WILLIAMSBURG — The William & Mary Office of the Arts recently announced its inaugural William & Mary Presents! season will continue this spring with American Roots concerts, Hamlet, a dance production dedicated to The Beatles, a masterclass series and more.
Benjamin Verdery and the Ulysses String Quartet open the spring season with a concert William & Mary said will celebrate the diversity of styles and voices that make up American musical heritage, featuring compositions from guitarist Benjamin Verdery and violinist Christina Bouey. The concert takes place Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Arts Center (MAC) Concert Hall located at 551 Jamestown Road.
Actors From The London Stage (AFTLS) will be in residency Feb. 3-7, presenting a performance of Hamlet on Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall’s (PBK) Glenn Close Theatre. Founded in 1975, AFTLS is one of the oldest touring Shakespeare theatre companies in the world.
Grammy-winning Ranky Tanky — a Gullah phrase for “get funky” — are five lifelong friends from South Carolina who the university notes have established themselves as ambassadors for their local culture and community, helping to preserve the traditions originated by African Americans in the coastal South during slavery. Ranky Tanky will perform on Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. in PBK’s Glenn Close Theatre.
Goitse — Gaelic for “come here” and pronounced Go-wit-cha — a multi-award-winning quintet, blends original compositions with traditional Irish tunes. Goitse will perform on Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. in the MAC Concert Hall.
Grammy-winning Bluegrass artist Michael Cleveland will also be performing this season. The university said that with an encyclopedic memory for melodies and an intuition for improvisation, his music is rooted in tradition and fueled by his melodic imagination. Cleveland will perform on March 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the MAC Concert Hall.
Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra will revisit the music and silent films of the early 20th century in a performance co-presented with the Ampersand International Arts Festival. The 12-person orchestra brings classic silent films to life with live music and sound
effects. The group performs on March 21 at 7:30 p.m. in PBK’s Glenn Close Theatre.
Two-time Grammy-winner Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience band perform a concert on April 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the MAC Concert Hall. Driven by African and Caribbean rhythms, Zydeco music has evolved from its traditional acoustic roots to include more popular genres like rock, funk, R&B, rap and hip hop.
William & Mary also announced a tribute to the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album: Mark Morris Dance Group presents Pepperland. An original score intermingles arrangements from seven songs on the album with six Pepper-inspired original pieces. Mark Morris Dance Group will perform on May 6 at 7:30 p.m. in PBK’s Glenn Close Theatre.
Co-sponsored with the Virginia Arts Festival, Edgar Meyer, the only bassist to ever be awarded the Avery Fisher Prize, is joined by violinist Tessa Lark and cellist/composer Joshua Roman for a concert that includes Bach and original music from Meyer. The trio will perform on May 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the MAC Concert Hall.
With support from the Elliot E. and Helen Y. Cohen Forum Endowment, the Charles Center Arts Masterclass Series offers opportunities for professional artists to connect with the Williamsburg community. Featured masterclasses include Benjamin Verdery, the Ulysses String Quartet, and Mark Morris Dance Group. A complete schedule of offered masterclasses is available on the Charles Center website.
All tickets for Arts Quarter events are available in electronic form only and can purchased online at wm.universitytickets.com. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Box Office in Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall on William & Mary’s campus the day of each performance beginning ninety minutes prior.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source wydaily.com ’
