This Saturday, April 15, the University of Michigan’s Men’s Glee Club will be performing a concert titled Our Victory and Pride: Singing in the Key of Michigan Since 1859. Continuing the celebration of the bicentennial, the Men’s Glee Club will sing songs that pay tribute to, not only our wonderful state, but also the brilliant composers of Michigan. I even read that they will be premiering a new Michigan song, written by Professor Kristin Kuster.
The Men’s Glee Club Concert will take place at Hill Auditorium at 8pm. Tickets are on sale now, between $5-$20 depending on seating. For ticket information, visit: http://tickets.music.umich.edu/single/eventDetail.aspx?p=3005.
This weekend, take a journey “Under the Sea” with the University of Michigan’s School of Music Theatre & Dance at the Power Center! The Little Mermaid will awaken the child in all who see this Disney classic. Those who didn’t grow up with this princess will still surely fall in love with the story, the characters like Flounder and Sebastian, and songs such as “Kiss the Girl” and “Part of Your World”.
The Little Mermaid is the tale of a young mermaid named Ariel who wants to adventure into the human world, but her father King Triton won’t allow her since it is too dangerous. Ariel saves Prince Eric after he falls off of his ship, and falls desperately in love with him. So in love that she trades her voice for legs with the evil sea witch Ursula. Ariel finally gets the chance to experience human life! She gets help from her beloved friends, Flounder the fish and Sebastian the crab, along the way. The only catch is that she must kiss the prince within 72 hours or else she will lose her voice, and her freedom to Ursula forever.
The Little Mermaid can be seen Thursday April 13 at 7:30pm, Friday April 14 at 8pm, and Saturday and Sunday April 15-16 at 2pm. Tickets are on sale now: Reserved seating $26-$32 and Students $12 with ID.
Ticket information can be found at: http://tickets.music.umich.edu/single/eventDetail.aspx?p=3001
Wednesday, April 12th vocal chords will meet violin chords at the performance of A Far Cry with Roomful of Teeth. Both groups are inspiring artists when alone. I can’t wait to see them perform together in the open space of Rackham.
A Far Cry is a 17 member chamber music ensemble. See some of their past work directly below. Lively and innovative, this self-conducted group is sure to invigorate even the most non-classical music listener.
Roomful of Teeth’s sound, as their name implies, is biting and hypnotic all at once. You will be amazed at the range of sounds the human voice is capable of. Check them out below!
If you have ever felt the pride of being a Michigan Wolverine, being at this event magnified that feeling by 100%. True Blue! A Tribute to Michigan brought together those who share the love and passion of two colors: maize and blue. Some of the biggest celebrities were on the stage of Hill Auditorium, telling their stories of their time at the University of Michigan, and everything that they have accomplished after graduating with a U of M diploma.
Tribute to Ann Arbor squirrels (Photo Credit: Matt Weigand)
There were so many amazing performances that I will do an overview. Many videos were played throughout the night including ones of the history of U of M, the Diag, the Ann Arbor squirrels (my personal favorite), U of M couples, Bo Schembechler’s “The Team” speech, U of M professors, and the alumni.
“The Victors” performed by the Department of Musical Theatre Majors (Photo Credit: Scott C. Soderberg)
The Jazz Ensemble played a nice medley of “Michigan Through the Ages”. The Department of Musical Theatre Majors did a stunning rendition of “The Victors” that definitely made me tear up a little as I felt the pride of being a Michigan wolverine. The Department of Theatre & Drama Acting Majors performed multiple pieces such as “Catholepistemiad Rap” about the history of U of M, “Clarence Darrow and the Ossian Sweet Trial” alongside Emeritus Professor of Voice George Shirley, and “Tribute to Activism”. The Michigan Men’s Glee Club sang a chilling “Glory” from the movie Selma and “I Remember, My Michigan”. The Contemporary Directions Ensemble played multiple pieces such as “The Little Victors”, “Concerto for Two Violins”, “Back to Michigan”, and the cellists played a “Tribute to Raoul Wallenberg”.
The Friars and Theatre & Drama Acting Majors in the tribute to the Engineering Arch (Photo Credit: Matt Weigand)
The Friars made an appearance to sing “In the Still of the Night” as a hilarious tribute to the Engineering Arch, in which Theatre & Drama Acting majors acted out couples walking through the “arch”. The Department of Dance Troupe performed “The Little Victors”. The RFD Boys, alumni of U of M, played a “Michigan Medley”. Multiple professors spoke such as Ralph Williams, Kathleen Sienko, and also the chair of the Department of Neurosurgery Dr. Karin Muraszko. “The University” was sung by the University Chamber Choir. Shortly after, the Michigan Marching Band flooded the stage performing all of the classics: “Victors Valiant”, “The Yellow and Blue”, and “Michigan Fanfare and The Victors”.
Emcee Darren Criss (Photo Credit: Robert Buechler)
The emcees included actors Darren Criss and Jacqueline Tobini, neurosurgeon and medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and NBC sportscaster Andrea Joyce, all of which are U of M alumni. Other famous alumni speakers included: Civil Rights activist Cecilia Munoz, mayor of Ann Arbor Christopher Taylor, sports legends Desmond Howard and Jim Harbaugh, Broadway producer
Alumni and football legend Desmond Howard with other U-M sports legends onstage (Photo Credit: Scott C. Soderberg)
Jeffrey Seller, space explorers Afred Worder, Kiko Dontchev, Steve Walton, Mike Hess, and Hashmita Koka, Zingerman’s co-founder Ari Weinzweig, co-founder of Americans Committed to World Responsibility Judy Guskin, and of course U of M’s President Dr. Mark Schlissel.
This event was absolutely extraordinary and I couldn’t be more proud to be a wolverine! Go Blue!!!
Football coach and alumni Jim Harbaugh (Photo Credit: Matt Weigand)
Upcoming Bicentennial events include:
June 26 & October 26: President’s Bicentennial Colloquia
Words cannot express how excited I am to review one of the biggest events at the University of Michigan! True Blue! A Tribute to Michigan brings together past and current U of M students, fans, and families to celebrate the bicentennial. Special guests include: actor James Earl Jones (aka original voice of Darth Vader!!!), neurosurgeon and media reporter Sanjay Gupta, Glee actor and my future husband Darren Criss, and Cecilia Munoz. Through music, theatre, dance, and speech, faculty, alumni, and students will come together to share the past, present, and future of the University of Michigan.
True Blue! A Tribute to Michigan will take place at Hill Auditorium on Saturday, April 8 at 7pm. Tickets are on sale online. For adult tickets: $50 main floor, $30 mezzanine, $25 balcony. For UM students: $25 main floor, no mezzanine available, $20 balcony.
Additional information can be found at: https://events.umich.edu/event/38600
On the night of Wednesday the 29th, sixteen students affiliated with the Lloyd Hall Scholars Program (current and alumni) stepped up in front of a full crowd in Lloyd’s Barner Lounge of other LHSP students and staff to read poetry. There was a mix of nine original works with seven interpretive works of other poets, and altogether, it was a great night of poetry. Out of respect for the original works, I do not have any lines from those pieces, but will link to the interpretive pieces as available.
I (to my own surprise) started the night off with current UM professor Laura Kasischke’s “Game,” but I couldn’t objectively tell you how my performance went due to forgetting some of my memorized lines. Regardless, one of my favorite parts of the piece reads: “She shouted my name, which, even as a child I knew was not ‘Stop. Please. I’m Dying.'” Next, current LHSP student leader Rhea Cheeti recited Lily Myers’ “Shrinking Women” with a powerful voice to mimic the powerful words.
Original works interweaved nicely with interpretive works: after a few interpretive pieces, students read their own original works. One of the earlier yet highly notable original pieces was Mary Oseguera’s “They don’t call it Mexi-coke in Mexico,” a gorgeously written piece with a refrain on the speaker’s experience with the descriptor “Hispanic.” My description of her piece wouldn’t dare come close to how amazing her words and recitation were. Alyson Grigsby read a piece “pages 131-133) from Claudia Rankine’s incredible book Citizen, one of the most important works of American poetry available to the public today:
“You imagine if the man spoke to you he would say, it’s okay, I’m okay, you don’t need to sit here. You don’t need to sit and you sit and look past him into the darkness the train is moving through. A tunnel. / All the while the darkness allows you to look at him. Does he feel you looking at him? You suspect so. What does suspicion mean? What does suspicion do?”
Next, a few students read their original works and Josh Segal read Rachel McKibbens’ “Selachimorpha.” Another one of my personal favorites was Hannah Rhodenhiser’s “I Wrote You A Poem for Christmas,” a refreshing love poem. It made my heart smile, and I hope it made the rest of the audience feel just as warm. Olivia Anderson read “On the Corner of Ann and Observatory,” which had a mysterious feel to it despite the title being located where we all sat in that moment. Allison Taylor’s “Poison” was a treat for the audience – instead of just reading the poem, she sang it while playing her acoustic guitar. Her talents are real.
Dhriti Deb read “The Gaffe” by CK Williams and before Dominique Witten closed the event with an original piece titled “They are not Children,” Laura Dzubay read Katie Makkai’s “Pretty.”
The event was excellent and, as advertised, full of poetry. Original works were plentiful and strong – as were the voices of their writers. As for the students who interpreted works by other poets, I was impressed. Their voices and performative skills were impeccable, and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to everybody’s works and being in a setting devoted to the enjoyment of poetry.
Winners will be announced on April 12th, at LHSP’s End-Of-Year Festival (or more recently referred to as LHSP’S LHSP: Last Hurrah for Student Projects, coined by the performance event’s emcee, Emily Miu) held at Couzens. I’m looking forward to seeing the joy on the winners’ faces, whoever they may be!
