All concerts begin at 8:00 pm in Calvin's Fine Arts Center Auditorium

Friday, September 24, 2004 Ensemble Español*
Flamenco Passion: Spanish Dance in America, Dame Libby Komaiko, director

Now in its twenty-eighth season, Ensemble Español is the premier Spanish dance troupe in the United States, with a vast repertoire including innovative Spanish ballets, traditional folkloric suites, and fiery Flamenco dramas from the Renaissance through the twenty-first century. The group’s founder and artistic director, Dame Libby Komaiko, is the first American artist to be decorated with Spain’s highest honor—“Lazo de Dame”—by Juan Carlos I, King of Spain, for her artistic, cultural, and educational work throughout the United States. In August 2003 she was given the Ruth Page Award on the Pavilion stage of the Ravinia Festival. The ensemble’s multimedia performances celebrate the history of Spanish dance and promote cultural exchange through dance, art, culture, and education.

Friday, October 29, 2004 Michigan Sings!*
Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Dr. Joseph Flummerfelt, conductor; with the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra and select choirs

Featuring a combined choir from four colleges—Calvin, Grand Valley State University, Western Michigan University, and Central Michigan University—Michigan Sings! brings together a nationally recognized guest conductor and a stellar regional professional orchestra. Dr. Joseph Flummerfelt, a world-renowned conductor and master teacher, was named Conductor of the Year 2004 by Musical America. He conducted the Westminster Choir in the closing Artist Series concert last season prior to his retirement after thirty-three years at Westminster. For nearly seventy-five years the Grand Rapids Symphony has been actively involved in the artistic life of West Michigan through community outreach, performance, and education, gaining national recognition for the quality of its work. This concert is held in conjunction with the Michigan Choral Directors Association’s annual convention.

Saturday, November 20, 2004 L.A. Guitar Quartet

As one of the premier instrumental ensembles in the United States today, the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (LAGQ) has surprised and thrilled concertgoers across the country. Each member—John Dearman, William Kanengiser, Scott Tennant, and Andrew York—brings his own virtuosity, talent, and high energy to the group, producing a stellar performance that draws audiences into a whole new concert experience. Their repertoire is broadly diverse, including Bach, Tchaikovsky, Bizet, Stravinsky, Led Zeppelin, Chet Atkins, and Count Basie. Often, the quartet uses its own masterful arrangements and compositions. The LAGQ concert promises an evening of superlative enjoyment for concertgoers by destroying preconceived notions of classical musicians and bringing a spirit of delight to the music. When they play together, the sound is like one large instrument—full, rich, and deep.

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 Boston Camerata*
New Britain: The Roots of American Folksong, Joel Cohen, director

In its fiftieth year—forty of them under Joel Cohen as director—the Boston Camerata continues to enthrall audiences with performances of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music. Noted for its technical virtuosity as well as the mystical/spiritual quality of its performances, the Boston Camerata plays for audiences seeking intellectual satisfaction and uplifting spiritual fulfillment alike. Joel Cohen, an accomplished instrumentalist and vocalist, has received the Erwin Bodky Award in early music and the Signet Society Medal from Harvard. He is a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of the French Republic and a recipient of the Georges Longy Achievement Award. The ensemble is imbued with his energy, creativity, and commitment to bringing old music forms to life.

Thursday, March 31, 2005 Richard Goode

Called “the pianist’s pianist,” Richard Goode brings unparalleled intelligence and sensitivity to the concert stage. While his thorough understanding of the music is obvious, the depth of passion in his performance is entirely as evident. Yet he is able to achieve a more-than-satisfying balance between the cerebral and the passionate. Mr. Goode is simply an outstanding musician, polished and exciting. He has performed in major cities in the United States and around the world, including Europe and Japan. He draws his repertoire from works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, Schubert, and Schumann and has the ability to “become one” with the composer in his interpretation. He is best known as a virtuosic performer of Beethoven and Mozart. As a recording artist with Nonesuch, he has received high acclaim for his set of the complete Beethoven piano sonatas, first released in 1993.

~ Added Concert Opportunity ~

Friday, February 4, 2005 Lizz Wright, Jazz Artist

Buoyed by her southern gospel roots and an ensemble of A-list musicians, Lizz Wright's soulful interpretations and original melodies confirm her as the next big thing in jazz. The Associated Press named her Verve Records debut, Salt, among the best albums of 2003, and critics buzz with comparisons to the greats. Wright has the ability to perform anything from jazz to blues, to pop, and to own everything she sings. In cooperation with the Student Activities Office, we offer this additional concert opportunity. If you are a patron or season ticket holder to the Artist Series, you may request your same seats. Please call the Box Office by December 15, 2004 at (616) 526-6282.

All concerts begin at 8:00 pm in Calvin's Fine Arts Center Auditorium

Additional information about:
The Artist Series, call: (616) 526-6800
Master Classes or Workshops, call: (616) 526-8804

*Partner Organizations for Master Classes or Workshops

Ensemble Español ~ Calvin College Dance Department and Grand Rapids Public Schools

Michigan Sings! ~ Michigan Choral Directors Association, Calvin College, Central Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, Western Michigan University, and the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra

Boston Camerata ~ Calvin College Department of Music