2014–2015 Season Subscriptions
We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers
us with our fellow men. –Herman Melville
2014–2015 Season elcome to the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech’s second season in the Moss Arts Center. We hope the year ahead will ignite your imagination, bring you fresh insights and new experiences, and connect you to one another and here are just the tip of the iceberg—watch for more information on our exhibitions and many other fun, inventive, and creative explorations
© Jim Stroup
the wider world we all share. The performances
throughout the year! Ruth Waalkes Associate Provost for the Arts and Executive Director, Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech
Performances, chronologically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Calendar of performances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Subscription information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 All performances will be held in the Street and Davis Performance Hall, Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre, unless otherwise noted.
What Inspires You? We are happy to offer a few thoughts to get you started and guide you through the season.
Something Deeper Hungry for something to stir your soul, and provide food for thought and conversation long after the performance ends? Samita Sinha, Cipher BASETRACK Cantus and Theater Latté Da, All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 Kronos Quartet, Beyond Zero: 1914–1918 Healing Wars An Evening with George Saunders
Something Fresh In the mood for a bit of an adventure, and want to try something completely new and different? The Intergalactic Nemesis, Book One: Target Earth An Evening with David Sedaris Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Crash Ensemble Australian Chamber Orchestra Cirque Mechanics, Pedal Punk
Something Timeless Seeking personal reverie through lush music and movement, as only the classics can provide? An Evening with Branford Marsalis Brentano String Quartet Roanoke Symphony Orchestra Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México Jane Monheit, Hello Bluebird Australian Chamber Orchestra Audra McDonald, Broadway Old and New
Something Joyful Looking for something the entire family can enjoy, guaranteed to put a skip in your step and a smile in your heart? Kathy Mattea, Calling Me Home The Senegal St. Joseph Gospel Choir The Intergalactic Nemesis, Book One: Target Earth The Three Feathers Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Roanoke Symphony Orchestra Imago Theatre, Frogz Cirque Mechanics, Pedal Punk
Something Global Would you like to experience the world without leaving Blacksburg? The world comes to you in these amazing performances. The Senegal St. Joseph Gospel Choir Samita Sinha, Cipher BeijingDance/LDTX Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México Central Conservatory of Music Honor Prep
Something Visual Visit the Ruth C. Horton Gallery, Miles C. Horton Jr. Gallery, Sherwood Payne Quillen ’71 Reception Gallery, Francis T. Eck Exhibition Corridor, and the Cube to experience the center’s free visual arts exhibitions throughout the year.
his year we celebrate CONNECTIONS—to other people and other cultures, across different eras and boundaries, and through shared experiences. Four powerful female voices from diverse fields lend unique and captivating styles. In the fall, Kathy Mattea opens our season with a heartfelt ode to her Appalachian roots; and Samita Sinha invites us to experience the human voice as an intimate, sonic landscape. In the spring, Jane Monheit, grounded in jazz, brings a fresh twist to standard tunes; and Audra McDonald, who moves seamlessly from opera to Broadway, stage to screen, will close the season on a beautiful high note. Two historical milestones—the 100 th anniversary of World War I’s beginning, and the 150 th anniversary the American Civil War’s conclusion—provide poignant backdrops for deeper reflection on the nature of war through the lens of those who serve. In the fall we present BASETRACK, a multimedia performance focused on current service men and women and veterans; and ALL IS CALM, a musical reflection on a solemn Christmas Eve in 1914. In the spring, the Kronos Quartet brings us BEYOND ZERO: 1914–1918, a new work for string quartet with film; and MacArthur Fellow and choreographer Liz Lerman brings a unique perspective on civil war in her latest work, HEALING WARS, posing timely questions on how soldiers, healers, and societies absorb the pain of war. These are just a few of the connecting threads you will find this season. The center’s galleries will be filled with works from regional, national, and international artists. Guest speakers and projects at the intersection of science, engineering, arts, and design will be ever-present from the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT). Student performers and artworks will be featured on stage and in the galleries. Watch for more information in the fall about the many opportunities to engage with the arts at the Moss Arts Center, and across our campus and region.
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© David McClister
Thursday, September 11, 2014, 7 PM
My Coal Journey
Friday, September 12, 2014, 7:30 PM
KATHY MATTEA Calling Me Home
To celebrate our new season, Grammy Award-winning singer Kathy Mattea presents
“The particular genius of Kathy Mattea is to call up the
My Coal Journey, a one-hour program
touchstones of hope and heartbreak that we all carry in our
incorporating stories from her family
pockets. Even if these mountains are not yours, the fact is
history and her current advocacy for the
everybody has a home stretch, where you feel a little torn up
environment, combined with a slideshow and
because no matter which way you’re headed, you are going
sample songs from her critically acclaimed
towards home and also leaving it behind. Believe me, this is
album, Coal. The evening traces Mattea’s
the soundtrack for that journey.”
motivation for beginning the recording
–Barbara Kingsolver, May 2012
project, her research into the musical genre’s history and elemental style, and her family’s
PPALACHIAN: of a wild and beautiful
ties to coal mining culture in Appalachia,
mountain land, a genre of distinctly American
along with a discussion of environmental and
music, and for many, the de ep roots of
social justice issues surrounding coal mining
family. For Kathy Mattea, it’s an essential
methods in today’s world.
piece of her musical education and heritage.
Free
Calling Me Home is a collection of songs that celebrates the Appalachian culture of her native West Virginia, and expands the vocabulary of acoustic roots music that has always served as her artistic center. Mattea has gathered songs and stories of bravery, pride, and grief that further define and describe the life and times of her home place. This concert presents her new material alongside her long-standing radio hits. An impeccable song-catcher, Mattea’s 17 albums are woven through with bluegrass, gospel, and Celtic influences, and have garnered multiple CMA, ACM, and Grammy Awards. Vocal Music, Country | Joyful
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$40–$75, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
Friday, September 19, 2014, 7:30 PM
THE SENEGAL ST. JOSEPH GOSPEL CHOIR Ambroise N’Diong, music director reated more than 44 years ago, The Senegal St. Joseph Gospel Choir interprets gospel/negro spirituals, traditional African songs, and the magnificent masses that its founder Julien Jouga composed in his country’s four national languages: Ouolof, Diola, Sérère, and Portugese Creole. Their voices rise in a local polyphony representing Senegal’s language, rhythms, and music traditions. Catholic liturgy and the indigenous Muslim songs of Senegal are combined to create an extraordinary harmony between the two cultures that comprise the nation of Senegal. The choir represents the humanity and the fraternity that exists within the capital city, Dakar, and throughout the country. World Music | Global, Joyful $20–$45, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Š Sarah Bork Hamilton
Thursday, September 25, 2014, 7:30 PM Friday, September 26, 2014, 7:30 PM
THE INTERGALACTIC NEMESIS Book One: Target Earth The year is 1933. Are you ready for the adventure? ulitzer Prize-winning reporter Molly Sloan and her intrepid research assistant Timmy Mendez team up with a mysterious librarian from Flagstaff, Ariz., named Ben Wilcott. Together, they travel from Earth into the universe to defeat a terrible threat to the very future of humanity: an invading force of sludge-monsters from outer space known as the Zygonians. The Intergalactic Nemesis is an uproarious and nostalgic look back at the glory days of radio plays, but with a twist. The show combines the tour-deforce voice work of a cast of three actors, live sound effects, a live musical score, and the visual spectacle of more than 1,250 individual, hand-drawn, full-color comic book images blown up to two stories high. This incredible production will bring out the 12-year-old in you and leave you smiling for days. Theatre | Fresh, Joyful $25 general admission, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Saturday, October 11, 2014, 7:30 PM Sunday, October 12, 2014, 2 PM
SAMITA SINHA Cipher Performances in the Cube staged music work for solo voice and electronics, Cipher is a journey through a sonic landscape. Utilizing her practice of “bodysound”—uniting
voice,
physical
gesture,
language, and space into potent articulations from raw utterance to speech to song—vocalist and composer Samita Sinha asks is it possible to create a “native” tongue, a contemporary pidgin that gathers and refracts multiple languages, worldviews, and temporalities? Sinha explores this question using the “nonsense” sounds of tarana—a genre of song in Hindustani classical vocal music invented in the 13th century that mixes Persian, Arabic, and Sanskrit syllables said to encode mystical meanings. In three parts, Cipher passes back and forth among formless expression, traditional Indian song, and southern blues, creating a contemporary soundscape that weaves together tones, moods, and languages. Vocal Music | Deeper, Global
© Chris Kuhl
$20 general admission, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Friday, October 17, 2014, 7:30 PM Saturday, October 18, 2014, 2 PM and 7:30 PM Sunday, October 19, 2014, 2 PM
THE THREE FEATHERS Composed by Lori Laitman Libretto by Dana Gioia Conducted by Scott Williamson Directed by Beth Greenberg a collaboration with Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts Opera Roanoke Blacksburg Children’s Chorale he Three Feathers is a new one-act children’s opera commissioned from composer Lori Laitman by the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech, which will celebrate its world premiere at the Moss Arts Center in October. Based on a Grimm’s fairytale and brilliantly retold by librettist Dana Gioia, The Three Feathers creates a mysterious world inhabited by a king, his three princess daughters, and courtiers; and the fantastical underworld kingdom of the Frog Prince and his chorus of rats, bats, and frogs. The story will carry audiences of all ages on a journey through song and spectacle. Recommended for ages 6 years and older.
© Lynda Koolish
© Christian Steiner
The opera’s commission was made possible in part by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Lori Laitman
Dana Gioia
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Theatre | Joyful $15 general admission, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
Wednesday, October 22, 2014, 7:30 PM
AN EVENING WITH DAVID SEDARIS “Sedaris’s droll assessment of the mundane and the eccentrics who inhabit the world’s crevices make him one of the greatest humorists writing today.” –Chicago Tribune ith sardonic wit and incisive social critiques, David Sedaris has become one of America’s preeminent humor writers, a master of satire, and one of the most observant writers addressing the human condition today. Sedaris is the author of Barrel Fever and Holidays on Ice, collections of personal essays, and his most recent book, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls. His pieces appear regularly in The New Yorker and have twice been included in “The Best American Essays.” He and sister Amy Sedaris have collaborated to write plays that have been produced at La Mama, Lincoln Center, and The Drama Department in New York City. Often heard on public radio’s This American Life, Sedaris has been nominated for three Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word and Best Comedy Album. Recommended for mature audiences, may contain adult themes and language. Spoken Word | Fresh
© Robert Banks
$40–$75, $10 students with ID 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Saturday, October 25, 2014, 7:30 PM
AN EVENING WITH BRANFORD MARSALIS Marsalis “Well-Tempered” Featuring The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia “[Marsalis brings] a gracious poise and supple tone . . . and an insouciant swagger.” –The New York Times enowned Grammy Award–winning saxophonist and Tony Award nominated composer Branford Marsalis joins the highly celebrated Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia in Marsalis “WellTempered,” performing Baroque masterpieces by Albinoni, Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, and others. Classical Music | Timeless © Palma Kolansky
$40–$75, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
Branford Marsalis
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Thursday, October 30, 2014, 7:30 PM
ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET Tom Mossbrucker, artistic director escribed by the New York Times as “A breath of fresh air,” Aspen Santa Fe Ballet stands out as a model of what a small ballet company should be with its “musicality athleticism, and techniqueconscious delivery.” The grace and elegance of classical ballet coupled with a repertoire full of sharp new works makes Aspen Santa Fe Ballet one of the most eclectic contemporary ballet companies in the world today. Led by Mossbrucker, former celebrated star of the Joffrey Ballet, the chamber-sized ensemble presents sophisticated gems by such choreographers as Twyla Tharp, Nicolo Fonte, Trey McIntyre, Jorma Elo, and © Sharen Bradford
David Parsons. Dance | Fresh, Joyful $25–$55, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Sunday, November 2, 2014, 2 PM
BRENTANO STRING QUARTET Mark Steinberg, violin Serena Canin, violin Misha Amory, viola Nina Lee, cello “As usual with this ensemble, the performances were full of life. . . . They seem to be listening to the same heartbeat. –The New York Times ince its inception in 1992, the Brentano String Quartet has appeared throughout the world to popular and critical acclaim. These extraordinary musicians are also dynamic teachers. Beginning in July 2014, the Brentano Quartet will succeed the Tokyo Quartet as Artists in Residence at Yale University, departing from their 14-year residency at Princeton University. The quartet also currently serves as the collaborative ensemble for the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. This concert program will draw on the quartet’s extensive repertoire that includes Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Mozart, Schubert, and more. © Sara Langdon
This program is made possible in part by David and Lindsay West.
Classical Music | Timeless $20–$45, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Saturday, November 8, 2014, 7:30 PM
En Garde Productions Presents
BASETRACK Created by Edward Bilous Co-Composed by Edward Bilous, Michelle Dibucci, and Greg Kalember Adapted by Jason Grote Directed by Seth Bockley Presented in Association with ArKtype
multimedia performance based on the real words of modern day Marines and their families, BASETRACK uses photos and video from journalists embedded with Marines in Afghanistan; a live, contemporary score; and text adapted by Jason Grote (Mad Men, Smash) to share the stories of those stationed abroad and their families as they cope with separation and the uncertainties of war. BASETRACK was created for traditional theatre settings, as well as for military bases and tents domestically and abroad. It includes an interactive lobby exhibition and website where combat veterans and their families can post photos and stories to create a virtual museum, honoring those who serve. BASETRACK focuses national attention on the issues facing our returning veterans and inspires veterans to become co-authors of history by contributing photos, videos, and personal accounts of war to the BASETRACK website and to create media-rich educational resources for schools and communities with authentic accounts of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Theatre | Deeper $25 general admission, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Tuesday, November 11, 2014, 7:30 PM
ROANOKE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Akemi Takayama, violin Jeff Midkiff, mandolin David Stewart Wiley, conductor he Roanoke Symphony Orchestra brings a beautiful masterworks program to Blacksburg. The evening’s concert will feature a new Double Concerto for Violin and Mandolin by composer Jeff Midkiff; Dvořák’s In Nature’s Realm, op. 91; and Beethoven’s magnificent Symphony no. 6 in F, op. 68, the Pastoral Symphony. This program is supported in part by a touring grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
Classical Music | Timeless $25–$55, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
Akemi Takayama
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Jeff Midkiff
David Stewart Wiley
Saturday, November 15, 2014, 7:30 PM
BEIJINGDANCE/LDTX Willy Tsao, artistic director he birth of BeijingDance/LDTX (Lei Dong Tian Xia, literally translated as Thunder Rumbles Under Heaven) in September of 2005 caught widespread international attention, and captured the imagination of artists in China. Born in a time of rapid cultural change, they became China’s first professional dance company founded independently from government. Created by veteran choreographers and a new generation of dancers in China, BeijingDance/LDTX is a catalyst for the modern and contemporary dance movement there. The company boasts an ensemble of technically exquisite dancers and a diverse repertoire, and has traveled extensively throughout Mainland China, Hong Kong, Europe, and North America. Through performance, educational programs, and outreach activities, BeijingDance/LDTX serves as an important voice in the evolution of modern Chinese thought and society. Dance | Global
© SWANG Da-sheng
$25 general admission, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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© Curtis Johnson
Cantus
Saturday, November 22, 2014, 7:30 PM
CANTUS AND THEATER LATTÉ DA All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 he Western Front, Christmas Eve, 1914: out of the violence of the Great War’s trenches comes a silence, then a song as a young German soldier steps into no man’s land singing Stille Nacht. Thus begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie, music, and peace. Renowned vocal ensemble, Cantus, and Theater Latté Da, present All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 by Peter Rothstein, with musical arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach. Through new arrangements of European carols and war-songs for a capella voices, All Is Calm recalls the remarkable World War I truce between Allied Forces and German soldiers in no man’s land on Christmas, 1914. Vocal Music | Deeper $20–$45, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Saturday, December 6, 2014, 4 PM
ROANOKE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Holiday Pops Concert David Stewart Wiley, conductor he Roanoke Symphony Orchestra returns for another joyous celebration of the season. One of the RSO’s most popular concert programs, the evening will include beloved holiday carols, sacred classics, and an audience sing-a-long. resented in partnership with the NRV Friends of the Roanoke P Symphony Orchestra
Holiday Music | Joyful
© Amanda Loman
$25–$55, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Friday, January 30, 2015, 7:30 PM
ORQUESTA SINFÓNICA DEL ESTADO DE MÉXICO (NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF MEXICO) Alfonso Moreno, guitar Enrique Bátiz, music director and chief conductor he National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico was established in 1971 to promote music as a means of union and identification among Mexicans. Based in the city of Toluca, the orchestra reaches all corners of the republic, and has toured the world. Their repertoire and extensive discography span classical masterworks, rich music from Spain, and newly commissioned works by Mexican composers. This concert program will focus on the lush music of
Enrique Bátiz
composers Manuel de Falla, Jerónimo Giménez, Joaquín Rodrigo, and Joaquín Turina, and will feature guitar soloist Alfonso Moreno. Classical Music | Global, Timeless $20–$45, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Friday, February 13, 2015, 7:30 PM
IMAGO THEATRE FROGZ mago creators Carol Triffle and Jerry Mouawad are alchemists, magicians, theatrical animators, and physical comedians. Defying classification, they populate the stage with comedic amphibians, acrobatic larvae, circus boulders, and metamorphosing humans in works that tantalize the senses, the intellect, and the passions. FROGZ put Imago on the international map, and the simplicity and the charm of FROGZ catapulted the production to two Broadway runs at the acclaimed New Victory Theatre in 2000 and 2002. Variety called it “Felliniesque mayhem.” The New York Times raved, “… a mastery of mime, dance, and acrobatics.” Recommended for ages 3 and older. Theatre | Joyful $25 general admission, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Tuesday, February 17, 2015, 7:30 PM
ROANOKE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Tanya Gabrielian, piano David Stewart Wiley, conductor he spring masterworks concert by the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra features music by Mozart and Vaughn Williams, and Tchaikovsky’s romantic Piano Concerto no. 1, in B-flat Minor, op. 23. Guest soloist Tanya Gabrielian has performed around the world, and rose to international acclaim with first prizes in the Scottish International Piano Competition and the Aram Khachaturyan International Piano Competition. This program is supported in part by a touring grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
Classical Music | Timeless $25–$55, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
Tanya Gabrielian
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David Stewart Wiley
Saturday, February 21, 2015, 7:30 PM
CENTRAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC HONOR PREP From Beijing, China onsidered the very best music conservatory in China, the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) in Beijing trains young musicians from the earliest ages through college level. Their graduates perform as celebrated soloists and chamber musicians, and in orchestras around the world. This extraordinary young ensemble of musicians ages 14 to 17 come to the CCOM in Beijing to study from across China, and will perform in Blacksburg as part of a special United States tour. They will present a rich concert of Western classical music that highlights their skill and youthful energy. Classical Music | Global $15 general admission, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Saturday, February 28, 2015, 7:30 PM
JANE MONHEIT Hello Bluebird, Celebrating the Jazz of Judy Garland Jane Monheit, vocals Michael Kanan, piano Neal Miner, bass Rick Montalbano, drums “I want to get away from the drama, and celebrate what we all loved about Judy . . . the immense joy she brought through song, and her innate understanding of jazz. She did so much more than break hearts, she put them together again, and that’s what we’re going to be about with this show.” –Jane Monheit n extraordinarily gifted jazz vocalist whose sincere and romantic interpretations of exceptional songs have made her a favorite in both the jazz and cabaret worlds, Jane Monheit has garnered numerous accolades in the past decade. Her first album, Never Never Land, was voted top debut recording by the Jazz Journalist’s Association and stayed on the Billboard jazz chart for over a year; subsequent albums yielded two Grammy nominations. In addition to her own recordings, Monheit has worked alongside the likes of Terence Blanchard, Tom Harrell, and Ivan Lins. Jazz, Vocal Music | Timeless
© Timothy Saccenti
$40–$75, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Thursday, March 5, 2015, 7:30 PM
KRONOS QUARTET Beyond Zero: 1914–1918 A new work for quartet with film Aleksandra Vrebalov, composer Bill Morrison, filmmaker his moving concert features film drawn from archival material set to a new score for string quartet by Serbian composer Aleksandra Vrebalov, and historic music from the era of World War I, dubbed the “War to End All Wars.” How did artists bear witness and respond to the human tragedy of the war in Europe a century ago—and what can artists and audiences do in response to wars being fought around the globe today? For more than 30 years, the Kronos Quartet has pursued a singular artistic vision, combining a spirit of fearless exploration with a commitment to expanding the range and context of the string quartet. One of the most celebrated and influential groups of our time, Kronos has performed thousands of concerts worldwide, released more than 45 recordings, collaborated with many of the world’s most eclectic composers and performers, and commissioned more than 650 works and arrangements for string quartet. Contemporary Music, Film | Deeper $25–$55, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Friday, March 20, 2015, 7:30 PM Saturday, March 21, 2015, 7:30 PM
HEALING WARS Created and directed by Liz Lerman he 150th anniversary of our Civil War offers a potent context for issues that continue to impact our lives. A pioneer in the world of contemporary dance, Lerman’s newest theatrical dance piece explores the experiences of the healers tasked with treating the physical and psychic wounds of battle. Healing Wars is about bodies: what they bear, what they cannot bear, how we hide them when they die, how we patch them up while they live. Healing Wars inquires into the matters of healing in wartime, innovation during stress, and the question of how individuals and societies absorb the pain of war. Developed in residencies across the country, Healing Wars includes video imagery from Gettysburg, Antietam, Harpers Ferry, and in the fMRI labs of the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute in © Helen Shariatmadari
Roanoke. The professional ensemble features former Marine Joshua Bleill, who lost both his legs above the knee in an IED attack in Iraq in 2006. After 34 years as founding artistic director of Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, Lerman presents her singular aesthetic to audiences in this haunting work about how we experience and recover from war. Dance | Deeper $35 general admission, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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© Ros Kavanagh
Wednesday, March 25, 2015, 7:30 PM
CRASH ENSEMBLE Donnacha Dennehy, artistic director “Crash Ensemble, an Irish new-music collective with international cachet and considerable chops.” –The Washington Post rash Ensemble is Ireland’s foremost contemporary music ensemble, world-class musicians who play the most adventurous, groundbreaking new music of today. Founded in 1997 by composer and artistic director Donnacha Dennehy, the Ensemble has recordings on NMC, Cantaloupe, and Nonesuch labels. The ensemble has worked with well-known artists from diverse musical backgrounds. Committed to broadening the repertoire available to audiences, Crash commissions, produces, and performs new or recent works by internationally acclaimed composers, and up-and-coming composing talents, and collaborates with culturally relevant artists. Crash performs regularly throughout Ireland, and has appeared in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, and Canada. Contemporary Music | Fresh $20–$45, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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© Caitlin Saunders
Wednesday, April 1, 2015, 7:30 PM
AN EVENING WITH GEORGE SAUNDERS “You’ll find the work of George Saunders frequently described as ‘funny,’ but that’s like calling a nuclear detonation warm—it’s true, abundantly so, but it fails to accurately convey the forces unleashed. . . . ” – San Francisco Chronicle aunders is the author of four collections of short stories: the bestselling Pastoralia; CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award; In Persuasion Nation, one of three finalists for the 2006 STORY Prize for best short story collection of the year; and Tenth of December. Pastoralia, CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, and Tenth of December were all New York Times Notable Books. Tenth of December was nominated for the 2013 National Book Award in Fiction. Saunders is also the author of the novella-length illustrated fable, The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil, and the New York Times bestselling children’s book The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip, illustrated by Lane Smith. Recommended for mature audiences. Presented in collaboration with the Virginia Tech Department of English.
Spoken Word | Deeper $25 general admission, $10 students with ID 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Friday, April 17, 2015, 7:30 PM
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Richard Tognetti, artistic director Martin Fröst, clarinet “The energy and vibe of a rock band with the ability of a crack classical chamber group.” – The Washington Post enowned for inspired programming and the rapturous response of audiences and critics, the Australian Chamber Orchestra embodies the vibrant, adventurous, youthful, and inquiring spirit of Australia. Artistic director and lead violin Richard Tognetti has led the ACO as a flexible and versatile “ensemble of soloists,” on modern and period instruments, as a small chamber group, a small symphony orchestra, and as an electro-acoustic collective. Equally dynamic clarinetist Martin Fröst is a sought-after chamber musician, soloist, and conductor. Their program will include diverse repertoire from Mozart, Steven Reich, Haydn, and a new work commissioned by the ACO from Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, a frequent ACO collaborator. Classical Music | Timeless, Fresh
© Jon Frank
$25–$55, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Friday, April 24, 2015, 7:30 PM Saturday, April 25, 2015, 7:30 PM
CIRQUE MECHANICS Pedal Punk edal Punk is a steam punk experience that will charm you with its story and thrill you with its daring; a rowdy circus where the mischief is on wheels. Creator Chris Lashua’s road to the circus began with his daredevil skills as a BMX rider. In this show, Lashua applies his mechanical wizardry to all things pedalpowered. At the heart of the fun is the pedal-driven “Gantry Bike,” a modern-day industrial circus caravan that moves around the stage with a dynamic and quirky ensemble of equilibrists, funambulists, and acrobats. You’ll encounter unicycles that fly, wheel acrobats that hover, cyclists that whirl, pole climbers that soar, and trapeze artists that float. Inspired by the steam punk culture, where a post-apocalyptic world of machines is powered by steam, Pedal Punk’s “steam” power comes from the acrobatic strength of the artists. Cirque Mechanics brings modern storytelling technique to the circus, while staying true to its industrialist aesthetic and its gift for amazing audiences of all ages. Theatre, Dance | Joyful, Fresh
© Jerry Metellus
$25–$55, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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Friday, May 1, 2015, 7:30 PM
AUDRA McDONALD Broadway Old and New arning a record-tying five Tony Awards for her performances in Carousel, Master Class, Ragtime, A Raisin in the Sun, and Porgy and Bess, Audra McDonald is unparalleled in the breadth and versatility of her artistry as both singer and actress. A luminous soprano with an incomparable gift for dramatic truth telling, she is equally at home on Broadway and opera stages as she is in roles for film and television. A two-time Grammy Award winner, she maintains a major career as a concert and recording artist, regularly appearing on the great stages of the world and with leading international orchestras. This enchanting, intimate evening with McDonald and her trio will include Broadway favorites, from Rodgers and Hammerstein, Harold Arlen, and Jerome Kerns, to Stephen Sondheim, Adam Gown, and more. Vocal Music | Timeless
© Autumn de Wilde
$40–$75, $10 students with ID and children 18 and under 20%–30% subscription discounts available
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2014–2015 Performances SEPTEMBER 2014 Fri., Sept. 12
KATHY MATTEA, Calling Me Home Vocal Music, Country
7:30 PM
Fri., Sept. 19
THE SENEGAL ST. JOSEPH GOSPEL CHOIR World Music
7:30 PM
Thurs., Sept. 25 THE INTERGALACTIC NEMESIS, Book One: Target Earth Theatre
7:30 PM
Fri., Sept. 26 THE INTERGALACTIC NEMESIS, Book One: Target Earth Theatre
7:30 PM
OCTOBER 2014 Sat., Oct. 11
SAMITA SINHA, Cipher Vocal Music
7:30 PM
Sun., Oct. 12
SAMITA SINHA, Cipher Vocal Music
2 PM
Fri., Oct. 17 THE THREE FEATHERS Theatre
7:30 PM
Sat., Oct. 18 THE THREE FEATHERS Theatre
2 PM & 7:30 PM
Sun., Oct. 19 THE THREE FEATHERS Theatre
2 PM
Wed., Oct. 22
AN EVENING WITH DAVID SEDARIS Spoken Word
7:30 PM
Sat., Oct. 25 AN EVENING WITH BRANFORD MARSALIS Classical Music Thurs., Oct. 30
ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET Dance
7:30 PM
NOVEMBER 2014 Sun., Nov. 2
BRENTANO STRING QUARTET Classical Music
Sat., Nov. 8
BASETRACK Theatre
7:30 PM
Tues., Nov. 11
ROANOKE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Classical Music
7:30 PM
Sat., Nov. 15 BEIJINGDANCE/LDTX Dance Sat., Nov.
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CANTUS AND THEATER LATTÉ DA, All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 Vocal Music
2 PM
7:30 PM 7:30 PM
DECEMBER 2014 Sat., Dec. 6
ROANOKE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Holiday Pops Concert Holiday Music
4 PM
JANUARY 2015 Fri., Jan. 30
ORQUESTA SINFÓNICA DEL ESTADO DE MÉXICO 7:30 PM (NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF MEXICO) Classical Music
FEBRUARY 2015 Fri., Feb. 13 IMAGO THEATRE, FROGZ Theatre
7:30 PM
Tues., Feb. 17
ROANOKE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Classical Music
7:30 PM
Sat., Feb. 21
CENTRAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC HONOR PREP Classical Music
7:30 PM
Sat., Feb. 28
JANE MONHEIT, Hello Bluebird Jazz, Vocal Music
7:30 PM
KRONOS QUARTET, Beyond Zero: 1914–1918 Contemporary Music, Film
7:30 PM
MARCH 2015 Thurs., March 5
Fri., March 20 HEALING WARS Dance
7:30 PM
Sat., March 21 HEALING WARS Dance
7:30 PM
CRASH ENSEMBLE Contemporary Music
7:30 PM
Wed., April 1
AN EVENING WITH GEORGE SAUNDERS Spoken Word
7:30 PM
Fri., April 17
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Classical Music
7:30 PM
Fri., April 24
CIRQUE MECHANICS, Pedal Punk Theatre, Dance
7:30 PM
Sat., April 25
CIRQUE MECHANICS, Pedal Punk Theatre, Dance
7:30 PM
AUDRA MCDONALD, Broadway Old and New Vocal Music
7:30 PM
Wed., March 25
APRIL 2015
MAY 2015 Fri., May 1
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Box Office: 540-231-5300 Administration: 540-231-ARTS
www.artscenter.vt.edu MOSS ARTS CENTER Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech 190 Alumni Mall (0916), Blacksburg, VA 24061
Directions From I-81 (northbound and southbound): Take exit 118B onto 460 West towards Virginia Tech. Continue for 8.5 miles to the Prices Fork Road exit for “Downtown.” The exit ramp will veer right. Continue on Prices Fork Road for 1.2 miles and take a right onto Turner Street. This street leads you to the parking deck and the center. Parking will be on your left at North End Parking Garage. The Moss Arts Center will be ahead on the right.
From I-77 (northbound): Take exit 32 onto I-81 North. Continue for about 29 miles, then follow the directions above for I-81 northbound.
From Interstate 77/West Virginia Turnpike (southbound)/460 West (eastbound): In West Virginia, take Exit 9, “U.S. 460-Princeton/Pearisburg, VA.” Turn left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp onto U.S. 460 East. Continue on U.S. 460 East for about 44.9 miles (11.6 in W.Va., 33.3 in Virginia). Travel east for approximately 47 miles, then take the Prices Fork Road exit. At the top of the exit ramp, take a left. Continue on Prices Fork Road for 1.2 miles and take a right onto Turner Street. This street leads you to the parking deck and the center. Parking will be on your left at North End Parking Garage. The Moss Arts Center will be ahead on the right.
DOWNTOWN BLACKSBURG
PARKING
WEST VIRGINIA
WEST VIRGINIA
MOSS ARTS CENTER
PARKING
MOSS ARTS CENTER VIRGINIA TECH CAMPUS
VIRGINIA TECH CAMPUS ROANOKE
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ROANOKE
DOWNTOWN BLACKSBURG
Seating Chart Street and Davis Performance Hall, Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre These seating charts show the three levels and ticket pricing structure for our performances.
Š Michael Kiernan
Please contact the Moss Arts Center box office at 540-231-5300 with any questions.
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General Information Box office hours and ticket delivery Tickets may be purchased in person at the box office in the Moss Arts Center, by phone at 540- 231-5300, or online at www.artscenter.vt.edu. The box office hours for in person and phone sales are noon-6 p.m. on Monday-Friday, noon-4 p.m. on Saturday, and closed on Sunday.
Individual ticket sales Until August 2014, only subscription tickets are available for purchase for the 2014–2015 performances. Beginning August 2014, individual tickets for all 2014–2015 season performances will be available for purchase.
Parking Parking is available in the North End Parking Garage on Turner Street. Virginia Tech faculty and staff possessing a valid Virginia Tech parking permit can enter and exit the garage free of charge. Event parking for visitors is $5. Event parking passes may be purchased when entering the garage. Limited street parking is also available. Street parking is free on nights and weekends.
Group ticket sales For groups of 10 or more, please contact the Moss Arts Center box office at 540-231-5300.
Concessions Beverages and snacks will be available for purchase before performances and during intermissions. Food and drinks are not permitted inside the Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre.
Late seating Center for the Arts performances in the Moss Arts Center will begin promptly at the scheduled time. Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the performance. Late seating will take place at the first appropriate moment in the program, at the house management’s discretion. Latecomers may be seated in the back.
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What to know before you go We will email ticket holders in advance of the performances with general information, special restaurant and lodging, and engagement opportunities specific to each performance.
ADA special assistance The Moss Arts Center facilities are accessible to all of our patrons. Patrons with disabilities and their companions will be accommodated through wheelchair seating, parking, and other special requests throughout the Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre in all levels and pricing categories. Assisted listening devices are available. Service animals of all kinds are permitted. Sign interpretations and large-print programs are available with advance notification.
Closures for holidays The Moss Arts Center may close for major holidays and breaks according to the university schedule. Please visit our website or call the Moss Arts Center box office at 540-231-5300 for more information.
Lodging and restaurants The Moss Arts Center is located in the heart of downtown Blacksburg. The box office staff can recommend nearby lodging and restaurants to help you plan your visit. Please call 540-231-5300 or visit www.artscenter.vt.edu for more information and special offers.
Inclement weather Center for the Arts performances and special events will only be canceled for inclement weather in extreme cases. If a performance must be canceled due to inclement weather, we will send an email to all ticket holders and call patrons for whom we have no email address. Please check our website and call the Moss Arts Center box office at 540-231-5300 for timely information about closures due to inclement weather.
Support For information about ways to support the Center for the Arts, please contact Lois Badey at labadey@vt.edu or 540-231-0608. Programs are subject to change.
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Subscribe and Save With three ways to subscribe to 2014–2015 Center for the Arts performances, there is a package that is right for everyone. A Premier Subscription, the greatest value, includes all performances, and ensures you will not miss a single exciting performance and includes our deepest discount of 30 percent off ticket prices. Premier Subscriptions range from $465.50–$822.50 (regular pricing $665–$1,175) A Gold Build Your Own Subscription entitles the patron to 15 or more performances at a 25 percent discount off ticket prices. Gold Build Your Own Subscriptions starting at $247.50 A Silver Build Your Own Subscription entitles the patron to 5 to 14 performances at a 20 percent discount. Silver Build Your Own Subscriptions starting at $72 Whether you choose a series of performances based on what inspires you, below, or a sampling from all of the categories, it may be helpful to mark the performances you don’t want to miss below for reference as you place your order by phone, online, or in person.
Something Deeper
Something Joyful
Samita Sinha BASETRACK Cantus and Theater Latté Da Kronos Quartet Healing Wars An Evening with George Saunders
Something Fresh
The Intergalactic Nemesis An Evening with David Sedaris Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Crash Ensemble Australian Chamber Orchestra Cirque Mechanics
Kathy Mattea The Senegal St. Joseph Gospel Choir The Intergalactic Nemesis The Three Feathers Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Roanoke Symphony Orchestra Imago Theatre Cirque Mechanics
Something Global
The Senegal St. Joseph Gospel Choir Samita Sinha BeijingDance/LDTX Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México Central Conservatory of Music Honor Prep
Something Timeless
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An Evening with Branford Marsalis Brentano String Quartet Roanoke Symphony Orchestra Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México Jane Monheit Australian Chamber Orchestra Audra McDonald
Subscription sales start April 28, 2014. Order online at www.artscenter.vt.edu, by phone at 540-231-5300, or in person at the Moss Arts Center box office.
You don’t have to be onstage to play a starring role
World-class performers and artists aren’t the only ones making headlines at Virginia Tech. Generous patrons, just like you, are helping usher in a new season of discovery, engagement, and inspiration. Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Company
Jane Monheit
Every gift to the Center for the Arts helps us raise the curtain on exciting new experiences in visual and performing arts and supports learning opportunities that encourage creativity, exploration, and expression. Visit http://bit.ly/14afaimg to support the center with a gift of any amount through our secure, online giving page.
For a limited time, your $2,000 gift gives you the opportunity to name a seat in the Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre in the Street and Davis Performance Hall, which is located in the Moss Arts Center. Your seat will be designated by an engraved nameplate. F o r m o re i n f o r m a t i o n , c a l l 540-231-2804.
Roanoke Symphony Orchestra
Imago Theatre
2014–2015 Season at a Glance SEPTEMBER 2014
OCTOBER 2014
NOVEMBER 2014
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6
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10 11
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26 27 28 29 30 31
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DECEMBER 2014
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JANUARY 2015
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10 11 12 13
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22 23 24 25 26 27 28
28 29 30 31
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
MARCH 2015 4
5
APRIL 2015
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10 11 12 13 14
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MAY 2015
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29 30 31
26 27 28 29 30
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Friday, September 12, 2014, 7:30 PM KATHY MATTEA
Sunday, November 2, 2014, 2 PM BRENTANO STRING QUARTET
Saturday, February 21, 2015, 7:30 PM CENTRAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC HONOR PREP
Friday, September 19, 2014, 7:30 PM THE SENEGAL ST. JOSEPH GOSPEL CHOIR
Saturday, November 8, 2014, 7:30 PM BASETRACK
Saturday, February 28, 2015, 7:30 PM JANE MONHEIT
Thursday, September 25, 2014, 7:30 PM Friday, September 26, 2014, 7:30 PM INTERGALACTIC NEMESIS
Tuesday, November 11, 2014, 7:30 PM ROANOKE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Thursday, March 5, 2015, 7:30 PM KRONOS QUARTET
Saturday, November 15, 2014, 7:30 PM BEIJINGDANCE/LDTX
Friday, March 20, 2015, 7:30 PM Saturday, March 21, 2015, 7:30 PM HEALING WARS
Saturday, October 11, 2014, 7:30 PM Sunday, October 12, 2014, 2 PM SAMITA SINHA
Saturday, November 22, 2014, 7:30 PM CANTUS AND THEATER LATTÉ DA
Friday, October 17, 2014, 7:30 PM Saturday, October 18, 2014, 2 PM and 7:30 PM Sunday, October 19, 2014, 2 PM THE THREE FEATHERS
Saturday, December 6, 2014, 4 PM ROANOKE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Wednesday, October 22, 2014, 7:30 PM AN EVENING WITH DAVID SEDARIS
Friday, February 13, 7:30 PM IMAGO THEATRE
Saturday, October 25, 2014, 7:30 PM AN EVENING WITH BRANFORD MARSALIS Thursday, October 30, 2014, 7:30 PM ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET
Friday, January 30, 2015, 7:30 PM ORQUESTA SINFÓNICA DEL ESTADO DE MÉXICO
Tuesday, February 17, 7:30 PM ROANOKE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Wednesday, March 25, 2015, 7:30PM CRASH ENSEMBLE Wednesday, April 1, 2015, 7:30 PM AN EVENING WITH GEORGE SAUNDERS Friday, April 17, 2015, 7:30 PM AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Friday, April 24, 2015, 7:30 PM Saturday, April 25, 2015, 7:30 PM CIRQUE MECHANICS Friday, May 1, 2015, 7:30 PM AUDRA MCDONALD
How do you with us?