RELEASE: Violinist Elena Urioste and Pianist Gabriela Martinez to Play Duo Recital for Harriman-Jewell Series' 25th Free Discovery Concert

RELEASE: Pianist Jan Lisiecki to Play Free Discovery Concert for Harriman-Jewell Series

RELEASE: Incomparable Vocalist Bobby McFerrin to Sing Concert for Harriman-Jewell Series

RELEASE: Iconic Violinist Itzhak Perlman Returns to Kansas City for Tenth Harriman-Jewell Series Performance

RELEASE: Mezzo-Soprano, Tara Erraught to Perform American Recital Debut Presented by the Harriman-Jewell Series

RELEASE: China National Symphony Orchestra to Perform at the Kauffman Center, Presented by the Harriman-Jewell Series

RELEASE: Cantus, Premier Men's Vocal Ensemble, to Perform at the Folly Theater Presented by the Harriman-Jewell Series

RELEASE: The Black Watch and Band of the Scots Guards, Presented by the Harriman-Jewell Series at the Kauffman Center

RELEASE: Young-Star Soprano Danielle de Niese Returns to Kansas City and the Harriman-Jewell Series

RELEASE: 'Swan Lake' To Be Danced By the Russian National Ballet Theatre, Presented By the Harriman-Jewell Series

RELEASE: Tenor Michael Fabiano to Sing His American Recital Debut as a Part of the Harriman-Jewell Series

RELEASE: Mezzo-Soprano Joyce DiDonato Returns to Hometown for Fifth Harriman-Jewell Series Performance

RELEASE: Pianist Conrad Tao Returns to Kansas City for a Fourth Harriman-Jewell Series Appearance in a Free Discovery Concert

RELEASE: Identical Twin Pianists to Perform Free Discovery Concert Presented by the Harriman-Jewell Series

RELEASE: National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba to Make Its American Concert Debut as a Part of the Harriman-Jewell Series' 48th Season

RELEASE: Ballet Folklorico de Mexico to Celebrate Its 60th Anniversary In Spectacular Presentation of Music, Dance, and Pageantry

RELEASE: Mark Morris Dance Group to Return to Harriman-Jewell Series for a Third Performance and Two Free Educational Events

Elena Urioste, Violinist, and Gabriela Martinez, Pianist | Free Discovery Concert
7:00 p.m. Friday, Jun 7, 2013, Folly Theater
Free Discovery Concert

This Discovery Concert is free to the public. "Print at home" online tickets will become available starting two months before the event.

American violinist Elena Urioste, featured on the cover of Symphony magazine as an emerging artist to watch, has been praised by critics for her lush tone, the nuanced lyricism of her playing, and her commanding stage presence. Urioste's debut performances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2010 were praised by three separate critics for their "hypnotic delicacy," "expressive poise," and "lyrical sensitivity." Since she first appeared with the Philadelphia Orchestra at age 13, she has made acclaimed debuts with major orchestras throughout the United States, including the Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, and the Boston Pops.

Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Martinez has been lauded by The New York Times as "compelling, elegant, and incisive," and has quickly established a reputation as a versatile artist who combines "panache and poetry" (Dallas Morning News) with a "sense of grace and clarity" (The Star Ledger). Martinez has won numerous national and international prizes and awards. Her most recent accomplishments include first prize and audience award at the Anton G. Rubinstein International Piano Competition in Dresden.

The intent behind the Harriman-Jewell Series Discovery Concerts is to introduce excellence and artistry to new audiences by eliminating the barrier of cost. The free events begin at 7 p.m. to better accommodate the schedules of families with children. Please tell friends about this free concert.

Emanuel Ax, pianist in recital
8:00 p.m. Saturday, September 22, 2012, Folly Theater
Great Masters: The Ingram Events

Emanuel Ax is a beloved giant among performing artists of our day. The pianist has played for the Harriman-Jewell Series 11 times, most recently in October 2010 for a benefit recital in memory of the Series' late founder, Richard Harriman. Ax captured public attention in 1974 when he won the first Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition in Tel Aviv. In 1975 he won the Michaels Award of Young Concert Artists followed four years later by the coveted Avery Fisher Prize. The Washington Post music critic declared that "Ax is an extremely satisfying pianist; he is at home in a wide variety of music and his pianism is always thoughtful, lyrical, lustrous."

Ballet Folklórico de México
8:00 p.m. Friday, October 12, 2012, Helzberg Hall
Great Music and Dance

The Los Angeles Times' praised Ballet Folklórico de México's performance as "Passionate...impeccable...an unequaled point of entry to the riches of a fabulous culture." Critics and audiences adore this premier folk company for its music, technical perfection, sophisticated wardrobe and original choreographies. Starting from the 1960s, Amalia Hernández and the Ballet Folklórico de México have created 40 ballets, comprised of 76 folk dances. International success was achieved during the first tours and has been maintained through more than 50 years of continuous artistic endeavors.

National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba
7:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 16, 2012, Helzberg Hall
Great Music and Dance     
   
This presentation is history in the making: the Series will host the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba's debut concert of its first American tour. Since its inception in 1960, the orchestra has introduced Cuban and Latin American music through tours to several countries including Russia, Poland, Yugoslavia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Spain, Peru and Argentina. The planned program includes Gershwin's Cuban Overture and Rhapsody in Blue, Lecuona's La Comparsa, and Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4. Cuban pianist Nachito Herrera will perform as soloist.

Conrad Tao, pianist in recital
3:00 p.m. Sunday, November 4, 2012, Folly Theater
Free Discovery Concert

Print-at-home tickets will become available two months ahead of this Discovery Concert. (Limit: four tickets per household.)

Conrad Tao played his first Discovery Concert for the Series in 2008 at the age of 14 and is the first Discovery artist to play a return recital. In addition to Tao's 2008 recital, he has performed twice for the Series: first for founder Richard Harriman's 75th birthday celebration in 2007 and then in 2010 for Harriman's memorial service. Hailed by Harris Goldsmith for Musical America as "the most exciting prodigy to ever come my way," the Illinois-born pianist is a Gilmore Young Artist, an honor awarded every two years to single out the most promising of the new generation of United States pianists.

The intent behind the Harriman-Jewell Series Discovery Concerts is to introduce excellence and artistry to new audiences by eliminating the barrier of cost. The free events begin at 7 p.m. to better accommodate the schedules of families with children. Please tell friends about this free concert.

Joyce DiDonato, mezzo-soprano, and
Il Complesso Barocco, chamber orchestra
8:00 p.m. Friday, November 16, 2012, Folly Theater
Great Masters: The Ingram Events

Wherever she sings, Joyce DiDonato earns rhapsodic reviews. Called the "flame-toned American mezzo" by London's Daily Telegraph, DiDonato is among the world's most enchanting performers. The acclaimed mezzo will return to sing her fifth recital for the Series in her hometown. Her last appearance was on her birthday in 2011. Kansas City Star reviewer Timothy McDonald wrote that the recital "surpassed the hopes and expectations of even the most ardent fans of one of the world's most successful and popular singers." DiDonato, a Prairie Village, Kan., native, has been a sensation on all of the world's major stages.

Michael Fabiano, tenor in recital
8:00 p.m. Saturday, January 19, 2013, Folly Theater
Great Masters: The Ingram Events

Considered one of the most important young talents in the world today, A Wall Street Journal critic wrote that "tenor Michael Fabiano…shows why he is in such demand in the big opera houses." A Grand Prize winner of the 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Mr. Fabiano is prominently featured in "The Audition," the internationally released documentary about the competition. Fabiano previously performed in 2010 at the memorial service for Series founder Richard Harriman.

The Pipes and Drums of the Black Watch 3rd Battalion,
the Royal Regiments of Scotland and
the Band of the Scots Guards
7:30 p.m. Saturday, February 16, 2013, Muriel Kauffman Theatre
Great Music and Dance

The legendary pipes, drums and highland dancers of Scotland's Black Watch will join forces with the Band of the Scots Guards for a celebration of four nations: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. This performance will feature bagpipes, traditional military marches, drum solos, Celtic dancing and beloved songs. The event promises a spectacular evening of pageantry and excitement for the entire family.

Itzhak Perlman, violinist in recital
7:00 p.m. Saturday, April 20, 2013, Helzberg Hall
Great Masters: The Ingram Events

The iconic violinist was first presented by the Harriman-Jewell Series in 1971; the event will mark Itzhak Perlman's 10th recital for the Series. Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, he is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry, but also to the irrepressible joy of his music-making. For his previous Series recital in 2008, the Kansas City Star reviewer wrote, "Perlman comes from a line of violin virtuosos like Jascha Heifetz and Fritz Kreisler, technically astute performers that engage their audiences and their music with a rich, warm tone and an incredibly sweet sound."

Bobby McFerrin, vocalist in concert
8:00 p.m. Friday, April 26, 2013, Helzberg Hall
Great Music and Dance

"Everybody sings along, and a song becomes a thousand songs.

Listening to Bobby McFerrin sing may be hazardous to your preconceptions; side effects may include unparalleled joy and a sudden, irreversible urge to lead a more spontaneous existence. Ten-time Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin will always be the guy who sang Don't Worry, Be Happy, but his "greatest gift to audiences may be transforming a concert hall into a playground, a village center, a joyous space (The LA Times)." What Bobby McFerrin does is not an act; it's spontaneous invention. Bobby's legendary solo vocal performances have dazzled audiences all over the world and sent them home singing. With his new project, SpiritYouAll, Bobby pays homage to his father (the opera singer Robert McFerrin, Sr) and the generations of Americans who sang of our shared joy and pain through the songs commonly known as the Negro Spirituals.

Jan Lisiecki, pianist in recital
7:00 p.m. Friday, May 10, 2013, Folly Theater
Free Discovery Concert

Print-at-home tickets will become available two months ahead of this Discovery Concert. (Limit: four tickets per household.)

Born in Calgary in 1995, Jan Lisiecki had his orchestral debut at the age of 9. He has since performed as a soloist more than 100 times with orchestras in Canada and internationally. BBC Music Magazine has called Lisiecki "perhaps the most 'complete' pianist of his age." He has played at Carnegie Hall, the Warsaw Philharmonic Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Centre, and Salle Cortot and has shared the stage with Emanuel Ax, James Ehnes, Yo-Yo Ma, and Pinchas Zukerman. He has played throughout Canada, in China, England, France, Germany, Guatemala, Italy, Japan, Korea, Poland, and Scotland.

The intent behind the Harriman-Jewell Series Discovery Concerts is to introduce excellence and artistry to new audiences by eliminating the barrier of cost. The free events begin at 7 p.m. to better accommodate the schedules of families with children. Please tell friends about this free concert.

Rescheduled: Cantus, vocal ensemble
7:30 p.m Thursday, May 16, 2013, Folly Theater
Great Masters: The Ingram Events

The Cantus performance, originally scheduled for February 21, was postponed due to extreme weather conditions. Recognized as the "premier men's vocal ensemble in the United States" by Fanfare, Cantus will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 16 at the Folly Theater (300 W. 12th St.), in downtown Kansas City, Mo. Tickets to the postponed concert will be good for the rescheduled date; however, updated tickets will also be mailed to ticket holders.

Recognized as the "premier men's vocal ensemble in the United States" by Fanfare, Cantus enjoys a vigorous schedule of national tours, subscription concerts in its home of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, educational outreach programs, and recording. The Washington Post hails the ensemble's sound as having both "exalting finesse" and "expressive power," and refers to their music-making as "spontaneous grace." The ensemble is known for adventurous programming spanning many periods and genres, including chant, Renaissance music, contemporary works, art song, folk, spirituals, world music, and pop.