BR VO!
ANNUAL REPORT
THE 2022/23 SEASON IN REVIEW
MESSAGE FROM THE
CHAIR AND PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear Friends,
The 2022/23 Season was a memorable one, and it feels like the end of an era while marking an exciting new beginning.
This was Artistic Director Nicole Taney’s first year in Boston—she was last in town when she worked at the Children’s Museum early in her career. Nicole joined us most recently from the Spoleto Festival, where she was Director of Artistic Planning and Operations. This year was Nicole’s introduction to our performances, audiences, and venues, and we look forward to experiencing her curatorial vision in 2023/24 and beyond.
As we reflect on the previous season, we must recognize the legacy of the man who created the Celebrity Series as we know it: former Executive Director Walter Pierce, who led the Series from 1965 to 1996, and passed away on July 7, 2022. This past December, we paid tribute to Walter on the stage at Jordan Hall, the site of so many memorable concerts over his long tenure. Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax appeared to celebrate the man who booked their debut appearances in Boston, and longtime Boston Globe critic Richard Dyer and former colleagues Marty Jones and Amy Lam shared stories and tributes to the man who was instrumental in shaping the Celebrity Series we know and love.
As we look ahead to the coming season, we welcome the Season Sponsors for 2023/24: the Stephanie L. Brown Foundation and Susan & Michael Thonis. Stephanie and her Foundation have provided leadership support for our dance performances and the amazing Neighborhood Arts series for several seasons. Susie and Mike have been the presenting sponsors for numerous subscription series programs and have helped shape our equity and patron engagement work. We’re so grateful they’ve stepped forward together as Season Sponsors, and we anticipate great things in 2023/24.
Thank you for being a part of the 2022/23 season. We hope you enjoy this look back at everything we accomplished together.
Gratefully,
Joshua Boger Gary Dunning Chair, Board of Directors President & Executive Director
MISSION
To present performing artists who inspire and enrich our community.
VISION
We believe in the power of excellence and innovation in the performing arts to enrich life experience, transform lives, and build better communities. We envision a community of Greater Boston where the performing arts are a valued, life-long, shared experience—on stages, on streets, in neighborhoods—everywhere.
EQUITY
Celebrity Series of Boston recognizes that many existing systems of power grant privilege and access unequally, and that equity is crucial to the long-term viability of both the arts and culture sector and communities-at-large. Our Racial Equity Plan describes our commitment to ensure that everyone who wants has equal access to a full, vibrant creative life, which is essential to a healthy and democratic society.
To learn more, visit celebrityseries.org/equity
IN MEMORIAM Walter Pierce Celebration of Life
(1930-2022)
On December 19 at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, we celebrated the life of former Executive Director Walter Pierce, who passed away in July 2022 at the age of 91. Walter got his start with the Series in the 1950s as a freelance publicist, and, until his retirement in 1996, made Celebrity Series what it is today: one of Boston’s most enduring and vital non-profit arts institutions.
Colleagues Marty Jones, who joined Celebrity Series as Director of Marketing and succeeded Walter as President and Executive Director, and Amy Lam, former Artistic Director who began her career at the Series as Walter’s assistant, shared their memories. Longtime Boston Globe classical music writer Richard Dyer spoke about his years as Walter’s friend and colleague, both as a music critic and as a fellow supernumerary in a touring Metropolitan Opera production!
Celebrity Series favorites Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax performed a Beethoven cello sonata on the Jordan Hall stage where Walter launched so many careers and brought so much beauty and joy to Celebrity Series audiences.
““In the summer of 1991, Walter took a chance on an under-experienced, over-confident 20-something to be his Executive Assistant. I don’t think either of them knew at the time, that a couple of decades later, this young assistant would follow his footsteps to have the joy and privilege of presenting great artists in Boston, trying her very best every day to live up to his standards and to carry on the great legacy that he has left behind.
It is hardly an exaggeration when I say that everything I know about this business, I learned from Walter.”
– Amy Lam, former Celebrity Series Artistic Director, current Vice President, Tisch Music at 92Y
“The kindest, gentlest, and most caring individual ever. From the moment I met him, I felt Walter saw me not just as a subscriber attending a performance but an individual person! … I was nurtured and encouraged to become more involved and here I am, an Advisor! My voice was heard and I am proud to have started the Stewardship program, thanks to Walter’s good care and kindness.
Thank you, Walter, for making all this possible!”
– Marylen Sternweiler, Celebrity Series Board of Advisor member and 53-year subscriber
YO-YO MA & EMANUEL AX NEC’S JORDAN HALL
CONTINUING OUR RACIAL EQUITY JOURNEY
In the 2022/23 season, Celebrity Series continued to enact our Racial Equity Plan adopted in September 2021, expanding culturally-informed, equityoriented activity in all spheres of our work.
In alignment with Celebrity Series’ racial equity goals, the Racial Equity Committee (REC), comprised of members of the staff and Board, spent the year celebrating and elevating diversity with the goal of helping to repair systemic racism. Grounded in the concept of inclusion, this work is propelled by increasingly interactive connections and deep listening. Infused into our practices and relationships with each other—including artists, audiences, staff, vendors, and community partners —is the goal of ensuring that each member of the broad Celebrity Series community experiences a sense of ownership, voice, and belonging.
““Celebrity Series offers each of us opportunities to step into self-reflection; be curious about another group’s experience of race, ethnicity, and culture; consider new perspectives; and broaden our horizons. Attending a performance can make us feel a part of something. We can feel the emotional reverberations. And looking through a lens of equity, the arts can be provocative and transformative, allowing everyone to participate in the quest for social justice.”
– Beth Pinals, Racial Equity Committee Chair and member of the Board of Directors
2022/23 EFFORTS INCLUDED:
● Continuing to diversify an already broad variety of performers, reflecting the multiculturalism of Boston through our artists, venues, and community partners
● Ensuring financial equity in BIPOC artists’ compensation
● Prioritizing opportunities to work with BIPOC-led vendors
● Revamping our data collection and evaluation at Neighborhood Arts concerts to better understand our audience
● Quarterly anonymous surveys with Arts for All! artists and partners to improve feedback loops
● A focus group moderated by an external facilitator with community partners, leading to program improvements
● Growing BIPOC leadership on the Boards of Directors and Advisors
● Forming a staff racial equity subgroup focused on welcoming, equitable practices for recruitment, learning, and accountability
● Consistently reviewing and shifting language around names, descriptors, designations, and acknowledgments that reflect current or historical systemic oppression or bias
INCREASING ACCESSIBILITY
As part of Celebrity Series’ commitment to providing accessible and affordable arts programming for all, we continued our participation in two Mass Cultural Council initiatives to center our values of equity and inclusion in our operations.
Card to Culture is a Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and Mass Cultural Council initiative that provides accessible low-cost arts and culture programing to Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card holders and Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) Nutrition Program recipients across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. During the 22/23 season, WIC participants and EBT card holders purchased 419 $20 tickets for 32 concerts in our subscription season.
2022/23 marked Celebrity Series’ first year as an UP-designated organization. The Mass Cultural Council’s Universal Participation (UP) Initiative aims to activate the aspirations of the Americans with Disabilities Act to break down the barriers that prevent full civic participation in Massachusetts’ cultural sector. Both a movement and a designation, the UP Initiative supports organizational change through inclusive design practices, community engagement strategies, and peer learning networks.
To acknowledge the access work being done by cultural institutions across Massachusetts, the UP Initiative has created a community of practice that highlights excellence in the field, provides grants for innovative solutions, and offers stipends for professional development. Thanks to the support of the UP community, Celebrity Series continues to make improvements to our website accessibility and deepen awareness within our staff to ensure our efforts are as inclusive as possible.
MOUNTAIN STAGE BERKLEE PERFORMANCE CENTER
ARTS FOR ALL! COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMMING
This year, half of Celebrity Series’ programs were offered for free through Arts for All! These programs collaborate with artists and over 40 community organizations to engage people of all ages and increase access to live performance experiences.
In 2022/23 we deepened our commitment to creative youth development by partnering with Brighter Boston and ZUMIX. Both provide skills training for Boston area young people in backstage production and technical work. They need access to consistent placement opportunities, and a way to apply and hone their new skills, and they found a new home at Celebrity Series’ Neighborhood Arts performances!
““In working with Celebrity Series’ production team and talented artists, our youth contribute to a meaningful artistic experience and become integrated into the larger creative community in Boston. We appreciate Celebrity Series’ dedication to building long-term institutional relationships and opening pathways for young people to expand their professional skills. We believe partnerships like this one—between trusted youth spaces and vibrant economic opportunities—can build a more equitable Boston.”
– Brittany Thomas, Director of Creative Media & Technology, ZUMIX
ARTS FOR ALL! IMPACT-AT-A-GLANCE: 76 free programs
10,141 people engaged
22 FREE Neighborhood Arts concerts
2,197 Neighborhood Arts audience members
4,171 youth engaged
ALVIN AILEY DANCER YAZMEEN LAIDLER
BOSTON ARTS ACADEMY MASTER CLASS
NEIGHBORHOOD ARTS IN 2022/23
Neighborhood Arts audiences more than doubled from last year! Featuring everything from classical harp with Charles Overton to Haitian dance from Jean Appolon Expressions, the 22/23 season had a robust line-up spanning 5 neighborhoods, 8 venues, and countless artistic genres. Celebrity Series collaborated on the presentation of three artists with the Mission Hill Arts Festival for the first time, with three evening concerts outdoors at The Yard.
Latina Bandleaders
Throughout the season we celebrated Latina bandleaders who put their own spin on traditional styles. In partnership with Ágora Cultural Architects, all four concerts took place at the Arlington Street Church in Back Bay. Bandleaders Fabiola Méndez, Verónica Robles, Sheila del Bosque Fuentes, and Patricia Zárate Pérez led their ensembles in amplifying the music and cultures of Puerto Rico, Mexico, Chile, and Cuba.
Global Percussion Series
We explored the many different forms and expressions of percussion from a multicultural perspective. Balafon player Balla Kouyaté and cellist Mike Block teamed up with a six-piece band to create a program of joyous, effervescent music that blended West African beats and vocals with bluegrass, funk, and rock—and had the audience dancing in the aisles at Roxbury Community College’s Media Arts Center! Tabla virtuoso Sandeep Das also joined Mike Block for “Where the soul never dies”, celebrating Indian and Western musical heritages at Cambridge’s Multicultural Arts Center. Saxophonist Tim Hall and marimba player Maria Finkelmeier’s “Finding HOME” program featured self-composed music and improvisations for saxophone and marimba. And BeatSong, a soprano and percussion duo, featured Sonja Tengblad and Jonathan Hess performing works that celebrate their unlikely musical pairing.
““I feel that supporting what Neighborhood Arts does is not an option—it is our duty. From my point of view, it’s about leaving kids with a positive experience that—years from now—when they are at a crossroads they ultimately take a positive decision based on these experiences that they are having now.”
– Sandeep Das, Neighborhood Arts artist
PATRICIA ZÁRATE PÉREZ TYSON JACKSON & GREGORY GROOVER, JR. VERÓNICA ROBLES ALL-FEMALE MARIACHI BAND
MARIA FINKELMEIER & TIM HALL
NEIGHBORHOOD ARTS WORKSHOPS
Connecting student performers and working professionals is an integral part of Neighborhood Arts. After taking several seasons off due to the pandemic, we were delighted to return to in-person mentorship and co-creation experiences for young musicians.
We held three Stringfests, partnering our Neighborhood Arts artists with local youth arts ensembles to rehearse and perform these string-based concerts. All held at Dorchester’s Salvation Army Kroc Center, these included:
● Erhu/violinist Shaw Pong Liu and poet Regie Gibson with City Strings United and Boston Music Project.
● The Fabiola Méndez Trio with Javier Caballero in a concert of Puerto Rican songs with Project STEP
● A concert of South American works with cellist Aristides Rivas, harpist Eduardo Betancourt, and Carlos Capacho on cuatro joined by Boston String Academy and Jorge Arce on bombas.
Other highlights included:
● Four lyric/recording workshops for English Language Learner students at Margarita Muñiz Academy with spoken word artist Devin Ferreira
● School visits by Neighborhood Arts artists Mike Block and Balla Kouyaté at Boston Arts Academy, Boston Latin School, and the Josiah Quincy Elementary School.
● A February school vacation week camp for 23 students from Boston Music Project and Boston City Singers learning to play the Tabla with Sandeep Das The week culminated with these young performers joining Sandeep Das and sarangi player Suhail Yusuf Khan onstage for their final number during their “Soundscapes of India” concert at Cambridge’s Multicultural Arts Center.
STRINGFEST WITH SHAW PONG LIU & REGIE GIBSON
ARMY KROC CENTER
782 youth workshop participants
24 workshops, rehearsals, and school visits
SANDEEP DAS AND TABLA STUDENTS MULTICULTURAL ARTS CENTER, CAMBRIDGE
2022/23 NEIGHBORHOOD ARTS ARTISTS
Aristides Rivas, cello, conductor, arranger
Balla Kouyaté, Mike Block, and Friends, West African fusion
Carlos Capacho, cuatro Castle of our Skins, multidisciplinary and music
Charles Overton, harp
Claudio Ragazzi Quartet (digital only), Latin jazz
Devin Ferreira, rap vocals/spoken word
Eduardo Betancourt, harp
Fabiola Méndez Sextet, vocals and Puerto Rican cuatro
Gregory Groover Jr. Quartet, jazz
Hub New Music, contemporary classical chamber
Jalen Bunch ensemble, dance
Jason Palmer Quintet, jazz
Javier Caballero, conductor, arranger
Jean Appolon Expressions, Haitian contemporary dance
Jonathan Hess, Percussion
Jorge Arce, bomba, vocals
Jorge Soto, conductor
Lucia Lin, violin
Maria Finkelmeier, marimba
Neighborhood Arts Cello Quartet, cello
“Nebulous Quartet, string quartet
Patricia Zárate Pérez Quartet, Latin jazz
Regie Gibson & Atlas Soul, spoken word/music
Sandeep Das, Tabla
Sandeep Das & Nino de los Reyes (digital only), Tabla and flamenco fusion
Shaw Pong Liu, erhu, violin, composer
Sheila del Bosque Quartet, Cuban jazz
Solos Together Reunion, strings, winds, voice, piano
Sonja Tengblad, soprano
Suhail Yusuf Khan, sarangi
Tim Hall, saxophone
Tyson Jackson Trio with Sasha Berliner, jazz
Verónica Robles All-Female Mariachi Band, mariachi vocals and guitar
Women of the World (digital only), vocals
“This program, as are all of your programs, was excellent, of the highest quality. The music was beautiful. Food for the soul.”
– anonymous Neighborhood Arts audience survey
“The Neighborhood Arts events add to the quality of life in Boston. I can’t imagine Boston without accessible arts and culture events. It is a blessing and gift to the people of Boston and surrounding communities. Thank you!”
– anonymous Neighborhood Arts audience survey
THANK YOU TO OUR 2022/23
Ágora Cultural Architects
Arlington Street Church
BEAM Black Market Nubian Boomhouse Productions
Boston Arts Academy
Boston City Singers
Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Boston Latin School
Boston Music Project
Boston String Academy
Brighter Boston
Cambridge Rindge & Latin High City Strings United Conservatory Lab Charter
Dance Complex
Esh Circus Arts
Goethe-Institut
Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church
Hernandez K-8 School
Josiah Quincy Elementary School
Margarita Muñiz Academy
McCoy Audio METCO
Mission Hill Arts Festival
Multicultural Arts Center
Network of Arts Administrators of Color Project STEP
Roxbury Community College
Salvation Army Kroc Center
Sheahan Sounds
StiggityStackz WorldWide
St. James Episcopal Church
St. Stephens Youth Programs
The Foundry
The Japan Society
The Middle East
The Record Company
Twelfth Baptist Church
Union Church
VA Boston Healthcare System
Verónica Robles Cultural Center
ZUMIX
ARTIST CONNECTIONS
This year, touring artists generously shared their time and talents offstage with many of our city’s talented burgeoning musicians and arts lovers alike.
Students from BEAM (Bridge to Equity and Achievement in Music) and Boston String Academy performed for LA Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel and observed an open rehearsal of the orchestra.
Members of the Berliner Philharmoniker performed a school concert for students at the Josiah Quincy Elementary School; concertmaster Noah Bendix-Balgley gave a master class to NEC Prep students; and a quartet performed a family concert at the Goethe-Institut Boston, where an arts educator roundtable discussion was hosted around the company’s time in town.
Members of Japanese ensemble KODŌ provided history and insight while demonstrating their taiko drumming craft for an event in collaboration with the Japan Society at the Foundry in Cambridge, in advance of their Symphony Hall performance.
Through our partnerships with BEAM, during the Chineke! Orchestra’s Boston debut, three teens from youth music organizations Project STEP, New England Conservatory Prep, and the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras joined the orchestra to open the program with Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s haunting 1909 Othello Suite. They received coaching from members of the BSO in advance and had rehearsal time with the Chineke! musicians on the day of the concert. In addition, music students from area schools were invited to attend an open dress rehearsal, with Celebrity Series providing a transportation subsidy.
GUSTAVO DUDAMEL WITH BEAM STUDENTS IN REHEARSAL
CHINEKE! ORCHESTRA NEC’S JORDAN HALL
KODŌ MUSICIANS & JAPAN SOCIETY CAMBRIDGE FOUNDRY
A.I.M BY KYLE ABRAHAM BOCH CENTER SHUBERT THEATRE
CONNECTING THROUGH MOVEMENT
Movers of all ages had opportunities to learn directly from the accomplished dancers appearing on our stages this year. Master classes included:
● A.I.M by Kyle Abraham dancer Donovan Reed at Boston Arts Academy.
● Stefanie Batten Bland teaching a physical theatre class at the Dance Complex in Cambridge.
● LaTasha Barnes teaching swing at the Dance Complex in Cambridge.
● Australian circus arts performers Circa with local circus students at Esh Circus Arts in Somerville.
● Members of the Paul Taylor Dance Company at Boston Arts Academy.
● Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater members at Boston Arts Academy and Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.
Members of the Ailey company also led a free movement workshop for all ages at the Salvation Army Kroc Center in Dorchester. Local interdisciplinary artist Elmer Martinez kicked off this workshop where 70 dancers ranging in age from four to more than seventy learned excerpts from Mr. Ailey’s iconic Revelations and Night Creature from company dancers Khalia Campbell, Yannick Lebrun, and Courtney Celeste Spears.
Other more unique activities lent themselves to our artists this year. A veteran herself, dancer and choreographer LaTasha Barnes spoke to veterans at the West Roxbury VA Medical Center. She also met with members of the Network of Arts Administrators of Color (NAAC) over Zoom, and the full company participated at a Street Dance night at the Middle East in Cambridge, featuring DJ Stiggity Stackz. We also held post-show events following each performance of Stefanie Batten Bland’s Look Who’s Coming to Dinner—see page 21 for more information.
““It is difficult to put into words what a beautiful and moving experience we had today during the Ailey master class… I witnessed learning, laughter, courage, joy, and connection. Every single person in the room was moved to tears by the end of class. It was a day to witness the power and importance of community engagement through dance… Our staff and students are so truly grateful for this unique and precious experience.”
– Mila Thigpen, Cambridge Rindge & Latin School
CIRCA WORKSHOP
ESH CIRCUS ARTS, SOMERVILLE
ALVIN AILEY REVELATIONS WORKSHOP SALVATION ARMY KROC CENTER
LATASHA BARNES WORKSHOP DANCE COMPLEX
2022/23 SUBSCRIPTION SEASON
WELCOMING NICOLE TANEY
This season, we welcomed new Artistic Director Nicole Taney to her first full Celebrity Series season. Previously Director of Artistic Planning and Operations at Charleston’s Spoleto Festival USA, she produced opera and programmed dance, classical, folk, theater, and vocal concerts there. She commissioned the 2023 Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Omar by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels.
Nicole spent a year (only one winter, she points out!) working at the Boston Children’s Museum early in her arts career, and she’s thrilled to be back in town. Her inaugural Celebrity Series season was spent meeting with colleagues in Boston and around the country, researching projects to bring to Celebrity Series’ audiences in the 2023/24 season and beyond.
ARTISTIC CURATION
The subscription season that you’re about to revisit would not have been possible without support from our interim artistic programming team. We’d like to acknowledge the contributions of Hanako Yamaguchi, Bobby Asher, and our own Chief Operating Officer Karen Brown. We are grateful for their inspired curation this past season.
2022/23
SUBSCRIPTION SEASON BY THE NUMBERS:
56 productions for 68 ticketed events
55,000+ in-person attendees
1,100+ student tickets— a record!
SYMPHONY HALL
As always, Symphony Hall hosted extraordinary artists of all kinds, from mighty orchestras to beloved soloists. Whether thunderous taiko drums filled the stage or David Sedaris stood alone behind a lectern, these audience favorites always brought the house down.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by Gustavo Dudamel, returned with the local premiere of Gabriela Ortiz’ 2022 Altar de Cuerda (String Altar), commissioned by the LA Phil for 19-year-old Spanish violinist María Dueñas.
The Berliner Philharmoniker, with Kirill Petrenko making a much-anticipated Boston debut at the podium, lent their might and color to Korngold’s Symphony. Concertmaster Noah Bendix-Balgley impressed in the soloist’s role for Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 1
Jessica Vosk’s larger-than-life energy and personality (and her surprise and joy at the audience’s harmonizing during the “Sweet Caroline” singalong), David Sedaris’ droll observations, and KODŌ’s thunderous percussion delighted attendees, and brought many new audience members through the doors.
Joshua Bell and Daniil Trifonov teamed up for a memorable duo concert, and the brilliant Evgeny Kissin returned for a sold-out solo recital, his first since 2015. In a heartfelt and touching program, the great Itzhak Perlman shared stories, videos, photos, and musical touchstones from his childhood and across his long career, from his 1958 United States television debut on The Ed Sullivan Show to his haunting solos for the Schindler’s List film soundtrack.
BERLINER PHILHARMONIKER
SYMPHONY HALL
SANDERS THEATRE AND BERKLEE PERFORMANCE CENTER
Women led the way at Sanders Theatre and Berklee Performance Center this year, with brilliant female-led ensembles across a variety of genres. Bandleader and composer Maria Schneider kicked the season off at Sanders Theatre, with selections from her audacious double album Data Lords. Later in the season, singer-songwriter Aoife O’Donovan put her own stamp on Bruce Springsteen’s entire Nebraska album in just one of nine dates across the country. All-female supergroup Artemis took the stage at Berklee, and at the same venue Terri Lyne Carrington and her Social Science ensemble brought powerful messages to her academic home base, in a hip hop-inflected concert.
International artists and globally-inspired team-ups featured prominently at Berklee, with Chucho Valdés’ latest large-band opus La Creación (The Creation) depicting the Santería creation legend in a stunning work that highlighted the whole ensemble, especially Dafnis Prieto’s percussion. South Africa’s Soweto Gospel Choir celebrated the legacies of Nelson Mandela and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with South African and American songs. Old friends and genre-busting kindred spirits Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, and Zakir Hussain, with Indian flute legend Rakesh Chaurasia, teamed up for As We See It, their latest exuberant album and tour.
The brilliant Jason Moran, who took the stage at Berklee with his Bandwagon trio and a large ensemble, looked back over the generations to pay tribute to jazz pioneer James Reese Europe, leader of the acclaimed Harlem Hellfighters regimental band during the World War I. Folk luminaries came together at Berklee for a nationally broadcast concert in partnership with the syndicated Mountain Stage with Kathy Mattea radio show. Rosanne Cash and Loudon Wainwright III appeared alongside next-generation standouts Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway and Ali McGuirk, a rising star who got her start in the Greater Boston area.
Rounding out the schedule at Sanders Theatre, mandolin phenomenon Chris Thile wowed audiences playing folk, originals, and classical selections with flair and impeccable skill.
MARIA SCHNEIDER ORCHESTRA
SANDERS THEATRE
DANCE SERIES
On stages big and small, it was a banner year for dance. It was more than an artistic success: this season featured artists who went the extra mile to connect with audiences to provoke discussion, inspire wonder, and bring fans even closer to the work.
The dance season began with a Celebrity Series co-commission (and COVID-delayed debut): A.I.M by Kyle Abraham performed Abraham’s Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre. The work drew from Afrofuturism and Mozart alike to create a fascinating meditation on ritual, community, and the beyond.
In January, two intimate performances at New England Conservatory’s Plimpton Shattuck Black Box Theatre provided ways for audiences to get even closer to the work. Stefanie Batten Bland // Company SBB’s Look Who’s Coming to Dinner featured a post-show interactive workshop at tables set for audience members and artists, and a chance for further reflection in the lobby, with question prompts, refreshments, and a supportive space for challenging conversations.
LaTasha Barnes’ The Jazz Continuum, also at the Plimpton Shattuck Black Box, was the culmination of a weeklong company residency in Boston that featured events with Boston’s swing dance and street dance communities in partnership with the Dance Complex, a club night at The Middle East, and a conversation with veterans at the West Roxbury VA Medical Center. Barnes, a US Army veteran, shared her inspiring story of recovering mentally and physically from a disabling service-related injury through dance.
American modern and contemporary mainstays Paul Taylor Dance Company and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater again returned to the Boch Center. We offered a very special movement workshop at Dorchester’s Salvation Army Kroc Center, giving fans the chance to learn moves from Revelations and Night Creature from Alvin Ailey company dancers.
ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER BOCH CENTER WANG THEATRE
LOOK WHO’S COMING TO DINNERDINNER NY NEC'S PLIMPTON SHATTUCK BLACK BOX THEATRE
JAZZ FEST AND STAVE SESSIONS
For two weeks in March, Celebrity Series set up shop in two non-traditional venues that hosted exciting concerts in a relaxed and social setting.
The Jazz Festival returned to the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter in South Boston, with four nights of jazz in a bespoke club setting. In a gallery space that typically hosts exhibitions by its youth, audiences enjoyed a meditative saxophone performance from the Melissa Aldana Quartet, piano pyrotechnics from Hiromi, heartfelt songs of love and loss from Nnenna Freelon, and intellectual grooves from the Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet featuring guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel
Stave Sessions, the eclectic festival of contemporary music, returned after a hiatus, debuting in Davis Square’s Crystal Ballroom, above the Somerville Theatre. SŌ Percussion teamed with breath artist Shodekeh, LA’s Wild Up debuted with a show highlighting composer Julius Eastman, fingerstyle guitarist Yasmin Williams wowed a sold-out house, and pianist Craig Taborn and cellist Tomeka Reid demonstrated their peerless improvisation.
HIROMI ARTISTS FOR HUMANITY EPICENTER
NNENNA FREELON
ARTISTS FOR HUMANITY EPICENTER
SŌ PERCUSSION CRYSTAL BALLROOM
YASMIN WILLIAMS CRYSTAL BALLROOM
FROM DEBUT TO DIGITAL
The Debut Series celebrated its tenth anniversary this year, with six concerts at Pickman Hall, and series alumni taking the stage at Jordan Hall.
Debut Series at Pickman Hall
Highlights of the season included pianist Víkingur Ólafsson in a stunning Series debut (the first of what is sure to be many appearances for the Icelandic pianist) and bass-baritone Davóne Tines with pianist John Bitoy in Recital No. 1: MASS, a curated and personal interpretation that brilliantly recontextualized Bach arias alongside selections by Julius Eastman, Caroline Shaw, and others.
Jordan Hall
Debut Series alumni taking the stage at Jordan Hall included the Danish String Quartet (with violinist Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen also appearing with Dreamers’ Circus), Conrad Tao and Jay Campbell, the Doric String Quartet and pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, and pianists Igor Levit and Beatrice Rana.
It was a thrill to welcome two international artists to Jordan Hall for the first time: acclaimed South Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho and the United Kingdom’s Chineke! Orchestra. Chineke! creates highlevel performance opportunities for musicians from backgrounds that are typically underrepresented in professional orchestras; to inspire the next generation, they coached and played alongside three high school musicians from local strings programs.
A story that began in 1987 came to a close when we bid farewell to the Emerson String Quartet. Over 27 appearances, the members of this remarkable foursome have shared their musical insights and passion, beauty, and joy with Celebrity Series audiences, and we’re deeply grateful for the memorable moments that we shared. The reach of this powerful recital extended to over 180 households in 25 states from coast to coast, and even to viewers in Paris.
GBH and Digital
Celebrity Series returned to GBH’s Calderwood Studio for another slate of concerts that were broadcast digitally two days after the live event.
The series at GBH was a fascinating and varied cross-section of artists. Rob Kapilow discussed iconic songs by Irving Berlin; tenor Lawrence Brownlee and pianist Kevin Miller presented Rising, a new song cycle inspired by the Harlem Renaissance; continuo band Ruckus teamed with Baroque flutist Emi Ferguson for a fun and freewheeling evening of Bach; and the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra appeared with vocalist Dianne Schuur
2022/23 FINANCIALS
During the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons, Celebrity Series experienced unprecedented surplus years thanks to the generosity of our donors and the extraordinary federal, state, and local COVID-19 relief programs offered to arts organizations during this period. With this infusion of funding, the organization invested in an expansive 2022/23 season in order to provide vital postpandemic employment opportunities to artists, support venue and community partners, and offer a full artistic range to encourage the audience’s return to live performance. The 2022/23 season ended in a deficit that was sufficiently covered by the working capital accumulated in the prior two seasons, and the organization’s balance sheet remains strong with more than $20M in net assets.
2022/23 By the Numbers
FINANCIAL DETAILS
Operating Revenue and Support
Operating Revenue
Performance Revenue (Gross)
(Commissions and Fees)
Stabilization and Processing Fees
Total Operating Revenue
Operating Support
General Contributions and Special Funding
Special Events (net)
Endowment and Other Income
Total Operating Support
Total Operating Revenue & Support
Operating Expenses
Performance and Community Engagement
Management and General Fundraising
Total Operating Expenses
Net
FY2023 FY2022 FY2021
$3,551,792 $(342,691)
$223,503
$3,432,604
$3,282,647
$188,667
$2,163,867
$5,635,181
$9,067,785 $7,586,044 $930,306
$1,120,920
$9,637,270
$(569,485)
$1,779,764 $(171,446)
$103,096 $1,711,414
$5,869,282
$180,092 $820,980 $6,870,354
$8,581,768 $5,951,665 $730,915 $1,005,774 $7,688,354 $893,414 $108,762 ––$108,762 $4,088,036 $373,021 $342,110 $4,803,167 $4,911,929 $2,848,871 $692,487 $938,195 $4,479,553 $432,376
GRATITUDE
Celebrity Series of Boston thanks our communities of individuals, corporations, foundations, and government agencies who made possible the innumerable performances and moments of connection in the 2022/23 season. Your support each season allows Celebrity Series to create, improve, and grow initiatives that ensure everyone will experience belonging at our live performances.
Your generosity also supports innovative opportunities for performing artists to share their art in unique collaborations beyond stages and within our communities; feedback mechanisms that give Celebrity Series a thorough understanding of how our communities value their experiences; and ongoing efforts to center equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in our mission as we envision a future that transforms lives and builds better communities.
The lists that follow reflect gifts as of June 30, 2023; if your name is missing, or if you believe you were listed in error, please contact the Advancement department at: advancement@celebrityseries.org or 617.598.3232.
2022/23 Corporate, Foundation, and Government Support
Principal Institutional Producers ($50,000+)
Anonymous
Barr Foundation through its ArtsAmplified initiative
Stephanie L. Brown Foundation
Deloitte LLP
D.L. Saunders Real Estate Corp.
Liberty Mutual Foundation
Susanne Marcus Collins Foundation
Massachusetts Cultural Council
Institutional Producers
($25,000-$49,999)
Anonymous
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
National Endowment for the Arts
The Reopen Creative Boston Fund, administered by the Boston Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture
Richard K. Lubin Family Foundation
Stifler Family Foundation
Yawkey Foundation
Angels ($10,000-$24,999)
Anonymous
The Catered Affair
New England Foundation for the Arts
Rafanelli Events Management
Royal Little Family Foundation
Schrafft Charitable Trust
Sponsors ($5,000-$9,999)
Aaron Copland Fund for Music
Bessie Pappas Charitable Foundation
First Republic Bank
Hamilton Company Charitable Foundation
Outside the Box: A Production of the Boston Arts
Summer Institute
The Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation
Partners ($2,500-$4,999)
Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany
Consulate General of Israel to New England
Egloff & Wood, LLP
Elphaba Fund
PERFORMANCE RECOGNITION
Celebrity Series of Boston thanks 2022/23 Season Sponsors Amy & Joshua Boger, 2022/23 Neighborhood Arts Presenting Sponsor Stephanie L. Brown Foundation, and the following donors who received performance-specific recognition in the 2022/23 season.
2022/23 Season Sponsors
Amy & Joshua Boger
2022/23 Neighborhood Arts Presenting Sponsor
Stephanie L. Brown Foundation
2022/23 PERFORMANCE SERIES SPONSORS
2022/23 Dance Series Sponsors
Leslie & Howard Appleby
Stephanie L. Brown Foundation
Cynthia & John S. Reed Foundation
Royal Little Family Foundation
2022/23 Debut Series Sponsors
Harriet & David Griesinger and the Longy School of Music of Bard College
2022/23 Jazz Festival Sponsors
Jill & David Altshuler
Support provided by the Barr Foundation through its ArtsAmplified initiative
2022/23 Stave Sessions Sponsors
Susan & Michael Thonis
Support provided by the Barr Foundation through its ArtsAmplified initiative and The Aaron Copland Fund for Music
Aaron Richmond Recitals
Endowed by Nancy Richmond Winsten and the late Dr. Joseph Winsten
2022/23 Individual Performance Sponsors
Maria Schneider Orchestra, Data Lords An anonymous donor
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
María Dueñas, violin
Stephanie L. Brown Foundation
Berliner Philharmoniker
Kirill Petrenko, conductor
Noah Bendix-Balgley, violin
LIVE PERFORMANCE! Arts for All Leadership Support from Eleanor & Frank Pao
A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth
Co-commissioned by Celebrity Series
LIVE PERFORMANCE! Arts for All Leadership Support from Royal Little Family Foundation
What Makes It Great? with Rob Kapilow Inventing America Part 1 | The Songs of Irving Berlin: An American Voice for Popular Music with commentator and pianist Rob Kapilow and vocalist
Michael Winther
Amy & Joshua Boger
Junction Trio
Stefan Jackiw, violin | Jay Campbell, cello
Conrad Tao, piano
Susan & Michael Thonis
Company SBB // Stefanie Batten Bland
Look Who’s Coming to Dinner
Susan & Michael Thonis
With additional support provided by the Amy Lam Fund for Creative Performance
LaTasha Barnes’ The Jazz Continuum
Susan & Michael Thonis
The presentation of The Jazz Continuum was made possible in part by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Mellon Foundation.
With additional support provided by the Amy Lam Fund for Creative Performance
Emerson String Quartet
Sally S. Seaver, PhD
Danish String Quartet
Dorothy & Stephen Weber
Chris Thile
Amy & Joshua Boger
What Makes It Great? with Rob Kapilow
Inventing America Part 2 | Copland’s Appalachian Spring: An American Voice for Classical Music with commentator and pianist Rob Kapilow and ensemble
A Far Cry
Amy & Joshua Boger
Jessica Vosk, My Golden Age
Presented in loving memory of Bill Casey
Additional support provided by the Elphaba Fund
Igor Levit, piano
Stephen C. Perry & Oliver Radford
Additional support provided by the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany
Aoife O’Donovan
with special guest Hawktail
Support provided in part by Kathleen & Chris Gaffney
Joshua Bell, violin and Daniil Trifonov, piano
The Rabb Family Foundations
Paul Taylor Dance Company LIVE PERFORMANCE! Arts for All Leadership Support from Stephanie L. Brown Foundation
An Afternoon with Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman, violin
Rohan De Silva, piano
Additional support provided by the Consulate General of Israel to New England
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (postponed)
Jill & David Altshuler and Leslie & Howard Appleby
Evgeny Kissin, piano
The Rabb Family Foundations
Patricia Zárate Pérez Quintet, Violetas LIVE PERFORMANCE! Arts for All Leadership Support from Belinda Termeer
Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain featuring Rakesh Chaurasia
Julia Byers & Steven Holtzman
Deceased
2023 SHINE! GALA
AMY & ETHAN D’ABLEMONT BURNES AND TERI GROOME & PAUL BELANGER, CO-CHAIRS
The 2023 Celebrity Series SHINE! Gala took place on Friday, May 12 at the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts with over 300 guests, hosted by co-chairs Amy & Ethan d’Ablemont Burnes and Teri Groome & Paul Belanger. The co-chairs welcomed guests to a night of live performance celebration with meaningful moments from engaging artists Tyson Jackson & Friends and Time For Three. The evening raised over $568,361 from guests in attendance and from afar to support Celebrity Series’ acclaimed Arts for All! community programs, ongoing efforts to center equity, diversity, and inclusion in our mission, opportunities for artists, and innovative live performance programming and collaborations.
New this year, Celebrity Series introduced SHINE! for All, an effort to extend complimentary gala invitations to local artists, cultural leaders, and creative thought leaders as special guests to recognize the role they play in enriching our city and in anticipation of cultivating new relationships that artistically, creatively, and positively impact Greater Boston communities. Celebrity Series hosted a total of 41 guests from cultural organizations across the Greater Boston area, solidifying Celebrity Series’ role as a leader, convener, and connector in our artistic community.
Thank you for making Celebrity Series SHINE!. We hope you’ll join us next year on April 27, 2024.
““SHINE! 2023 was the first Celebrity Series Gala I’ve attended. I was so impressed with the event - the careful attention to detail, the inclusion of artists and organization across the city, and the authenticity of messaging made for a deeply meaningful event. I left SHINE! feeling a connection to a community of supporters and donors who made me feel welcome and have inspired me to learn more about the mission and artistry of Celebrity Series.”
– Irene Idicheria, Boston Children’s Chorus Managing Director
TIME FOR THREE BOSTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS CYCLORAMA
ANNUAL FUND SUPPORTERS
Walter Pierce Annual Performance Fund & Harris A. Berman and Ruth Nemzoff Fund for After-School Arts
Gifts listed here reflect commitments to the Celebrity Series of Boston’s 2022/23 season as of June 30, 2023.
Founder’s Circle ($100,000+)
Amy &
Stephanie
Virtuoso’s Circle ($50,000-$99,999) Leslie
Susan
Producer’s
Anonymous
Michael
Joanne
Amy
Kathleen
Drs.
MARTHA H. JONES SOCIETY FOR LIFETIME GIVING
The Martha H. Jones Society for Lifetime Giving was established in 2018 in honor of former Executive Director Martha H. Jones. The Society honors the following individuals and institutions whose cumulative gifts to Celebrity Series have met or exceeded $100,000.
INDIVIDUALS
Anonymous
Jill
Joanne
Caroline
Amy
JoAnne
Ilene
David
Dr. Lawrence Stifler & Mary McFadden
Mary Elisabeth Swerz &
Susan & Michael Thonis
Sanjay & Sangeeta Verma Dorothy & Stephen Weber
Barnet & Sandra Weinstein
Peter J. Wender
Nancy Richmond Winsten Miriam M. Wood & Charles O. Wood, III
Ellen & Arnold Zetcher
INSTITUTIONS
Anonymous (3)
Bank of America
Bank of Boston BankBoston
The Garbis & Arminé Barsoumian Charitable Foundation
Joan & Steven Belkin Foundation
Boch Center
The Boston Foundation
Stephanie L. Brown Foundation
The Catered Affair
Charlesbank Capital Partners LLC
Clipper Ship Foundation
Collings Foundation
Comcast Cable
Deloitte LLP
DeMoulas Foundation
Emerson College
Fidelity Investments
FleetBoston Financial
Foley & Lardner LLP
Krupp Family Foundation
Liberty Mutual Foundation
Linde Family Foundation
Mabel Louise Riley Foundation
Richard K. Lubin Family Foundation
Susanne Marcus Collins Foundation
Massachusetts Cultural Council
Pierre & Tana Matisse Foundation
National Endowment for the Arts
New England Center
For The Performing Arts
New England Foundation for the Arts
P&G Gillette
Bessie Pappas Charitable Foundation
The Peabody Foundation
Philanthropic Advisors
Port Lighting Systems
PTC
Cynthia & John S. Reed Foundation
Royal Little Family Foundation
Stifler Family Foundation
Talbots
Tufts Health Plan
U.S. Small Business Administration
Deceased
The listings in this publication reflect activity through June 30, 2023.
AARON RICHMOND LEGACY SOCIETY
The Aaron Richmond Legacy Society was established in 2001 and honors the memory of Celebrity Series of Boston founder Aaron Richmond (1895-1964). The Society recognizes the following individuals who have notified Celebrity Series of estate provisions including bequest intentions, charitable remainder trusts, gift annuities, and other forms of deferred support.
Anonymous (2)
Dr. Harris A. Berman & Ruth Nemzoff
Robert Binney & Janet Veasey
Diana Bourgeois
Mark H. Cooley, MD
Friend of Celebrity Series of Boston
Martin Gantshar
Gabor Garai & Susan Pravda
Randolph Hawthorne & Carliss Baldwin
Ellen S. Heller
David R. Janero & Jeffrey A. Thomson
Martha H. Jones & Christine Armstrong
Paul & Elizabeth Kastner
Mary Ellen Kiddle
Joan Lebach
Margot LeStrange & Andrew Stern
Susan Matz
Charlotte & Gordon Moore
Stewart Myers, in memory of Maureen McGuire Myers
John David Ober
Eleanor & Frank Pao
Mr. Jonathan Scott Reichner
Libby Roberts
Sandra Shapiro & John Kirsch
Marylen Sternweiler
Peter J. Wender
Constance White
Nancy Richmond Winsten
Marvin & Katherine Wolfthal
Miriam M. Wood & Charles O. Wood, III
Ron & Janet Zwanziger
Deceased
The listings in this publication reflect activity through June 30, 2023.
The Celebrity Series community dearly misses, recognizes, and holds tremendous thanks for the following family members and supporters who brought their energy, commitment, enthusiasm, love, and support to Celebrity Series and the performing arts in Greater Boston, whom we lost during the 2022/23 season.
Gone But Never Forgotten
Alfred L. Goldberg
Ellen Offner
Walter Pierce
Eric Taussig
Stephen Weber
2022/23 BOARDS OF DIRECTORS AND ADVISORS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joshua
BOARD
CELEBRITY SERIES STAFF
Gary Dunning, President and Executive Director
Nicole Taney, Artistic Director
ADVANCEMENT
Emily Borababy, Chief Advancement Officer
Sara Brookner, Associate Director of Institutional Giving
Sarah Spinella, Associate Director of Individual Giving
Anya Hess, Senior Manager of Events and Advancement Operations
Miranda McLean, Manager of Events and Advancement Operations
Christopher Vu, Assistant Manager of Individual Giving and Donor Communications
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
Heather Clark, Chief Financial Officer
Alex Larin, Finance Manager
Lily Kaufman, Business Manager
Laurel Sabala, Finance Associate
MARKETING AND AUDIENCE SERVICES
Courtney A. Burke, Chief Marketing Officer
Ellen Rogoz, Associate Director of Marketing
Vawnya Nichols, Associate Director, Ticketing and Audience Services
Gillian Morrison, Senior Manager, Communications and Digital Content
Robert Torres, Senior Graphic Designer and Photographer
Kristín Otharsson, Design and Multimedia Manager
Patrick Smith, Marketing Analytics and CRM Manager
Angela Flores, Assistant Manager, Email Marketing and Social Media
Nicole Williams, Audience Services Manager
Susanna Bonta, Program Book Associate
Lilli Samman, Group Sales and Marketing Event Manager
Suzanne
Marylen R. Sternweiler*
Jeffrey A. Thomson*
Sarah Rainwater Ward Wendy L. Watson
Weinstein
Sharon R. Weinstein, MD
Peter J. Wender*
Sarkis Zerounian
Listing as of June 30, 2023
+ Denotes Executive Committee * Denotes 25+ year subscriber Denotes deceased
Saralyn Klepaczyk, Audience Services Associate
Cortlin Presley, Audience Services & Office Associate
Lisa Feingold, Senior Audience Services Representative
Stephanie Jean Louis, Audience Services Representative
Annie Coyne, Audience Services Representative
PERFORMANCE OPERATIONS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Karen Brown, Chief Operating Officer
Liz Rosenthal, Associate Director of Performance Operations
Robin Baker, Associate Director of Community Engagement
Elizabeth Kracunas, Senior Manager of Performance Operations
Walter Yee, Manager of Performance Operations
Israel Gutierrez, Manager of Community Engagement
Evan DelGaudio, Dance Production Manager
Hope Aubrey, Executive/Contracts Administrator
Wei Jing Saw, Artist Assistant
USHERS
Erin Field, Sarah Stephenson, Jen Minor, Dekel Luban, Molly Hitt, Patrick Wu, Zoe Chau, Dave Brown, Kahdeem Ralph, Declan Rockett, Xan Denker
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Stephanie Janes PR, Media Relations
John Michael Kennedy - JMKPR, Media Relations for Dance Performances
Audit Firm
Law Firm
CELEBRITY SERIES MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
All this work is made possible thanks to the generosity of donors like you. When you make a gift to Celebrity Series you join our family of members. Please visit celebrityseries.org/membership and learn more about 2023/24 season membership benefits.
FRIENDS CIRCLE: $100-499
• Early access to place your subscription order
• Early access to purchase single tickets to our most popular performances throughout the season so you can secure great seats
• Subscription fees waived*
• 10% donor-only discount on any digital performance purchase
• Celebrity Series in Action monthly e-newsletter
PATRONS CIRCLE: $500-1,249
Everything listed above PLUS:
• Earlier access to place your subscription order
• Specially curated virtual and live behind-the-scenes experiences
• Connect with fellow members of the Celebrity Series community at performance receptions
• Listing in the 2023/24 BRAVO! Annual Report
DRESS CIRCLE:
$1,250-2,499
Everything listed above PLUS:
• Earliest access to place your subscription order
• Invitation to annual Dress Circle thank you event
• Listing in digital performance programs
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE:
$2,500-4,999
Everything listed above PLUS:
• Invitation to virtual Town Hall with Celebrity Series leadership
• Virtual holiday telegram from a Neighborhood Arts artist
• Specialized ticketing assistance provided by a Donor Ticketing Advisor
ARTISTS CIRCLE:
$5,000-9,999 ^
Everything listed above PLUS:
• Invitations to post-performance receptions with select artists
• Invitations to Artist Connections events to see your gift at work!
* during announced donor ticketing periods
^ visit our website for additional benefits starting at $10,000 and above
Celebrity Series also offers Corporate Memberships. Whether you seek unique client entertainment opportunities, employee incentives, or visibility for your company, we offer an array of benefits uniquely tailored to your business. Learn more about Corporate Memberships at celebrityseries.org/corporatearts.
