Welcome to our Spring 2024 Curricular Connections Guide!
We are delighted to share our Spring 2024 semester, featuring performances by Clarice Presents, the UMD School of Music, and the UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies! These vibrant performances celebrate bold artistry, amplify voices previously silenced and illuminate new perspectives in reimagined classics. At the University of Maryland’s dynamic laboratory for the performing arts, our work on stage leverages creativity, innovation, social justice and scholarship to present extraordinary cultural experiences for our campus and community.
Tickets are now on sale! Explore our events to learn full pricing details. Discounted and free student tickets will also be available for select performances.
Events in this Guide The UMD School of Music offers a vibrant lineup of performances that explore the intersection between traditional masterworks and marginalized works by composers of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
The UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies’ productions tell stories from various global perspectives and arise from interdisciplinary collaborations. On stage, you will see dance that defies conventional storytelling and theater that explores issues of race, gender and class in a variety of historical and contemporary settings.
Clarice Presents brings regional, national and international artists who visit campus for performances and other activities. Beyond the inspiring work these artists bring to the stage, they are also committed to extensive engagement that creates exciting connections with students and the community. These interactions happen through class visits, masterclasses, shared meals and conversations.
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
January Clarice Presents
Tig Notaro
Fri, Jan 26 • 8PM Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice Tig Notaro is an Emmy and Grammy nominated stand-up comedian, writer, radio contributor and actor, as well as a favorite on numerous talk shows, including “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” and “Ellen.” Rolling Stone named her one of the "50 best stand-up comics of all time." Notaro appears in Zack Snyder’s "Army of the Dead" and “Star Trek: Discovery.” She wrote and starred in the groundbreaking TV show “One Mississippi” and just released her second HBO special "Tig Notaro: Drawn." In 2021, Tig co-directed the feature film “Am I OK?” with wife Stephanie Allynne, which debuted at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and will be available on HBO Max later this year. She hosts the critically acclaimed advice podcast, “Don't Ask Tig,” as well as co-hosts the ridiculous documentary film podcast “Tig and Cheryl: True Story.” Who Connects? American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, School of Dance, Theatre, and Performance Studies, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Studies, School of Music
Clarice Presents
Inua Ellams: Search Party Fri, Jan 26 • 7PM Sat, Jan 27 • 7PM Kogod Theatre, The Clarice
Critically acclaimed poet and playwright Inua Ellams brings his chaotic, hilarious, audience-led poetry event Search Party to The Clarice! At this event, you can pick a word–any word–and Inua will search through his extensive archive and perform a spontaneous selection, making every show a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Inua Ellams is an award-winning performance poet, a charismatic host, a disarming orator and charming presence on stage. His literary works include poetry, editorials, monologue, speculative fiction, essays, screen-play, stage-play, radio-play, short fiction, epigraphs and more. Started in 2020, Search Party is an interactive performance where Inua dives through his expansive body of work to excavate everything from fragments of half-finished work to full essays: all meditations on identity, displacement and destiny. Who Connects? Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, College Park Scholars-Media, Self and Society, English, Religious Studies, School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
February Clarice Presents
El Laberinto del Coco Thu, Feb 1 • 8PM Kay Theatre, The Clarice
El Laberinto del Coco is an Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba Fusion ensemble founded by visionary percussionist Hector “Coco” Barez in 2017. With a unique blend of sizzling musical ideas, Barez presents new ways to the traditional sounds of Puerto Rican Bomba. After touring the world with Ballet Folklorico de Puerto Rico “Areyto,” Grammy Award-winning groups like Calle 13, Bacilos and world-renowned bands like Bio Ritmo, Miramar, William Cepeda and Bayanga, Barez decides to embark on a new journey. In 2017, Hector Barez received a commission from the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts to record El Laberinto del Coco’s first album. With critics comparing this recording to Rafael Cortijo’s masterpiece “The Time Machine,” a new era in Puerto Rican music is established. At performances, Barez brings to life a unique concept with a very distinctive sound with rich syncopated horn lines, funky guitar licks, solid multilayered percussion and enchanting voices, making El Laberinto del Coco a fan favorite. During the COVID-19 pandemic, El Laberinto del Coco kept busy releasing singles and keeping people's hopes alive through virtual concerts. Who Connects? African American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Music Education, School of Music, School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, Spanish
Clarice Presents
Queens of Sheba Fri, Feb 2 • 8PM Sat, Feb 3 • 8PM Sun, Feb 4 • 3PM Kogod Theatre, The Clarice Writers: Jessica Hagan and Ryan Calais Cameron Director: Jessica Kaliisa Cast: Deja J Bowens, Muki Zubis, Jadesola Odunjo and Paisley Billing Producer for Nouveau Riche: Sarah Verghese Producer for Soho: David Luff Turned away from a nightclub for being “too Black,” four women take to the stage with their own explosive true stories: the music and the misogyny, the dancing and the drinking, the women and, of course, the (white) men. Loosely based on the 2015 incident at London nightclub DSTRKT, Queens of Sheba tells the hilarious, moving and uplifting stories of four passionate Black women battling everyday misogynoir–discrimination faced uniquely by Black women. Who Connects? African American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, School of Music, School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Clarice Presents
Music from The Sole: I Didn’t Come to Stay Thu, Feb 8 • 7:30PM Kay Theatre, The Clarice A tap dance and live music company that blurs the line between concert dance and music performance, Music From The Sole celebrates tap's roots in the African diaspora, particularly its connections to Afro-Brazilian dance and music and its lineage to forms like house dance and “passinho” (Brazilian funk). The New Yorker notes that the group’s “dancers, whose bodies also provide percussion, are in a constant give-and-take with musicians on piano, sax and bass. The feeling is that of being at a family reunion, in which every family member has something to say.” Tap, percussive dance, samba, house and live music come together in I Didn’t Come to Stay. The work explores tap’s lineage and connections to other Afro-diasporic forms. Together, the ensemble embraces shared roots across the diaspora to reflect on what shapes their cultural and artistic identity and to celebrate the joy, depth and virtuosity of Black dance and music. Who Connects? African American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Studies, Music Education, School of Music, Portuguese and Brazilian Studies, School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
Clarice Presents
Mary Halvorson: Amaryllis Fri, Feb 9 • 8PM Kogod Theatre, The Clarice Guitarist and composer Mary Halvorson has been described as “a singular talent” (JazzTimes), ”[New York City’s] least-predictable improviser” (City Arts), “one of the most exciting and original guitarists in jazz—or otherwise” (The Wall Street Journal) and “one of today’s most formidable bandleaders” (Village Voice). In recent Downbeat Critics Polls, Halvorson has been celebrated as guitarist, rising star jazz artist and rising star composer of the year, and in 2019 she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. On stage at The Clarice is Amaryllis, a six-song suite performed by a newly formed sextet of master improvisers, including Halvorson, Patricia Brennan (vibraphone), Nick Dunston (bass), Tomas Fujiwara (drums), Jacob Garchik (trombone) and Adam O’Farrill (trumpet). The suite showcases Halvorson’s many musical influences from jazz, experimental, new music and beyond. One of New York City’s most in-demand guitarists, over the past decade Halvorson has worked with such diverse musicians as Tim Berne, Anthony Braxton, Taylor Ho Bynum, John Dieterich, Trevor Dunn, Bill Frisell, Ingrid Laubrock, Jason Moran, Joe Morris, Tom Rainey, Jessica Pavone, Tomeka Reid, Marc Ribot and John Zorn. She is also part of several collaborative projects, most notably the longstanding trio Thumbscrew with Michael Formanek on bass and Tomas Fujiwara on drums. Who Connects? American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, Jazz Studies, Music Education, School of Music, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Clarice Presents
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: Marin Alsop & Time For Three Fri, Feb 16 • 8PM Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice Marin Alsop, conductor Time for Three, string trio 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 second of these performances, Marin Alsop, BSO Music Director Laureate and NOI+F Music Director at The Clarice, reunites with composer Kevin Puts to present his dazzling concerto for the improvising/vocalizing/ barn-burning/genre-crossing talents of the Grammy Award-winning string trio Time for Three. Haydn's fiery Symphony No. 59 brings total commitment from the orchestra. Rounding out the program is Maurice Ravel's technicolor ballet Daphnis et Chloé showing off every imaginable shading of orchestral sound. Puts: Contact Haydn: Symphony No. 59, "Fiery Symphony" Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2 Who Connects? Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, French Studies, Music Education, School of Music, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
School of Music
Clarice Assad: UMD Wind Orchestra Sat, Feb 24 • 8PM Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice Michael Votta, Jr., music director Clarice Assad, vocalist and guest composer James Stern, violin Join us for a special UMD Wind Orchestra performance featuring the talented Clarice Assad. This program will highlight works written by Asaad, including a piece arranged by UMWO’s very own Michael Votta, Jr.! Assad will also perform with UMWO as a vocalist in a work that highlights the current desperate plight of the Amazon region in her native Brazil. A powerful communicator renowned for her musical scope and versatility, Brazilian-American Clarice Assad is a significant artistic voice in the classical, world music, pop and jazz genres. The Grammy Award–nominated composer, celebrated pianist, inventive vocalist and educator is acclaimed for her evocative colors, rich textures and diverse stylistic range. With her talent sought after by artists and organizations worldwide, the polyglot musician continues to attract new audiences both onstage and off. Bach, arr. Berio: Contrapunctus XIX from The Art of the Fugue Lennon-McCartney, arr. Berio: Three Songs (Yesterday, Michelle, She’s Got a Ticket to Ride) Assad, arr. Votta: Suite for Lower Strings (based on themes of J.S. Bach) Assad: Amazonia Sem Lei Villa-Lobos: Fantasia em três movimentos (em forma de chôros) Ginastera: Danza Final (Malambo) from “Estancia” Who Connects? American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Music Education, School of Music, Portuguese and Brazilian Studies, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Clarice Presents
Michelle Cann, piano Sun, Feb 25 • 3PM Gildenhorn Recital Hall, The Clarice Lauded as “technically fearless with...an enormous, rich sound” (La Scena Musicale), pianist Michelle Cann made her orchestral debut at age fourteen and has since performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras including The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. Cann is the recipient of the 2022 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, the highest honor bestowed by the Sphinx Organization; the 2022 Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award; and the Cleveland Institute of Music’s 2022 Alumni Achievement Award. She has won top prizes in competitions, including the Blount-Slawson Young Artists Competition and the Wideman International Piano Competition. Ravel: La Valse Liszt: Mephisto Waltz No. 1 Price: Fantasie nègre No. 2 Price: Fantasie nègre No. 4 Who Connects? Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, Music Education, School of Music, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
March School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
Men on Boats Fri, Mar 1 • 7:30PM Sat, Mar 2 • 7:30PM Sun, Mar 3 • 2:00PM Thu, Mar 7 • 7:30PM Fri, Mar 8 • 7:30PM Sat, Mar 9 • 7:30PM Kay Theatre, The Clarice By Jacklyn Backhaus Men On Boats challenges traditional historical narratives by reimagining John Wesley Powell’s expedition in the American West in 1869. A cast of non-male actors portrays the all-male crew, who navigates the treacherous waters of the Colorado River during their exploration. With humor and banter, the play examines gender, identity and the fraught relationship between humans and the natural world. This “rollicking history pageant” (The New York Times) challenges preconceptions about history, gender roles and the stories that get told. Who Connects? American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Studies, Psychology, Sociology, School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Clarice Presents
Gatos do Sul Sat, Mar 2 • 8PM Kogod Theatre, The Clarice Pianist and composer Brian Marsella’s Gatos do Sul (southern cats) got its start with a commission by John Zorn, and pays homage to master percussionist Cyro Baptista, his ensemble Beat the Donkey, and the rhythms of northeastern Brazil. Inspired by Brazilian composers like Hermeto Pascoal, Egberto Gismonti and Heitor Villa-Lobos, this piano-led octet channels Brazilian idioms such as samba, maractu, baio and choro through a kaleidoscopic lens of modern jazz. After premiering at National Sawdust in 2017 (Brooklyn, NY), Gatos do Sul was released on John Zorn’s label Tzadik in 2020, and was chosen by Downbeat as a Best Album of 2020. Who Connects? Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Music Education, School of Music, Portuguese and Brazilian Studies
Clarice Presents
Meshell Ndegeocello Thu, Mar 14 • 8PM Kay Theatre, The Clarice A bass player above all else, Meshell Ndegeocello brings her warm, fat and melodic groove to the stage. The D.C. area native eschewed genre for originality, celebrity for longevity and musical trends for musical truths. Fans have come to expect the unexpected and follow her on sojourns into soul, R&B, jazz, hip-hop and rock, all bound by the search for love, justice, respect and resolution. Those sonic investigations have defied and redefined the expectations for women, queer artists and Black music for more than 30 years, and she remains one of few women who write the music, sing the songs and lead the band. She has earned a Grammy Award along with numerous nominations and has played alongside the Rolling Stones, Madonna, Alanis Morrisette, James Blood Ulmer, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Tony Allen, John Medeski, Billy Preston and Chaka Khan. Who Connects? African American Studies, American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, Music Education, School of Music, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Clarice Presents
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra & UMD Concert Choir: Orff’s Carmina Burana Fri, Mar 15 • 8PM Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice Jonathon Heyward, conductor Jasmine Habersham, soprano Nicholas Phan, tenor Elliot Madore, baritone In the concluding performance of this season's partnership, you'll be blown away by Carmina Burana, a rapturous and unsparing invitation to live life to the fullest. Music Director Jonathon Heyward and an all-star cast of operatic soloists front the BSO and the UMD Concert Choir to stir every seat in the house. Mendelssohn: Die Schöne Melusine Overture Mazzoli: Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres) Orff: Carmina Burana Who Connects? American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, German Studies, Music Education, School of Music, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
April Clarice Presents
Allison Loggins-Hull, Alicia Hall Moran & Gabriela Martinez: Diametrically Composed Fri, Apr 5 • 8PM Gildenhorn Recital Hall, The Clarice Diametrically Composed is a collection of newly commissioned works featuring flute, voice and piano exploring the duality of being a mother and an artist. Performed by Allison Loggins-Hull, Alicia Hall Moran and Gabriela Martinez, it features compositions by Loggins-Hull, Moran, Jessica Meyer and Sarah Kirkland Snider. Immediately after childbirth, it becomes clear that motherhood is multifaceted and life-changing. This new reality brings the joy of experiencing a newly created being and a powerful impact on creativity. Being an artist-mother is fulfilling, rewarding and unpredictable–full of love, beauty and constant learning. Caring for and cultivating the development of someone else’s life is a privilege and artistically inspiring. While our children inform our art, our art informs our children and the steady current of energy generated from the two creates a distinct and flourished experience. Who Connects? American Studies, College Park Scholars-Arts, College Park Scholars-Life Sciences, Composition, Family Science, Music Education, School of Music, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Clarice Presents
Ying Quartet & Xavier Foley, double bass Fri, Apr 12 • 8PM Gildenhorn Recital Hall, The Clarice Now in its third decade, the Grammy Award–winning Ying Quartet has established itself as an ensemble of the highest musical qualifications. They are renowned for combining brilliantly communicative performances with a fearlessly imaginative view of chamber music in today's world. “The Ying Quartet came as close to the ideal as possible,” praised the Los Angeles Times. “A dazzling player who hears borders between styles as limitations best ignored” (Philadelphia Inquirer), Xavier Foley is known for communicating his virtuosity and passion for music on the double bass. Their program pairs Haydn’s Quartet in B-flat Major with works by the wildly talented and inventive Foley, including a brand new work co-commissioned by The Clarice. Foley then joins the quartet for Dvořák’s virtuosic String Quintet No. 2 in G Major. Who Connects? Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, Music Education, School of Music
School of Music
Florencia en el Amazonas Maryland Opera Studio Sat, Apr 13 • 7:30PM Wed, Apr 17 • 7:30PM Fri, Apr 19 • 7:30PM Sun, Apr 21 • 3:00PM Kay Theatre, The Clarice Daniel Catán, composer Marcela Fuentes-Berain, librettist David Neely, conductor Corinne Hayes, director Journey down the Amazon River aboard the steamboat El Dorado in Daniel Catán’s opera that explores themes of longing, self-discovery and the connection between art and the natural world. Inspired by the magical realism found in the works of Gabriel Garcia Márquez, Florencia en el Amazonas follows the story of Florencia Grimaldi, a famous soprano returning home to sing at the opera house in Manaus with hopes that the performance will attract her love Cristóbal, a butterfly hunter who has gone missing in the jungle. Aboard the El Dorado are several passengers traveling to watch Florencia’s performance: a squabbling couple, the captain, his nephew and Rosalba, a journalist planning to write a book about Florencia. Despite their proximity, the passengers are unaware of Florencia’s identity. As the journey continues, the lives of the passengers become increasingly intertwined, forcing them to confront their fears and desires. Join the Maryland Opera Studio on this magical boat ride that celebrates the transformative power of art and the resilience of the human spirit in their spring production of Daniel Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas. Who Connects? Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Music Education, School of Music, Spanish, School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
Clarice Presents
Alarm Will Sound: Music for 18 Musicians Sat, Apr 13 • 8PM Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice “As close to being a rock band as a chamber orchestra can be” (The New York Times), Alarm Will Sound is a 20-member band with a wide-ranging artistic vision that looks beyond genre—electronic versus acoustic, high-modernist versus pop-influenced, conventional classical concert versus multimedia experience. With a long history of presenting works by seminal 20th-century icon Steve Reich, Alarm Will Sound returns to The Clarice to play the Pulitzer Prize winner’s Music for 18 Musicians, one of the most influential minimalist works of all time. Steve Reich has been called “the most original musical thinker of our time” (The New Yorker) and “among the great composers of the century” (The New York Times). Starting in the 1960s, his pieces It’s Gonna Rain, Drumming, Music for 18 Musicians, Tehillim, Different Trains and many others helped shift the aesthetic center of musical composition worldwide away from extreme complexity and towards rethinking pulsation and tonal attraction in new ways. Reich: Vermont Counterpoint Reich: Clapping Music Reich: Radio Rewrite Reich: Music for 18 Musicians Who Connects? American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, College Park Scholars-Science, Technology, and Society, Composition, Design Cultures and Creativity, Immersive Media Design, Music Education, School of Music
School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
Are We At War Yet Fri, Apr 19 • 7:30PM Sat, Apr 20 • 7:30PM Sun, Apr 21 • 2:00PM Wed, Apr 24 • 7:30PM Thu, Apr 25 • 7:30PM Fri, Apr 26 • 7:30PM Kogod Theatre, The Clarice By Mikhail Durnenkov With an air of wit and a twinge of anxiety, Mikhail Durnenkov’s Are We At War Yet is a distinctly Russian narrative exploring everyday issues like the threat of war and the psychological effects of propaganda. His dark comedy shows audience members that the fabric that holds society and family together is nothing more than gossamer, and it’s close to tearing. Who Connects? Arts and Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, College Park Scholars-Arts, Government and Politics, Psychology, Russian Studies, Sociology, School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
School of Music
Toho Koto Society Concert Sun, Apr 21 • 2PM Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice Directed by Kyoko Okamoto, the UMD Japanese Koto Ensemble features elegant music played on the koto, a traditional Japanese 13-string instrument. Koto music reflects the quiet beauty, simplicity and harmonizing effect of Japanese nature. The concert will also feature the Washington Toho Koto Society. Who Connects? Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, Japanese Studies, School of Languages, Literatures, and Culture, School of Music, Music Education
School of Music
Korean Drumming Concert Mon, Apr 22 • 8PM Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice UMD Korean Percussion Ensemble Sebastian Wang, music director Experience the vibrant beat of samulnori under the direction of Sebastian Wang. This modern incarnation of traditional Korean folk music celebrates harvest time and provides a lively soundtrack to dancing. The ensemble is comprised of four types of percussion instruments—an hourglass drum, a barrel drum, a small gong and a large gong—each representing a natural element: rain, clouds, lightning and wind, respectively. Who Connects? Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, Korean Studies, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Music Education, School of Music
School of Music
Gamelan Concert UMD Balinese Gamelan Saraswati Fri, Apr 26 • 8PM Kay Theatre, The Clarice Under the direction of I Nyoman Suadin, the UMD Balinese Gamelan Saraswati Ensemble presents an evening of traditional Balinese music. The ensemble takes its name from Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge and the arts. The gong kebyar style percussive instruments used by this ensemble were built by I Wayan Beratha, a leading instrument maker, composer, performer and teacher in Bali. UMD Balinese Gamelan Saraswati sometimes has the opportunity to perform with locally based Gamelan Mitra Kusuma. Founded in 1997, Gamelan Mitra Kusuma brings together individuals from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., communities who are devoted to the study and presentation of the music and dance of Bali. The name Mitra Kusuma means "flowering friendship," which describes the spirit of this group. This partnership with the professional gamelan group gives UMD students the opportunity to learn from and cultivate relationships with the musicians and dancers. Who Connects? Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, Music Education, School of Music, Religious Studies
May School of Music
Debussy’s La Mer: UMD Symphony Orchestra Sat, May 4 • 8PM Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice David Neely, music director Experience the ebb and flow of the ocean in this timeless work by Claude Debussy. A master of musical impressionism, Debussy seamlessly paints an instrumental picture of the sea, exploring its tumultuous and fluid nature. With innovative harmonies, poignant melodies and shimmering orchestration, La Mer revolutionized the musical landscape of its time, forever cementing Debussy's status as a visionary composer. From the serenity of still waters to the insurmountable power of crashing waves amidst a storm, this piece invites you to dive deep into the heart of the ocean's mysteries. Let the sounds of this aquatic composition wash over you and be swept away by Debussy’s La Mer! Who Connects? Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, French Studies, Music Education, School of Music, Studio Art, Art History & Archaeology
Clarice Presents
Tesla Quartet: Musica Universalis Sun, May 5 • 3PM Gildenhorn Recital Hall, The Clarice From the moment our ancestors first gazed up at the night sky, humanity has been fascinated with the heavens. The idea that the movements of heavenly bodies created universal harmonies—musica universalis—was both a scientific and spiritual belief propounded by great thinkers from Pythagoras to Keppler. The musical selections, focused mainly on reflections about outer space, will be accompanied by poetry read by members of the quartet. Dubbed “technically superb” by The Strad, the Tesla Quartet brings refinement and prowess to both new and established repertoire. The quartet, which has won top prizes in numerous international competitions, was formed at The Juilliard School in 2008 and quickly established itself as one of the most promising young ensembles in New York. In 2018, the Tesla Quartet released its debut album of Haydn, Ravel and Stravinsky quartets on the Orchid Classics label to critical acclaim. BBC Music Magazine awarded the disc a double 5-star rating and featured it as the “Chamber Choice” for the month of December. Garth Knox: Satellites Alistair Coleman: Moonshot Terry Riley: Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector Ludwig van Beethoven: Molto adagio from String Quartet in E minor, “Razumovsky” Bobby Ge: Celeste Forma Who Connects? American Studies, Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, College Park Scholars-Science and Global Change, College Park Scholars-Science, Technology and Society, Music Education, School of Music
Clarice Presents
Compagnia TPO: Farfalle Sat, May 11 • 9:30AM Sat, May 11 • 11:30AM Kay Theatre, The Clarice Italy’s Compagnia TPO (Teatro di Piazza o d’Occasione) is a pioneering, multidisciplinary performance group that melds music, dance, art, sculpture, digital media, lighting and sound into a one-of-kind, interactive experience. In a brilliantly staged story, Farfalle loosely follows the life cycle of a butterfly—from egg to caterpillar. In this intimate, family-friendly show, each member of the audience participates in a variety of ways—from composing songs and lullabies to using parts of their bodies to embrace the five senses. Audience members may be invited to transition into the cocoon, to create a virtual painting or to sit for a rest on an oversized flower. Who Connects? Arts and Humanities, College Park Scholars-Arts, Immersive Design, Music Education, School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, Studio Art, Family Science