Nearly two dozen performances are presented by the University of Nevada, Reno’s School of the Arts this spring. Whether you are interested in the visual arts, dance, music or theatre, there is sure to be a show for everyone. From historical to modern works and from lighthearted pieces to upbeat and entertaining performances, artists from all media will bring culture and entertainment to audiences throughout the season. Many performances offer in-person and virtual options, as well as paid and free choices. Visit the School of Arts webpage for more information.
“We have a variety of performances planned this spring,” said School of the Arts Director Tamara Scronce. “I’m really excited to see them all, and I know audiences will find something they’ll love.”
The School of Arts’ Department of Theater and Dance opens the spring season on March 4 with “A Shero’s Journey Or What Anacaona and Yemayá Taught Me…” Theatrical performance begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Redfield Proscenium Theater in the building of Fine Arts from the University Church. Written by Guadalís Del Carmen and directed by Assistant Theater Professor Yasmine Jahanmir, the show is about risking your life, leaving the past behind, and questioning everything you’ve ever known.
On March 8 at 7:30 p.m., student dancers will open for the Martha Graham Dance Company at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts. Led by assistant dance education teacher Eve Allen Garza, the students spent long, grueling hours rehearsing with a company stage manager to perform a special revival of one of the early modernist masterpieces. by Martha Graham, “Heretic”, from 1929.
The performing arts series returns to the stage March 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Nightingale Concert Hall with Sweet Honey In The Rock®. Sweet Honey will celebrate the intersection of music, African-American culture and exceptional art with its internationally acclaimed a cappella vocal ensemble, as it raises our roofs and our collective consciousness.
Award-winning Irish quintet Goitse will perform at 7.30pm on March 15 at the Nightingale Concert Hall. With nearly back-to-back performances, the performing arts series will feature a vibrant mix of classic Irish jigs and melodies with Goitse’s own original compositions for an irrepressible Irish musical experience that opens your mind and moves your feet. Their name Goitse is an informal Gaelic Irish greeting which means “come here” and is pronounced “go-wit-cha”.
“We’ve been preparing for Goitse’s visit for two years now and we’re delighted to welcome them to the United States,” said Shoshana Zeldner, program manager for the Performing Arts Series. “Last year Goitse put on a phenomenal virtual performance for us and ever since then I have been looking forward to their performance in person. If they could be this engaging on a screen, I know they would blow us away during the March 15 in-person performance.
On March 31, a musical will come to life for its 7:30 p.m. stage debut at the Redfield Studio Theater. “Working,” directed by assistant theater professor Sandra Neace, is based on the book by Studs Terkl and adapted by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso. A musical exploration by 26 people from all walks of life will explore how relationships with employment ultimately reveal essential aspects of humanity.
The Spring Dance Concert, which begins on April 21 at 7:30 p.m., will once again bring together student dancers on stage to present the work of Martha Graham. Under the direction of Associate Professor of Dance Rosie Trump and with special guest artist Rosie Herrera, the Redfield Proscenium Theater will come alive with works old and new.
On April 28, the Performing Arts Series returns to campus at 7:30 p.m. in the Nightingale Concert Hall with Michael Mayo + The Collective. Gifted with perfect tonality and impressive improvisations, Mayo will deliver an extraordinary and never-before-seen performance alongside the entire University faculty, The Collective, featuring pianist Adam Benjamin, saxophonist Peter Epstein, bassist Hans Halt, drummer Andrew Heglund and trumpeter Josh Reed.
Mayo’s April performance is also part of the Reno Jazz Festival which also kicks off on April 28. Celebrating 60 years of jazz appreciation and education, the festival offers three full days of workshops, sessions and performances. On April 29, the Miguel Zenón Quartet will mesmerize audiences with their unique sounds and compositions. Miguel Zenón, a revolutionary and influential alto saxophonist of his generation, masterfully balances and blends innovation and tradition. He has developed a unique voice as a composer and as a conceptualist, blending jazz and Latin American folk music. His longtime companions, with whom he will perform, are drummer Henry Cole, Hans Glawischnig and pianist Luis Perdomo.
The festival ends on April 30 with the Festival Showcase. The on-demand festival virtual showcase will feature a curated selection of performances hand-picked from performance video submissions submitted by registrants and reviewed by participating artist educators and festival directors.
The second annual Great Basin National Park Foundation Artist-in-Residence begins this summer between June 1 and September 30. The selected artist-in-residence has yet to be announced, but will complete a three-week camping residency in Great Basin National Park near Ely, Nevada, working on their visual arts or craftsmanship craft. the scene. The resident will also organize an artistic workshop, a conference or an event inside the park during his stay. The 2021 Artist in Residence was Nevada artist Austin Pratt.
Finally, the arts season ends this summer with the Lake Tahoe Music Camp from June 25 to July 2. Lake Tahoe Music Camp is a sleepover camp committed to providing a memorable and exceptional music education experience for music students in grades 6-12. Located on its own private beach, Lake Tahoe Music Camp offers jazz and classical music workshops, clinics, performances, one-on-one mentoring, and instruction with award-winning college teachers, guest bandleaders, and musicians from professional chamber and jazz. The camp ends with a final concert for family and friends.
For more information on any of these shows or events, or to purchase tickets, visit the School of the Arts webpage.
