RANKY TANKY

Thursday, September 8 at 7:30PM

Armstrong Concert Hall

Tickets $30

The Grammy Award-winning, Charleston, South Carolina-based quintet Ranky Tanky draws inspiration from the rich and resilient culture of the Gullah, who have lived in the Sea Islands and coastal plains of the Southeastern United States for centuries, preserving many of their Central and West African roots.

Ranky Tanky, a Gullah phrase for "get funky," combines the stories, rhythms, shouts and beats of the Gullah with jazz and gospel traditions to create a wholly unique style of American music that has been described as “soulful honey to the ears” (NPR) and earned the ensemble several #1 spots on Billboard and Jazz charts. The band kicks off Shenandoah Conservatory’s 2022/23 season with an unforgettable opening concert featuring playful songs, soulful vocals and funky beats that celebrate the enduring spirit of the Gullah, while forging a new path for American music.

Join us in the Armstrong Hall Courtyard after the show for our 2022/23 Season Kick-off Party!

"One of the greatest gifts of the year”

— Afropop Worldwide

Aizuri Quartet

Tuesday, October 11 at 7:30PM

Goodson Chapel – Recital Hall

Tickets $30

Aizuri Quartet has established a unique position within today’s musical landscape, infusing their music-making with infectious energy, joy and warmth — cultivating curiosity in listeners and inviting audiences into the concert experience through their innovative programming, and the depth and fire of their performances.

With a penchant for fusing classical and contemporary forms, Aizuri has been praised by The Washington Post for “astounding” and “captivating” performances. In 2022, they opened for the indie rock band Wilco, where over a span of five nights and with crowds totalling more than 15,000, they performed repertoire by living composers to ovations and critical acclaim. Other 2022 triumphs include a major concerto debut with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, a fellowship with WQXR’s Artist Propulsion Lab and a prestigious Cleveland Quartet Award. These recent accolades follow a Grand Prize at the 2018 M-Prize Chamber Arts Competition; along with a debut album, Blueprinting, that was released to critical acclaim, nominated for a 2019 Grammy Award and named one of NPR Music’s Best Classical Albums of 2018.

In its stunning and evocative program Sunrise, Aizuri Quartet takes audiences on a musical journey that spans from the darkness of night — beginning with Clara Schumann’s Ich stand in dunkeln Träumen — to the dawn of a new day, highlighted by the warmth of Haydn’s “Sunrise” Quartet.

C. Schumann Ich stand in dunkeln Träumen (arr. Karen Ouzounian)

Bartók String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91

Tagaq Sivunittinni

Haydn String Quartet in B-flat Major, op. 76 No. 4 (“Sunrise”)

“genuinely

— The New York Times

FLUTRONIX & THIRD COAST PERCUSSION

Friday, February 17 at 7:30PM Armstrong Concert Hall

Tickets $30

Two ensembles that are redefining classical music for the twenty-first century join forces in an exclusive evening of boundary-breaking music. Flutronix is a duo comprising critically acclaimed flutists and composers Nathalie Joachim and Allison Loggins-Hull, who are regarded for their “unique blend of classical music, hip-hop, electronic programming and soulful vocals reminiscent of neo-R&B stars like Erykah Badu” (Wall Street Journal). Third Coast Percussion is a Grammy Award-winning ensemble that has been hailed for their “virtuosity and deft, precisely timed wit” (Washington Post). Together, they break new ground with a virtuosic and energetic performance of new music, including a collaboratively composed new work Rubix, which seamlessly bridges their unique sounds to create a rich and riveting sonic universe.

Rennie Harris Puremovement

Friday, March 3 at 7:30PM Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre

Tickets $30

Hailed by the New Yorker as the “most respected” and “most brilliant” hip-hop choreographer in America, Rennie Harris creates personal and distinctive works, telling stories — through dance, music and spoken word — that are as riveting and honest as hip-hop itself. With a career spanning three decades, Harris’s internationally acclaimed company Puremovement embodies the rich tradition of street dance and hiphop culture, while simultaneously advancing an energetic new voice and vocabulary for dance.

Rennie Harris Puremovement has toured around the world, performing for the Queen of England and serving as a cultural ambassador for the U.S. State Department. Harris — who has been honored with prestigious awards including the Alvin Ailey Black Choreographers Award, the Doris Duke Arts Award and Dance Magazine’s Legend Award — is a true legend of dance. In the company’s first visit to the region, audiences will experience Harris’s legacy through Nuttin’ But a Word, an evening-length work that pushes the boundaries of street dance vocabulary and challenges audiences to view hip-hop through a different lens.

Brubeck Brothers Quartet

Thursday, April 20 at 8PM

Bright Box Theater

Tickets $30

Chris Brubeck (bass/trombone) and Dan Brubeck (drums) have been making music together their entire lives — performing alongside their father, jazz great Dave Brubeck, and with their own critically acclaimed quartet. Together with guitarist Mike DeMicco and pianist Chuck Lamb, the Brubeck Brothers Quartet has a rare collective synergy that has catapulted them beyond your typical jazz band. Their live performances reveal an inherent ability to explore and play unique and rare time signatures while artfully integrating the influences of funk, blues and world music.

arts engage!

Performing Arts Live provides the campus and community with more than just great live performances. Guest artists serve as lecturers, conduct masterclasses and present free workshops and performances within our local schools! Explore more about these artsengage! opportunities by visiting conservatoryperforms.org.