Opening Nights - 2018-19 Season Brochure

PLATINUM LEVEL

SPONSORS18/19

RON SACHS & GAY WEBSTER-SACHS

GOLD LEVEL KEN KATO & NAN NAGY

SILVER LEVEL

BERNADETTE & ROGER LUCA

BRONZE LEVEL

JIM & BETTY ANN RODGERS

LAURIE & KELLY DOZIER ENDOWMENT

CHARLES S. & SUSAN A. STRATTON

HERB & MARY JERVIS

CYNTHIA TIE & JOHN TAYLOR

DYLAN SUMNER & REGAN JAGER

MIKEY BESTEBREURTJE & WILSON BAKER

ROD & VIRGINIA VAUGHN

IN-KIND SPONSORS

JANET HINKLE

LARRY & JO DEEB LEE HINKLE

LINDA SMITH

GRANT SUPPORT

STEPHANIE & ERWIN JACKSON

TERESA BEAZLEY WIDMER

Bringing the World to Leon County

The solid tradition that built the first 20 years of Opening Nights at Florida State University continues with the 21st year of programs.

Artists representing 11 different countries comprise the offerings for the upcoming season. In this way, Opening Nights is helping bring the world to Leon County. Our hope is to continue exploring different cultures as we build an international profile to share with the community-at-large in the years to come.  The reputation that Opening Nights has with performing artists is strong and positive. This enhances our ability to attract emerging artists as they realize that following in the footsteps of those that have graced our stages in the past are a part of the legacy leading into the future.

Opening Nights is expanding its educational and community outreach. An increasing number of artists are participating with us in school performances, master classes and related activities.

The performing arts help connect people and build bridges. With that, we’re expanding beyond the Florida State University campus to facilitate programs in diverse venues. We hope to continue this expansion in the future, as it’s a way to engage audiences and develop new patrons in different neighborhoods.

It’s our hope that you’ll find something that piques your interest in the offerings being presented during the 2018-19 Season. Equally, we hope that you will take the opportunity to experience artists and attractions that are new to you in order to broaden your perspective on what’s available for you, right here, in Tallahassee.

Michael Blachly Director, Opening Nights at Florida State University

2018–19 SEASON CALENDAR

NOVEMBER

12-13 Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys bluegrass

15 Anthony Trionfo, flute classical

6 Mandy Harvey singer-songwriter 11 Soweto Gospel Choir

12 The Barefoot Movement (PANAMA CITY) bluegrass, holiday

13 The Barefoot Movement (TALLAHASSEE) bluegrass, holiday

The Boston Pops, photo by Stu Rosner

Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys, photo by Jeff Thomas

Cover: Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn by Jim McGuire

Cashore Marionettes, photo by John Mainka

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets go on sale to the General Public on THURSDAY, AUG. 23, 2018, at 11 A.M.

Opening Nights Members enjoy the benefit of purchasing tickets in advance of the general public and receiving priority access to seating. Members at the Associate level and above enjoy concierge ticketing service, including waived service fees. Members will receive special instructions for purchasing tickets in advance of their time frame via email.

Purchase Tickets

ONLINE

openingnights.fsu.edu

Credit cards only. $1-per-ticket service fee applied.

BY PHONE

850.644.6500

Credit cards only. $3-per-ticket service fee applied.

IN PERSON

Florida State University

Fine Arts Ticket Office

Dates Members May

Purchase Tickets:

Producer’s Circle: 7/11–7/17

Partner: 7/18–7/24

Friend: 7/25–7/31

Associate: 8/1–8/7

Debut: 8/8–8/14

Opening Nights Sponsors are able to purchase tickets on Wednesday, June 6 at 11 a.m. As an added benefit for our sponsors, Opening Nights is offering employees of sponsors the ability to purchase tickets in advance. For sponsorship information, call Caroline Conway Poole at 850.644.1531

Student Tickets

Student tickets are half-price of regular tickets. Students may purchase tickets beginning on September 5 at 11 a.m. in limited quantities. One student ticket per valid student ID.

FSU Employee Tickets

All FSU employees receive a $5 discount on each ticket purchased for most performances. Limit 2 discounted tickets per performance. FSU employees that are Opening Nights members may purchase tickets during their applicable member-level time frame and receive the discount.

Group Tickets

Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more are available for many performances.

Pre-show Emails

Opening Nights sends parking and event information via email 1-2 days before each event. Please contact OpeningNights@fsu.edu or 850.644.7670 if your email address changes to ensure we have your updated contact information.

For ticket and membership information visit: OpeningNights.fsu.edu

(Beginning August 23)

Credit cards, cash and checks accepted. $3-per-ticket service fee applied.

The Fine Arts Ticket Office is open Tuesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. The office is located at 540 West Call Street in the FSU Fine Arts Building lobby. Parking is available on the ground floor of the Call Street Garage located on the corner of West Call and Macomb Streets.

Delivery Fees

Print-at-home tickets* have no delivery fees and are available for all tickets purchased online or by phone. Please select the option when ordering online or request print-at-home tickets when placing your order by phone.

Mailing Tickets* have an additional $5-per-order service fee for mail delivery.

*Print-at-home tickets and mail delivery are not available for student, FSU employee, group or other discounted ticket purchases that require proof of identification.

VENUES18/19

FRED TURNER AUDITORIUM

Tallahassee Community College

Fine and Performing Arts Center 444 Appleyard Drive

GOODWOOD MUSEUM AND GARDENS

The Carriage House 1600 Miccosukee Road

OPPERMAN MUSIC HALL

Florida State University

Kuersteiner Music Building 114 N. Copeland Street

PEBBLE HILL PLANTATION

1251 U.S. Highway 319 South Thomasville, GA

RICHARD G. FALLON THEATRE

Florida State University

Fine Arts Building 540 W. Call Street

RUBY DIAMOND CONCERT HALL

Florida State University

Westcott Building 222 S. Copeland Street

RUSSELL P. AND MAMIE V. HOLLEY

ACADEMIC CENTER

4750 Collegiate Drive Panama City, FL

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

211 N Monroe St.

ST. PETER’S ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL

4784 Thomasville Rd.

TEMPLE ISRAEL

2215 Mahan Dr.

THE MOON

1105 E. Lafayette St.

For additional information on venues, parking and maps, visit: OpeningNights.fsu.edu

7:30 P.M.

LOCATION

Opperman Music Hall

TICKETS

$45 | students $22

openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

GENRE

pop, blues, folk, jazz

A.J. Croce

Croce Plays Croce

This performance features a complete set of classics by A.J.’s father Jim Croce, some of A.J.’s own tunes, and songs that influenced both him and his father. The show often includes such timeless songs as “Operator,” “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim,” “Workin’ At the Car Wash Blues,” “Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy), “One Less Set of Footsteps,” “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” “Lovers Cross,” and “Box #10,” to name a few. A.J. Croce is a multi-instrumentalist roots-rock artist, known for his boogie woogie piano playing reminiscent of Dr. John. A.J. has recorded nine studio albums for both major and indie labels in 23 years as a professional artist and musician. His music incorporates pop, blues, folk and jazz, and has charted on seven radio charts including Top 40. He’s shared the stage with many notable artists including James Brown, Willie Nelson, Béla Fleck, co-written songs with greats like Leon Russell, and been produced by legends like the late Allen Toussaint. A.J. has appeared on many television shows including Good Morning America and The Tonight Show

Photo by Shelby Duncan

Photo courtesy of Croce Music Group

TICKETS

$65 | $55 | $45 | $25 students $32 | $27 | $22 | $12 openingnights.fsu.edu 850.644.6500 GENRE comedy

Brian Regan

Critics, fans and fellow comedians agree: Brian Regan is one of the most respected comedians in the country with Vanity Fair calling Brian, “The funniest stand-up alive,” and Entertainment Weekly calling him, “Your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian.” He has built his 30-plus year career on the strength of his material alone, and in 2015, Brian made history with his stand-up special, Brian Regan: Live From Radio City Music Hall, as the first live broadcast of a stand-up special in Comedy Central’s history. Brian is a regular on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and was a regular guest on The Late Show with David Letterman, making 28 appearances. He premiered his seventh hour of comedy, the Netflix special, Brian Regan: Nunchucks and Flamethrowers, in November 2017. This is the first in a two-special deal with Netflix, joining Brian with Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld and others. He regularly appears in the finest theaters and arenas in the country.

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Photo by Joe Henson

TICKETS

$50 | $40 | $30 | $25 students $25 | $20 | $15 | $12 openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

1964 The Tribute

“Best Beatles tribute on earth”

— Rolling Stone Magazine

SUPPORTED BY

“1964” focuses on the quintessential moment in American popular music history when The Beatles played before a live audience. The Beatles toured the world in the early 1960s, but now only a precious few remain who actually saw them LIVE—who actually felt the “mania” that brought them to world acclaim. Today, all that remains are a few scant memories and some captured images in pictures and on poor quality film and video. “1964” meticulously re-creates the “MAGIC” of those live Beatles’ performances with artful precision and unerring accuracy. For those that never saw The Beatles live and always wanted to know what it must have been like...this is as close as anyone could possibly get to...FEELING the MAGIC! For over 30 years, “1964” has thrilled audiences with what is considered to be the most authentic and endearing tribute to The Beatles. This has been accomplished by a steady and consistent cast of talented professional musicians, who painstakingly recreate the look, feel and note-for-note sound of an actual live Beatles performance. The band has played in Denver’s Red Rocks Amphitheater, Carnegie Hall and St. Augustine Amphitheater.

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Photo by Steven Gardner

Graeme James

Born in New Zealand, Graeme James started out playing violin with the desire to become a classical concert violinist. He pursued this goal throughout high school as well as branching out into folk and celtic music, playing fiddle and singing in his family’s folk band. During college he put down the violin and started learning other instruments, including the acoustic guitar. In 2010, he bought a loop pedal, which would finally allow him to combine and layer the various instruments he had picked up along the way. He was soon playing nightly concerts. This created what would become a large, loyal and global fan base. The self-released album Play One We All Know was released in 2013 followed by Play One We All Know Vol. II in late 2014. The latter was funded through a kickstarter campaign that met its $5,000 target in 27 hours. Both cover albums have sold thousands of copies while busking on the streets of New Zealand. Graeme released his first original single ‘Alive’ in 2015, which placed second in a major international songwriting competition and has accumulated nearly 2 million streams on Spotify. His debut original album News From Nowhere released in September 2016 peaked at number three on New Zealand album chart, number 26 on the Top 40 album chart and was a finalist in the NZ Music Awards 2017 Folk Album of the Year.

GENRE folk, indie

SATURDAY

7:30 P.M.

openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

material)

Late Night Tailgate

Hanzhi Wang, accordion

Praised for her engaging stage presence and performances that are technically and musically brilliant, Hanzhi Wang is the first accordionist to join the roster of Young Concert Artists in its 57-year history of discovering extraordinary musicians. Her concert career has already taken her around the globe with performances in Europe and Asia. Wang makes her debut in the Young Concert Artists Series in New York, opening the 2018-19 season in The Peter Marino Concert at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall. Her Washington, DC debut in the Young Concert Artists Series at the Kennedy Center will be co-presented with Washington Performing Arts. In August 2018 Naxos will release its first-ever solo accordion CD—Ms. Wang’s In the Path of H.C. Andersen It features works by Danish composers including “The Little Match Girl,” written for her by Martin Lohse. Wang’s artistry has been recognized by other contemporary composers as well with works dedicated to her by James Black and Sophia Gubaidulina, with whom she has worked extensively.

Photo by Matt Dine

Prague Philharmonic Children’s Choir

Spiritual Journey Through the Centuries

Founded in 1932, the Prague Philharmonic Children’s Choir is one of the most recognized Czech artistic collectives. Its tradition and the breadth of its artistic scope make it a unique musical institution, not only in the Czech Republic but throughout Europe. Its most talented children have grown into distinguished musicians—conductors, directors, composers, singers and instrumentalists. This program, Spiritual Journey Through the Centuries, is the most significant choral works by leading world composers, with organ accompaniment (G.P. da Palestrina, A. Dvořák, P.I. Tchaikovsky, C. Franck, J. Novák, a. Pärt ad.) Among the choir’s greatest achievements are appearances at La Scala in Milan, Carnegie Hall in New York and the Bregenzer Festspiele in Austria. Over the course of its existence, the choir has recorded over 50 CDs of both Czech and international music. Its outstanding reputation is demonstrated by the numerous awards and official honors it has received, including the European Grand Prix. The choir regularly collaborates with leading orchestras, ensembles and soloists and has performed successfully in Europe, Japan, USA, Canada, Mexico, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Photo by Druzina-Michaela Klakurkova

The HillBenders

The Who’s Tommy: A Bluegrass Opry

music

Known as the biggest rock opera of all time, The Who’s Tommy, has now been fully realized as a full-length bluegrass tribute featuring Springfield, Missouri’s The HillBenders. The original rock opera composed by guitarist Pete Townshend tells the story about a deaf, dumb and blind boy, including his experiences with life and the relationship with his family. Conceived and produced by SXSW co-founder and longtime musician/producer Louis Jay Meyers, this Bluegrass Opry brings a new perspective to Tommy while paying total respect to its creators. It’s amazing to hear banjo, dobro, mandolin, bass, and guitar bring the same energy and vision to Tommy as The Who did with a full rock band and orchestra. The HillBenders are one of the few bluegrass groups that recognize their ability to bridge the gap between the common music consumer and the bluegrass genre, selecting material that defies any hillbilly stigmas. With their widely varied influences, they are trying to bring to bluegrass songs that unify.

“We wanted to pair bluegrass with the other

we grew up with—rock and roll!”

— HillBender Nolan Lawrence

Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys

“A fresh new voice in modern bluegrass, with driving instrumentals and a straightfrom-the-still quality to Lindsay’s voice...”

— Bluegrass Unlimited

Hailing from the Great Lakes State of Michigan and now transplanted to Nashville, Tennessee, Lindsay Lou and her band have been touring extensively (nationally and internationally) behind the release of their album, Ionia, in 2015. They were named one of NPR Music’s 12 best live performance sessions of 2015 by Mountain Stage with Larry Groce and made their first appearance at Merlefest in North Carolina in 2016. Since then, they’ve been featured in the lineup of prestigious affairs ranging from The Shetland Island Folk Festival in Scotland, The Bluegrass Jamboree in Germany, Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado, Stagecoach Music Festival in California, Wheatland Music Festival in Michigan, Strawberry Music Festival in California, Redwing Roots Festival in Virginia, ROMP in Kentucky, Pagosa Springs Folk Festival in Colorado, and Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in Upstate New York. They’ve been compared to bands like Lake Street Dive and The Punch Brothers, but the truth is their sound is entirely their own.

Lindsay’s singing floats over the masterful picking and groove of her band with dynamics that range from a lullaby to a battle cry.

Photo by Jeff Thomas

GENRE bluegrass

Anthony Trionfo, flute

He was praised for his “spellbinding” performances with “authoritative intellect” by the Santa Barbara Voice after his performance of the Jolivet Concerto with the Music Academy of the West Festival Orchestra. Flutist Anthony Trionfo recently made his recital debuts on the Young Concert Artists Series at the Kennedy Center as well as in New York City’s Merkin Concert Hall, premiering a new work by Young Concert Artists (YCA) Composer-in-Residence Katherine Balch. Trionfo has performed Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 with Vadim Gluzman and the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra and concertos with the Interlochen Symphony Orchestra, the Colburn Symphony Orchestra, the “President’s Own” Marine Band in 2012, and the Las Vegas Philharmonic as well as appeared with Jupiter Chamber Players. At the 2016 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, Trionfo received the prestigious Michaels Award, the Saint Vincent College Concert Series Prize, the Ruth Laredo Award, and the Lied Center of Kansas Prize. He received the further distinction of being the first YCA artist to win the inaugural LP Classics Debut Recording Prize, granting him a commercial recording.

November 15

7:30 P.M.

LOCATION

St. John’s Episcopal Church

TICKETS

$30 | students $15 openingnights.fsu.edu 850.644.6500

GENRE classical

Photo by Matt Dine

Mandy Harvey

“Breath taking… Reminds me of the first time I heard Adele sing”

— Simon Cowell, America’s Got Talent

An American jazz singer and songwriter, Mandy Harvey is also deaf. She was a Vocal Music Education major at Colorado State University, but left the program when she lost her residual hearing in 2006-07 at the age of 18 due to a neurological disorder. She pursued several career options, including education, but returned to music in 2008. She quickly became a regular performer at Jay’s Bistro in Fort Collins and then branched out to having regular concerts at Dazzle Jazz Lounge in Denver (Top 100 Jazz venues in the world). With three jazz recordings to her credit, Mandy prepares to break more barriers with her new recording, “This Time!” In 2009, Mandy’s first album, Smile was released to widespread praise. Since then, she has released two more critically acclaimed albums: 2010’s After You’ve Gone and, in 2014, All of Me. Though her hearing loss is profound, her timing, pitch and passion are perfect; that’s why the media have taken notice. In 2017, she appeared on America’s Got Talent, winning the Golden Buzzer award. She also has won a 2015 IDA Inspiration Award from Invisible Disabilities Association. With support from friends, family and her faith, Mandy continues to find and spread joy with her music.

Photo by Noam Galai

GENRE

singer-songwriter

TICKETS

$50 | $40 | $30 | $25 students $25 | $20 | $15 | $12 openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

Soweto Gospel Choir Songs of the Free

“...this choir has the spirit of gospel deep in its blood—and it shows” — The Washington Post

The spectacular and colorful two-time Grammy® Award winning Soweto Gospel Choir returns to North America with Songs of the Free, a very special program celebrating the centenary of the birth of the father of their rainbow nation, Nelson Mandela. Songs of the Free will include South African classics as well as freedom songs and gospel music much loved by Mandela for whom the Soweto Gospel Choir had the privilege of performing in front of on multiple times during his life. Direct from South Africa, Soweto Gospel Choir is an awe-inspiring 20-member ensemble that thrills audiences worldwide with their stunning blend of African gospel music, spirituals and American popular music. Earthy rhythms and rich harmonies sung in six of South Africa’s 11 official languages are combined for a moving performance, which uplifts the soul through the music and dance of South Africa.

Photo by Di Nozzi Lorenzo

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Heartfelt, energetic and down home. The music of Nashville-based The Barefoot Movement is as down to earth as their intention for members of their audience: sit back, relax, take your shoes off, and stay a while. All the worries and frustrations of the world melt away as this charming, acoustic band takes listeners back to a simpler place and time. Whether you’re seeking emotional ballads or rip-roaring barn-burners, you can expect a collection of music that offers something for everyone. Their show is as fun to watch as it is to hear. The smiles on the band’s faces are obvious displays of their joy and excitement when performing and the audience shares in the fun! This holiday celebration performance is complete with all of your classic seasonal favorites wrapped in a Christmas package. You’ll hear acoustic renditions of everything from Chuck Berry’s “Run Run Rudolph” to Perry Como’s “It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas” and emotional takes on the more tender songs of the season like “Oh Holy Night” and “Hark The Herald Angels Sing.”

GENRE bluegrass, holiday

Photo by Michael Khait

TALLAHASSEE PERFORMANCE

7:30 P.M.

LOCATION

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

TICKETS

$35 | $25 students $17 | $12 openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

GENRE

folk, traditional, rock, pop

Skerryvore

“The most promising young band in Scotland

SUPPORTED BY

Skerryvore create a unique fusion of folk, trad, rock and pop that represents all of the different personalities and upbringing of the eight band members who hail from different regions of Scotland. With their outstanding musicianship and the mesmerizing voice of award-winning singer-songwriter, Alec Dalglish, Skerryvore has become an international sensation, performing in cities such as Dubai, Beijing, Shanghai, Madrid, Munich and New York. Skerryvore are two-time winners of Scotland’s Traditional Music “Live Act of the Year” Award (2016, 2011). The release of their single “Live Forever” in 2017 provided the soundtrack for the Scottish tourism promotional campaign “Wild About Argyll” and saw the single hit No. 1 on the iTunes World Music chart.

Photo by Rachel Keenan

today.”

— Mick MacNeil, Simple Minds

Parsons Dance Company

Parsons Dance is a contemporary American dance company, internationally renowned for its energized, athletic ensemble work. Founded in 1985 by Artistic Director David Parsons and Tony Award-winning lighting designer Howell Binkley, the company has toured to more than 445 cities, 30 countries, and 5 continents and has performed at such notable venues as The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Sydney Opera House, Maison de la Danse, Teatro La Fenice, and Teatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro.

SENSORY FRIENDLY PROGRAMS & RELAXED PERFORMANCES

Building on its mission of delivering life-affirming, inspiring dance experiences worldwide, Parsons Dance has created targeted performances that ensure that all audiences, regardless of ability, have the opportunity to connect with the universal language of dance. These autism friendly performances give audiences the freedom to express themselves and react openly while watching the dancers and hearing the music. Sensory stimuli such as lights and sound are modified and the theater designates quiet spaces to take a break. A Parsons Dance representative navigates the audience through the performance, pausing between each piece to tell the audience what to look for and to answer questions. This ensures that the performance moves at an accessible pace and makes it interactive, engaging, and comfortable for all audiences.

SATURDAY

January

2 P.M. (Sensory Friendly)

7:30 P.M.

LOCATION

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

TICKETS

2 P.M. - all $10

7:30 P.M. $50 | $40 | $30 | $25 students $25 | $20 | $15 | $12 openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500 GENRE dance

“My goal is to provide opportunities for more people to experience the wonders of dance.”

— David Parsons

Photo by Lois Greenfield

7:30 P.M.

LOCATION

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

TICKETS

$65 | $55 | $45 | $25

students $32 | $27 | $22 | $12 openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

GENRE

folk, bluegrass, Americana

Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn

Echo in the Valley

SUPPORTED BY

KEN KATO & NAN NAGY

With one eye on using the banjo to showcase America’s rich heritage and the other pulling the noble instrument from its most familiar arena into new and unique realms, Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn’s second album Echo in the Valley is simultaneously familiar and wildly innovative. “Some of the most interesting things in the world come together in strange and unique ways and show our diversity,” reflects Béla, a 15-time Grammy® Award winner who is often considered the world’s premier banjo player. Echo in the Valley is the follow up to Béla and Abigail’s acclaimed, debut album, Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, that earned the 2016 Grammy for Best Folk Album. “We’re expressing different emotions through past techniques and going to deeper places,” he continued.

The results are fascinating, especially considering their strict rules for recording: all sounds must be created by the two of them, the only instruments used are banjos (they have seven between them, ranging from a ukulele to an upright bass banjo), and they must be able to perform every recorded song live.

Photo by Joshua Black Wilkins

Joshua Bell

Accompanied by Sam Haywood

With a career spanning more than 30 years as a soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and conductor, Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated violinists of his era. An exclusive Sony Classical artist, Bell has recorded more than 40 CDs garnering Grammy® , Mercury, Gramophone and Echo Klassik awards and is the recipient of the Avery Fisher Prize. Named the Music Director of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields in 2011, he is the only person to hold this post since Sir Neville Marriner formed the orchestra in 1958. Bell recently engaged in two tech projects: with Embertone, the leading virtual instrument sampling company, the Joshua Bell Virtual Violin was created for producers, artists, engineers and composers; and with Sony for the Joshua Bell VR Experience, featuring Bell performing Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 1 in full 360-degree Virtual Reality. Convinced of the value of music as an educational tool, Bell is a member of Turnaround Arts and Education Through Music, which provide arts education to low-performing elementary and middle schools. Bell performs on the 1713 Huberman Stradivarius violin.

Photo by Phillip Knott

Dave Montrois, Bobby Dick, Mark Webb, Kim Dixon, Clinton Alexander FINANCIAL ADVISORS

TUESDAY

7:30 P.M.

LOCATION

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

TICKETS

$75 | $65 | $55 | $25 students $37 | $32 | $27 | $12 openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

GENRE R&B, motown

The Temptations & the Four Tops

The history of The Temptations is the history of contemporary American pop. An essential component of the original Motown machine—that amazing engine invented by Berry Gordy—The Temps began their musical life in Detroit in the early sixties. It wasn’t until 1964, however, that the Smokey Robinson written-and-produced “The Way You Do the Things You Do” turned the guys into stars. An avalanche of hits followed, many of which... “My Girl,” for instance... attained immortality. “It’s Growing,” “Since I Lost My Baby,” “Get Ready,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Beauty is Only Skin Deep,” “I Wish It Would Rain”...the hits kept coming. The Temptations were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.

SUPPORTED BY

Originally called the Four Aims, the Four Tops made their first single for Chess in 1956, and spent seven years on the road and in nightclubs, singing pop, blues, Broadway, but mostly jazz—four-part harmony jazz. Their first Motown hit, “Baby I Need Your Loving” in 1964, made them stars and their sixties track record on the label is indispensable to any retrospective of the decade. Their songs, soulful and bittersweet, were across-the-board successes. “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” a No. 1 R&B and Pop smash in 1965, is one of Motown’s longest-running chart toppers. Their commercial peak was highlighted by a romantic trilogy: the No. 1 “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Standing In The Shadows Of Love” (No. 2 R&B/no. 6 pop) and “Bernadette” (No. 3 R&B/No. 4 pop). With 24 Top 40 pop hits to their credit, the Four Tops were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 1990.

RON SACHS & GAY WEBSTER-SACHS

Cashore Marionettes

Unmatched in artistry, grace and refinement of movement, the internationally acclaimed Cashore Marionettes redefine the art of puppetry. In the performance Life in Motion, Joseph Cashore presents his collection of marionette masterworks. Characters of depth, integrity and humanity are portrayed unlike anything else in theater today. The performance is a series of scenes taken from everyday life and set to beautiful music by composers such as Beethoven, Vivaldi, Strauss, and Copland. Through a combination of virtuoso manipulation, humor, pathos, classic music, and poetic insight, The Cashore Marionettes take the audience on a journey that celebrates the richness of life. Life in Motion is a powerful, entertaining, surprising, theatrically satisfying, one-of-akind evening for adults and young adults. A matinee offering, Simple Gifts, provides humorous, riveting, sophisticated family entertainment. Joseph Cashore has received numerous awards for his artistry including a Pew Fellowship for Performance Art, based upon his artistic accomplishment; a Henson Foundation Grant, an award intended to promote puppetry to adult audiences; and a Citation of Excellence from the North American Center of Union Internationale de la Marionnette (UNIMA-USA), the highest honor an American puppeteer can receive. UNIMA is the oldest international theatre organization in the world, founded in 1929.

FRIDAY - 7:30 P.M.

Life in Motion

SATURDAY - 2 P.M.

Simple Gifts (family friendly)

LOCATION Turner Auditorium

TICKETS

Friday: $30 | $20 | $10 students $15 | $10 | $5

Saturday: all $10 openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

SUPPORTED BY

GENRE puppetry

Photo by Stuart Dahne

2:00 P.M.

LOCATION

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

TICKETS

$35 | students $17

openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

GENRE

marching band, classical, pop, jazz

PRISM

A Collaboration with the Florida State University College of Music

SUPPORTED BY

Featuring students from Florida State’s top-ranked College of Music, PRISM offers a wide array of entertainment from Chamber Winds, Symphonic Band, jazz ensembles, the Marching Chiefs, and many more exciting groups. The Tallahassee Democrat might put it best: “The PRISM shows are built on a more-is-more philosophy…PRISM’s contrast between traditional fare and more experimental groups may be one of the reasons behind the program’s success. Its multifaceted nature makes PRISM a gem among music lovers. Because of its design, [the performance] offers a unique show depending on where an audience member sits—those in the balcony will be nearer to certain ensembles than those in other sections, and vice versa.” So come experience this unique event that lauds our students and faculty. It’s fantastic, fresh, and not to be missed!

Farruquito

Farruquito (Juan Manuel Fernández Montoya), heir to the most renowned Gypsy flamenco dynasty was immersed in the purest form of flamenco, founded by his grandfather, “El Farruco,” one of the greatest dancers in the history of flamenco. In 2015, Farruquito was invited to dance with the LA Phil, in four sold-out gala concerts of an adapted version of Amor Brujo directed by Gustavo Dudamel at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Farruquito returned to the United Stated for a coast-tocoast tour in 2016 and was hailed by The New York Times as the, “greatest flamenco dancer of his century.” He has made it his life’s mission to share the purest form of flamenco on stages all around the world while further broadening his influence by collaborating with the most influential artists of our time. From birth his first appearance on stage was on Broadway at 4 years of age with his grandfather in the hit Flamenco Puro. At 11, he was featured in the film Flamenco, which launched his career and positioned him amongst the most elite flamenco artists of the world. He created his first show, Raíces Flamencas (Flamenco Roots) at 15, which demonstrated his mastery as a dancer and gave him the opportunity to showcase the traditions of his prodigious flamenco line.

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

TICKETS

$150 | $140 | $130 students $75 | $70 | $65 openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

GENRE orchestral pop

The Boston Pops on Tour

Lights, Camera... Music!

Six Decades of John Williams

SUPPORTED BY

Winner of an astonishing five Oscars and 22 Grammy® Awards, John Williams may well be the greatest film composer of all time. His scores for Star Wars, Schindler’s List, Harry Potter, E.T. (The Extraterrestrial), Jurassic Park and the Indiana Jones films have made him a household name. Under the baton of Keith Lockhart, the Boston Pops celebrates a nearly 40-year association with John and his incredible music. This evening will feature excerpts from the composer’s best-loved scores, as well as some lesser-known gems. No one plays the music of America’s favorite composer like America’s favorite orchestra! Having led nearly 1,800 Boston Pops concerts in his tenure, Conductor Lockhart (1995-present) has created programs that reach out to a broader and younger audience by presenting artists—both established performers and rising stars—from virtually every corner of the entertainment world, all the while maintaining the Pops’ appeal to its core audience.

Lockhart’s tenure has been marked by a dramatic increase in touring, the orchestra’s first Grammy nominations, the first major network national broadcast of the Fourth-of-July spectacular from the Esplanade, and the release of the Boston Pops’ first self-produced and self-distributed recordings.

Photo by Stu Rosner

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Tom Rush

— James Taylor

His distinctive guitar style, wry humor and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. Tom Rush is a gifted musician and performer whose shows offer a musical celebration…a journey into the tradition and spectrum of what music has been, can be, and will become. His shows are filled with terrific story-telling, the sweet melancholy of ballads and the passion of gritty blues. Rush’s impact on the American music scene has been profound. He helped shape the folk revival in the ’60s and the renaissance of the ’80s and ’90s with his music leaving its stamp on generations of artists. Rush has long championed emerging artists. His early recordings introduced the world to the work of Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and James Taylor. He began his musical career in the early ’60s playing the Boston-area clubs while a student at Harvard. His voice has grown even richer and more melodic, and his music has matured and ripened in the blending of traditional and modern influences.

“Tom was not only one of my early heroes, but also one of my main influences.”

Photo courtesy Skyline Music

The Julian Bliss Septet

A Tribute to Benny Goodman

“...captures

the vibrant joy of a simple unadorned melody played with feeling and conviction.” — Critical Jazz

Julian Bliss is one of world’s finest clarinetists, excelling as a concerto soloist, chamber musician, jazz artist, masterclass leader and tireless musical explorer. Born in the United Kingdom, Julian started playing clarinet at age 4 and went on to study at the University of Indiana and in Germany under Sabine Meyer. The breadth and depth of his artistry are reflected in the diversity and distinction of his work. In 2010, Julian Bliss joined a handpicked selection of some of the best musicians in the jazz scene to form the Julian Bliss Septet. Gracing the stages of Ronnie Scott’s legendary jazz club, Wigmore Hall in London, Bermuda Jazz Festival, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Julian Bliss Septet has shared their uplifting, classy, humorous shows and exceptional musicianship around the world. The Septet performs shows that combine over 200 years of musical heritage with, and incredible command of, Western classical and jazz. The band will perform the inspirational music of Benny Goodman—a passion of Julian’s since the age of 7.

GENRE jazz

Photo by Greg Helgeson

Makana

Described as “dazzling” by The New York Times, Makana is an internationally acclaimed guitarist, singer, composer and activist who is widely known for lending his musical talent for social change. His guitar playing has been featured on three Grammynominated albums, including the soundtrack of the Academy-Award winning film The Descendants. Makana’s captivating and wide-ranging performance style has led him to share the stage with Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson, open for music legends Sting, Carlos Santana and Elvis Costello, and perform in venues ranging from Asian and European opera houses to The White House. Born and raised in Hawai’i, Makana grew up on the shores of Waikiki amid the diversity of such legends as Don Ho and Bruno Mars. Makana—whose name means “a gift given freely”—began singing when he was 7 years old, took up ‘ukulele at 9 and began learning the ancient art of slack key at 11. By 14, he was performing professionally, and before long, playing five nights a week. His reputation as the youngest virtuoso of slack key spread like molten volcanic lava throughout the islands. The focus of Makana’s art is to celebrate the beauty of tradition while exploring new, relevant perceptions, sounds and themes. In his music he often honors his forebearers, the vintage Hawaiian music legends as well as the rock poet idols of the ‘60s, paying homage to the kupuna (elders) who carry within their Beings the cultural wisdom passed down through generations.

Goodwood Museum & Gardens

WEDNESDAY

March 6

7:30 P.M.

LOCATION

Richard G. Fallon Theatre

TICKETS

$20 | students $10 openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

GENRE comedy

Taylor Tomlinson

SUPPORTED BY

Taylor Tomlinson has been featured on Conan, MTV’s Safe Word, Comedy Central’s Adam Devine’s House Party, was a top 10 finalist on season 9 of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, and was recently honored as a New Face at the prestigious Montreal Comedy Festival. Taylor started doing stand-up at just 16 years old and has been letting stand-up slowly ruin her life ever since. She is one of the country’s youngest currently touring headliners, delighting audiences coast-to-coast with her sharp crowd work, biting wit, and wonderfully self-deprecating point of view. Tomlinson co-hosts The Self-Helpless Podcast and her Netflix 15-minute special is set to air in the summer of 2018.

Photo by Justin Gill

The Michael Feinstein Trio Shaken & Stirred

Take one part sensational vocals and one part piano stylings of one of the most celebrated classical musicians of our time—five time Grammy® Award nominated Michael Feinstein—mix them together with reimagined arrangements of standards and modern classics that are chilled, shaken and stirred into an unforgettable evening. Michael Feinstein has built a dazzling career bringing the music of the Great American songbook to the world. His Emmy nominated PBS-TV specials, his acclaimed NPR series and concerts spanning the globe and his work as an educator and archivist all define Feinstein as one of the most important musical forces of our time.

March

openingnights.fsu.edu

GENRE gypsy swing

Lulo Reinhardt & Daniel Stelter

Famed solo guitarists throughout Europe who have gone on to even greater success as a duo, Lulo Reinhardt and Daniel Stelter offer a wide variety of styles and influences that extend from Argentina to Cuba and back to their German Gypsy roots. Lulo, the grand nephew of Gypsy Jazz pioneer Django Reinhardt, is a spontaneous and spirited musician. His curiosity took him to southern Spain in search of flamenco roots and to South America, exploring various musical styles of Latin jazz. Developing an interest in Swing, he began composing Swing materials that he has combined with Latin music. Daniel’s unique guitar style has made him a landmark musician in Germany’s Jazz scene. His sound encompasses jazz, pop and classical music. He began playing classical guitar at the age of 8 and was soon introduced to jazz, rock and pop music. His music speaks for itself; the elaborate instrumentation is the essence. In 2016, Daniel released Live in der Stadtkirche, a “live” CD with Lulo, which instantly became “Record of the Month” in the German NDR Jazz Charts.

SUPPORTED BY

Jimmy Webb The Glen Campbell Years

Webb is the only artist ever to have received Grammy Awards for music, lyrics and orchestration. His numerous accolades include the prestigious Ivor Novella International Award (2012) and the Academy of Country Music’s Poet Award (2016). In 2016 Rolling Stone magazine listed Webb as one of the top 50 songwriters of all time. Jimmy Webb was the youngest person ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and served as its chairman. Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb were an unexpected pairing: a multi-platinum recording-artist arch conservative; and, a child-prodigy, long-hair stoner songwriter. Yet, Campbell and Webb became one of the most successful musical collaborations of all time. Their mutual admiration and sincere affection for one another yielded a solid friendship, more than 100 recordings and timeless chart-topping hits including “By The Time I get to Phoenix,” “Wichita Lineman,” “Galveston,” “Where’s the Playground, Susie,” and “Honey Come Back” among others. A multi-media aspect of this performance contains rarely seen archival footage and photographs of the 50-year journey these two men experienced. In this show, America’s songwriter Jimmy Webb shares the music and personal stories of a friendship that provided the soundtrack for generations.

SUPPORTED BY

Nate Bargatze

Nate’s comedy is clean and relatable, evident in his appearances on The Tonight Show and on Late Night both with Jimmy Fallon, and on Conan and @midnight. In addition to touring the country as a headliner, Nate toured in arenas with Chris Rock on his 2017 Total Blackout Tour and was part of Jimmy Fallon’s Clean Cut Comedy Tour. He regularly performs at Bonnaroo, SXSW, Oddball Comedy Festival, Sasquatch, Clusterfest, and the JFL Montreal Comedy Festival. Nate was featured as one of Esquire’s ‘Best New Comedians’ by Jim Gaffigan, one of Marc Maron’s ‘Comedians to Watch’ in Rolling Stone, one of Variety’s “10 Comics to Watch” for 2015, and as #1 on Vulture’s ‘50 Comedians You Should Know’ in 2015. His debut one hour special, Full Time Magic, premiered on Comedy Central in 2015, followed by his debut album, Yelled at by a Clown, which reached #1 on the iTunes Comedy Charts and remained on Billboard’s Top Ten Comedy Charts for weeks. His half-hour Netflix Special The Standups premiered on July 4, 2017, to rave reviews.

Photo by Mindy Tucker

GENRE comedy

Matt Haimovitz

The Bach Suites: A Movable Feast

Acclaimed cellist Matt Haimovitz now offers a brilliant musical variation on the concept of A Movable Feast. In advance of releasing the complete set of Bach Suites for Unaccompanied Cello, he’ll offer a unique experience—unparalleled in the classical music world. Bach’s Suites for Unaccompanied Cello (1717-1723) are some of the most moving and spiritual compositions for a solo instrument in history. Renowned as a musical pioneer, cellist Matt Haimovitz is praised by The New York Times as a “ferociously talented cellist who brings his megawatt sound and uncommon expressive gifts to a vast variety of styles” and by The New Yorker as “remarkable virtuoso” who “never turns in a predictable performance.” Haimovitz made his debut in 1984, at the age of 13, as soloist with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic. At 17 he made his first recording with James Levine and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, for Deutsche Grammophon. He has received numerous honors including being the first cellist ever to receive the prestigious Premio Internazionale “Accademia Musicale Chigiana” (1999).

Photo by Steph Mackinnon

THURSDAY

April 4

7:30 P.M.

LOCATION

Richard G. Fallon Theatre

TICKETS

$35 | $25 students $17 | $12 openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

GENRE bluegrass

Molly Tuttle

SUPPORTED BY

A virtuoso multi-instrumentalist and award-winning songwriter with a distinctive voice, Molly Tuttle has turned the heads of even the most seasoned industry professionals. She began performing on stage when she was 11 and recorded her first album, The Old Apple Tree, at age 13. Her first solo album, Rise, debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums chart. Since then, she’s appeared on A Prairie Home Companion and at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. She has been featured on the cover of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine and Acoustic Guitar Magazine and won first place in the prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Competition at Merlefest in North Carolina. Molly received a Momentum Award from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) in the instrumentalist category in the fall of 2017. This year, she is nominated for three IBMA Awards, earning her the distinction of being the first female to be nominated as the Guitar Player of the Year. Molly’s lovely voice, impeccable guitar playing, and sensitive song writing make her a star on the rise.

Photo by Kaitlyn Raitz

Gina Chavez

A multi-ethnic Latin pop songstress, Gina Chavez is a nine-time Austin Music Award winner fresh off a 14-country tour as an ambassador with the U.S. State Department. Her bilingual album, Up.Rooted, topped both the Amazon and Latin iTunes charts following a feature on NPR’s All Things Considered and her Tiny Desk concert has more than 630,000 views. Chavez’s passionate collection of bilingual songs take audiences on a journey through the Americas, blending the sounds and rhythms of the region with tension and grace. Her Spanish-language anthem, “Siete-D” (winner, John Lennon Songwriting Contest) recounts her experience volunteering in a gang-dominated suburb of San Salvador where she co-founded Niñas Arriba, a college fund for young Latinas. Chavez’s new single, “Heaven Knows,” features a sound “steeped in slow-burn soul and uptempo R&B” that already has NPR under the spell of her forthcoming EP Lightbeam, due out September 2018.

“Most striking is Chavez’s ease as she moves between social and love songs, between North American and Latin genres, and even between languages...”

— The Boston Globe

Photo by Gregg Cestar

7:30 P.M. LOCATION

Opperman Music Hall

TICKETS

$20 | students $10 openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

yMusic

NPR’s

yMusic is a group of six New York City instrumentalists flourishing in the overlap between pop and classical. Since their inception in 2008, yMusic has striven to bring a classical chamber music aesthetic to venues outside the traditional concert hall. Their virtuosic execution and unique configuration (string trio, flute, clarinet, and trumpet) have caught the attention of high profile collaborators—from Bon Iver and José Gonzalez, to Paul Simon. They followed their two full-length solo albums, 2014’s Balance Problems and 2011’s Beautiful Mechanical (Time Out New York’s #1 Classical Record of that Year), with 2015’s, So There, a collaboration with Ben Folds. Collaborating with some of the most visible and creative pop artists of their time yMusic inspires die-hard Classical Music fandom from often uninitiated audiences via their virtuosity in both concert and pop idioms. In addition to performing its own repertoire, yMusic serves as a ready-made collaborative unit for bands and songwriters. Recent joint performances include The Royal Opera House at Covent Garden and CBS Saturday Sessions.

“One of the groups that has really helped to shape the future of classical music.”

—

Fred Child

DakhaBrakha

— Rolling Stone

A quartet from Kiev, Ukraine, that reflects fundamental elements of sound and soul, DakhaBrakha creates a world of unexpected new music. This Ukrainian “ethno chaos” band was created in 2004 at the Kiiv Center of Contemporary Art “DAKH” by the avant-garde theatre director Vladyslav Troitskyi. DakhaBrakha means “give/take” in the old Ukrainian language. Theatre work has left its mark on the band performances as their shows are always staged with a strong visual element. After experimenting with Ukrainian folk music, the band has added rhythms of the surrounding world into their music, thus creating the bright, unique and unforgettable sound of DakhaBrakha. Accompanied by Indian, Arabic, African and Russian traditional instrumentation, the quartet’s astonishingly powerful and uncompromising vocal range creates a transnational sound rooted in Ukrainian culture. At the crossroads of Ukrainian folklore and theatre, their musical spectrum is at first intimate then riotous, plumbing the depths of contemporary roots and rhythms, inspiring “cultural and artistic liberation.”

“Ukrainian folk drone Björkpunk quartet

DakhaBrakha went into Bonnaroo as unknowns but ended up with one of the most receptive crowds of the weekend.”

7:30 P.M.

LOCATION

Richard G. Fallon Theatre

TICKETS

$35 | students $17

openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

SUPPORTED BY

The Second City: It’s

Not You, It’s

Me

The Second City has been laughing at love and its infinite scroll of side effects for decades. In the world-famous comedy company’s latest laughter-inducing undertaking, It’s Not You, It’s Me, The Second City takes shots at heartbreak, missed connections and the mire of human relationships. Your friends, your parents, even your blind date will find something achingly familiar to laugh at, thanks to comedy’s newest generation of writers and performers...who all fit squarely into the “it’s complicated” category! Since opening its doors 1959, The Second City has grown to become the world’s premier comedy club, theater and school of improvisation, entertaining 1 million theatergoers a year around the globe. Alumni of The Second City’s resident stages, touring companies, and theatrical divisions across Chicago and Toronto include some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Keegan-Michael Key, Aidy Bryant, Sam Richardson, Chris Redd, Jason Sudeikis, Steven Yeun, Jane Lynch, Amy Poehler, Jack McBrayer and more.

GENRE comedy, improv

Chain of Parks Art Festival Opening Event

Opening Nights at Florida State University is partnering with LeMoyne’s Chain of Parks Art Festival to present a cultural arts program to launch the 19th Annual art festival in downtown Tallahassee. The program will feature a keynote speaker who will share insights into the life of a professional artist, and what it takes to sustain a career as a practicing artist in the 21st Century. This collaboration between two arts organizations— Opening Nights and Chain of Parks Art Festival—was made possible because of an endowment provided by Laurie and Kelly Dozier. Recently named the #1 Fine Art Show in the nation, LeMoyne’s Chain of Parks Art Festival is the Big Bend Region’s premiere outdoor fine arts festival. Through this new partnership, Opening Nights hopes to add value to this treasured two-day festival that is free and open to the public. Save the date and look for upcoming information in Opening Nights’ Fall Program to learn more about this exciting opportunity to explore a unique perspective on the visual arts.

7:30 P.M.

LOCATION

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

TICKETS

$60 | $50 | $40 | $25

students $30 | $25 | $20 | $12

openingnights.fsu.edu

850.644.6500

David Sedaris

With sardonic wit and incisive social critiques, David Sedaris has become one of America’s preeminent humor writers. He is the master of satire and one of today’s most observant writers addressing the human condition. Beloved for his personal essays and short stories, Sedaris is the author of Barrel Fever, Holidays on Ice, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, and Theft By Finding: Diaries (1977-2002). He is the author of Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary, a collection of fables with illustrations by Ian Falconer. Each of these books was an immediate bestseller. His pieces regularly appear in The New Yorker and have twice been included in “The Best American Essays.” Sedaris’s original audio pieces can often be heard on the public radio show This American Life. He has been nominated for three Grammy® Awards for Best Spoken Word and Best Comedy Album. In May 2018, Sedaris released his latest book of essays entitled Calypso.

Photo by Adam DeTour

GENRE

author, spoken word, humorist

Rosanne Cash & Band

She Remembers Everything

She Remembers Everything, Rosanne Cash’s highly anticipated follow up to her triple Grammy®-winning masterpiece The River & The Thread, could only have been created by a woman in the fullness of her creative mastery. Both confessional and universal, the material reverberates with an urgency of a woman who owns her story, completely inhabits her voice and who finds herself with more to say when time feels ever shorter. The album, which will be released in October 2018, was produced by John Leventhal, her longtime collaborator and Grammy-winning songwriter and producer, and Tucker Martine, an acclaimed producer for such artists as The Decemberists, My Morning Jacket, Mavis Staples, and Neko Case. Songs from She Remembers Everything, as well as exciting new songs from Norma Rae, the forthcoming musical Cash is writing with Leventhal, will be featured in concert along with essential fan favorites from her deep catalog that her audience has come to cherish and expect.

Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Photo by Clay Patrick McBride JIM

The purpose of “Opening Nights in Class” is to educate, illuminate and inspire.

Opening Nights at Florida State University is committed to providing our campus and the Big Bend area with educational and engaging opportunities so that students and residents can enjoy cultural activities. Our series of educational programs provide once-in-a-lifetime experiences through school performances, master classes and workshops with world-renowned performers at no charge to participants. Through the generous contribution of these supporters, Opening Nights is able to expand its educational offerings during the 2018-19 Season.

Walmart Series

With a long-standing commitment to education, Walmart’s support will enable Opening Nights to expand arts educational programming for K-8 students (in six schools located in Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon and Wakulla counties). The series will feature native Hawaiian and internationally acclaimed guitarist, singer and composer Makana who will share his unique performance style while introducing students to Hawaiian culture and explaining the evolution and history of the slack-key guitar.

AT&T High School Series

AT&T is passionate about bringing local high school students performances that enrich and inspire future leaders and artists—helping students succeed in school, the workforce and in life. With AT&T’s support, singer-songwriter Graeme James of New Zealand will provide a special performance for Leon High School students and the Grammy-winning Soweto Gospel Choir from South Africa will perform at Godby High School.

Centennial Bank Series

Sponsored by Centennial Bank, Tallahassee’s acoustic folk trio, The New 76ers, will perform at three Title I schools in Leon County. The trio will share the rich history of Folk Music and its different genres including Appalachian, Blues, Bluegrass and Rock-n-Roll as well as the birth of “protest songs” to help create a better cultural understanding of our nation’s past.

St. Joe Community Foundation Series

With a mission to enrich the quality of life of people who live, work and play in Northwest Florida, specifically in the areas of education and the cultural arts, The St. Joe Community Foundation is providing Bay County students lunch and an educational program and concert with Nashville-based The Barefoot Movement at FSU Panama City. Additionally, through the foundation’s support, The Barefoot Movement will provide a free holiday concert for the community at FSU PC.

MASTER CLASSES

Julian Bliss (PG. 31)

Opening Nights Master Classes provide students the added benefit of developing and honing their skills by learning directly from world-renowned artists. Sponsorships make possible this broad offering of master classes for FSU students and students in the community.

As one of world’s finest clarinetists, Julian excels as a concerto soloist, chamber musician, jazz artist, master class leader and tireless musical explorer. He will work with FSU College of Music clarinet students, sharing the breadth and depth of his artistry.

Cashore Marionettes (PG. 27)

Unmatched in artistry, grace and refinement of movement, the internationally acclaimed Cashore Marionettes redefine the art of puppetry. Joseph Cashore has received numerous awards for his artistry and will work with local college engineering and art students to discuss the engineering and mechanics behind his puppets.

Matt Haimovitz (PG. 39)

Renowned as a musical pioneer, cellist Matt is praised by The New York Times as a “ferociously talented cellist who brings his megawatt sound and uncommon expressive gifts to a vast variety of styles” and by The New Yorker as “remarkable virtuoso” who “never turns in a predictable performance.” He will provide both technical instruction and performance lessons with FSU cellist music students. Matt will also provide “pop-up” concerts in surprise locations on campus and throughout the Tallahassee community.

Mandy Harvey (PG. 18)

With three jazz recordings to her credit, Mandy is breaking barriers as an American jazz singer and songwriter who is also deaf. Although her hearing loss is profound, her timing, pitch and passion are perfect. In 2017, she appeared on America’s Got Talent, winning the Golden Buzzer award. Mandy will share her personal stories and experiences about pursuing her love of music as a career and provide a special performance for local K-12 hearing-impaired students and FSU’s School of Communication Science and Disorders.

Parsons Dance Company (PG. 23)

An internationally renowned, contemporary American dance company, Parsons Dance Company has toured more than 445 cities, 30 countries and 5 continents. The company is committed to providing enriching experiences beyond its performances; in 2016 launched Autism-Friendly Programs, featuring sensory-friendly workshops and relaxed

SUPPORTED

performances for audiences of all abilities. Parsons Dance will perform a sensory-friendly program for Gretchen Everhart School students.

Prague Philharmonic Children’s Choir (PG. 14)

With an outstanding reputation, including receiving numerous awards and honors, the Prague Philharmonic Children’s Choir is one of the most recognized artistic collectives throughout Europe. Former choir members have grown into distinguished musicians—conductors, directors, composers, singers and instrumentalists. The choir will perform at Raa Middle School, which offers students quality performing arts programs.

Anthony Trionfo (PG. 17)

Flutist Anthony Trionfo recently made his recital debuts on the Young Concert Artists Series at the Kennedy Center as well as in New York City’s Merkin Concert Hall. He received the further distinction of being the first YCA artist to win the inaugural LP Classics Debut Recording Prize, granting him a commercial recording. FSU flute students, members of the Tallahassee Flute Club and select members of the Tallahassee Youth Orchestra are invited to participate.

yMusic (PG. 42)

Hailed by NPR’s Fred Child as “one of the groups that has really helped to shape the future of classical music,” yMusic is a group of six New York City instrumentalists flourishing in the overlap between pop and classical. This chamber sextet works with contemporary composers and songwriters, developing ideas into vivid, communicative performances. yMusic will work with FSU College of Music composition students during a six-day residency and will host one performance with their own repertoire and another performance featuring compositions written by six FSU doctoral students. Scheduled dates are: October 2 & 3; March 7 & 8; April 15 & 16.

Hanzhi Wang (PG. 13)

Praised for her engaging stage presence and performances that are technically and musically brilliant, Hanzhi is the first accordionist to join the roster of Young Concert Artists in its 57-year history of discovering extraordinary musicians. Hanzhi will be performing an outreach performance in our community.

Additional education and outreach activities will be scheduled once the various artists and attractions on the Opening Nights Season have confirmed their tour routing and determined the amount of time that they will be in Tallahassee. These activities will be listed on our website and in the upcoming Opening Nights programs for the Fall, Winter and Spring performances. For more information, visit OpeningNights.fsu.edu/connect or email OpeningNights@fsu.edu.

Frequently Asked Questions

WHERE DO I PARK?

Sponsors and Members are eligible to park in either Concierge or Preferred parking lots based on membership level. Parking options vary from venue to venue, but general parking is available for the majority of performances in the St. Augustine garage located on the corner of Pensacola and Copeland Streets and the Call Street garage located on the corner of Call and Macomb Streets. To learn more about parking specific to each venue, please visit OpeningNights.fsu.edu/visit/venues.

WHEN DO DOORS OPEN?

Venue doors open 30 minutes prior to a performance. Guests are encouraged to arrive at least 15 minutes before a performance begins to allow ample time to be seated.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I ARRIVE LATE TO A PERFORMANCE?

Latecomers to events will be seated at the discretion of the house manager or ushers and in accordance with artist preferences at a suitable break in the performance.

WHAT IF I’VE LOST MY TICKETS?

Lost or misplaced tickets may be reprinted. Service fees may apply. Contact the FSU Fine Arts Ticket Office at tickets@fsu.edu or 850.644.6500 for details. If you are a member and lost your parking pass, it can be replaced for $50.

CAN I REFUND MY TICKETS?

Opening Nights does not issue refunds for tickets.

MAY I BRING FOOD OR DRINKS INTO THE VENUE?

Most Opening Nights’ venues prohibit food and beverages unless otherwise noted. Please visit our website to find out if food and/or beverages are permitted at your venue.

CAN I BRING MY CHILDREN?

We offer many events enjoyable to audiences of all ages. Children must have tickets regardless of age and must be able to sit quietly throughout a performance. Children (and adults) who cause any disturbances will be politely asked to leave.

ARE EVENTS ACCESSIBLE TO PATRONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS?

We are committed to ensuring our performances are accessible and enjoyable to all patrons.

• Accessible parking is available at all venues on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Accessible seats are available in all price ranges in all venues. Please contact the Fine Arts Ticket Office at 850.644.6500 to purchase tickets.

• Seats for visually impaired patrons are reserved for each performance. Please contact the Fine Arts Ticket Office at 850.644.6500 to purchase tickets.

• Assistive listening devices (ALDs) are available at many venues, including Ruby Diamond Concert Hall, the Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre and the Richard G. Fallon Theatre. Please ask a house manager at the performance about acquiring an ALD.

• Braille Programs are available at every performance upon advanced request.

HOW CAN I VOLUNTEER MY TIME TO HELP OPENING NIGHTS?

Please visit our website at OpeningNights.fsu.edu and complete the volunteer registration form.

Opening Nights at Florida State University Receives Endowed Gift to Provide Enhanced Cultural Arts Programming

Opening Nights at Florida State University has received an endowed gift from Laurie and Kelly Dozier to collaborate with LeMoyne’s Chain of Parks Art Festival to provide enhanced cultural arts programming for the Tallahassee community.

The two organizations will partner to present a program to kick off the 19th Annual Chain of Parks Festival in April 2019.

“The arts bring a community together and raise awareness for different ideas and cultures,” said Kelly Dozier, FSU endowment donor and 10-year chair of the Chain of Parks Art Festival benefitting LeMoyne Arts. “Our gift supports two highly successful visual and performing arts presenters to collaborate and provide a unique, cultural experience for our community.”

During the past 20 years, Opening Nights has distinguished

itself as one of the premier performing arts programs in the country. The Chain of Parks Art Festival, celebrating its 18th year, has been named the No. 1 fine art show in the nation by Sunshine Artist Magazine.

“We are extremely grateful for Kelly and Laurie Dozier’s endowed gift that will enable Opening Nights to partner with the Chain of Parks Art Festival to benefit our community through enhanced arts programming,” said Michael Blachly, director for Opening Nights at Florida State University. “This partnership will also benefit both organizations by increasing awareness among a larger audience.”

The purpose of the endowed gift to Opening Nights at Florida State University is to facilitate the partnership with the Chain of Parks Art Festival to provide interactive, educational opportunities for art students and expand the perceptions of the power of the visual arts through engaging and entertaining speakers and presenters who represent the visual arts industry.

Laurie (left) and Kelly Dozier, donors of the endowed gift to Opening Nights at Florida State University.

Opening Nights Performing Arts

Florida State University

216 Westcott Building

P.O. Box 3061350

Tallahassee, FL 32306-1350

openingnights.fsu.edu