danny Kaan
“The world’s only period-instrument rock band.”
San Francisco Classical Voice on Ruckus
Ruckus Davóne Tines, bass-baritone
What Is Your Hand in This?
Tue, Feb 3 / 7 PM / Hahn Hall
$53 / $10 UCSB students
In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, visionary bassbaritone Davóne Tines joins forces with the genredefying early music ensemble Ruckus for a musical journey through American history. Drawing on colonial hymns, Revolutionary-era ballads, Baroque masterworks, spirituals and contemporary works, What Is Your Hand in This? traces the nation from its founding ideals through the Civil War and Civil Rights movements to the urgent questions of today. With Ruckus’ electrifying period-instrument sound and Tines’ singular presence, this powerful program invites audiences to reflect on the legacies we inherit and the futures we choose to build.
Supporting Sponsor: Linda Stafford Burrows
“One of the most powerful voices of our time.”
Los Angeles Times
photo: Noah Elliott Morrison
photo: Fay Fox
West Coast Premiere
AndBeing,but
Ear, AndI, dSilence,somestr geRace, Wrecked,solitary,hereAndthenaPl k Re on,broke, AndIdro eddown, ddownAndh aWorld, every unge, AndFinhedknowing-then-
“Drawing on her formidable range of vocal color, DiDonato captures the drama within each song, and across the cycle.”
The Guardian (U.K.)
“With their staggering technique and freewheeling genre-crossing, it’s hard not to be swept up in the force of their contagious energy.” NPR on Time for Three
Funeral, myBrain, AndMourners d o treading-treading-ti seemed Sensew breakingthroughAndwhenthey werese ed, AService,likeaDrumKept ing- ing-ti Ithought Mymindw goingnumbAndthenIheardthemliftaBox AndcreakacrossmySoulWiththosesameB ts Lead,aga
– No Prisoner Be
Thu, Feb 5 / 7 PM / Granada Theatre
Tickets start at $50 / $20 all students (with valid ID)
A Granada facility fee is included in each ticket price
photo: Chris Gonz
Event Sponsor: Luci & Rich Janssen
RELATED EVENT Winter Book Giveaway (p. 6)
BecauseIcouldnotstop De hHekindlysto ed meTheCaiageheldbutjustOurselvesAndImmortality. AndIhadputawayMylabor dmyle uret , ForH CivilityWep sed Sch l,whereChildrenstrove AtRecess- RingWep sed Fields GazingGraWep sed SeingSunOrr her-Hep sedUs-
Premier mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato and the genre-defying string trio Time for Three present Emily – No Prisoner Be, a semi-staged song cycle composed by Pulitzer Prize winner Kevin Puts (The Hours). This innovative collaboration sets 24 of Emily Dickinson’s poems to music, blending classical, folk and contemporary styles. Featuring evocative lighting and stage design, this special immersive experience explores themes of identity, freedom and nature through the lens of one of America’s greatest poets.
There othersky, Everserene dfair, Andthere othersunshine, Though darkness Nevermindfaded ests, Nevermindsilent
photo: Lorenzo Cisi
“The dancers and musicians manage to combine a high-gloss finish with a convincing air of spontaneous excitement.”
The Independent (U.K.)
“Sheer physical energy and beauty.”
The New York Times
The National Dance Company of the Republic of Guinea
Les Ballets Africains
Fri, Feb 6 / 7:30 PM / Granada Theatre
Tickets start at $40 / $19 youth (18 & under) / $16 UCSB students
A Granada facility fee is included in each ticket price
A powerful blend of music, dance and storytelling, the national ensemble of Guinea offers a vibrant reflection of its rich cultural heritage. Founded in 1952, Les Ballets Africains has earned international acclaim for its precision and artistry that transcends mere entertainment. With a legacy that spans continents and decades, their performances highlight traditional rhythms, striking choreography and the dynamic interplay of movement and sound. This acclaimed ensemble of more than 40 dancers, singers and musicians shares a living tradition – rooted in history, yet constantly evolving – through a program that celebrates the depth and diversity of West African performance.
Santa Barbara Debut Operatic Royalty in Recital
Juan Diego Flórez, tenor
Vincenzo
Scalera, piano
Sat, Feb 7 / 7 PM / Lobero Theatre
Tickets start at $70 / $21 UCSB students
A Lobero facility fee is included in each ticket price “Effortless phrasing and a gleaming High C that made audiences ecstatic.” OperaWire
“A bel canto superstar.”
The New York Times
“A beautiful tenor… he sings with intelligence and a great voice.”
– Luciano Pavarotti
One of the most charismatic leading men on today’s opera stage, Juan Diego Flórez, bel canto tenor, is known for his interpretations of Puccini, Donizetti and Rossini. This rare North American appearance in the historic Lobero Theatre will include highlights from his illustrious career in bel canto as well as classic Spanish songs from his childhood in Peru. Experience the majesty of one of the world’s most impressive vocal artists. With breathtaking technique and unmistakable charm, Flórez brings passion and precision to every note. Program includes selections by Rossini, Donizetti, Gounod, Puccini and more
“Liu can do the impeccable glitter, but his playing is more than pyrotechnics. It is powerful, polished, and emanates from a disciplined mind.”
The Telegram
“Spontaneity is a feature that makes his performances feel constantly alive… This is a pianist with a captivating musical personality.”
Financial Times
Winner of the International Chopin Piano Competition
Bruce Liu
Thu, Feb 12 / 7 PM / Campbell Hall
Tickets start at $38 / $15 UCSB students
Pianist Bruce Liu returns after a thrilling 2024 Arts & Lectures debut that left audiences eager for more. Since winning the 2021 International Chopin Piano Competition, Liu has become one of the most talked-about artists on the international scene, known for performances that combine charm, clarity and stunning technique. This bold and colorful program moves from Ligeti’s playful “Fanfares” and Beethoven’s iconic “Moonlight” Sonata to the rhythmic flair of Ravel and the expressive brilliance of Chopin. Don’t miss this chance to hear a rising star in full flight.
Program
Ligeti: Étude No. 4 (“Fanfares”)
Bach: French Suite No. 5, BWV 816
Beethoven:
Piano Sonata No. 21, op. 53 (“Waldstein”)
Chopin: Nocturnes, op. 27
Ravel: Alborada del gracioso
Mompou:
Glossa y fantasía sobre “Au clair de la lune”
Albéniz: “El Puerto” from Iberia, Book 1
Liszt: Rhapsodie espagnole
photo:
Christoph Koestlin
Just added!
Special Double Bill
Taj Mahal and Patty Griffin
Tue, Feb 17 / 7:30 PM / Arlington Theatre
Tickets start at $45 / $16 UCSB students
An Arlington facility fee is included in each ticket price
“A multi-instrumentalist wizard… While often described as a blues musician, he’s more of an international griot.” Datebook on Taj Mahal
“Sometimes with tenderness, with family and loss, sometimes with fierce poignant critique, her wordplay is profound, challenging and unrivaled.” – Robert Plant on Patty Griffin
Blues legend Taj Mahal, winner of the 2025 Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album for Swinging Live at the Church in Tulsa, joins Patty Griffin, two-time Grammy winner and Americana Lifetime Achievement honoree, for a night of roots music at its finest. Griffin’s acclaimed new album Crown of Roses affirms her place among the most vital singersongwriters of her generation. In this rare co-headlining event, each artist performs a full set, showcasing the depth and range of two singular voices in American music.
Event Sponsor: Marilyn & Dick Mazess
West Coast Premiere of New Piece by Jlin
Jlin + Third Coast Percussion
Thu, Feb 19 / 8 PM / Campbell Hall
Tickets start at $33 / $10 UCSB students
“[Jlin creates] something frenetic and physical but also heavy with emotion, like chamber music breaking out on the dance floor.” Stereogum
“Third Coast Percussion is blurring musical boundaries and beguiling new listeners.” NPR
Grammy-winning ensemble Third Coast Percussion joins forces with groundbreaking electronic composer and performer Jlin for a genre-defying evening that fuses acoustic and electronic worlds. In this bold collaboration, a decade in the making, Jlin’s polyrhythmic, footwork-inspired sound meets the precision and creativity of TCP’s contemporary classical training. The program features acoustic interpretations of Jlin’s work by TCP, a live electronic set by Jlin and a new piece performed by all five musicians on stage. Don’t miss this journey to a new sonic universe.
“Aside from being the most famous cellist alive, he is a musician of immense conscience, a wholeheartedly earnest presence who tends to bring out the best in whatever company he is in.”
The New York Times
“An extraordinary artist and a true musical genius… Every time he shares his music, it is a master class in love.”
– Stevie Wonder
Yo-Yo Ma in Recital
Sun, Feb 22 / 4 PM (note special time) / Granada Theatre
Tickets start at $70 / $20 UCSB students
A Granada facility fee is included in each ticket price (very limited availability)
Beloved by Santa Barbara audiences and returning once again to Arts & Lectures, legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma offers a rare opportunity to experience a full solo recital program. This singular evening features three new works commissioned specially for Yo-Yo Ma by A&L. Genre-defying South African cellist Abel Selaocoe contributes a piece rooted in African ideals and expressing the universality of the natural world. Pulitzer Prize-winner Caroline Shaw’s composition imagines a sound that has, in her words, “never been heard before but has always existed.” The program culminates in a new piece drawing on music that Yo-Yo Ma has encountered during his recent and ongoing exploration of the ways that culture can reinvigorate our connection to the natural world, with a particular focus on water. This onenight-only performance is sure to sell out.
An Unprecedented Solo Recital of World Premiere Commissions
photo: Austin Mann
Celebrating 34 Years in Santa Barbara Two Nights! Two Programs!
Just added!
Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour
Tue, Feb 24 & Wed, Feb 25 / 7 PM / Arlington Theatre
$26 / $18 youth (18 & under) / $15 UCSB students
An Arlington facility fee will be added to each ticket price Curated and hosted by Roman Baratiak, A&L Associate Director Emeritus
The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour returns for two nights of exhilarating mountain adventures at larger-than-life scale. Featuring the world’s best films on subjects ranging from ice climbing and extreme alpinism to mountain culture and the environment, the tour delivers adrenaline-packed thrills alongside profound messages about human potential and the natural world. An entirely different program of films (TBA) screens each night.
Major Local Sponsor: Justin Brooks Fisher Foundation
The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is presented by Banff & Lake Louise Tourism and Rab and is sponsored by Oboz, YETI, World Expeditions, The Lake Louise Ski Resort, DUER, Grangers, HOVERAir, NOLS, and Nossa Familia Coffee
Banff
National Park,
photo by Paul Zizka
“He’s the eighth wonder of the world.” – Bonnie Raitt on Jon Cleary
“A portable Mardi Gras dance party.” Rolling Stone on Cha Wa
“This prodigiously accomplished outfit… combines Crescent City R&B, gospel, blues, harmony-rich vocals, a hefty helping of funk and a whole lot of rousing high spirits.” JazzTimes on The Absolute Monster Gentlemen
A Double Dose of Crescent City Soul
Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen
Cha Wa
Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler
Thu, Feb 26 / 8 PM / Campbell Hall
Tickets start at $38 / $15 UCSB students
Grammy-winning pianist and bandleader Jon Cleary, the reigning king of New Orleans funk, channels a musical lineage that stretches from Professor Longhair and the Meters to Dr. John and the Neville Brothers. With his powerhouse band, The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Cleary lays down deep grooves and secondline swagger steeped in that unmistakable Big Easy magic. Joining the party is Cha Wa, the electrifying Mardi Gras Indian band carrying forward the carnival traditions of Monk Boudreaux and the Wild Magnolias. With their funk-infused rhythms, blazing horns and Afro-Caribbean street chants, Cha Wa brings the spirit of the Mardi Gras parade straight to the stage.
photo: Steve Rapport
“To call Natalie MacMaster the most dynamic performer in Celtic music today is high praise, but it still doesn’t get at just how remarkable a concert artist this Cape Breton Island fiddler has become.”
The Boston Herald
Virtuoso Fiddle Fireworks
Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy and The Celtic All Stars
Sun, Mar 1 / 7 PM / Campbell Hall
Tickets start at $43 / $18 youth (18 & under) / $15 UCSB students
In this unforgettable evening of music and celebration, Canada’s Celtic superstars Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy and some of the world’s finest musicians explore Celtic traditions across nations, tracing the music’s ancient roots to its vibrant global force. The Celtic All Stars lineup includes exceptional guests like vocalist Karen Matheson of Capercaillie, four-time All-Ireland Champion banjo player Enda Scahill, critically-acclaimed Scottish piper Ross Ainslie and the duo’s multi-talented daughter Mary Frances. Don’t miss this night of fiery fiddling, electrifying energy and the heart and soul of Celtic music!
Only West Coast Performance Two Nights! Two Programs!
Ballet Festival: Jerome Robbins Curated by Tiler Peck
A Joyce Theater Production
Tue, Mar 3 & Wed, Mar 4
7:30 PM / Granada Theatre
Tickets start at $55
$20 UCSB students
$23 youth (18 and under)
A Granada facility fee is included in each ticket price
New York City Ballet Principal Tiler Peck curates and dances in this two-night tribute to the legendary Jerome Robbins, whose fusion of ballet and jazz helped define a distinctly American style. Performances include A Suite of Dances, with Peck becoming the first woman to dance the role Robbins created for Mikhail Baryshnikov. The two distinct and thrilling programs will feature an international cast of principal dancers from New York City Ballet (including Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia), American Ballet Theatre and other top-tier dance companies. Don’t miss this rare chance to see some of the world’s greatest dancers in two unforgettable nights.
Programs
Tue, Mar 3: Four Bagatelles, Other Dances, In the Night
Wed, Mar 4: Rondo, A Suite of Dances, Other Dances, Dances at a Gathering
Lead Sponsor: Jody & John Arnhold
“Tiler Peck’s dancing is distinguished by its musicality, speed and precision.”
The New York Times
Dance Series Sponsors: Margo Cohen-Feinberg, Barbara Stupay, Sheila Wald, and Anonymous
RELATED EVENT Dance on Film: Tiler Peck: Suspending Time (p. 7)
photo:
Just added!
Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist
Caitlin Dickerson
Deported: The Price of Our Prosperity
Thu, Mar 5 / 7:30 PM / Campbell Hall
$20 / FREE for UCSB students
“Democracy doesn’t work without a free and fair press, and we can’t trust institutions to give democracy to us.” – Caitlin Dickerson
Caitlin Dickerson’s “uncompromising, compassionate reporting illuminates the magnitude of America’s ongoing immigration crisis.”
– 2023 Silvers-Dudley Prize judges panel
Investigative journalist Caitlin Dickerson has spent more than a decade covering deportation and migration. She received the Pulitzer Prize in 2023 for her reporting on the forcible separation of children from their families at the southwest border. Her work has also earned a Peabody, an Edward R. Murrow award and honors from the National Association of Black Journalists. Deportation, and the threat of it, have affected millions of Americans, including children, over recent decades. A staff writer at The Atlantic and formerly with The New York Times and NPR, Dickerson will illuminate how Immigration and Customs Enforcement carries out its mandate.
photo: Earl Wilson
One of Two U.S. Dates
Chucho Valdés & Arturo Sandoval Legacy Quintet
Sat, Mar 7 / 7:30 PM / Campbell Hall
Tickets start at $43 / $15 UCSB students
“Chucho Valdés is one of the great treasures of the music world… Valdés grounds his work in the aural history of mother Cuba, while seamlessly weaving in aspects of folk, jazz and classical to create a singular musical vision.” DownBeat
“Both an ambassador for and an innovator of jazz, Sandoval has played a central role in expanding the music he loves most from an American vernacular into a global language.”
The Washington Post
Chucho Valdés and Arturo Sandoval, icons of Afro-Cuban jazz and founding members of the legendary ensemble Irakere, reunite for an electrifying new collaboration. The Legacy Quintet celebrates their rich musical heritage with fresh compositions and inspired arrangements. Valdés, a multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy winner, remains a driving force in Latin jazz, while Sandoval, honored in 2024 by The Kennedy Center, brings his unmatched trumpet virtuosity to the stage. An unforgettable evening with two of the music world’s most celebrated masters.
Jazz Series Lead Sponsor: Manitou Fund
photo: Martin Espino and Innercat
Just Added! Coming in Spring
National Book Award Winner
Ibram X. Kendi
Chain of Ideas: The Origins of Our Authoritarian Age
Tue, Apr 7 / 7:30 PM / Campbell Hall
$30 / FREE for UCSB students
FREE copies of Kendi’s new book, Chain of Ideas , will be available while supplies last (pick up at event, one per household)
“The greatest service Kendi [provides] is the ruthless prosecution of American ideas about race for their tensions, contradiction and unintended consequences.” The Washington Post
Historian Ibram X. Kendi is one of the world’s leading scholars of racism and antiracism. As the author of Stamped from the Beginning, he became the youngest winner of the National Book Award for Nonfiction and has been one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People and a MacArthur Fellow. In his highly anticipated work Chain of Ideas, Kendi traces how “great replacement theory” moved from the margins to a dominant force in global authoritarianism, showing how it erodes democratic norms and outlining how we can confront it and strengthen democracy.
Books will be available for purchase and signing, courtesy of Chaucer’s Books Just added!
photo: Stephen Voss
George Polk Award-winning Journalist and Author
Masha Gessen
Politics of the Past, Politics of
the Future
Tue, Apr 14 / 7:30 PM / Campbell Hall
$20 / FREE for UCSB students
“An indispensable voice of and for this moment.”
– Timothy Snyder (author of On Tyranny)
“When Gessen speaks about autocracy, you listen.” The New York Times Book Review
One of our most incisive observers of democracy, Masha Gessen is the author of 11 books, including the National Book Award-winning The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism
Reclaimed Russia. Gessen examines how autocracies “other” vulnerable groups, tracing this tactic in Putin’s Russia and its personal consequences, which caused Gessen to flee to the U.S. a decade ago. Today, Gessen draws a clear throughline to similar currents here. As contemporary autocrats promise a return to an imaginary, safer past, Gessen argues that the antidote to the politics of the past is an inspiring politics of the future. What might that future be, and can we see its early outlines if we look closely?
Books will be available for purchase and signing, courtesy of Chaucer’s Books
Just added! photo: Damon Winter
[Sierra Hull is] a shockingly good player, with more than enough ability to play my admittedly angular and sometimes complex form of bluegrass.”
– Béla Fleck
Six-time International Bluegrass Music Association Mandolin Player of the Year
Sierra Hull
Thu, Apr 16 / 8 PM / Campbell Hall
Tickets start at $45 / $15 UCSB students
“Hull is as good a songwriter as a mandolin player, and could give Bill Monroe a run for his money on the latter.” Isthmus
Sierra Hull, a six-time Grammy nominee including Bluegrass Album of the Year for her latest release A Tip Toe High Wire, brings dazzling musicianship, expressive vocals and genre-bending imagination to the stage. Once a prodigy mentored by Alison Krauss, she has become one of acoustic music’s most captivating voices, blending bluegrass roots with adventurous songwriting and chamber-folk finesse. Her command of the stage has led to widely acclaimed performances including the Outlaw Music Tour alongside artists such as Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan and Billy Strings. This concert showcases Hull and her own band at their most intimate, dynamic and emotionally resonant.
Just added!
Just added!
UCSB Reads Author Event
Michelle Zauner
Crying in H Mart
Thu, May 7 / 7:30 PM / Campbell Hall
FREE (registration recommended)
“Michelle Zauner has written a book you experience with all of your senses: sentences you can taste, paragraphs that sound like music. She seamlessly blends stories of food and memory, sumptuousness and grief, to weave a complex narrative of loyalty and loss.” The New Yorker
Bestselling author and Grammy-nominated musician Michelle Zauner (Japanese Breakfast) shares the moving story behind her memoir Crying in H Mart, a powerful meditation on family, food, identity and loss. Blending lyrical prose and emotional honesty, Zauner’s book explores her Korean-American heritage and her mother’s lasting influence through the tastes and textures of memory.
Books will be available for purchase and signing, courtesy of Chaucer’s Books
Co-presented with UCSB Library as part of UCSB Reads 2026, with support from the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor
Access for ALL | Arts & Lectures Learning
Through Access for ALL, inspirational, dynamic learning experiences are possible for students and lifelong learners across classrooms, our community and the UCSB campus.
UCSB Students
• Classroom visits
• Master classes
• Panel discussions
• Lecture-demonstrations
• Discounted and free admission to A&L mainstage events
K-12
• Matinee fi eld trips for students from across the county
• Assemblies
• Workshops
• Q&As
Lifelong Learners
• Thematic Learning Initiative (TLI): Extending the conversation through fi lm screenings, special events and book giveaways
• Author signings
• Pre-show talks and post-show Q&As
• Community workshops
Access for ALL serves more than 30,000 students and community members annually.
Please consider a contribution to A&L’s award-winning educational outreach programs. Call Heather Silva, Managing Director of Development, at (805) 893-3755 for more info
Free community dance class with dancer from Ballet Preljocaj
La Cumbre Junior High School students attend a workshop with Lila Downs’ band members
UCSB student session with columnist, CNN host and author, Fareed Zakaria
Thank you to our Access for All and ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! Sponsors
Arnhold A&L Education Initiative
Linda Stafford Burrows
La Centra-Sumerlin Foundation
Audrey & Timothy O. Fisher
Marcy Carsey Martha Gabbert
Eva & Yoel* Haller
Robin & Roger Himovitz
Hutton Parker Foundation
Dorothy Largay & Wayne Rosing
In Memory of Margaret Zwigard Lavidge
Little One Foundation and Belle Hahn
Lucky One Foundation and Hahn Shining Family
Sara Miller McCune
The Otis Booth Foundation
The Roddick Foundation
Stone Family Foundation
Towbes Fund for Performing Arts, an interest area of the Santa Barbara Foundation
William H. Kearns Foundation
Dick Wolf
Crystal & Cliff Wyatt
The Zegar Family Foundation
* In Memoriam
University Support:
Office of the Chancellor
Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor
photo 1: David Bazemore; photos 2&3: Isaac Hernández de Lipa
¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! brings people together to share the rich cultural heritage of Latin America, serving more than 15,000 students and community members each year throughout Santa Barbara County.
Created in 2006 out of a commitment to arts access for all, Viva works with dozens of local partners to present high-quality artists who share their knowledge and passion. Schools, neighborhood spaces and community centers come alive in these free programs for youth and families.
¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! is a collaboration between The Marjorie Luke Theatre, Guadalupe Visual & Performing Arts Center, Isla Vista School Parent Teacher Association and UCSB Arts & Lectures, serving Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Lompoc, Santa Maria, Guadalupe and New Cuyama.
Coming in Winter of 2026
Mariachi Reyna de Los Ángeles
January 15-18
Las Cafeteras
March 19-22
Performances are FREE (no registration required)
For nearly two decades, Viva has brought vibrant cultural performance and educational opportunities to the most underserved in Santa Barbara County.
Join us in securing the future of this vital partnership with a gift to ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara!
For more information about supporting Viva, contact Elise Erb, Senior Director of Development, at (805) 893-5679.
1. Ballet Nepantla performs a free concert 2. Young audience members enjoy a free family performance by Ballet Folklorico de Los Ángeles 3. Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles performs a free concert 4. Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar performs a free concert 5. La Santa Cecilia plays to a packed house at The Marjorie Luke Theatre
photos: Isaac Hernández de Lipa
The Benefits of Giving
Become a donor and join a community of arts advocates that enable us to deliver remarkable programming on and off stage.
The Benefi ts of Giving
Bespoke A&L experiences
Invitations to dinners with artists or lecturers and other A&L members
Opportunity to host reception with an artist or lecturer
Event sponsorship opportunities
Complimentary reserved parking for all ticketed Campbell Hall events
A pair of complimentary guest tickets to an A&L public event
Reserved VIP seating at A&L Summer Cinema Series
VIP Ticketing Concierge Service and Priority Seating
Complimentary ticket exchange when your plans change
Invitations to Producers Circle Receptions
Access to Intermission Lounge at A&L events at The Granada Theatre
Invitation to A&L’s exclusive Season Announcement Party
Opportunity to attend master classes and other educational activities
Invitation to a member appreciation event
Recognition in A&L impact reports or digital media
To learn more about membership, contact Austin Janisch, Annual Giving & Membership Manager, at (805)893-2174 or Membership@ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu
UCSB Arts & Lectures Calendar, Issue # 2025-2026.2. This free publication is printed quarterly in fall, winter and spring. Arts & Lectures, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5030
Patron Information
How to Order
Online
www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu
Phone (805) 893-3535
Hours: Mon-Fri, 10 AM-5 PM
In Person
Campbell Hall Box Office on the UC Santa Barbara campus
Hours: Mon-Fri, 10 AM-5 PM
A fee is required to park on campus.
Questions?
(805) 893-3535
info@ArtsAndLectures.ucsb.edu
Ticket Donations and Exchanges
Ticket donations or exchange requests must be received at least two full business days prior to the event. Ticket exchanges are available to all patrons for a $5 fee per ticket (no exchange fee for subscribers and Producers Circle members). Tickets are exchanged at face value and are subject to availability. Tickets of a higher value exchanged for a lower value are considered an even exchange; tickets exchanged for a higher value need the difference paid. It is the policy of UCSB and the UC Regents that a modest portion of gifts and/or the income from gifts may be used to defray the costs of raising and administering funds.
Changed, Canceled and Postponed Events
All sales are final. No refunds or returns are permitted, except in the case of an event cancellation. Service charges may not be refundable. In the event of a cancellation, postponement, venue change or schedule change, the A&L Ticket Office will make every effort to notify the purchaser in advance. A&L will not be responsible for losses (monetary or otherwise) if we are unable to contact you in the event of such a change. Please make sure your current email address and phone number are on file with the A&L Ticket Office; they will be used to communicate event guidelines, ticketing info and other important updates.
Purchase of Tickets From Unauthorized Sources
UCSB Arts & Lectures assumes no liability for tickets purchased through unauthorized channels including Tickets Center, StubHub, Event Tickets Center, Vivid Seats and other secondary market or ticket broker services. We strongly advise against purchasing tickets from any source other than the Arts & Lectures Ticket Office, www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu, or the venue ticket office and official website. Tickets purchased from unauthorized sources may be stolen, counterfeit or otherwise compromised and, if so, are not valid for admission. If you are unsure if a ticket seller has been authorized to sell A&L tickets,
Due to the nature of live events, artists, programs and prices are subject to change.
please contact the Ticket Office prior to purchasing from that source. A&L does not replace tickets purchased through the secondary market.
Student and Youth Discounts
UCSB student-rate tickets are available to full-time UCSB students who have completed enrollment (one ticket per ID). A valid UCSB student ID is required at the time of purchase and at the event. “All Student” ticket holders must show current student ID at the event. “Youth” ticket holders of high school age may be asked to show ID at the event.
Fees
All tickets and orders are subject to service charges and/or facility fees. Ticket prices, service charges and facility fees are subject to change without notice.
Group Sales
Once single tickets are on sale, groups of 20 or more may take advantage of special rates for select events. Contact the A&L Ticket Office with inquiries.
Accessibility
A&L is committed to making events accessible to all who wish to enjoy them. Please contact the A&L Ticket Office in advance to ensure the best possible experience and receive information about accessible seating, assistive listening devices, large-print programs and other accommodations.
Suitability for Children
A&L’s performing arts season is designed primarily for adult audiences. Contact the Ticket Office if you have questions about the appropriateness of an event. All patrons, regardless of age, must have a ticket to enter the theater.
Late Seating
A&L makes every effort to begin events at the published start time. Late seating and re-entry will take place during appropriate points in the program determined by the artist. Reserved seats are not guaranteed after the event begins.
UC Santa Barbara Smoke-Free and
Tobacco-Free Policy
Under the authority of California Government Code 7597.1, smoking and the use of all tobacco products, the use of smokeless tobacco products, and the use of unregulated nicotine products (e.g., “e-cigarettes”) are prohibited anywhere at all indoor and outdoor spaces managed by UC Santa Barbara.
Venues
A&L presents events at a variety of locations on the UCSB campus and around Santa Barbara. Visit the A&L website for specific venue details.
Parking at the UCSB Campus
A fee is required to park on campus. Purchase short-term parking on arrival at a permit dispenser (available in all campus parking lots) or using the ParkMobile app. License plate number required; select lots are closed to visitor parking. Parking for A&L’s Campbell Hall events can also be purchased in advance online. Visit the UCSB Transportation & Parking Services website (www.tps.ucsb.edu) for more information.
