A giant motorized hurdy-gurdy, a deconstructed pipe organ and an array of spinning and thrashing metal machines tell a story about a man consumed by a grandiose plan to build a machine that will reconcile his memories of the past with his dreams for the future. Percussionist Steven Schick commands a stage filled with large-scale invented instruments, drawing the audience into a magical place filled with creative potential.
A self-taught hip-hop dancer and breaking artist, Raphael Xavier has forged an exceptional approach to improvisation-based performance. Drawing from his background as a hip-hop magazine photographer and musician, Xavier confounds and expands the boundaries of dance. Point of Interest, a minimalistic hip-hop piece offering audiences multiple perspectives on the inner workings of dance, crackles with his signature bravado and high-energy physicality.
Quatuor Ebène’s concerts are marked by a special élan. With their charismatic playing, fresh approach to tradition and open engagement with new forms, these talented musicians have been successful in reaching a wide audience of listeners. Their characteristic style engages a traditional repertoire with a variety of other genres, earning enthusiastic acclaim from audiences and critics alike.
Performing with a unique combination of confident energy and exquisite sensitivity, the Jerusalem Quartet has garnered international acclaim for its rare blend of passion and precision. The group is a record three-time recipient of BBC Music Magazine’s Chamber Music Award for its recordings of Mozart (2012), Haydn (2010) and Shostakovich (2007).
Building on a heritage of impressive Japanese jazz pianists, musician/composer Hiromi propels this tradition forward into the future. Since the 2003 release of her debut album Another Mind, Hiromi has electrified audiences and critics around the world with her creative energy. Encompassing and eclipsing the boundaries of jazz, classical and pop parameters, she takes improvisation and composition to new heights of complexity and sophistication.
Boasting a natural warmth and a fierce commitment to the transforming, communicative power of music, Dawn Upshaw is known around the globe as a beloved singer of opera and concert repertoire ranging from the sacred works of Bach to fresh contemporary sounds. Her ability to reach to the heart of music and text has earned her both the devotion of an exceptionally diverse audience and many prestigious awards.
Grammy award-winning violinist Augustin Hadelich mesmerizes audiences with his phenomenal technique, poetic sensitivity and gorgeous tone. He brings a consistently fresh energy to his traditional repertoire, from Bach and Beethoven to Ligeti and Adès. Hadelich has appeared with every major orchestra and chamber orchestra in the U.S.
British choreographer Wayne McGregor has an almost scientific approach to movement, using his deep knowledge of how bodies move to skillfully and elegantly arrange dancers in breathtaking configurations. In Atomos, an athletic, sculptural modern dance performance, an ensemble of 10 artists mesmerizingly “atomizes” across the stage to a neoclassical score from ambient music duo A Winged Victory for the Sullen. Ethereal lighting, film, 3-D effects and costumes featuring wearable technology enhance this memorable performance, thrusting us into the future of dance.
Called “a rite of passage in the DC-area dance community” by The Washington Post, the Choreographers’ Showcase is one of the longest-running showcases of new and established choreographers in the country. Presented in partnership with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, the showcase has been inspiring dance audiences and building the regional dance community since 1983.
Undergraduate TDPS Dance students present a concert of original choreography. The program includes new works created and/or performed by undergraduate students as they explore their choreographic voice and vision, plus pieces developed throughout the year by guest choreographers.
