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Goshen College

Eighth season of Goshen College’s Performing Arts Series shines with world-class performers; season tickets selling rapidly

July 22, 2004

GOSHEN, Ind. – From the spontaneous and toe-tapping melodies of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and Wynton Marsalis to the graceful classical performances of the Wroclaw Philharmonic, the 2004-2005 Goshen College Performing Arts Series will once again bring performers from all over the world and a wide variety of music genres to Michiana audiences.

Performing Arts Series season ticket holders are guaranteed the same seat for every performance in Sauder Hall. Season tickets are $185 for A section seats, $155 for B section seats and $72 for students in the C section. Series ticket package sales have been brisk, and reservations should be made quickly to ensure seats for every performance. Orders for new season subscribers and orders for individual concerts are being accepted now, with priority given to last year’s season ticket holders. New subscriber orders will be filled after renewals are complete, starting Aug. 5 on a first-come, first-served basis until Aug. 23, when individual event ticket orders will be assigned.

Wanting to engage audiences and celebrate cultural diversity and contributions of the arts, the Performing Arts Series committee selected performers from diverse musical backgrounds, including folk, bluegrass, classical, jazz, opera and choral, to reflect the values and interests of Goshen College.

All performances will take place in Sauder Concert Hall unless otherwise noted. With its simple elegance and unique architecture, the performance hall is quickly establishing a reputation among audiences and performers as one of the finest venues for acoustic music in the Midwest.

This year’s lineup is as follows, with individual ticket prices listed:

On Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m., the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Wynton Marsalis, will feature some of the finest soloists and ensemble players today, with a repertoire that spans the history of the jazz music tradition. From a legendary family of musicians, Marsalis is recognized for bringing jazz back to center stage and, in 1997, becoming the first jazz musician to win the Pulitzer Prize in music. (A$45, B$40, C$15)

Living legend Judy Collins will take the stage Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Her many accomplishments include nearly 40 illustrious years in the music industry, 37 albums and a dozen top 10 pop hits; her classic “Both Sides Now” was entered in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Collins has thrilled audiences worldwide with her distinct voice and unique blend of interpretative folksongs and contemporary themes. (A$40, B$35, C$15)

The venerable Tokyo String Quartet has been regarded as one of the world’s supreme ensembles for three decades. On Jan. 23 at 4 p.m., the four musicians will share their expansive repertoire that includes both classical and contemporary works. The quartet has released more than 30 landmark recordings and earned many honors, including seven Grammy nominations. (A$25, B$20, C$10)

On Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m., Sauder Concert Hall will reverberate with the sounds of Baltimore Consort. Celebrating the early music of English, Scottish and French heritage, the group is heralded not only by Renaissance music buffs but by appreciative audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. A repertoire of ballads, dance tunes and folk songs – played on a variety of early instruments and sung by Custer LaRue – will prove to be delightfully entertaining. (A$25, B$20, C$10)

The Goshen College Music and Theater departments will perform “Die Fledermaus” March 13 and 20 at 3 p.m. The opera by Johann Strauss showcases the extravagant life of upper-crust Vienna citizens in the late 19th century. The story features the best of operatic fare: disguises, celebrations, mistaken identities, surreptitious meetings, cameo appearances and more, all set to the sparkling lilt of Strauss’s melodies. Sung in English, this comic opera in three acts will be performed in the Umble Center. (A$12, B$12, C$8)

Cantus, a 12-voice a cappella male chamber ensemble, will perform April 16 at 7:30 p.m. Cantus uplifts the human spirit through innovative and engaging concerts that feature exquisite works from the past as well as new music created by its members or commissioned especially for the group. A compact disc recorded in Sauder Concert by Cantus in June of 2004 will be available. (A$25, B$20, C$10)

Season ticket holders can enjoy these six performances, as well as one more of their choice from the following add-on concerts:

Gillian Welch, a gifted Americana singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who succeeds in transcending the boundaries between folk, country, rock and blues music will perform Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. In 2002 she received a Grammy for her contribution to the “Oh, Brother Where Art Thou?” movie soundtrack recording and was part of the popular national “Down from the Mountain” musical tour. Welch’s music partner David Rawlings will join her for this concert. (A$20, B$15, C$7)

Since forming in 1991, IIIrd Tyme Out’s success came nearly overnight as they won seven consecutive International Bluegrass Music Association awards for Vocal Group of the Year. Made up of former members of Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Livewire, Lonesome River Band and JD Crowe and the New South, they have created a new tradition in modern bluegrass music. On Jan. 7 at 7:30 p.m., the group will share their superb instrumentation and rich vocal blends that have made them one of the top bluegrass and gospel bands in the country. (A$20, B$15, C$7)

On April 26 at 7:30 p.m., Maestro Mariusz Smolij of the Wroclaw Philharmonic will lead Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3 (Polish), Lutoslawski’s Little Suite, and join prodigy Stanislaw Drzewiecki in Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Maestro Smolif is recognized as one of the best conductors of his generation. The orchestra, from Wroclaw, Poland, is celebrating its 50th year with a United States tour to Philadelphia’s new Kimmel Hall, New York’s Lincoln Center and Sauder Concert Hall. (A$20, B$15, C$7)

Performing Arts Series calendar:

  • Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m – Gillian Welch with David Rawlings (add-on)
  • Sept. 15, 7:30 p.m. – Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
  • Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m. – Judy Collins
  • Jan. 7, 7:30 p.m. – IIIrd Tyme Out (add-on)
  • Jan. 23, 4 p.m. – Tokyo String Quartet
  • Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m. – Baltimore Consort
  • March 13 and 20, 3 p.m. – Goshen College Opera: “Die Fledermaus”
  • April 16, 7:30 p.m. – Cantus
  • April 26, 7:30 p.m. – Wroclaw Philharmonic (add-on)

For information about ticket availability, prices, reservations or more information, contact the Welcome Center at (574) 535-7566, e-mail joannp@goshen.edu, or log on to https://www.goshen.edu/events/performingarts/

Goshen College, established in 1894, is a four-year residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, Kaplan’s “Most Interesting Colleges” guide and U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.

– by Melanie Histand

Editors: For more information, contact Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.