FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Truly Render, 734-647-4020 [email protected] www.ums.org/news
UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY ANNOUNCES JANUARY 2013 EVENTS
ANN ARBOR, MI (November 28, 2012) —The University Musical Society (UMS) ushers in 2012 with seven must-
see productions. During the second week of January, UMS is thrilled to present the National Theatre of Scotland
in Ypsilanti’s Corner Brewery (720 Norris Street) for a six-day, seven-performance run of one of the most
spellbindingly intimate plays in UMS history: The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart (Tuesday‒Sunday, January
8‒13). Inspired by the Scottish Border Ballads, Robert Burns, and the poems of Robert Service, The Strange
Undoing of Prudencia Hart tells the tale of a buttoned-up academic who unleashes the devil and revels in the
wild journey of her own undoing. While Prudencia Hart has been sold out for several months, tickets may
become available closer to the performance run — call 734.764.2538 for details.
January continues with a performance by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, performing repertory that
celebrates Hill Auditorium’s centennial season and showcases the venue’s historic Frieze Memorial Organ
(Sunday, January 13). Later that week (Thursday‒Friday, January 17‒18), UMS presents a rising star on the indie
music scene: pianist, singer, and composer Gabriel Kahane. For his UMS debut, Kahane performs songs from his
latest indie-pop album, Where are the Arms (2011) with yMusic, an ensemble comprised of guitarist/violinist
Rob Moose (Bon Iver, Antony and the Johnsons), violist Nadia Sirota, cellist Clarice Jensen, flutist Alex Sopp,
clarinetist Hideaki Aomori, and trumpet player CJ Camerieri (Sufjan Stevens, American Composers Orchestra).
In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, UMS has curated an original program entitled From Cass Corridor to
the World: A Tribute to Detroit’s Musical Golden Age (Monday, January 21). This program will celebrate the city
of Detroit and the legendary music that takes shape there. The concert features Geri Allen, music director and
piano; Robert Hurst, bass; Karriem Riggins, drums; Marcus Belgrave, trumpet, and an impressive roster of special
Detroit artists, including George Shirley, James Carter, Dwight Andrews, Ralph Jones, Ali Jackson, Perry Hughes,
January 2013 Events Page 2 of 14
Spencer Barefield, Marian Haydn, Joan Belgrave, Shahida Nurallah, Naima Shamborguer, Ursula Walker, and the
Motown Gospel Legends Choir.
On Friday, January 25 and Saturday, January 26 the Martha Graham Dance Company brings two entirely
different programs of iconic contemporary dance to Ann Arbor’s Power Center for the Performing Arts. For the
Friday evening performance, the company will perform a program entitled Inner Landscape, which includes
works that represent Graham’s fascination with the mind and also includes works by several other
choreographers enraptured with this concept; on Saturday, January 26, the company will perform Martha
Graham’s iconic Appalachian Spring (1944) and Robert Wilson’s Snow on the Mesa (1995).
On Saturday January 27 UMS is thrilled to bring back Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán after their extremely popular
UMS debut in November 2010. This internationally recognized ensemble is routinely hailed as the “inventors of
modern mariachi” and the group holds an incredibly meaningful place in the traditional cultural life of native
Spanish speakers and others who may be new to this powerful art form. [Please note: when UMS announced
the 12/13 season, we listed an October performance date for Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán. Due to
circumstances beyond our control, the date was changed to Sunday, January 27 at 4 pm.]
January comes to a close with a performance by a perennial UMS favorite, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
with Wynton Marsalis, music director and trumpet (Thursday, January 31).
Tickets to All Events On Sale Now
How to Order:
www.ums.org
734-764-2538
In person: Michigan League (911 North University Avenue)
At the performance venue: beginning 90 minutes before performance start time
Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., closed Sunday
January 2013 Events Page 3 of 14
Holiday Hours: UMS Ticket Office will be closed from Friday, December 21 at 5 pm through Tuesday,
January 1, reopening on Wednesday, January 2 at 9 am. During this time, tickets will be available online
at www.ums.org.
Performances & Events
NATIONAL THEATRE OF SCOTLAND: THE STRANGE UNDOING OF PRUDENCIA HART Tuesday, January 8, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 9, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 10, 7:30 p.m. Friday, January 11, 8:00 p.m. Saturday, January 12, 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. Sunday, January 13, 6:00 p.m. Corner Brewery (720 Norris Street, Ypsilanti) Recommended for ages 14+ Hosted by David and Phyllis Herzig Media Partners Between the Lines and Michigan Radio
National Theatre of Scotland delivers an evening of anarchic theater, live music, and supernatural
storytelling, music, and theater inspired by the Border Ballads, Robert Burns, and the poems of Robert
Service. Twenty-eight-year-old Prudencia Hart is a collector of folk songs, an academic who has devoted her
life to the study of folk material. On the night of the village fête she came to town to collect song material
for her thesis, “Paradigms of Emotional Contact in The Performance and Text of Traditional Folk Song in
Scotland 1572 – 1798.” She gets caught up with a bunch of locals and that’s when she hears of the existence
of a song beyond song… the original song… the uncollected song… the song of undoing… and sets out to find
it. What Prudencia doesn’t know is that the song of undoing belongs to the devil. The wild journey through
the night takes her into and out of different supernatural and natural realms, always looking for the song
until finally she discovers it — and is undone. She returns to the pub where she sings the song of her own
undoing.
January 2013 Events Page 4 of 14
Free Related Event:
A Play and A Pint Saturday, January 12, 6 pm Corner Brewery (720 Norris Street, Ypsilanti)
Based on the popular series from Glasgow, enjoy a pint of beer while learning about the National Theatre of Scotland and the inspiration for The Strange of Undoing of Prudencia Hart. Resident experts Kali Israel and Karen McConnell (U-M Departments of History and English Language & Literature) lead a discussion and Q&A on the history of Scottish theater and the border ballads that inspired the play.
Additional information: http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com
National Theatre of Scotland’s previous UMS appearances: This performance marks the National Theatre of
Scotland’s UMS debut.
DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HILL AUDITORIUM’S “KING OF INSTRUMENTS”: THE FRIEZE MEMORIAL ORGAN Leonard Slatkin, conductor Peter Richard Conte, organ David Higgs, organ James Kibbie, organ UMS Choral Union Jerry Blackstone, music director Sunday, January 13, 4:00 p.m. Hill Auditorium (825 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor) Tickets start at $10 Program James MacMillan Tu es Petrus (2010) J. S. Bach/Stokowski Toccata and Fugue in d minor, BWV 565 (1708) Samuel Barber Toccata Festiva for Organ and Orchestra, Op. 36 (1960) William Bolcom Free Fantasia on “O Zion, Haste” and “How Firm a Foundation” (1979-84) Aram Khachaturian Symphony No. 3 in C (“Symphony-Poem”) (1947) Hosted by Barbara Sloat
January 2013 Events Page 5 of 14
Media Partners WGTE 91.3 FM, WRCJ 90.9 FM, Detroit Jewish News, and Ann Arbor’s 107one FM
This concert celebrates the 100th birthday of Hill Auditorium with a concert that features the Frieze
Memorial Organ. The organ was built in Detroit and displayed at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. Shortly
thereafter, the University purchased the organ as a tribute to UMS founder and former U-M President Henry
Simmons Frieze, and it was a centerpiece of Albert Kahn’s design when Hill Auditorium was built. The organ
will be featured in nearly every piece performed on the concert.
Artist Info: www.detroitsymphony.com
Previous UMS appearances: The Detroit Symphony Orchestra made its UMS debut in 1919. Since then, the
orchestra has performed on 79 occasions, most recently in March 2008 with the UMS Choral Union and the
MSU Children’s Choir in a Good Friday performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion in Hill Auditorium.
GABRIEL KAHANE & yMUSIC Gabriel Kahane, piano Rob Moose, violin and guitar Nadia Sirota, viola Clarice Jensen, cello Alex Sopp, flutes Hideaki Aomori, clarinets Cj Camerieri, trumpet and horn Thursday, January 17, 7:30 p.m. Friday, January 18, 8:00 p.m. Arthur Miller Theatre (1226 Murfin Avenue, Ann Arbor) General Admission: $35 Media Partner WDET 101.9 FM
Writing and performing indie-pop music that moves effortlessly from dense modernism to spare vernacular
song, pianist, composer, and singer Gabriel Kahane has established himself as a leading voice among a
generation of young composers redefining music for the 21st century. Kahane’s indie-pop is tinged with rich
January 2013 Events Page 6 of 14
classical elements; his literary lyrics are bursting with story and emotion. Some may know him as the writer
of the acclaimed musical February House, which ran at New York City's Public Theater in 2012. For Gabriel
Kahane's UMS performance, he will perform songs from his latest album, Where Are The Arms, along with
material drawn from his diverse songbook and musical theater compositions. Kahane will be performing
with his friends and collaborators, yMusic, featuring guitarist/violinist Rob Moose (Bon Iver, Antony and the
Johnsons) and trumpet player CJ Camerieri (Sufjan Stevens, American Composers Orchestra).
"[Kahane's] music absorbs everything from nineteen-twenties neoclassicism to bluegrass and modern indie
pop with potent melodies bridging the disparate styles…His greatest asset is his sonorous, mesmerizing
baritone; he brings to mind Sinatra in his wee-small-hours mood.” (The New Yorker)
Artist Info: www.gabrielkahane.com
Previous UMS appearances: This performance marks Gabriel Kahane’s UMS debut.
FROM CASS CORRIDOR TO THE WORLD: A TRIBUTE TO DETROIT’S MUSICAL GOLDEN AGE Geri Allen, music director
Featuring D-3 Trio: Geri Allen, piano Robert Hurst, bass Karriem Riggins, drums with special guests
Marcus Belgrave, trumpet
George Shirley, vocals and spoken word
James Carter, saxophones
Dwight Andrews and Ralph Jones, woodwinds
Ali Jackson, drums
Perry Hughes and Spencer Barefield, guitar
Marian Haydn, bass
January 2013 Events Page 7 of 14
Joan Belgrave, Shahida Nurallah, Naima Shamborguer, and Ursula Walker, vocals
Motown Gospel Legends Choir
Al Chisholm, director
Monday, January 21, 7:30 p.m. Hill Auditorium (825 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor) Tickets start at $10 Supported by Anne and Paul Glendon Media Partners: Metro Times, WEMU 89.1 FM, Ann Arbor’s 107one FM, and WDET 101.9 FM This concert is a co-presentation with the University of Michigan Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives.
Every city had a Golden Age. In most places, the Golden Age dies, but in Detroit it continues. It remains
unbroken.
On Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, UMS and the U-M MLK Day Symposium celebrate the very unique
relationship of the city of Detroit to the music it helped create and shape. Beginning with trumpeter and
educator Gerald Wilson (a Cass Technical High School graduate) and continuing through the great Detroit
artists and mentors who have sustained the music through the second half of the 20th century, Detroit
continues to nurture and create international trends in contemporary music-making and songwriting into
the new millennium. With Geri Allen serving as music director and the D-3 Trio serving as house band, From
Cass Corridor to the World musically narrates this spectacular and unique journey.
Artist Info: geriallen.com, roberthurst.com, karriemriggins.com, and marcusbelgrave.net
Previous UMS appearances: This performance marks the second UMS performance for Geri Allen and
Robert Hurst; both musicians played with the Charles Lloyd Quintet in the Michigan Theater in November
2003. Marcus Belgrave has performed under UMS auspices three times previously, all as part of the band for
The Harlem Nutcracker, last presented by UMS in 1999. Cass Corridor marks the third UMS performance for
saxophonist James Carter, having most recently performed with his James Carter Quartet in February of
1997. Drummer Ali Jackson has performed under UMS auspices seven times, most recently with the Jazz at
Lincoln Center Orchestra in 2010. George Shirley has performed two times previously under UMS auspices,
most recently in February of 1993.
January 2013 Events Page 8 of 14
This performance marks the UMS debut for Dwight Andrews, Spencer Barefield, Joan Belgrave, Marian
Haydn, Perry Hughes, Ralph Jones, Shahida Nurallah, Karriem Riggins, Naima Shamborguer, Ursula Walker,
and the Motown Gospel Legends Choir.
MARTHA GRAHAM DANCE COMPANY Friday, January 25, 8:00 p.m. Saturday, January 26, 8:00 p.m. Please note: each night features a different program. Power Center (121 Fletcher Street, Ann Arbor) Tickets start at $22 Friday, January 25 program: Inner Landscapes Beautiful Captives: Martha Graham and the Cinematic Id - A Film Montage by Peter Sparling with music by Eric Santos Witch Dance (1914) Choreography by Mary Wigman Every Soul Is a Circus (1939) Choreography: Martha Graham, Music: Paul Nordof, Decor: Philip Stapp Lamentation Variations (2009) Choreography: Aszure Barton, Yvonne Rainer, Lar Lubovitch Night Journey (1947) Choreography: Martha Graham, Music: William Schumann, Decor: Isamu Noguchi Saturday, January 26 program: Appalachian Spring (1944) Choreography: Martha Graham, Music: Aaron Copland, Décor: Isamu Nogichi Snow on the Mesa (1995) Décor and Direction: Robert Wilson Sponsored by University of Michigan Health System Supported by the Renegade Ventures Fund. Funded in part by National Endowment for the Arts Media Partners Between the Lines, Metro Times, and Ann Arbor’s 107one FM.
Martha Graham (1894-1991) was a pioneering choreographer whose modern dance company is the oldest
(started in 1926) and most celebrated in America. Her innovative body of work stands alongside that of
Pablo Picasso, Igor Stravinsky, George Balanchine, and Coco Chanel as pillars of 20th-century Modernism.
Her company has performed all over the world, including at the base of the Great Pyramids and in the
ancient Herod Atticus Theatre on the Acropolis. The Martha Graham Dance Company has nurtured many
choreographers of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Merce Cunningham, Pearl Lang, Paul Taylor, Pascal
Rioult, and Peter Sparling (who teaches at U-M Dept. of Dance, and whose film montage opens the Friday
night program).
January 2013 Events Page 9 of 14
The Friday, January 25 program, Inner Landscapes, includes some of Graham’s psychological dances,
growing out of her fascination with the life of the mind, interpersonal relationships, and the use of symbols
to express human feeling. It brings together the work of several choreographers to illuminate a theme that
captured the imagination of artists as modern dance developed and continues to provide inspiration for
those working today. The Saturday program features her iconic work Appalachian Spring and Robert
Wilson’s Snow on the Mesa.
Free Related Events:
You Can Dance: Martha Graham Wednesday, January 23, 7:30 pm Ann Arbor YMCA (400 West Washington Street)
Join dancers from the Martha Graham dance company for an exploration of the company's movement style. No dance training or experience necessary, and all levels, ages 13 and up, are welcome. Free, but first come, first served until studio reaches capacity.
“Too Sexy for Export? Martha Graham and the US Department of State” Wednesday, January 23, 11:30 am‒1 pm 3512 Haven Hall (505 South State Street)
Dance historian and critic Clare Croft, Assistant Professor and Post-Doctoral Fellow in Dance at the University of Michigan, explores the dance-based diplomacy work done by Martha Graham and her company during the Cold War era. Presented by the U-M Program in American Culture.
Opening Night Q & A Friday, January 25, after the performance Power Center
Join us for a post-performance Q&A and get a glimpse into the lives and minds of the artists that bring creativity to the stage. Must have a ticket to the Friday evening performance to attend.
Artist Info: http://marthagraham.org
Previous UMS appearances: These two performances mark the 23rd and 24th times that the Martha Graham
Dance Company has performed under UMS auspices. The company made its UMS debut in October 1970
and last appeared as part of a UMS season in October 2006.
January 2013 Events Page 10 of 14
MARIACHI VARGAS DE TECALITLÁN Sunday, January 27, 4:00 p.m. Hill Auditorium (825 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor) Tickets start at $10 Funded in part by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
The internationally acclaimed Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán is based out of Mexico City and has performed
throughout the US and Latin America, as well as in Spain and the Czech Republic. Their music continues to
shape cultures, influence people, attract multiple generations, and entertain audiences throughout the
world.
Much of the success of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán is due to the phenomenal talents of Maestro Ruben
Fuentes, the groupʼs leader since the 1950s, and Jose “Pepe” Martinez, Sr., musical director for Mariachi
Vargas. Together Fuentes and Martinez have written numerous songs and arrangements that have resulted
in the sound mariachi music is known for today.
Artist Info: www.mariachi-vargas.com
Previous UMS appearances: This concert marks the second appearance of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán
under UMS auspices. The group last performed in Hill Auditorium in November 2010.
25th Anniversary Tour!
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA with WYNTON MARSALIS, music director and trumpet
Thursday, January 31, 7:30 p.m. Hill Auditorium (825 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor) Tickets start at $10 Sponsored by KeyBank
January 2013 Events Page 11 of 14
Supported by Gil Omenn and Martha Darling Media Partners WEMU 89.1 FM and Metro Times.
Wynton Marsalis stands in a league all his own. A creative genius, compassionate humanitarian, legendary
trumpeter, masterful composer, arts advocate, tireless educator, and cultural leader, he inspires and uplifts
people through superb music-making. His first trumpet came from Al Hirt at age 6, though it took a few
years for interest in the instrument to stick. Now, more than 40 years later, he is best known as the leader of
the 15-member Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Performing music that links today’s improvisers with the
rich history of traditional and contemporary big-band composition, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
celebrates its 25th anniversary with a concert that features classic Blue Note Records selections and tunes
made famous by John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Gerry Mulligan, John Lewis, and more. “The audience was
weak from applauding and shouting and jumping up and down with the joy of the great music it had heard.”
(El Universal/The Herald)
Artist Info: www.jazzatlincolncenter.org and www.wyntonmarsalis.com
Previous UMS appearances: This concert marks Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s 14th UMS appearance
since the Orchestra’s UMS debut in February 1994. Wynton Marsalis makes his 16th appearance under UMS
auspices, both with the Orchestra and in other ensemble configurations, including a February 1997
presentation of his Pulitzer Prize-winning oratorio, Blood on the Fields, at Hill Auditorium. Mr. Marsalis made
his UMS debut in January 1996 with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra Octet. The Orchestra and Mr. Marsalis
last appeared at Hill Auditorium in February 2011.
ADDITIONAL FREE EDUCATIONAL EVENTS
UMS Night School Monday, January 14, 7 p.m. Ann Arbor District Library (343 S. Fifth Avenue)
Join UMS and Professor Mark Clague to explore UMS's rich history of jazz performances at Hill Auditorium, including the upcoming tribute to Jazz from Detroit's Cass Corridor.
January 2013 Events Page 12 of 14
UMS Night School Monday, January 28, 7 p.m. Ann Arbor District Library (343 S. Fifth Avenue)
Over the years, UMS has turned Hill Auditorium into a global stage — a platform for cultural exchange, learning, and community pride. Join UMS and Professor Mark Clague in exploring UMS's rich history of world music programming.
FAMILIES, TAKE NOTE: UMS Kids Club allows students in grades 3-12 to attend any UMS event with their parents at significantly reduced ticket prices. UMS will set aside a limited quantity of Kids Club tickets for every event in the season. Tickets are $10 per student and $20 per adult. Kids Club tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis for every event in the season. Seating is subject to box office discretion. UMS guarantees at least 30 tickets for each event (select performances for multiple performance runs). Kids Club tickets must be picked up at will-call with the student present. Unless the Kids Club allotment is sold out, Kids Club tickets will be offered at the door; however, we recommend ordering in advance.
Comprehensive January 2013 Calendar of Events Tuesday, January 8, 7:30 pm UMS Performance:
National Theatre of Scotland: The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart Corner Brewery (720 Norris Street, Ypsilanti), $
Wednesday, January 9, 7:30 pm UMS Performance:
National Theatre of Scotland: The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart Corner Brewery (720 Norris Street, Ypsilanti), $
Thursday, January 10, 7:30 pm UMS Performance:
National Theatre of Scotland: The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart Corner Brewery (720 Norris Street, Ypsilanti), $
Friday, January 11, 8 pm UMS Performance: National Theatre of Scotland: The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart Corner Brewery (720 Norris Street, Ypsilanti), $
Saturday, January 12, 2 pm UMS Performance: National Theatre of Scotland: The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart Corner Brewery (720 Norris Street, Ypsilanti), $
January 2013 Events Page 13 of 14
Saturday, January 12, 6 pm A Play and A Pint - Prudencia Hart Talk
Corner Brewery (720 Norris Street, Ypsilanti), Free
Saturday, January 12, 8 pm UMS Performance: National Theatre of Scotland: The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart Corner Brewery (720 Norris Street, Ypsilanti), $
Sunday, January 13, 4 pm UMS Performance: Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hill Auditorium, $
Sunday, January 13, 6 pm UMS Performance: National Theatre of Scotland: The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart Corner Brewery (720 Norris Street, Ypsilanti), $
Monday, January 14, 7 pm UMS Night School: Jazz in the Hall
Ann Arbor District Library (343 South Fifth Avenue), Free Thursday, January 17, 7:30 pm UMS Performance: Gabriel Kahane & yMusic
Arthur Miller Theatre (1226 Murfin Avenue, Ann Arbor), $
Friday, January 18, 8 pm UMS Performance: Gabriel Kahane & yMusic Arthur Miller Theatre (1226 Murfin Avenue, Ann Arbor), $
Monday, January 21, 7:30 pm UMS Performance:
From Cass Corridor to the World: A Tribute to Detroit’s Musical Golden Age Hill Auditorium, $
Wednesday, January 23, 11:30 am Martha Graham Dance Talk: “Too Sexy for Export? Martha Graham
and the US Department of State” 3512 Haven Hall (505 South State Street)
Wednesday, January 23, 7:30 pm You Can Dance: Martha Graham
Ann Arbor YMCA (400 West Washington Street), Free
Friday, January 25, 8 pm UMS Performance: Martha Graham Dance Company Power Center, $
Friday, January 25, after the perf Opening Night Q&A: Martha Graham
Power Center, Free (must have ticket to attend)
Saturday, January 26, 8 pm UMS Performance: Martha Graham Dance Company
January 2013 Events Page 14 of 14
Power Center, $ Sunday, January 27, 4 pm UMS Performance: Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán
Hill Auditorium, $
Monday, January 28, 7 pm UMS Night School: Global Beats in the Aisles Ann Arbor District Library (343 South Fifth Avenue), Free
Thursday, January 31, 7:30 pm UMS Performance: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, music director and trumpet Hill Auditorium, $
Media Inquiries / Further Information: Truly Render, University Musical Society 734-647-4020 [email protected] / www.ums.org/news
--30--