Nick Foti ’19 offers his selection of events and activities to check out this weekend. Browse, discover, and share upcoming events on the University Events Calendar by logging in with your University NetID. The calendar features a variety of events at all campuses, including the River Campus, Eastman School, Memorial Art Gallery, and Medical Center.
#1: Watch Eastman faculty pianist perform
Eastman School of Music’s Faculty Artist Series will present Marina Lomazov, a professor of piano, on Saturday, December 8. Called “dazzling” by the New York Times and applauded by the Salt Lake City Tribune as a “diva of the piano,” the Ukrainian-American pianist has established herself as one of the most passionate and charismatic performers on the concert scene today. The program will feature Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition with additional works by Alexander Scriabin, John Fitz Rogers, and Nikolai Kapustin. Tickets are $10 for general admission and free to University ID holders and current series subscribers. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m., in Kilbourn Hall.
#2: Get tickets to ‘Battle of the Bands’ to help build a school in Kenya
**EVENT CANCELLED**Humans for Education, a nonprofit run by a group of University students, and the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Council, will host a Battle of the Bands fundraiser on Friday, December 7. Competing groups include Vocal Point, No Jackets Required, and Rochester Institute of Technology’s Encore. All proceeds support Humans for Education’s effort to build its next school in Kenya. Tickets are $15 for students, and $20 for faculty, staff and community members. Tickets can be purchased online. The event begins at 7 p.m. in Strong Auditorium.
#3: Visit College Town for holiday fun and shopping
Experience some free family entertainment at College Town at its “Deck the Town,” this Saturday, December 8. Bring the kids for a visit for with Santa Claus, hosted at the Barnes & Noble bookstore, or take a ride on the horse-drawn wagons around the shopping plaza. There will be a hot chocolate station, face painting, balloon mania, and kettle corn. Also look out for a ice sculpture demonstration from 4 to 5 p.m. and enjoy performances by University a cappella groups The YellowJackets and Trebellious. Make plans to visit, shop, or dine at College Town. The event runs from 4 to 7 p.m.
#4: Catch play by celebrated British playwright Alice Birch
The International Theatre Program continues its production of Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again, on Thursday, December 6, through Saturday, December 8, at Todd Theater. The play written by Alice Birch—one of Britain’s most celebrated young playwrights—is about the ways in which the words we use to talk about love, sex, and daily life shape the behavior, expectations of and relationships with women. The production is guest directed by New York City-based director Christina Roussos. Read more about her experience working with Rochester students. The performances begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Tickets are $8 for Rochester students, $12 for alumni, faculty, staff, and seniors (65+), and $15 for the general public. Tickets may be purchased online at rochester.edu/theatre, or by calling (585) 275-4088. Tickets may also be purchased up to an hour before each performance at the box office.
#5: Hear ‘stories untold’ through classical compositions
The music department’s Chamber Orchestra and Concert Choir will perform in the concert titled “Stories Untold” on Saturday, December 8. Conducted by Rachel Waddell, the orchestra kicks off the program with “Suite Romane,” a piece by the female composer Fernande Decruck, who was active in the early to mid-20th century and known for her organ and saxophone works. This piece is her only orchestral work. The ensemble will also present Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 “Unfinished Symphony.” The concert choir, directed by Julie Covach, will then join the orchestra for a performance of Norwegian composer and pianist Ola Gjeilo’s “Sunrise Mass.” The piece is one of Gjeilo’s two major compositions, which he describes as a “metaphor for human development from child to adult, or as a spiritual journey.” Gjeilo resides in New York City and recently Skyped with both the orchestra and choir to help them prepare for the performance. The Chamber Orchestra features 40 student musicians and hosts four free concerts per year. The Concert Choir is a newly formed mixed ensemble of voices that performs a wide variety of choral repertoire for large chorus, including regular performances with our orchestras. The concert begins at 8 p.m., in Strong Auditorium. Admission is free.
