CU Presents -- Spring 2023

April 2023

Zakir Hussain and the Masters of Percussion April 4

Takács Quartet April 16-17

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

April 18

Chicago April 27-30

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

Boulder Ballet Presents May 19–21, Dairy ARTS Center

Join us in May for Boulder Ballet’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Enter an enchanted land filled with star-crossed lovers, mischievous pranksters, and ethereal woodland fairies. Set to Felix Mendelssohn’s romantic score and choreographed by Ben Needham-Wood. Suitable for all ages.

Tickets + info: BoulderBallet.org

1402 Pearl St. | Boulder, CO

303.443.1084 | hurdlesjewelry.com

“Pieces for the woman who sees jewelry no differently than the art she displays on the walls of her home.”

—Amáli Designer, Sara Freedenfeld

08 The CU Presents season

15 Chicago Offers a Fresh Take on an Iconic Work

12

Personnel and policies

CU Presents is the home of performing arts on the beautiful University of Colorado Boulder campus. With hundreds of concerts, plays, recitals and more on our stages each year, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

The Artist Series, which for more than 80 years has welcomed worldrenowned musicians and dance troupes to historic Macky Auditorium.

The Colorado Shakespeare Festival, a professional theatre company devoted to the Bard’s works.

The Takács Quartet, a world-renowned chamber ensemble in residence at CU Boulder.

The CU Performing Arts, offering a broad range of both free and ticketed performances from CU Boulder faculty, students and guest artists: exciting new and classic works from the College of Music, spellbinding performances at the Department of Theatre & Dance and CU Boulder’s beloved annual Holiday Festival

APRIL 2023

Editors: Laima Haley, Sabine Kortals Stein

Designer: Sabrina Green

Contributors: Adam Goldstein

Photo/image credits: Glenn Asakawa, CU Boulder Photography, Sharen Bradford, Allison Burke, Jeff Fasano, John Mac, Jim McGuire, Nina Yoshida Nelsen, KT Kim, Amanda Tipton

Cover, Artist Series: The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. Photo by Allison Burke. Cover, Musical Theatre Program: Chicago promotional art.

Cover, Takács Quartet: Photo by Amanda Tipton.

The University of Colorado Boulder—founded the same year Colorado became a state in 1876—recognizes that it sits on the traditional territories and ancestral homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Ute and many other Native American nations. Recognizing the history of the state, the university and the campus’ origin story, however difficult, and the histories and experiences of the Indigenous peoples who have lived in these territories for millennia aligns with the campus’ academic and research missions as Colorado’s flagship public research university. Full CU Boulder land acknowledgment: colorado.edu/land-acknowledgment

Artist Series Advisory Board: Daryl James, Chair; Gil Berman, Donalee Brown, Shirley Carnahan, Mike Gallucci, Alan Halpern, Willie Hill (emeritus), Maryann K. Jaross, Erika Randall, Greg Silvus, Ellen Taxman, Ann Yost

Music Advisory Board: Laurie Hathorn, Chair; Sue Baer, Chris Brauchli, Bob Bunting, Jan Burton, Bob Charles, Marty Coffin Evans, Paul Eklund, Jonathan Fox, Dave Fulker, Grace Gamm, Lloyd Gelman, Doree Hickman, Daryl James, Maria Johnson, Caryl Kassoy, Ben Nelson, Susan Olenwine, Rudy Perez, Mikhy Ritter, Becky Roser, Firuzeh Saidi, Lynn Streeter, Jeannie Thompson, Jack Walker, Celia Waterhouse

This CU Presents program is published by: The Publishing House, Westminster, CO.

Publisher: Angie Flachman Johnson

Production Manager: Stacey Krull

President Emeritus: Wilbur E. Flachman

For advertising, call 303-428-9529 or email sales@pub-house.com. ColoradoArtsPubs.com

CU at Boettcher returns! Join CU Boulder’s choirs, CU Symphony Orchestra and faculty and alumni soloists for a spectacular free concert. The exciting program includes Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, the world premiere of a new work by the College of Music’s Professor of Composition Carter Pann and a collaboration with El Sistema Colorado.

CU at Boettcher

7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Boettcher Concert Hall

1000 14th St, Denver, CO 80202

FREE—no tickets required

Tuesday, April 4, 7:30 p.m. Macky Auditorium

April 16-17

Grusin Music Hall

Streaming April 16-24

Tuesday, April 18, 7:30 p.m. Macky Auditorium

Chicago

April 20-23

Charlotte

April 27-30

Music Theatre

Tuesday, May 2, 7:30 p.m. Boettcher Concert Hall

1000 14th St, Denver, CO

Zakir Hussain and the Masters of Percussion

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

The Current

Dance works by faculty and guest artists

York Irey Theatre

Takács Quartet

A musical by Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse and John Kander

CU @ Boettcher

Ray Chen (pictured) performs with Julio Elizalde, piano, on March 21, 2024, in Macky Auditorium as part of the Artist Series. Photo by John Mac.

Alumna builds career on multifaceted CU Boulder experience

By Adam Goldstein

Sarah Stoneback was already an accomplished musician when she enrolled in the master’s program at the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music in 2008.

She had earned a bachelor’s at Arizona State University in Tempe and she’d built up an impressive performance résumé with band members who just happened to be family: The Stoneback Sisters and Brass featured Sarah and her sisters, as well as her mother and father—all of whom played trumpet and brass. Complementing her undergraduate studies, this experience offered Stoneback real-world credits as a touring musician and a professional artist.

It was her experience at the College of Music, however, that helped steer the course of her chosen career.

“When I think about the College of Music, I think about a vibrant learning environment and a vibrant space to grow,” says Stoneback, an active Conn-Selmer Bach clinician and artist. “I had the opportunity to work with faculty and administration in ways that helped me learn about the way the academic system runs and operates. That’s how I navigate my career at Montana State University.”

At MSU—as Assistant Professor of Trumpet Pedagogy and Performance—Stoneback is a respected educator, clinician, soloist and chamber musician who’s been featured on stages across the globe in various ensembles. She credits many of her accomplishments directly to the guidance, inspiration and encouragement she found at our

college, where she earned a Master in Music degree and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in performance and pedagogy.

At CU Boulder, Stoneback embraced world-class performance opportunities: As a member of Flatirons Brass, she participated in numerous national competitions and world tours. In 2009, the ensemble was a Bronze medalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. And in 2011, Flatirons Brass worked as artists in residence at the University of Renmin in Beijing, China; the group conducted workshops, provided individual instruction and performed recitals.

“That was a major part of my time at CU Boulder,” Stoneback recalls. “We did competitions, traveled internationally and did a lot of educational outreach. We had so many experiences that were musically enriching.”

Stoneback also leveraged opportunities to record professionally—and to participate in the marketing, design and packaging of the “Of Love and Life” CD, a performance she participated in with the CU Boulder Wind Symphony under Professor Emeritus Allan McMurray.

“The university invested in me by inviting me to work with them,” Stoneback says. “They welcomed my skills and interests. It was a pivotal experience.”

Just as critical to Stoneback’s development were the teaching opportunities she found at the University of Colorado. Stoneback participated in the college’s graduate teacher program, an opportunity that taught her how to teach students of all backgrounds and specialties how to build a professional portfolio, refine different performance styles, and effective ways of becoming better musicians and scholars of their chosen discipline. These teaching experiences, along with the chance to serve as an adjunct professor at Denver’s Regis University, laid the groundwork for her current role.

“The College of Music provided me the tools that I keep developing in pursuing my own teaching career,” notes Stoneback whose approach to teaching incorporates her evidence-based research in applying the Kolb Learning Style Inventory. “The academic side of my experience at CU Boulder helped me become more multifaceted.”

She concludes, “I loved every aspect of studying at the College of Music. I loved earning my graduate degrees in Boulder. I remember driving in the first time and thinking, ‘I just have to be here. This is exactly where I want to be.”

A love story set in the heart of America.

April 6-29

Carsen Theater

The Dairy Arts Center

2590 Walnut St., Boulder

Opening Night: Saturday, April 8

On the night Apollo 15 lands on the moon, a draft dodger steals home from Canada to Eden Prairie, Minnesota. He risks arrest to deliver a message to a young woman from his high school class. This beautifully etched play challenges notions of our own bravery and the true cost of freedom. Join BETC for this love story set in the heart of America.

Eden Prairie, 1971 is produced at Butterfly E ect Theatre of Colorado (BETC) as part of a National New Play Network (NNPN) Rolling World Premiere. Other Partner Theaters are Riverside Theatre (IA) and New Jersey Repertory Company (NJ). For more information on NNPN, please visit nnpn.org.

"Deeply moving and thought-provoking... you must see it."

– ALLEN NEUNER, OUT IN JERSEY MAGAZINE

The founders of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain had plenty of high-profile credits on their resumes when they started the ensemble in 1985.

Players had specialized in a wide array of instruments for internationally known artists like Martha Reeves and Mary Wells. They were musicians who could claim titles of expertise and professional achievements, and they were in-demand and qualified to play any kind of serious, highprofile gig one could imagine.

What was lacking was a sense of entertainment and fun. That’s where the ukulele came in.

“The premise of the orchestra was to avoid pomposity, cults of personality and any egomaniac prima-donna vanity,” says George Hinchliffe, director of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great

Britain and one of its founding members. “My background was in piano, ukulele, viola and experimental instruments. I chose the ukulele because it was not commonly regarded in those days as a serious instrument. An ensemble, indeed an orchestra, composed entirely of ukuleles would subvert any expectations of conventionality.”

Nearly 40 years later, the orchestra has evolved far beyond a joyful experiment by musicians looking for a sense of adventure. Starting from early gigs in pubs, village halls and arts centers in and around London, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain has evolved into a worldwide sensation, appearing at venues ranging from Carnegie Halls (both in New York and on the Shetland Islands) to the Shanghai Symphony Hall, the Sydney Opera House and Buckingham Palace.

One of those destinations has been the University of Colorado Boulder where the orchestra easily won a reputation as an audience favorite. In the past, the ensemble has delivered unique renditions of musical styles

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain fuses joy, musical expertise and a whole gang of ukes in unique performance style

By Adam Goldstein

ranging from ABBA to ZZ Top, and from “Tchaikovsky to the Beverly Hillbillies” for Boulder audiences. They’ve also offered mass audience participation, hosting a ukulele playalong for the crowds. Their flair for theatrics, audience engagement and pure joy is bound to repeat when the orchestra returns to Macky Auditorium on April 18.

This dynamic—a carefree approach combined with wellhoned musical expertise—has remained consistent over the decades of the group’s existence, even as the ensemble has shifted in size and personnel. Each player performs on a uke in a different register (soprano, concert, baritone, bass, etc.)

Seven may seem like a humble number for the title of “orchestra,” but Hinchliffe insists that they earn the status through their dedication to their instruments and the sheer range of their repertoire.

“The idea of an orchestra playing only ukuleles would have seemed amusing in itself in the early days,” he says.

“Currently this is less remarkable, though the orchestra is known as the first group of ‘ukuleleators’ calling itself an orchestra in history.

“We often perform music that plays with the conventions, such as combining several songs simultaneously or changing the genre of the music.

“When the music is played more faithfully to the original styles, the works range from Wagner to Heavy Rock, from Lady Gaga to Otis Redding and from Jug Bands to Billie Eilish,” he adds.

ARTIST SERIES

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

April 18, 2023

Macky Auditorium

Tickets at this QR Code:

CU Boulder Production of Chicago Offers a Fresh Take on an Iconic Work

By Adam Goldstein

There’s a certain excitement to producing a bona fide theatrical blockbuster.

The 1975 musical Chicago certainly claims those bragging rights. With music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Broadway legend Bob Fosse, the production has achieved a rare status as one of the longest running musicals on Broadway and in London. It spurred a popular film adaptation and features a score, a story and choreography that are undisputed musical theatre standards.

That global allure is part of what made Chicago an obvious choice to present as part of the University of Colorado Boulder Musical Theatre Program’s current season. The show, which runs in the Imig Music Building’s Music Theatre April 27 to 30, gives students the chance to sink their teeth into a proven theatrical standard. It’s one that many know from high school productions and one that many are bound to see again in careers as professional performers.

“It’s a classic show, soon to be one of the longest running shows on Broadway,” says Matthew Chellis, Director of the Musical Theatre Program at CU’s College of Music. Chellis added that with eight principal roles and an ensemble of 13 to 14, the musical offered the opportunity for double-casting, which offered more students the chance to explore this iconic show. “We have a mission to make sure our student cohort has as many opportunities to perform as possible.”

The Musical Theatre Program strives to connect its students with a wide range of programming, from less known works that they may have never seen to iconic titles like Chicago . It’s an approach that benefits students, faculty and audience members alike. In this case, theatergoers will have the chance to see a professional production in a setting that’s intimate and immediate. The Music Theatre in the Imig building has about 240 seats, a venue size that complements the show’s sometimes stark dynamic.

“It’s actually a small show, especially in its newer iteration. It’s been pared down, which emphasizes the storydriven nature of the piece,” Chellis says, adding that the upcoming production will highlight original elements of the show, including choreography designed by Bob Fosse. “We’re doing a little bit of movie and a little bit of Broadway. We’re going to have the pit band on stage and an innovative, multi-level set.”

All of these touches, along with direction by Justin Johnson, choreography by Tracy Doty and musical direction from Collin Sinclair, are bound to offer audience members a new perspective on this well-known staple from the American musical theatrical canon.

MUSICAL THEATRE

Chicago

April 27-30

Music Theatre Tickets at this QR Code:

George Hinchliffe’s Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

7:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Macky Auditorium

Peter Brooke Turner

Laura Currie

Dominic Howles

Leisa Rea

Ben Rouse

Chris Walker

Ewan Wardrop

Tonight’s program will be announced from the stage. There will be a 20-minute intermission.

GEORGE HINCHLIFFE’S UKULELE ORCHESTRA OF GREAT BRITAIN

Musical Director: George Hinchliffe

Tour management: Viola Farrington

Sound: Verena Rogler

MANAGEMENT

Arts Management Group, Inc.

130 W. 57th St.

New York, NY 10019

NEED TO KNOW FOR THE SHOW

• Masks are optional in public indoor spaces on the CU Boulder campus.

• Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the house manager.

• Photography and video recordings of any type are strictly prohibited during the performance.

• Smoking is not permitted anywhere. CU Boulder is a smoke-free campus.

About the Ukulele

Orchestra of Great Britain

The Ukulele Orchestra is a touring musical group which has been delighting audiences, raising the roof, selling out performances, and receiving standing ovations since 1985. This all-singing, all strumming group has been performing for 38 years using only a fistful of ukuleles and maintaining that all genres of music are available for reinterpretation.

The premise sounds astoundingly simple: instruments, voices, no gimmicks, no light show. Yet the New York Times exclaim that ‘they extract more than seems humanly possible from so small and so modest an instrument” and millions have enthused over the years about the fact that the Orchestra tears the house down with a lively, touching, catchy, emotive, stomping show, threaded with humour and wit which inexplicably draws the audience in, to a joyous world beyond the conflicts of musical genres and transcending differences between a serious concert and entertainment.

As soon as the performers walk on stage, the audience feels that they are in safe hands, at home with friends who are totally in command of the art, craft and magic of the stage. Sitting in chamber group format and dressed in formal evening wear (regardless of the time of day or the venue, whether Glastonbury Festival or Carnegie Hall), it uses the limitations of the instrument to create a musical freedom as it reveals unsuspected musical insights.

At this point, the audience may well sit back, all prior assumptions forgotten, and allow the Orchestra, which has 16-handedly changed the face of the ukulele world, to give what the Independent raved as “the best musical entertainment in the country”.

The first gig, intended as a one-off bit of fun was an instant sell out and led to national radio, TV, album recordings and international tours. Since then, the Orchestra has become what the Observer called “a much-loved institution” giving thousands of concerts, TV, and radio appearances all over the world. There have been tours in Britain, across Europe, Scandinavia, New Zealand,

Australia, Japan, China America, Canada and the North Pole. They also had the honour to perform, by invitation of The Prince of Wales, at the private 90th Birthday party of Her Majesty the Queen at Windsor Castle.

The Ukulele Orchestra have released CDs and DVDs on their own independent label. The orchestra’s music has been used in films, plays, and commercials. The Financial Times praised “The sophisticated sound they make—both percussive and melodic—is at once hilarious and heartfelt.”

Peter Brooke Turner

At over 2 metres tall, Peter Brooke Turner may well be the tallest ukulele player in the world—he is certainly the tallest in the Ukulele Orchestra. He was born in Portugal and grew up in the Soviet Union, Brazil, America, Finland and Italy. After false starts on the violin, trumpet and guitar, he finally discovered the ukulele and joined the Ukes in 1995. He has released three albums under his pseudonym Tony Penultimate and has worked with many well-known showbiz names in the UK and has even lent his uke to Tiny Tim. He fronted his own ‘Ukulele Kings’ rock group in the 90s. Turner has started the world’s first high-altitude drama company—the ATTC (Airline Toilets Theatre Company) which has subsequently produced over twenty high quality, low budget songs, sketches and shows (all on Peter’s iPhone) from this oft neglected performance area. They can be viewed online.

Laura Currie

The youngest member of the orchestra. Laura Currie was born in Dumfries, Scotland, and studied English Literature at the University of Edinburgh. She started playing the ukulele at the age of fifteen after seeing the Ukes in concert and used the instrument to front her first rock band at sixteen years old. She began performing with the Ukes in 2019, and has since toured with them across China, France and Switzerland. When not touring with the orchestra, Currie performs under the solo stage name Ra. She writes and releases original songs and covers, and one of her collaborative singles was recently featured in a Netflix show. Currie has garnered an active online following for her eclectic mix of elaborately self-

produced YouTube videos. During the COVID-19 lockdown in the U.K., she used these video editing skills to produce the Ukulele Lockdown series that the Ukes released weekly on Youtube. Laura also plays piano, bass and guitar.

Dominic Howles

Dominic Howles grew up in Jamaica, Hong Kong and Somerset. He is a very experienced bass player, using double bass and electric bass, and has worked with many well-known jazz names and in classical ensembles. He has worked with Tommy Chase, Stacey Kent, Bobby Wellins, Don Weller, Julian Siegel and many others. He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has performed in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, on TV, radio and theatre. He has undertaken, directed and written multi-media work, and is well-respected as a composer and arranger. His own groups have performed successfully for many years. He is a first-class bass soloist and has an engaging sense of humour, which is ... ahem… always useful when working with ukulele players. He lives in London.

Leisa Rea

Leisa Rea has a background in theatre, comedy, writing and music. She’s worked as an actor and director, written for stage, television and radio, and has played with the Orchestra for the past 15 years. She’s taught stand up comedy, written for the BAFTA nominated series Miranda (BBC), performed in her own critically acclaimed shows, and was the winner of the inaugural Musical Comedy Awards in 2009. Away from Orchestral duties, Rea brings her considerable experience as a performer and artist, to people all over the world, through her online ukulele teaching and workshops. Recently, Rea won an Arts Council of England grant to allow her to train as an audio digital producer.

Ben Rouse

Ben Rouse was born in Cornwall but grew up in Hampshire. At the age of 8 he began playing the drums, turning to the guitar at age 11. At 23, Rouse formed the rock band Purple Monkey, which became a popular band along the South coast of England. At 25, he decided to learn the violin and mandolin and formed the folk duo Teapot Junkies, releasing two albums of

original material. He went on to teach himself the saxophone, flute, trumpet and banjo. At 30, Rouse decided that a proper job might be necessary and earned himself an HND in electronics, but in 2007 was drawn back to music when he saw the Ukulele Orchestra perform on Jools Holland Hootenanny The next day he bought a ukulele and began performing and teaching workshops at festivals around the U.K. until, in 2014, he was invited to play with the Orchestra. He has since toured America, China, Europe, Scandinavia and the U.K. with them.

Ewan Wardrop

Ewan Wardrop started playing the ukulele in 1998 but also plays mandolin, guitar and the penny whistle. Wardrop trained as a ballet dancer and appeared in a record-breaking run of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake on Broadway. He has a long history of working in theatre on an international stage, and has worked with companies such as the The Royal Shakespeare Company and Kneehigh Theatre. He also has an experimental Morris Dance group called the Bo Diddlers.

Chris Walker

Chris Walker studied drama originally, but has worked as a musician for many years, including giving a huge number of performances with his own skiffle group. He is an experienced ukuleleator, singer, raconteur, administrator and tea-chest bass player. Walker’s experience in theatre and in venues of a bewildering variety means that he is comfortable bringing both a seriousness and a devil-may-care lightheartedness to performances with the Orchestra. Walker has performed on radio and TV, at the Cambridge Folk Festival, Singapore International Arts Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Linz International Street festival and many other venues in the UK and Europe. He lives in Cardiff, in Wales, which, usefully for the Orchestra, and like Scotland, is still part of the U.K. and Great Britain.

We’re a poppin’ too! We’ve got more arborists, more trucks, and more services. The wait is over, we’re growing and we want to continue to grow with you.

College of Music

Dean’s Annual Fund

The Dean’s Annual Fund provides critical support for programs throughout the College of Music. It enriches student and faculty experiences through diversity, equity + inclusion initiatives, faculty and staff professional development, student performances at Boettcher Concert Hall, distinguished visiting lecturers ... and more!

Thank you to all individuals who have contributed already. The below list consists of all gifts of $50+ made to the College of Music Dean’s Annual Fund between Sept. 1, 2021 and Feb. 28, 2023. If you are interested in making a donation to the Dean’s Annual Fund, please contact Assistant Dean for Advancement Andrew Todd at atodd@colorado.edu

$50,000+

The Estate of David Turner

Maria Johnson

$10,000-$49,999

Paul and Kristina Eklund

Wright Family Foundation

$5,000-$9,999

Chris and Margot Brauchli

Dave Fulker and Nicky Wolman

The Community Foundation

Serving Boulder County:

Aronson Family Fund

Lloyd and Mary Gelman

Babs and Mike Gerber

Rudy and Margaret Perez

Renaissance Charitable Foundation, Inc. (1)

Lynn Streeter

Daniel Trump

Jack and Sophie Walker

$2,500-$4,999

Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund (1)

Suzanne and Dave Hoover

Bonnie Kirschenbaum

National Philanthropic Trust

DAF (1)

The R. David & Suzanne A. Hoover Charitable Trust

Mikhy and Mike Ritter

Becky Roser and Ron Stewart

The Seaver Institute

$1,000-$2,499

Anonymous (1)

Ayco Charitable Foundation: The Dayem Family Foundation

Dave Bowers

Bob Bunting

Marty Coffin Evans and Robert Trembly

Karen Connolly

The Dayem Family Foundation

Fidelity Investments

Charitable Gift Fund (3)

Diane and Niles Flanders

The Halverson Foundation

Doree Hickman

Daryl and Kay James

Charlotte Kilpatrick*

Val and Bill Mooney

Ben and Pattie Nelson

Vivianne and Joel Pokorny

Schwab Charitable Fund (3)

gReg Silvus

Tyler Little Family Foundation

Barbara Wagner

Lucinda Waldron and Paul Ward

Margie and Tom Whittington

Anne and Peter Wood

Xcel Energy (Corporate Headquarters)

$750-$999

The Benevity Community

Impact Fund: FM Global Foundation

Laura and John Courier

Ruth and Richard Irvin

Heather and Brian O’Neill

Coco and Bret Peterson

Becky and John Shockley

$500-$749

Bank of America Charitable

Gift Fund (1)

David Becher

Sylvia and Charles Coats

Joan Braun

Fidelity Investments

Charitable Gift Fund (1)

Fox Trust

Ithiel Frame

Thomas Godfrey

Dave Grusin and Nan Newton

Ann Johnson and Robert Sprinkle

Edward Kellenberger

James and

Donna Klausman

Linda Laird Giedl

Merrill Lynch

Donna Meckley

John Moore

Normie Morin-Voillequé and Paul Voillequé

Lawrence Robins

Tana and Joe Rocco, Jr.

Suan and Russell Schnell

Robert Short

Frank Spaid

Cindi and John Stetson

Heidi and Scott

Vangenderen

Maria Vouras and Vasilios Lekkas

$300-$499

Anonymous (2)

The Benevity Community Impact Fund (1)

The Boeing Company

Timothy Brown

Fidelity Investments

Charitable Gift Fund (1)

Robert Garnett

Nicole and Thomas

Hasenpflug

Connie and Allen Hayden

George Kiteley

Kim and Bob Larsen

Jeff and Lois Linsky

Debbie and Rob Phillips

$150-$299

Terri Albright and Howard Bittman

Barbara and Myron Caspar

Elvis Coble

Elisabeth David

Deanna DeMarco

Jon Finson

Jon and Liz Hinebauch

Jennifer and Bob Kamper

Lenna and Jon Kottke

Harold and Joan Leinbach

Gretchen and James Lewis

Kerry Lightenburger

Cathy and Byron McCalmon

Mark Melendy

Patricia and Thomas Miner

Usha and Ramkumar

Narayanswamy

Diane Phillips*

Pamela Rafferty

Carol and Alvin Rivera

Rose Community Foundation (1)

Sarah Royall

Jan Schiff

Susanne Skyrm

Rose Terada

Trenton Warner

Xilinx, Inc.

$50-$149 Anonymous (1)

Sue and Barry Baer

The Benevity Community Impact Fund (2)

The Benevity Community Impact Fund: Ball Corporation

The Benevity Community Impact Fund: Intel Foundation

Tyler Benjamin

Steven Board

David Chadwick

Judy Cisel and Andrew Kramer

Judy Congdon

Sandra and Bruce Dudley

Nancy and Martin Egelhoff

Trent and Mary Ellis

Windy and Terry Gallagher, Jr.

Susan Garland

Roberta and Cliff Goldstein

Lois Gould

Helen and Christopher Gray

Gayle and Lynn Gunderson

Bruce and Lynn Haines

Jonnie and Virgil Hoffman

Joan Hooper and Aaron Walters

Brenda and Yoshiyuki

Ishikawa

Hans Jordan and J. Mulcahy

Diana Kahn

Ellen and Stephen Kort

Joyce and Stewart Kull

Lydia and Geary Larrick

Nancy and Paul Levitt

Bill Lockhart

Andrea Martyn and Craig

McKenzie

Marianne and Johnny

Martin, Jr.

Marian Matheson

Janie and Harry

McDonald, Jr.

Kate and John McFerrin

Katherine Mead

Ken and Maria Mendelsberg

Jason Mieger

Gregg Miller

Deborah and Brian Mooney

Karen Musick

Hien Nguyen

Brooke and Gary Palumbo

Kelli and Evan Pfaff

Constance and Robert Primus

Tanya Ramond

Firuzeh and Navid Saidi

Janice Sanders

Rojana Savoye

Christy and Terry Smith

Gayle and Thomas Smith

Vivienne and Stephen Smithers

Cynthia Thompson Grubb and Richard Grubb

Wei Wang and Eric Hintsa

Patricia and Jim Wilmore

Barbara and John Wollan

Joann and Gerhard Wolter

Ann and Gary Yost

Sharon and Robert Young

*Deceased

MAY 12-27, 2023

Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30pm Sundays at 2:00 pm

This is what award-winning care looks like.

THE P RESTIGIOUS M AGNET R ECOGNITION P ROGRAM HONOR GOES TO GOOD SAMARITAN MEDICAL CENTER. Collaborative care comes to life in so many ways. From open communication to trust and respect of our team members, we commit to collaboration each and every day. Congratulations to Good Samaritan Medical Center for achieving this recognition which is the nation’s top honor f or nursing excellence, patient care and innovations in practice. We want to thank all of our caregivers for their professionalism and passion for our patients.

TICKETS

303.772.5200

longmonttheatre.org

513 Main Street, Longmont, CO 80501

GoodSamaritanColorado.org

Canadian Brass

Joyce Yang

MOMIX

Step Afrika!

Ray Chen

Asleep at the Wheel

2023-24 Artist Series Season Features an Eclectic Mix of World-Class Performers

By Adam Goldstein

The 86th season of CU Presents’ Artist Series features an exciting lineup that includes familiar favorites, world-class artists and one-of-a-kind collaborations. The 2023-24 season includes an array of artists that span genres, cultures and expressions. From a special performance at Macky Auditorium by Mexican American superstar Lila Downs, to a tribute to the music of Disney performed by the house band from one of Harlem’s pre-eminent jazz museums, to an appearance by Western swing group Asleep at the Wheel, the menu for this season offers attractions that cover a broad spectrum of styles. “This series has always had an amazing diversity of genres, styles and cultural traditions. It’s such a natural fit for where we are today,” says CU Presents Executive Director Joan Braun. “It’s one of the most rewarding series we offer, and a program that has great value to our community and to our students.”

The Artist Series lineup kicks off with a performance by multiple Grammy Award-winning singer Lila Downs on Friday, Sept. 22. The concert will include selections from her album Al Chile , which pays tribute to the complex relationship that Mexican culture has established with the “fiery fruit” that summons happiness, sweat, pain and flavor.

“When You Wish Upon a Star” on Friday, Oct. 6, is a tribute to decades of Disney music. It features musicians from the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, which touts Jon Baptiste and Christian McBride as its artistic directors. The performance will reframe tunes that have become iconic in the pop culture consciousness in a way that is both familiar and fresh.

On Nov. 2, the female a cappella group Nobuntu returns to the Artist Series to deliver their signature interpretation of the traditional music of Zimbabwe and other genres. The group will offer a mix of timeless tradition and brand-new musical creations.

The holiday season at CU Boulder features a performance by the Canadian Brass on Dec. 13. It’s an ensemble Braun describes as a “perennial favorite” and one that is well versed in joyously sharing seasonal music with audiences.

The Grammy Award-winning Takács Quartet—the CU Boulder College of Music’s string quartet in residence— continues its popular, long-running

series in Grusin Music Hall. However this year, the group also appears on the Artist Series with pianist Joyce Yang on Jan. 12. Yang is a Van Cliburn International Piano Competition silver medalist with many other accolades to her name. The quartet and Yang join forces to perform Antonín Dvořák’s Piano Quintet, a work that Braun describes as “one of the most beautiful pieces of music you’ve ever heard.”

On Jan. 20, the dance company MOMIX will bring a different dimension to physical movement as they pair their choreography with a multimedia show that’s designed to immerse audiences in a fantasy world. The program Alice is based on Lewis Carrol’s magical Alice in Wonderland

Step Afrika! will follow up that performance on Feb. 2 with a percussive, immersive approach to dance. Step Afrika! sets African American, West and South African dance traditions in a decidedly contemporary framework.

Violinist Ray Chen, whose credits vary from traditional orchestral performances to soundtracks for video games to a social media presence of more than 1 million followers, will perform with pianist Julio Elizalde on March 21. The performance was originally slated for 2020 and rescheduled because of the pandemic.

The CU Presents season will wrap up on April 5 when the Austin, Texasbased Western swing group Asleep

at the Wheel teams up with the CU Symphony Orchestra for a one-ofa-kind performance that melds a kaleidoscope of sounds. According to Braun, this show neatly sums up the unique appeal of the series. Past Artist Series collaborations with the orchestra have featured renowned artists like the Indigo Girls. The collaborative projects have been a showcase not only for internationally renowned musicians, but also for CU Boulder student musicians who have a chance to show off their skills and prepare for future careers.

“During their time in Boulder, many Artist Series guests offer master classes in which CU Boulder music students participate. These are opportunities for our students to be on stage and to interact professionally with an award-winning touring band,” Braun said. “That is unique and valuable, like the series itself.”

“Part of our mission is to bring artists to Boulder that audiences wouldn’t otherwise experience,” she added. “It’s an opportunity to see a world-class act that you don’t have to go to New York or Los Angeles to see. You can see it right here on the Artist Series at Macky Auditorium. That is a huge value.”

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Thank you to our donors

Annual contributions provide essential support for the Artist Series, Eklund Opera and Takács Quartet. With these gifts, donors support concert performances, opera productions, faculty recitals, guest artist appearances, the Takács Quartet residency and many other vital projects. Each contributor listed here helped make these performances possible. We are profoundly grateful for the generosity of our donors. If you would like to join our community of supporters, please contact our Advancement team at 303-492-3054 or visit cupresents.org/giving

Annual support listed below consists of all gifts of $50+ made to the Artist Series, Eklund Opera and Takács Quartet between Sept. 1, 2021 and Feb. 28, 2023. It is our intention to acknowledge each donor’s generosity as accurately as possible. Please contact Development Assistant Rachelle Dizon to address omissions, misspellings or other inaccuracies at rachelle.dizon@colorado.edu. Thank you!

Artist Series

$10,000+

Dick Dunn

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund (1)

Paul Bechtner Foundation

$5,000-$9,999

gReg Silvus

$2,500-$4,999

Joan Braun

Chris and Barbara Christoffersen

Daryl and Kay James

Maggie and John McKune

Vanguard Charitable Gift Fund: The Gil and Nancy Berman Fund

$1,000-$2,499

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund (1)

Mike and Carol Gallucci

Ruth Kahn*

Bob and Sandy McCalmon

Jane and Ric Reverand

Ellen and Josh Taxman

Larry and Ann Thomas

$750-$999

Gail Mock

Barbara Springer and Clay Robinson

Ann and Gary Yost

$500-$749

Marty Coffin Evans and Robert Trembly

Julie and Alan Halpern

Maryan Jaross and Thomas

Lepak

Melanie Mason

Gail Mock

National Philanthropic Trust

DAF (1)

Evelyn Taylor

Heather Van Dusen

$300-$499

Anonymous (1)

Carson-Pfafflin Family Foundation

Kumiko Iwata

Jerry and Heidi Lynch

Cynthia Reichman

Toni and Douglas Shaller

$150-$299

Anonymous (1)

Alice and Judah Levine

Kim and Richard Plumridge

$50-$149

Anonymous (1)

William Arndt

Elizabeth Bradley and Andee Rubin

Lucy Buckley and William Waggener

Cathy Cloutier

Rose and Dean Enix

Leslie and Merrill Glustrom

Judith and James Heinze

Chris and Vicki Meyer

Jerry Orten

Carol and Peter Tierney

Eklund Opera

$10,000+

The Academy Charitable Foundation, Inc.

$2,500-$9,999

John Hedderich

Photo: The joint Eklund Opera/Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre production of Guys and Dolls , 2022. Photo by Glenn Asakawa.

$1,000-$2,499

Ellen and John Gille

Dennis G. Peterson

Vivianne and Joel Pokorny

Theodore Ruskin*

Margaret and Chet Winter

$750-$999

Lloyd and Mary Gelman

Barb Grogan

Rudy and Margaret Perez

$500-$749

Marty Coffin Evans and Robert Trembly

Fidelity Investments Charitable

Gift Fund (1)

Ruth and Richard Irvin

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

Global Impact Funding Trust: Poehlmann Family Charity Contribution Fund

Marti and Patrick Ritto

Alan and Stephanie Rudy

Ruth Schoening

Lynn Streeter

Larry and Ann Thomas

Vanguard Charitable Gift Fund: The Neil and Judy Bicknell Fund

$300-$499

Sarah Ashley

Jim and Judith Bowers

Annyce Mayer

Dave and Ann Phillips

Mikhy and Mike Ritter

Becky Roser and Ron Stewart

Toni and Douglas Shaller

Helen Stone

Evelyn Taylor

Jack and Sophie Walker

$150-$299

Betsy and Richard Armstrong

Elizabeth and Jason Baldwin

Sara-Jane and Bill Cohen

Harold and Joan Leinbach

Jerry and Heidi Lynch

Walter Taylor

$50-$149

Traci and Brian Bruckner

Susan and Robert Burton

Katherine Hansil

Cheryl and James Hogan

Frieda and Richard Holley

Martha and Irfan Hussain

Mutsumi Moteki and David Kirtley

Marian Matheson

Carol and Randall Shinn

Joyce Spencer

Michael Thomason

Ann and Gary Yost

Takács Quartet

$10,000+

Community Foundation Boulder County

Judy and Gary Judd

$5,000-$9,499

Chris and Margot Brauchli

$2,500-$4,999

Chris and Barbara Christoffersen

Carol Kovner

Rosemary Phelps

$1,000-$2,499

Tom and Carol Cech

Robbie Dunlap

Vivianne and Joel Pokorny

P.J. Decker and Beth Saperstein

Takacs String Quartet

Marion Thurnauer and Alex Trifunac

$750-$999

Louise and Bill Bradley

Keith and Nancy Hammond

Doree Hickman

Carol and Tony Keig

Kathleen Sullivan

John and Carson Taylor

Larry and Ann Thomas

Anne Heinz and Ran Yaron

$500-$749

Ellen and Dean Boal

Judith Dows and Norman Paulu

Carolyn and Don Etter

Lauren Frear

Ruth and Richard Irvin

Kyonggeun and Bruce Johnson

Medtronic

Mikhy and Mike Ritter

Eleanor Sims

Vanguard Charitable Gift Fund: The Robert and Joan Goddard Charitable Fund

Artist Series Sponsors

Corporate Sponsors

Lena and James Wockenfuss

$300-$499

Ann and William Ford

Walter and Eileen Kintsch

Patience and Jim Linfield

Albert Lundell

Jerry and Heidi Lynch

Andrew Skumanich

Helen Stone

Lynn Streeter

Laurie and Arthur Travers, Jr.

Lois and Gordon Ward, Jr.

$150-$299

Ingrid Becher

JoAnn and Richard Crandall

Barbara and Carl Diehl

Jon and Liz Hinebauch

William Hoffman

Harold and Joan Leinbach

Alice and Judah Levine

Lise Menn

JoAn Segal

Grietje Sloan

$50-$149

Anonymous (1)

Lloyd and Mary Gelman

Ruthanne and John Hibbs

Carrie Malde

William Wood

Jeffrey Zax *Deceased

In-kind Sponsors

“The whole menu is fantastic and 300 Suns brews a balanced, delicious rotation of beer.”

“This place is phenomenal!!... What a hidden gem, Longmont is lucky to have this spot. I love the atmosphere and patio vibe.”

“A+ experience!”

“I wish I could give a million stars!”

“I could have spent hours here sampling all the beer.... The service was top notch.”

Personnel

As of March 15, 2023

CU Presents

Executive Director

Joan McLean Braun

Marketing and PR Director

Laima Haley

Operations Director

Andrew Metzroth

Marketing Manager

Elise Zabala

Multimedia and Content Manager

Lara Minichiello

Publications Manager

Sabrina Green

Senior House Manager

Rojana Savoye

Marketing Communications Assistant

Emma St. Lawrence

Box Office Manager

Christin Rayanne

Box Office Services Coordinator

Adrienne Havelka

Box Office Assistants

Alejandra Chavarria

Macy Crow

Belinda Nicholas

Skylar Pongratz

Morgan Ochs

Lily Valdez

Macky Auditorium

Director

Rudy Betancourt

Assistant Director for Administration

Sara Krumwiede

Assistant Director for Production

Trevor Isetts

Assistant Director for Patron Services

Amanda Wells

Production Managers

Richard Barrett

Chris Evans

Senior House Manager

Rojana Savoye

Assistant House Manager

Devin Hegger

Policies

College of Music

Dean

John Davis

Executive Assistant to the Dean

Lauren Petersen

Associate Dean for Graduate Studies

Margaret Haefner Berg

Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies + Enrollment Management

Matthew Roeder

Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity + Inclusion

Susan Thomas

Assistant Dean for Concerts + Communications

Joan McLean Braun

Assistant Dean for Budget + Finance

Carrie Howard

Assistant Dean for Advancement

Andrew Todd

Director of Communications

Sabine Kortals Stein

Communications + Programs Assistant

Kathryn Bistodeau

Communications Assistant

MarieFaith Lane

Director of Development

Kelli Hirsch

Assistant Director of Development

Elise Collins

Program Manager for Stewardship + Donor Relations

Shih-Han Chiu

Interim Senior Program Manager for Events

Cindy Kraus

Development Assistant

Rachelle Dizon

Operations Manager + Head Piano Technician

Ted Mulcahey

Scheduling Coordinator

Brooke Balbuena

Piano Technicians

Mark Mikkelsen

Phil Taylor

Recording Engineer

Kevin Harbison

Facilities + Operations Coordinator

Peggy Hinton

Media Specialist

Dustin Rumsey

Accessibility

The University of Colorado is committed to providing equal access to individuals with disabilities.

For more information, scan this QR code or visit cupresents.org/ accessibility

Contact Us

Online: cupresents.org

By Phone: 303-492-8008

In Person: University Club, 972 Broadway, Boulder

Box Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m

Parking

Paid parking is available in the Euclid Parking Garage, and in Lots 310 and 204. Contact the box office or check the CU Presents website for more information.

Photography

Photography and video/audio recordings of any type are strictly prohibited during the performance.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted anywhere. CU Boulder is a smoke-free campus.

Ticket Sales

Ticket sales are final; no refunds. Exchanges are subject to availability and must be made at least one business day prior to the performance date.

Subscribers may exchange tickets for free. Single-ticket exchanges are subject to a $3 exchange fee. Upgrade fees may apply in all cases.

Please return your tickets to the box office prior to the performance if you are unable to use them.