“If everyone played the ukulele, the world would be a happier place,” Jake says in his 2010 Ted Talk.
And for those of us who have not picked up the underdog of all stringed instruments, perhaps we’ll just be happier watching Jake turn contemporary jams, such as Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” into perfectly plucked tunes with a uniquely island breeze about them.
Who: Jake Shimabukuro, the YouTube Ukulele Extraordinaire (part of the UMS season)
When: Wednesday, November 19 at 7:30 pm
Where: Hill Auditorium
How Much?: $16-$25 for students (in the Mezzanine section only…you’ll still have a good view!)
While you wait for the show to begin, watch Jake perform the song that sent him to stardom: The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” … or should we say, Ukulele?
Whether you know her from her hit song 99 Times or from her time as Mia on One Tree Hill, Kate Voegele at the Blind Pig is a must see for anyone looking to have fun and blow off steam.
What: Kate Voegele Where: The Blind Pig When: November 12th at 8pm Tickets: $12
If you want to go to the scariest, most powerful, and most thought-provoking event during this weekend, this is the one. Based on a book by Sister Helen Prejean, “Dead Man Walking” by Jake Heggie is one of the most performed contemporary operas today.
“Dead Man Walking tells the true story of [Sister Helen Prejean’s] experience as a spiritual advisor to a convict on Louisiana’s death row. Through his appeals for pardon to the inevitable final execution, Sister Helen stands by Joe de Rocher despite her internal struggle to reconcile her faith in his humanity with the heinousness of his crimes. Her unpopular and controversial choice to attempt to save his soul leads to confrontations with those closely affected by his actions. A powerful tale of compassion and the effect of crime on the families of both the victim and perpetrator, Dead Man Walking is both inspirational and devastating.”
As the students in the School of Music, Theater, and Dance pour their heart into the production for countless hours, their performances will surely leave you with some intense feelings and food for thought. And what’s even better? This performance is on the Passport to the Arts, so you can actually get a free ticket!
Be advised that this opera contains violence and vulgarity.
When: Thursday, November 13, at 7:30pm*; Friday-Saturday, November 14-15, at 8pm; Sunday, November 16, at 2pm
Where: Power Center for the Performing Arts
Tickets: Students $10 with ID (or free using the Passport to the Arts); buy online or at Michigan League Ticket Office
* Sister Helen Prejean, the author of the original book, will be present to lead a discussion session after Thursday’s performance.
The Women’s Glee Club started strong in their opening song on Saturday night, singing “The University” to Hill Auditorium. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of students filling the mezzanine, supporting the Women’s Glee Club in their first concert of the year. The theme for this concert was Celebrating Sisterhood, Song, and Strength, and these were found throughout the evening. Song was obviously accomplished by the music they sang, spanning styles and languages from English to Italian to Bulgarian.
The Italian selection “Canzonette a tre” included accompaniment from a violin, viola, and recorder, enhancing the experience to feel more medieval. They sounded excellent together, and I am always a fan of including other instruments to contribute to the sound and atmosphere. Following the Italian pieces was a 6-song string of “Songs for Women’s Voices” by Gwyneth Walker. All poems in English that were put to music, it began with a satire that explained how women should be pedestals that are under men’s command, but concluded with a piece about the power and of a woman’s love. Next was “Ergen Deda”, an up-tempo song in Bulgarian that helped to break up the pace of the concert and give the women something to smile about and move around to. They concluded the first half of songs with “Lux Aeterna”, simply a beautiful composition.
After intermission came Midnight Blue’s performance. The a cappella group performed seven songs, and showed their strength of voices and confidence while they sang beautifully and included some dancing and parodies for the audience to laugh at. A special favorite of mine was “A Netflix World” sung to the tune of “A Whole New World”. A little too relatable, this song made me realize that I’m not alone in how much of life life is motivated or unmotivated by Netflix auto play.
Finally, the concert closed with songs about the University of Michigan, the classics that you hear at tailgates. The bond of sisterhood was evident here as alumnae joined the club onstage. Smiles and hugs were shared as the former members returned to their voice parts, and it was heartwarming to see how much the Women’s Glee Club meant to them even after they had graduated. I know that reconnecting with alumni and forming a base is something that the Women’s Glee Club is working to accomplish, and I think they are on their way to doing so if they maintain the atmosphere of sisterhood.
Overall a great concert, and I am always happy when I attend. I am glad that students are coming to support their friends in the club, and I hope the tradition continues as the Women’s Glee Club grows stronger.
U-M School of Music’s two orchestras come together to perform a program that reflects on what it means to be American — from Native American, African American, and Bohemian visitor’s perspectives. The concert with musicians from University Symphony Orchestra (USO) & University Philharmonia Orchestra (UPO) features a movement from William Grant Still’s Afro-American Symphony (1930); Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate’s Tracing Mississippi, a concerto for flute (2001); and finally, Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World” (1893). I’m sure many of you are familiar with the tune “goin’ home, goin’ home…” Did you know that this is one of the most famous solos for English horn in Dvořák’s “New World” symphony? From rarely performed works to many audiences’ favorite, this concert will surely be worth your attention. Also, this is one of the very rare chances to see School of Music, Theater, and Dance’s Dean Christopher Kendall conduct. Don’t miss out!
A young Michael Tilson Thomas. He turns 70 this week.
Who: The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas
What: Mahler’s Symphony No.7
Where: Hill Auditorium
When: Thursday, November 13th, 7:30 (alternate program on November 14 click here for details)
Price: $14-$85
The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra will be in Ann Arbor on the 13th and 14th, bringing the great Mahler’s 7th Symphony along with them. The SFSO is constantly regarded as one of the finest orchestras on the world circuit, and seeing them here at Hill Auditorium is nothing short of a treat.
Mahler’s 7th was written in 1904-05 and marks the composer’s return to his ‘progressive tonality.’ The symphony is roughly 80 minutes in length and is sometimes referred to as Lied der Nacht (lit. Song of the Night) due to its evocation of Nocturnal themes.
