Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Strathmore Announces 2015-16 Season on Sale Today

Matisyahu makes his Strathmore debut on December 9th

From our friends at Strathmore...

Big names in the Music Center: Jackie Evancho, Paul Anka, Chucho Valdés, Matisyahu, and Arlo Guthrie Alice’s Restaurant 50th Anniversary Tour

Today Strathmore shares the first glimpse of its 2015-16 season, 49 concerts and performances anchored with a series of programs that strengthen and grow the art center’s cornerstone initiatives, and signal the evolution of new partnerships resulting in rich, immersive arts experiences. Programs that advance Strathmore’s mission include Sweet Honey In The Rock concert with the Strathmore Children’s Chorus, providing an opportunity for young singers in this signature Strathmore program to share the stage with distinguished musicians; the AIR Alumni series, advancing the careers of young musicians through Strathmore’s hallmark Artist in Residence (AIR) program with continual opportunities for performance and collaborations, this season focusing on unlikely sonic pairings; and Step Afrika! Step Xplosion, the second annual collaboration with the percussive dance troupe and a complement to the art center’s new commitment to activate arts groups and bring in-depth arts experiences to East Montgomery County. The Step Afrika! performance signals the evolution of new community partnerships, as does the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra’s concert with incomparable cellist Lynn Harrell, part of a four year residency to enrich classical offerings in the region and elevate the profile of the ASO among lovers of symphonic music, while providing a platform for deep artistic collaboration.

Strathmore continues to embrace and provide a stage for global dance. The 2015-16 Season begins with the vibrant flourish of Latin dance from Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández, threading its way through the Season with later performances by Compañia Flamenca José Porcel’s Flamenco Fire and Flamenco Vivo’s Poema de Andalucía. In addition to the percussive stepping of Step Afrika!, Tchaikovsky is reimagined through the lens of hip-hop in The Hip Hop Nutcracker. The energetic Cossack and charming traditional peasant dances of its namesake are brilliantly performed by Krasnoyarsk National Dance Company of Siberia.

Paul Anka visits Strathmore on November 7th

The acoustics of the Music Center at Strathmore are among the best in the country - a whisper on stage can be heard from the highest balcony. Surely the booming vocal talents gracing the Concert Hall stage in the 2015-16 season will thrum throughout the hall, including stylings from Grammy-winning Rolling Stones back-up singer and 20 Feet from Stardom (2013) chanteuse Ms. Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton, as well as Portuguese treasure Ana Moura and a trio of formidable female bluegrass and folk singers - Patty Griffin, Sara Watkins & Anaïs Mitchell. Male vocal troupe Under the Streetlamp, comprised of veterans of Broadway’s Jersey Boys, makes its return to the Music Center, while a cappella ensemble The Tenors make its Strathmore debut. Always nurturing emerging and intrepid talents, the Mansion at Strathmore hosts the lush vocals of operatic soprano Julia Bullock and baritone Mischa Bouvier.


The opulent Mansion Music Room also hosts a series of inspiring classical performances. A trio of solo concerts begins with classical saxophonist Ashu, recipient of the Audience Prize at the International Musical Olympus Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, followed by lauded Hungarian pianist Dénes Várjon, and adventurous German cellist Nicolas Altstaedt. The influence of Strathmore’s Artist in Residence (AIR) program rings on with the Ward-Kong Duo, featuring 2015-16 AIR pianist Kimberly Kong and alumna, cellist Alicia Ward. Also performing as a duo, and no stranger to Mansion audiences, is classical guitarist Mak Grgić with confidante Adam del Monte as Duo Deloro. Ensembles in the Mansion swing from conservators of the canon to pioneers of the contemporary, with the avant-garde players of ETHEL using amplification and improvisation to create an exciting, modern sound, and the risk-taking Atlantic String Quartet, comprised Baltimore Symphony Orchestra musicians, to Ensemble Schumann, expertly preserving the works of its namesake, and also Brahms, Saint-Saëns, Loeffler, Poulenc, Shostakovich, and many others. Critic and composer Greg Sandow is also recognized with an evening of his own deeply personal works in the Mansion.

Classical music is beautifully showcased in the Music Center with the world-class musicians Academy of St Martin in the Field with Joshua Bell, and intrepid pianist Maurizio Pollini. From giants whose prowess is revered, Strathmore swings to the Metropolitan Opera: Rising Stars Concert Series, inviting audiences to hear the next generation’s great operatic voices.

No stranger to marquee headliners, the Music Center welcomes the crystalline voice America’s Got Talent favorite Jackie Evancho, iconic pop superstar Paul Anka, and revered jazz legend Chucho Valdés and his beloved group Irakere, honoring this great jazz incubator by reprising it with young musicians in the band’s 40th anniversary year. Arlo Guthrie also performs on a benchmark occasion - the 50th anniversary of his epic megahit Alice’s Restaurant - bringing with him Abe Guthrie, Terry a la Berry, Bobby Sweet, and Darren Todd. Known for blending Orthodox Jewish themes with reggae, rock, and hip-hop, Matisyahu celebrates the 10 year anniversary of his breakthrough album Live at Stubb’s in a stripped down, acoustic show in his Strathmore debut.

A string of favorites also returns to the Concert Hall stage, including Chick Corea & Béla Fleck, who intermingle solo works with excerpts from their duet project The Enchantment, Michael Feinstein, headliner of Strathmore’s 2013-2104 gala, in a centennial tribute to Frank Sinatra, and music royalty Natalie Cole. Jazzman Dave Koz once again wrangles musical friends—Jonathan Butler, Candy Dulfer, and Bill Medley - for a holiday music spectacular, while the musicians of Classic Albums Live stir up nostalgia with a faithful, note-for-note rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours.

Fully stretching the versatility of the Music Center stage are great ensemble performances. Renowned drummer/vibraphonist Chuck Redd and friends honor Redd’s former bandmate and a pivotal jazz figure in a Tribute to Charlie Byrd. Composer-performer-artistic director Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra blend classical, jazz, and holiday favorites with help from incomparable jazz vocalist Denzal Sinclaire. The public has an enduring love of the Monterey Jazz Festival, the longest continuously running jazz festival in the country—so it’s only appropriate that great musicians from its history would pay homage on Valentine’s Day, featuring Patti Austin, Terence Blanchard, Ravi Coltrane, Gerald Clayton, Joe Sanders, and Justin Brown.
The ensemble performances continue in the Mansion, with the ever collaborative Dan Tepfer in a Washington, D.C. area premiere of his newest project in collaboration with members of the equally innovative International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE). Marsalis’ influence is also felt in the Mansion with protégés and brothers the Peter and Will Anderson Trio, impeccably playing clarinet and saxophone on the new album Déjà Vu, with guitarist Alex Wintz. Lastly, Egyptian-American composer and jazz musician Todd Marcus puts the bass clarinet front and center with his quintet.
The Mansion also plays host to genre-blurring folk acts. Founding members of the Baltimore Consort Ronn Macfarlane and Mindy Rosenfeld combine the ethereal sounds of flute and lute in music that spans Renaissance to Baroque to Celtic folk in The Moon and the Seven Stars. Comprised of nine classic and contemporary folk musicians, Shenandoah Run performs vintage and original bluegrass and country with banjo, fiddle, bass, ukulele, guitar, and six-part harmony.

STRATHMORE 2015-16 SEASON CALENDAR

While current at time of publication, this calendar is subject to change. Tickets for the 2015-16 Season go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, June 10, 2015. Single ticket prices are listed. Strathmore Stars members receive a 10 percent discount on all listed prices.

Strathmore’s flexible programming schedule allows the arts center to continually book new artists throughout the year, allowing it to capitalize on artist availability and new tours. Additional events in the 2015-16 Season will be announced.

PETER AND WILL ANDERSON TRIO
Thursday, September 17, 2015
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

Juilliard-trained, Marsalis-mentored clarinet- and sax-playing brothers Peter and Will Anderson offer fresh takes on jazz classics. “Virtuosos on clarinet and saxophone,” (New York Times) the D.C. natives’ impeccable playing has made them saxophonists of choice for Jimmy Heath, Wycliffe Gordon, and the Village Vanguard Orchestra. They come to Strathmore with material from their 2015 release Déjà Vu, and with guitarist Alex Wintz rounding out the trio.

BALLET FOLKLÓRICO DE MÉXICO
DE AMALIA HERNÁNDEZ

Tuesday, September 29, 2015
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $38-$58

Mexico’s vibrant culture comes to life onstage in a brilliant explosion of breathtaking dance. The fierce traditions of Aztec warriors, the folkloric frill of fiesta dances–this internationally acclaimed troupe uses gorgeous costumes and intricate choreography to thrill audiences with Danza, Mestizo, and Bailes Regionales.

CHICK COREA & BÉLA FLECK
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $35-$75
Co-presented with Washington Performing Arts and Blues Alley

Chick Corea and Béla Fleck, two master songwriters, musicians, and band leaders, come together for a genre-busting pairing of piano and banjo. Crossing myriad genres - jazz, pop, bluegrass, rock, flamenco, and gospel - this evening with two legends from different musical worlds combines classic tunes from Corea’s and Fleck’s catalogs with music from their Grammy-winning duet album, The Enchantment.

AIR ALUMNI: CHRISTYLEZ BACON & LILY NEILL
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $17

Sparks fly when progressive hip-hop artist Christylez Bacon and harpist Lily Neill present an exhilarating program that soars across musical horizons. These Strathmore Artist in Residence alumni engage in musical alchemy when their similar mindsets and dissimilar musical backgrounds collide. 

JACKIE EVANCHO
AWAKENING
LIVE IN CONCERT

Saturday, October 10, 2015
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $48-$115

When, at age 10, Jackie Evancho stepped on stage on America’s Got Talent, the purity and power of her voice blew the judges and the audience away. Now, at age 14, “Evancho’s voice keeps getting better and better” (Billboard). With a new album, Awakening, and a string of hit concerts behind her, this amazing young talent has much to share. Evancho is the world’s youngest performer to enter the Billboard charts at No. 1, and her 2011 performance at Avery Fisher Hall made her the youngest performer to sing a solo recital at the Lincoln Center.

MS. LISA FISCHER AND GRAND BATON
Sunday, October 11, 2015
7 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $28-$58

Famous for revving up the sound of the Rolling Stones - her duets with Mick are legendary - the Grammy winning songwriter-vocalist and uber-successful session musician flies solo at Strathmore. Fischer was featured in the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet from Stardom (2013) and has sung backup for Luther Vandross, Tina Turner, and many others.

UNDER THE STREETLAMP
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $28-$68

This energetic young group offers an evening of classic hits from the American Radio Songbook. Tunes of the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s sizzle under the command of Under the Streetlamp, with tight harmonies, slick dance moves, and a superb selection of doo-wop, Motown, and old-time rock ‘n’ roll. United after performing starring roles in the theatrical smash Jersey Boys, the guys offer up a nostalgia-driven show featuring revved up renditions from The Beach Boys, The Drifters, The Beatles, The Temptations, Franki Valli and The Four Seasons (of course), and more.

AIR ALUMNI: PIOTR PAKHOMKIN & AMADOU KOUYATE
Wednesday October 14, 2015
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $17

What happens when a Russian guitar virtuoso meets an African master of the kora? Musical worlds collide as Strathmore Artist in Residence alumni Piotr Pakhomkin and Amadou Kouyate join forces on their plucked string instruments to create a unique and beautiful musical experience.

THE MOON & SEVEN STARS:
RONN MCFARLANE, LUTE & MINDY ROSENFELD, FLUTE

Thursday, October 15, 2015
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

Musical colleagues since 1979 and founding members of the Baltimore Consort, this duo combines the ethereal sounds of flute and lute in music that spans centuries, from Renaissance to Baroque to Celtic folk. The repertoire includes Bach, Purcell, Hotteterre, Ortiz, and Dalza. The duo’s recent release, Nine Notes that Shook the World, is a musical feast of timeless tunes that encompass the variety and intensity of human emotion.

AIR ALUMNI: JOHN KOCUR & HERB AND HANSON
Wednesday October 21, 2015
8 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $17

Jazz meets bluegrass when Washington, D.C.’s John “The Smoker” Kocur joins Virginia natives Herb & Hanson to meld deeply American musical flavors in a bluesy, country combo show. Kocur plays saxophone; Herb & Hanson play mandolin and guitar.

JULIA BULLOCK, SOPRANO
Friday, October 23, 2015
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

Bullock has been hailed as an “impressive, fast-rising soprano... poised for a significant career” (New York Times). This quickly ascending star is racking up awards and accolades in spades, beloved for harnessing great operatic roles. She was also praised for her involvement in West Side Story in concert, which she’ll reprise this summer with the New York Philharmonic. The San Francisco Chronicle wrote: “The evening’s most remarkable showstopper, Julia Bullock, appeared out of nowhere to deliver a full-voiced stunningly paced account of ‘Somewhere’ - for just a moment, it seemed as though nothing Bernstein ever wrote was quite as magical as that one song.”

COMPAÑIA FLAMENCA JOSÉ PORCEL
FLAMENCO FIRE
Friday, October 23, 2015
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $28-$68

This internationally acclaimed company of dancers and live orchestra ignite the stage, performing with pride and passion classic flamenco as it was danced and performed by the great masters. The dancers, costumes, and music whirl the audience through a history of this iconic dance form. “The dances are evocative and exciting... the dancers are lithe and accomplished. And all the dancers have shoes to die for” (Las Vegas Review-Journal).

KRASNOYARSK NATIONAL DANCE COMPANY OF SIBERIA
Sunday, October 25, 2015
4 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $32-$72

This astonishing dance company whirls, twirls, leaps, and bounds across the stage in a brilliantly colored display of the many cultures that make up Siberia. From fierce Cossack bravado to charming peasant traditional dances, this troupe of 50 dancers thrills audiences around the world. “The Krasnoyarsk National Dance Company of Siberia knows how to put on a good show. The staging was slick, the costumes colorful... The dancers were charmingly wholehearted and skillful... fast footwork and astonishing acrobatic tricks” (New York Times).

AIR ALUMNI: WYTOLD & CHELSEY GREEN
Wednesday October 28, 2015
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $17

There’s a world of possibilities in the uncommon pairing of former Strathmore Artists in Residence Wytold and Chelsey Green. The duo, with help from a drum machine, showcases a unique string synergy using acoustic and amplified strings plus an assortment of amplified effects.

MAURIZIO POLLINI
Sunday, November 1, 2015
2 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $35-$85

Schumann: Allegro, Op. 8
Schumann: Fantasie in C, Op. 17
Chopin : Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op. 60
Chopin: Nocturnes, Op. 55
Chopin : Polonaise-fantaisie in A-flat major, Op. 61
Chopin : Scherzo No. 3 in C sharp minor, Op. 39

This legendary virtuoso stands among the world’s greatest pianists. Pollini’s career launched in 1960, when at just 18 years old, he won the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. After more than 50 years of performance, his technical mastery is undisputed, and his interpretations of Chopin and Beethoven are reached for by classical collectors time after time. This “dean of living pianists... a pianistic tour de force” (Boston Globe) is a master of the classics who also champions contemporary repertoire by the likes of Pierre Boulez and Karlheinz Stockhausen.

ASHU, CLASSICAL SAXOPHONE
Thursday, November 5, 2015
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

Critics describe him as “just as much fun to watch as to listen to” (Dallas Morning News) and “ready to cultivate the masses” (Chicago Tribune). A growing demand from major concert series has led to recent engagements at the Ravinia Festival, Carnegie Hall, Zurich Tonhalle, Vienna Konzerthaus, Singapore Esplanade, and New York’s Central Park. He’s the recent recipient of the Audience Prize at the International Musical Olympus Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, which has afforded this enterprising musician entrée into the world’s most revered concerts halls. This artist’s dynamic style shows that the concert saxophone can reach beyond stylistic categorization.

PAUL ANKA
Saturday, November 7, 2015
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $48-$125

The cha-cha charm of “Diana,” that wailing croon on “You Are My Destiny,” the gosh-all-good-boy sound of “Puppy Love.” Pop star Paul Anka created not just memories, but milestones, with hits that defined generations of pop. Anka culls his extensive songbook for timeless hits that made a legacy of his enduring career.

SHENANDOAH RUN
Sunday, November 8, 2015
4 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

Shenandoah Run is a fantastic folk group comprised of nine hand-picked classic and contemporary folk musicians. Vintage tunes, original compositions, bluegrass, country, and six-part harmony make Shenandoah Run one of the D.C. area’s top folk tickets.

TRIBUTE TO CHARLIE BYRD
FEATURING CHUCK REDD & FRIENDS

Friday, November 13, 2015
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $25-$55

Drummer and vibraphonist Chuck Redd joined the Charlie Byrd Trio at the age of 21, embarking on a decade-spanning career at the apex of American jazz. In this performance, Redd corrals fellow jazz musicians in amazing tribute to the American guitarist who brought Brazilian jazz to American shores.

CHUCHO VALDÉS: IRAKERE 40
Sunday, November 15, 2015
7 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $28-$58

Five time Grammy and three time Latin Grammy award winner Chucho Valdés has been called the most influential figure in modern Afro-Cuban jazz. Now, the Cuban guitarist/composer/arranger is celebrating the music of his legendary group, Irakere, by recreating the magic 40 years later with a group of young musicians.

ETHEL
Thursday, November 19, 2015
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

ETHEL isn’t the typical string quartet. Plugged in and turned on, ETHEL uses amplification and improvisation to create an exciting, modern sound during performances of original music and that of contemporary composers. ETHEL has toured with rockers Joe Jackson and Todd Rundgren, and as the house band at the 2010 TED conference, performed with Thomas Dolby, David Byrne, and Andrew Bird.

THE TENORS
UNDER ONE SKY TOUR
Saturday, November 21, 2015
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $45-$85

Canada’s national treasure comes to Strathmore with its new album, Under One Sky. The Tenors, a dynamic young quartet known for thrilling audiences all over the world with their unique harmonic stylings, have been hailed as musical ambassadors sharing the joyful sounds of choral classics. The Tenors have performed on The Oprah Winfrey Show, with Celine Dion, and for Her Majesty The Queen during her Diamond Jubilee at Windsor Castle.

CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE:
FLEETWOOD MAC RUMOURS

Friday, November 27, 2015
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $29-$49

Strathmore revisits the ultimate album of 1977, Fleetwood Mac’s passionate look at love, loss, breakups, betrayals - and “Dreams.” The musicians of Classic Albums Live continue Strathmore’s tradition of post-Thanksgiving nostalgia by going back in time with this perfect recreation of the classic album Rumours, which became the fastest-selling LP of all time, moving 800,000 copies per week at its height.

THE HIP HOP NUTCRACKER
Thursday, December 3, 2015
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $29-$46

A holiday mash-up for the whole family, The Hip Hop Nutcracker re-imagines Tchaikovsky’s classic score through explosive hip-hop choreography. A dozen all-star dancers, an on-stage DJ, and an electric violinist bring the traditional “Nutcracker” story to life in contemporary New York City. The New York Times calls The Hip Hop Nutcracker, “A generous dose of contemporary spirit sure to heat up even the most restless and wintry of souls.”

DAVE KOZ CHRISTMAS TOUR 2015
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS JONATHAN BUTLER, CANDY DULFER & BILL MEDLEY
Friday, December 4, 2015
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $48-$88

Dave Koz’s signature smooth jazz comes with an upbeat personality. A session musician and former member of Richard Marx’s band, Koz has made a career as a dynamic and versatile entertainer who connects deeply with every audience, especially at Christmastime.

FESTIVAL OF LIGHT:
AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH MATISYAHU
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $38-$58

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of his breakthrough album, Live at Stubb’s, Matisyahu takes a new look at the music that first made his reputation. This tour reconnects Matisyahu with long-time musical collaborators from his early touring days, including Live at Stubb’s guitarist Aaron Dugan. Matisyahu and his band present an evening of stripped-down, acoustic arrangements highlighting the music that launched his career while taking fans on a journey through the evolution of Live at Stubb’s to his most recent release, Akeda.

MICHAEL FEINSTEIN
SINATRA CENTENNIAL

Friday, December 11, 2015
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $55-$125

Michael Feinstein leads an incredible celebration of legendary crooner Frank Sinatra as the world celebrates 100 years of Old Blue Eyes. The multi-platinum-selling, two-time Emmy, and five-time Grammy-nominated performer will channel the spirit, swagger, and sensation of Sinatra.

BIG BAND HOLIDAYS
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA
WITH WYNTON MARSALIS AND SPECIAL GUEST DENZAL SINCLAIRE

Saturday, December 12, 2015
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $58-$108
Co-presented with Blues Alley & Washington Performing Arts

Composer-performer-artistic director Wynton Marsalis brings the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and incomparable jazz vocalist Denzal Sinclaire to Strathmore for a magical evening of festive music that blends classical, jazz, and holiday favorites.

SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK
CELEBRATING THE HOLYDAYS
WITH STRATHMORE CHILDREN’S CHORUS

Sunday, December 13, 2015
4 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $25-$75

This internationally renowned and locally beloved all-woman, African-American a cappella ensemble returns to Strathmore with a one-of-a-kind holiday concert featuring the Strathmore Children’s Chorus. In this performance Sweet Honey in the Rock lends their “luminous, virtuosic” voices (New York Times) to familiar African-American spirituals along with music influenced by Latin, Chinese, African, and Hebrew cultures, honoring the holiday spirit and echoing a universal message of peace and hope.

STEP AFRIKA! STEP XPLOSION
Sunday, January 17, 2016
4 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $25-$40

Step up and enjoy the rhythm and artistry of Step Afrika! The percussive dance troupe puts on an electrifying show that unites music, dance, and storytelling to put forward an often overlooked aspect of American history. This Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend performance is Step Afrika’s second annual showcase at Strathmore.

ATLANTIC STRING QUARTET
Sunday, January 17, 2016
4 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

Founded in 1995, the four Baltimore Symphony Orchestra musicians who comprise the Atlantic String Quartet “share a sense of the explosive,” and the group is praised for “[its] willingness to take risks” (Washington Post). The lauded ensemble has established itself as one of the most prominent chamber music outfits in the Baltimore-Washington area. The quartet has appeared at major chamber music series in the region including the Chamber Music by Candlelight series, the Embassy Series, the Music in the Great Hall series, the Sundays at Central series, and Sundays at Three series. Witness the “ardent and communicative” (Baltimore Sun) sound of these exemplary musicians.

DUO DELORO
MAK GRGIĆ AND ADAM DEL MONTE, GUITARS

Thursday, January 21, 2016
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

Guitarists Mak Grgić and Adam del Monte team up to take Mansion audiences on a journey through Latin American and Spanish landscapes through new arrangements of Guastavino, Granados, Albeniz, traditional Argentinean Tangos, and original flamenco compositions by del Monte. Strathmore audiences are familiar with Grgić, who has performed in the Mansion in previous seasons and is known for his innovative collaborations, not only with del Monte, but also violinist Martin Chalifour, concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

ARLO GUTHRIE’S
ALICE’S RESTAURANT 50TH
 ANNIVERSARY TOUR
FEATURING ABE GUTHRIE, TERRY A LA BERRY, BOBBY SWEET, AND DARREN TODD
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $38-$68

Arlo Guthrie gives a rare treat on the 50th anniversary of his epic hit - he’ll perform his much-loved, seldom played megahit Alice’s Restaurant in its entirety - along with his other well-known songs. The son of the folk movement’s founding father, Guthrie made a name for himself that extends even beyond father Woody’s legacy. So popular was Alice’s Restaurant that it was made into a movie in starring Guthrie as himself, with Pat Quinn as Alice Brock and James Broderick as Ray Brock.

DÉNES VÁRJON, PIANO
Thursday, February 11, 2016
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

Dénes Várjon began his mastery of piano at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in 1984. Studied piano with Sándor Falvai and chamber music with György Kurtág and Ferenc Rados. Parallel to this, he was a regular participant at international masterclasses with András Schiff. Várjon won first prize at the Piano Competition of Hungarian Radio, at the Leó Weiner Chamber Music Competition in Budapest, and the Géza Anda Competition in Zurich. He is a professor at the Ferenc Liszt University of Music in Budapest and was awarded the highest cultural distinction of the Hungarian Government, the Ferenc Liszt Prize.

MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL ON TOUR
FEATURING PATTI AUSTIN, TERENCE BLANCHARD, RAVI COLTRANE, GERALD CLAYTON, JOE SANDERS & JUSTIN BROWN

Sunday, February 14, 2016
4 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $35-$75

The festival that’s synonymous with jazz takes its show on the road with a dream team lineup that includes velvety-voiced Grammy winner Patti Austin, legendary Grammy winning trumpeter-film score composer-arranger Terence Blanchard, sax sensation Ravi Coltrane, pianist-composer Gerald Clayton, bassist Joe Sanders, and drummer Justin Brown.

DAN TEPFER’S ACOUSTIC INFORMATICS
FEATURING ICE

Thursday, February 18, 2016
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

Born in Paris to American parents, “tremendously gifted” (LA Times) pianist-composer Dan Tepfer has translated his bicultural identity into an exploration of music that ignores stylistic bounds. This performance will be the Washington, D.C. area premiere of Tepfer’s newest project in collaboration with musicians from the innovative International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE).

NICOLAS ALTSTAEDT, CELLO
Thursday, February 25, 2016
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

Committed to contemporary music, this German-French cellist has won prizes all over the world, and is equally at home performing a classical repertoire on period instruments or commissioning and playing new works by great modern composers. Altstaedt has been a guest artist of the Chamber Music Society Lincoln Center New York, and at the Salzburg Mozart and Summer Festivals, Utrecht, Stavanger, Delft, Ainola, Jerusalem, and Kaposvár. He was also a BBC New Generation Artist 2010-2012, performing and recording with all BBC orchestras, and appearing at the BBC Proms and at Wigmore Hall.

PATTY GRIFFIN, SARA WATKINS & ANAÏS MITCHELL
TOGETHER ON STAGE
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $38-$48

Three supremely gifted singer-songwriters share the stage, singing with and supporting each other in music that seeks the heart’s core. Grammy winner Patty Griffin “digs deep into introspective lyrics…[using] the silence between notes to create shimmering music you won’t soon forget” (American Songwriter); Nickel Creek co-founder Sara Watkins creates “a sound that’s gritty and determined to avoid clichés” (BBC Music); and Anaïs Mitchell is “writing material that stands comparison with the great singer-songwriters,” including Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen (Daily Telegraph).

NATALIE COLE
Thursday, March 3, 2016
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $48-$98

The truly Unforgettable Natalie Cole returns to Strathmore. An iconic R&B artist in her own right as well as the daughter of Nat “King” Cole, the nine-time Grammy winner shows just why she’s entertainment royalty every time she graces the stage.

FLAMENCO VIVO
POEMA DE ANDALUCÍA
Friday, March 4, 2016
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $28-$72

This “infectiously joyful” (New York Times), brilliantly colored show is a journey through the cultures and traditions of the Andalusian provinces of Spain—the cradle of flamenco—and a fascinating look at just how varied and stylized this art form can be. In songs and dances that celebrate the rich traditions and rituals of daily life in southern Spain, Flamenco Vivo transports audiences back to Andalucía.

ANNAPOLIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
LYNN HARRELL, CELLO

Sunday, March 6, 2016
3 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $10-$30

Shostakovich: Concerto for Violoncello No. 1 in E-flat Major, op. 107
Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D Major     

Known as “the dean of American cellists,” (Washington Post) Lynn Harrell brings a lyrical lightness to the already sublime Annapolis Symphony Orchestra when he joins them as a soloist. The world-renowned musician and Grammy-winning recording artist joined the Cleveland Orchestra when he was just 18. By 20, he was its first chair cellist. He joins the venerable ASO in the second year of its four-year residency at Strathmore, to raise the profile of the ASO, enrich symphonic offerings for Maryland audiences, and encourage artistic collaboration.

MISCHA BOUVIER, BARITONE
Thursday, March 10, 2016
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

Grandnephew of renowned Swiss tenor Ernst Häfliger, Mischa Bouvier carries the family torch proudly. Praised by Opera News for his “soothing, cavernous baritone that can soar to heights of lyric beauty.” The Alabama-born baritone impacts audiences with his keen musicality and communicative ability. Noted for his “extraordinary and varied background” by San Francisco Classical Voice, Bouvier has performed with a wide array of ensembles including Anonymous 4, the Mark Morris Dance Group, American Handel Society, New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Five Boroughs Music Festival, Long Island Philharmonic, Metropolis Ensemble, and Christopher Williams Dance.

ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS
JOSHUA BELL, DIRECTOR & VIOLIN

Friday, March 18, 2016
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $55-$175

The acclaimed Academy of St Martin in the Fields redefined classical performance and is a touchstone of excellence in classical music. Under the leadership of superstar violinist Joshua Bell, the orchestra is reaching new heights: “the partnership really came alive... the tension and balance were just electric. There was... a total immersion in... the music, the orchestra fizzing on a heady cocktail of poise and passion - proof that Bell’s direction could carry the Academy into the 21st century” (The Guardian, London).

WARD-KONG DUO
Thursday, March 24, 2016
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

Cellist and Strathmore Artist in Residence alumna Alicia Ward performs with pianist Kimberley Kong, bringing a collective dominance to their instruments. Ward has performed widely at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and the Kennedy Center, while Kong has received praise for meeting  “every challenge of effusive lyricism and blustery passage work” (Washington Post) for her precise playing.

METROPOLITAN OPERA:
RISING STARS CONCERT SERIES

Friday, April 1, 2016
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $25-$65

For more than 125 years, the Metropolitan Opera has been the artistic home of the greatest singers in the world. But the Met is also the launching pad for the opera stars of the future. Some of today’s leading artists got their first big break by winning the company’s national auditions, as members of the young artist program, or by catching the attention of Met talent scouts. Stephanie Blythe, Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Deborah Voigt, Thomas Hampson, and Mariusz Kwiecien are just a few of the major artists to have come through the Met ranks. Another generation of young singers is waiting in the wings to be discovered - and Strathmore audiences can be among the first to hear them.

GREG SANDOW
Thursday, April 14, 2016
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

Classical and pop music critic Greg Sandow (Village Voice, New York Times Book Review, Wall Street Journal, Entertainment Weekly and more) is a composer, too. His works have been performed by the Pittsburgh Symphony, Fine Arts Quartet, and pianist Jenny Lin. He has curated an evening of deeply personal works in the Mansion representing the spectrum of his career and significant periods of creative output for traditional instrumentation and voice—ranging from his Mahler Variations and the heartfelt Quartet for Anne, to forthcoming projects that point to the future for this change agent of classical music.

ENSEMBLE SCHUMANN
Thursday, April 21, 2016
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

This lively trio performs not just Schumann, but Brahms, Saint-Saëns, Loeffler, Poulenc, Shostakovich, and many others. Pianist Sally Pinkas, violist Steve Larson, and oboist Thomas Gallant have played the world’s finest concert halls separately, and unite their talents in the Mansion at Strathmore’s intimate Music Room.

ANA MOURA
Thursday, April 28, 2016
8 p.m.
Music Center
Tickets $29-$68

Ana Moura is the voice of Fado, the urban folk music of Portugal often compared to American blues for its melancholy themes and instrumentation. A provincial singer who came to Lisbon to study at the Academia de Amadores de Música, Moura formed a band with some classmates and eventually was discovered and encouraged to sing in the Fado houses, where Portugal’s traditional music is celebrated.

TODD MARCUS QUINTET
Thursday, May 19, 2016
7:30 p.m.
Mansion
Tickets $30

This Baltimore-based Egyptian-American modern jazz artist-composer puts the bass clarinet in the spotlight. One of the few jazz artists worldwide to use bass clarinet exclusively in jazz, Marcus is known for his straight-ahead playing, fiery compositions, and lyrical sensibility. Audiences can expect a mélange of original compositions and lively arrangements of standards from this intrepid musician, who last year composed Blues for Tahrir, inspired by the upheavals in Egypt, where his father was born.

Strathmore is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. An agency of the Department of Business & Economic Development, MSAC provides financial support and technical assistance to non-profit organizations, units of government, colleges and universities for arts activities. Strathmore is also supported in part by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County.

Tickets and Information
(301) 581-5100 www.strathmore.org