How to Use This Guide
Step 1
Browse through our events by date.
Step 2
If your course matches an event's “Who Connects” section, you can:
Bring your class to the event!
Email tickets-theclarice@umd.edu or call 301.405.ARTS (2787) to book your group’s tickets
Incorporate the performance into your curricular plans
Performance visits on syllabi, performance attendance for extra credit, etc.
If you are interested in having the artist visit your class: Contact Jane Hirshberg at janeh22@umd.edu or 301.405.8172 to create a custom experience for your students
of Things Not Seen of Black Puppetry and
bject performance as a powerful jectification of Black bodies. rector of Food for the Gods and of Object Performance in the audience in the historical development of African-American puppetry and discuss the power of puppetry to redress cultural erasure and foster community healing.
Who Connects?
African American Studies, American Studies, Anthropology, Arts and Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, College Park Scholars-Arts, Family Science, Psychology, Sociology, Public Health, Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, Theatre
September
The Clarice slowdanger: SUPERCELL
Thu, Sep 21 • 8PM
Fri, Sep 22 • 8PM
Kogod Theatre, The Clarice
Making its world premiere at The Clarice, SUPERCELL is an evening-length dance work with a multidisciplinary angle responding to climate change, media sensationalism, desensitization and environmental collapse. The title refers to the large storms of deep, persistent updrafts often resulting in many tornadoes. While supercells are terrifying and ominous harbingers of great damage, they are simultaneously breathtaking environmental events when witnessed from afar. The effect is similar to sensationalist media, instantly amplifying catastrophic events for an insatiable public’s consumption. Throughout their creation process, slowdanger consulted with scientists, educators, climate activists, anthropologists, sociologists, sustainable design experts and a dramaturgical advisor.
A Pittsburgh-based, multidisciplinary performance ensemble, slowdanger was founded in 2013 by co-artistic directors Taylor Knight and Anna Thompson. The queer non-binary-led organization uses a systematic approach to movement, integrative technology, found material, electronic instrumentation, vocalization, physiological centering and ontological examination to produce their hypnotic performance work. “Anna Thompson and Taylor Knight are always up to something cool,” raves the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Who Connects?
American Studies, Anthropology, Atmospheric and Oceanic Change, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, College Park Scholars- Science and Global Change, Dance, Environmental Science and Policy, Geographical Sciences, Sociology, Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
The Prom
Fri, Sep 29 • 7:30PM
Sun, Oct 1 • 3PM
Thur, Oct 5 • 7:30PM
Fri, Oct 6 • 7:30PM
Sat, Oct 7 • 3PM
Sat, Oct 7 • 7:30PM
Kay Theatre, The Clarice
High school student Emma Nolan, who wants to ask her girlfriend to the prom, faces resistance from the infuriated PTA, who calls for the cancellation of the event. Devastated by this decision, resented by her classmates and isolated for being a lesbian in a homophobic small town, Emma is taken by surprise when a group of Broadway actors arrives to support and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, coming to her "rescue." During this protest, Emma discovers the courage to stand in her truth and be herself, despite the hatred pointed her way.
Who Connects?
American Studies, Arts and Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, College Park Scholars- Arts, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Studies, Psychology, Sociology, Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, Theatre, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
October
School of Music
UMD Wind Orchestra: Symphonic Celebration
Fri, Oct 6 • 8PM
Dekelboum Concert Hall
Join us for the University of Maryland Wind Orchestra’s season debut with a program that explores the emotional range of French music for winds: Igor Stravinsky’s memorial Symphonies of Wind Instruments was composed to honor his friend, Claude Debussy. A terminally ill Lili Boulanger evokes joy, contemplation and grief in D’un matin de printemps and D’un soir triste. And Florent Schmitt’s virtuosic Dionysiaques captures the joy and sensuality of bacchanalian fetes.
Who Connects?
Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, French, Music Education, School of Music, Women’s Studies
School of Music
UMD Symphony Orchestra: Barber, Beach and Bernstein
Sat, Oct 7 • 8PM
Dekelboum Concert Hall
The University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra opens its 2023–24 season with an exciting program showcasing true americana in music. Featuring works by prominent American composers Samuel Barber, Amy Beach and Leonard Bernstein, this program demonstrates the thrill of American music.
Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto exemplifies the composer’s melodic richness and expressive depth, with each movement exploring distinct moods and themes while maintaining a cohesive musical narrative. This piece will feature the 2023 UMSO Concerto Competition Winner, Kumiko Sakamoto, on violin.
Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story provides audiences a glimpse of the bustling upper west side of Manhattan in the 1950s, and tells the story of two gangs and the star-crossed love that is entwined in their rivalry.
Delightfully lighthearted, the light waltz of Amy Beach’s Bal Masqué draws inspiration from the festive atmosphere of a masquerade ball. The gentle lilt and flirtatious melodies of this single-movement orchestral work capture the essence and allure of the ballroom.
Who Connects?
American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park
Scholars-Arts, Music Education, School of Music, Women’s Studies
The Clarice Nobuntu
Sun, Oct 8 • 7PM
Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice
An all-female a cappella quintet from Zimbabwe, Nobuntu has drawn international acclaim for inventive performances that range from traditional Zimbabwean songs to Afro Jazz to Gospel. The ensemble’s concerts are performed with pure voices, augmented by minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments such as the Mbira (thumb piano) and organic, authentic dance! The word “Nobuntu” is an African concept that values humbleness, love, unity and family from a woman’s perspective. This program features traditional songs and original arrangements.
Who Connects?
Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, Music Education, School of Music, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Women’s Studies
School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
Fall MFA Dance Thesis Concert
Thu, Oct 12 • 7:30PM
Fri, Oct 13 • 7:30PM
Sun, Oct 15 • 2PM
Kogod Theatre, The Clarice
The Fall M.F.A Dance Thesis Concert showcases stunning and provocative choreography by M.F.A. candidates in the UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies. This concert celebrates the vitality of dance through a range of collaborative and technological processes.
Who Connects?
Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, Dance, Kinesiology, Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
The Clarice
Daniel
Wohl: Holographic
Sat, Oct 14 • 8PM
Dance Theatre, The Clarice
Hailed as a “boldly surreal aural experience” (The New York Times), Holographic is about exploring different worlds improbable combinations of sound, hidden and imaginary sonic landscapes and projections by Los Angeles-based artist Daniel Schwarz. Composer Daniel Wohl says, “By processing or re-sampling more traditional instruments like strings, percussion, or the human voice, I wanted to create music that has a strong link to the past while at the same time being rooted in what we listen to on a daily basis. I wanted to retain the warmth and inconsistencies of human playing while interfacing with the technologies that are available to all of us.”
Born in Paris and now residing in Los Angeles, Daniel Wohl blends electronics with acoustic instrumentation to often "surprising and provocative effect" (NPR). His multifaceted output ranges from intimate music for soloists to immersive electronic pieces, music for film and television, chamber ensembles and works for large orchestras. He has received praise for making music that is "beautiful..original” (Pitchfork).
Who Connects?
American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, College Park Scholars-Science, Technology and Society, Design Cultures and Creativity, Immersive Media Design, Music Education, School of Music
November
The Clarice
Sayeh-Roshan (Chiaroscuro): Ali Kian Yazdanfar, double bass, Kimia Rafieian, piano & Fatemeh Keshavarz, poet IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UMD ROSHAN INSTITUTE FOR PERSIAN STUDIES
Sun, Nov 5
2PM • Pre-Concert Talk ft. Reza Vali & Kimia Hesabi
3PM
5PM
• Performance
• Reception & Post-Performance Discussion
Gildenhorn Recital Hall, The Clarice
Sayeh-Roshan (Persian for “chiaroscuro”) is the interaction of light and shadow, and this idea can be easily applied to many aspects of modern life. In a politically and socially polarized world, there is a constant pressure to take a stand on one side or the other. However, life is more complex than simple black and white, and the in-between is not gray but rather a complex pattern unique to each individual. There is always interaction between competing desires, ideas and perspectives–past and present. Tradition and modernity. Beauty and ugliness. Sayeh-Roshan is centered around three new works for double bass and piano written specifically for this program; it asks the composers and performers to consider what their Persian identity means to them now, living in the West, and how a chiaroscuro-like interaction of the West and East has become a part of them.
Who Connects?
American Studies, Anthropology, Arts and Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, College Park Scholars- Arts, Geographical Sciences, Government and Politics, Music Education, School of Music, Persian, Psychology, Sociology, Women’s Studies
School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
A Bicycle Country
Fri, Nov 10 • 7:30PM
Sat, Nov 11 • 7:30PM
Sun, Nov 12 • 2PM
Wed, Nov 15 • 7:30PM
Thu, Nov 16 • 7:30PM
Fri, Nov 17 • 7:30PM
Kogod Theatre, The Clarice
Set in Cuba in the 1990s, A Bicycle Country depicts the story of three Cubans as they each come to terms with the lack of opportunity and resources throughout the country as well as their own hopeless circumstances within the system. As each character looks for their own version of freedom: freedom from loneliness, freedom from stagnancy, and even freedom from one’s own body, they embark on a perilous journey to the United States aboard a precariously constructed homemade raft. Nilo Cruz’s A Bicycle Country delves into the complexity of love, sacrifice, hope and survival while also serving as a poignant narrative about finding freedom and moving forward.
Who Connects?
American Studies, Arts and Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, College Park Scholars- Arts, Government and Politics, Immigration Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Psychology, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Sociology, Spanish, Public Health, Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, Theatre, Latina/o Studies
School of Music
UMD Symphony Orchestra:
Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique
Fri, Nov 10 • 8PM
Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice
Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique is a masterpiece of musical storytelling, employing the power of the orchestra to vividly depict the protagonist's tumultuous journey through love, obsession and madness. Its bold and innovative approach to orchestration, as well as its emotionally charged narrative, make it a landmark work in the Romantic symphonic repertoire, leaving a lasting impact on generations of listeners.
Throughout the work, listeners traverse multiple realms that reflect Berlioz’s own intense emotions and personal experiences. From the slow, pining dreamscape of the first movement all the way to final witches’ sabbath that signals the protagonist's ultimate descent into madness, Berlioz’s piece truly is as it was named: fantastical.
This performance will also include Reveueltas’ Sensemayá and Price’s Piano Concerto, featuring Donald Lee III on piano.
Who Connects?
Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, French, Music Education, School of Music
School of Music
UMD Wind Orchestra: Stravinsky, Turner & Copland
Sat, Nov 11 • 8PM
Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice
The University of Maryland Wind Orchestra’s second concert of 2023-24 brings together talented conductors for an exciting evening of old and new wind music. Featuring guest and student conductors, this program will celebrate the centennial year of Igor Stravinsky’s neo-Classical Octet and presents Aaron Copland’s only original work for wind band, Emblems. Jess Turner’s If I Am to Leave, composed in 2020 as a memorial to a beloved band director, highlights the new works also showcased on this program.
Who Connects?
American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, Music Education, School of Music, Russian
The Clarice
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra:
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4
Fri, Nov 17 • 8PM
Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice
Jonathon Heyward, conductor and host Stephanie Shonekan, co-host
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Clarice have announced a groundbreaking partnership for 2023-24 featuring extraordinary performances, unique educational experiences and meaningful community engagement. In the first of these events, newly appointed BSO Music Director Jonathon Heyward co-hosts a conversation and performance with ethnomusicologist and UMD College of Arts & Humanities Dean Stephanie Shonekan. Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony channels the impish wit of his one-time teacher Haydn, while Unsuk Chin’s Subito con forza riffs on a phrase from Beethoven over the course of five frenetic minutes.
Who Connects?
Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, German Studies, Korean, Music Education, School of Music
The Clarice Brad Mehldau Trio
Sun, Nov 19 • 7PM
Kay Theatre, The Clarice
One of the most lyrical and intimate voices of contemporary jazz piano, Brad Mehldau has forged a unique path that embodies the essence of jazz exploration, classical romanticism and pop allure. From critical acclaim as a bandleader to major international exposure in collaborations with Pat Metheny, Renée Fleming and Joshua Redman, Mehldau continues to garner numerous awards and admiration from both jazz purists and music enthusiasts alike.
The GRAMMY Award winner’s forays into melding musical idioms, in both trio (with Larry Grenadier on bass and Jeff Ballard on drums) and solo settings, has seen brilliant re-workings of songs by contemporary songwriters like The Beatles, Cole Porter, Radiohead, Paul Simon, Gershwin and Nick Drake; alongside the ever-evolving breadth of his own significant catalog of original compositions. With his self-proclaimed affection for popular music and classical training, “Mehldau is the most influential jazz pianist of the last 20 years” (The New York Times).
Who Connects?
American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars- Arts, Music Education, School of Music
December
The Clarice
Nehprii Amenii: Food for the Gods
Thu, Dec 7 • 7PM & 9PM
Fri, Dec 8 • 7PM & 9PM
Sat, Dec 9 • 7PM & 9PM
Various Spaces at The Clarice
A multimedia performance installation about “human value,” Food for the Gods is a three-part expression of rage and indifference. Inspired by the killings of Black men, this work uses object and puppet performance to explore dehumanization, light, invisibility and well…the magical-less-ness of it all.
Nehprii Amenii is a Brooklyn-based writer, director, production designer and educator. As a theater artist, she has a passion for personal narratives, puppetry and grand-scale spectacle. She is known for creating experiences that dismantle the wall between players and audiences, enchant the imagination and inspire new ways of seeing and thinking. Amenii has worked with Bread & Puppet Theater, Alvin Ailey, La Mama, The O'Neill, NY Philharmonic and more. She is a member of Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab and a resident director with the Drama League. Amenii is artistic director of Khunum Productions, a platform for creative anthropology.
Who Connects?
African American Studies, American Studies, Anthropology, Arts and Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, College Park Scholars-Arts, Family Science, Psychology, Sociology, Public Health, Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, Theatre
School of Music
UMD Wind Orchestra: Rita Sloan Plays Messiaen
Fri, Dec 8 • 8PM
Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice
Rita Sloan is acknowledged internationally as a leading teacher of piano, collaborative piano and chamber music. She has performed with orchestra, in recital and chamber music internationally, and has been a guest in numerous chamber music venues, leading to performances with many of today’s foremost musicians. Sloan joins UMWO for their final performance of 2023, featuring Olivier Messiaen’s Oiseaux Exotiques.
No other composer was ever so dedicated to the painstaking transcription, study and musical application of birdsong than Olivier Messiaen. Inspired by the words of his mentor, Paul Dukas, Messiaen drew inspiration from all kinds of birds and his Oiseaux Exotiques was no exception.
Oiseaux Exotiques is described by Messiaen as, “almost a piano concerto,” with the piano playing a more prominent role than in his previous works in his style oiseaux (bird style). This piece showcases the songs of 18 species from India, China, Malaysia and the Americas–a menagerie of sound that could never exist in the natural world.
Who Connects?
American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park
Scholars-Arts, French, Music Education, School of Music, Religious Studies, Women’s Studies
School of Music
UMD Symphony Orchestra:
Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherezade
Sat, Dec 9 • 8PM
Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice
The story of Scheherazade binds together the medieval Middle Eastern folk tales of “One Thousand and One Nights.” Scheherazade, the daughter of a vizier, marries a rage-filled sultan who has promised to take a new bride every evening and execute them each morning. In order to delay the inevitable, Scheherazade tells her husband a new tale every evening, but never concludes a story in one night. The sultan is so enchanted by her storytelling that day-after-day he postpones her execution to hear each ending. This continues for 1,001 days, after which Scheherazade tells the sultan that she has no more stories to tell, at which point her husband has become so enamored with her that he decides to let her live.
Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade brings the princesses’ legendary storytelling to the orchestral stage. Audience members listen as Scheherazade, represented by the solo violin, weaves her tales for the sultan. Spellbinding stories about bustling marketplaces, majestic palaces,treacherous seas, heroes and villains await listeners in this enchanting piece.
Who Connects?
American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, Music Education, School of Music, Russian
