Jay Leno, The Wailin' Jennys, Los Angeles Master Chorale & More Set for Musco Center 24-25 Season

The Marybelle and Sebastian P. Musco Center for the Arts at Chapman University has announced its striking 2024-25 Musco Center Presents Season, featuring Jay Leno, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and more, along with the return of beloved favorites such as the annual Heartbeat of Mexico festival and Pacific Symphony's Symphony in the Cities.

The Chapman University community and Musco Center Circle of Friends members can purchase tickets beginning Wednesday, July 10 at 10AM PDT. General sales begin Friday, July 12 at 10AM PDT.

The vibrant season kicks off with An Evening with Jay Leno, legendary stand-up comedian and acclaimed host of the #1-rated “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”. Widely characterized as “the hardest working man in show business”, Leno continues to perform more than 100 stand-up shows annually across the country and internationally.

Another dazzling highlight of the new season is this year's Marybelle Musco Contemporary Dance Series, originally envisioned by and named for the center's co-founding benefactor, Marybelle Musco. This season's series features acclaimed professional dance companies Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Doug Varone and Dancers. All three companies will not only perform, but also engage with Chapman University performing arts students through the highly anticipated, immersive Leap of Art Residencies.

The Musco Center Presents Season at Chapman University runs from August 2024 through March 2025 with a diverse roster of artists and groups from the worlds of jazz, contemporary dance, classical, mariachi, and comedy. Special events include the immensely popular community arts festival Heartbeat of Mexico, the magnificent holiday spirit of Los Angeles Master Chorale's Festival of Carols, and folk-roots group The Wailin' Jennys, back after last year's stirring, sold-out show.

General sales for Musco Center 2024-25 begin Fri, July 12 at 10 AM. Build your own subscription -- Buy 3, get 15% off, Buy 4, get 20% off, Buy 5, get 25% off. To purchase tickets or obtain more information on the season, visit muscocenter.org.

Musco Center and Pacific Symphony present

Symphony in the Cities

Sun, Aug 4 | 7:00 PM

Gates 4:30 | Pre-Concert Activities 5:30 PM

Wrap up a beautiful summer day with an outdoor symphony beneath the stars. Pack a picnic, grab a lawn chair or blanket, and gather the whole family for an evening of free music and fun, featuring popular classics, modern favorites, and patriotic tunes!

Join us for a pre-concert Musical Playground with interactive and hands-on activities for children, including instrument making, a drum circle, and a conducting lesson with Maestro St.Clair.

An Evening with Jay Leno

Sat, Aug 24 | 7:30 PM

Acclaimed TV late night show host, admired stand-up comedian, best-selling children's book author, much-in-demand corporate speaker, TV and movie voice-over artist, pioneering car builder and mechanic, and philanthropist…Jay Leno is widely characterized as “the hardest working man in show business.”

Jay Leno's late night television ratings domination included two decades as the host of the #1-rated “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” – after the first two years Jay Leno never lost a single ratings year in which he served as host.

When he's not on TV, Leno performs more than 100 stand-up shows annually across the country and internationally.

In collaboration with Chapman University's Latinx Staff and Faculty Forum

Heartbeat of Mexico Free Family Festival

Sun, Sep 8 | 12:00 PM-7:00 PM

Gates 11:00 AM

From Aztec dancers to spectacular mariachi, the Heartbeat of Mexico Festival has been celebrating Mexican and Mexican-American culture and arts with thousands of community members for the past seven years.

With two stages, a program jam-packed with music and dance, community organizations, live painting, and crafts, there is something for everyone to join in the festivities!

Get comfortable with lawn chairs and picnic blankets! Food will be for sale on site.

Mariachi Herencia de México

Fri, Sep 13 | 7:30 PM

“Simultaneously honoring the past, celebrating the present, and creating the future of regional Mexican music” -- Tejano Nation Digital

Mariachi Herencia are paving the way for a new wave of mariachi musicians in the United States, representing a bicultural generation that is preserving the historic traditions of mariachi while embracing the endless evolution of the genre.

The 2x Latin GRAMMY-nominated band from Chicago has issued five chart-topping albums and has performed across the North American continent. Nuestra Herencia, their 2017 debut album, topped the Latin streaming charts and earned the band their first Latin GRAMMY-nomination for Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album and their 2022 release, Herederos, received a 2023 Latin GRAMMY nomination for Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

Fri, Sep 20 | 7:30 PM
Leap of Art Residency

"Hubbard Street Dance Chicago ought to bottle itself as a cure for the ills of the era"

-- The New York Times

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is a crowd-pleasing, high-flying ensemble that has opened up a world of human movement, forever changing our understanding of what is possible for the body and soul.  The company is critically acclaimed for its exuberant and innovative repertoire, featuring works by master American and international choreographers, and their breathtaking performances are enjoyed around the world.

On top of touring nationwide and internationally, Hubbard Street continues to pursue its mission of ensuring that everyone has access to world-class dance and instruction through their renowned program, HSDC Education.

The company will perform a mixed repertoire.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Fri, Sep 27 | 7:30 PM

“The past and promise of American music” -- Rolling Stone

Joyful, timeless, and guaranteed to bring the house down, Preservation Hall Jazz Band (PHJB) is on a mission to keep the art of New Orleans jazz alive, one foot-tapping performance at a time.

PHJB taps into New Orleans' rich musical past and vibrant present, from its Afro-Cuban roots to its common ancestry with the Afrobeat of Fela Kuti and the Fire Music of Pharoah Sanders and John Coltrane, and forward to cutting-edge artists with whom they have shared festival stages from Coachella to Newport, including legends like Stevie Wonder and modern giants like the Black Keys, Beck, and the Foo Fighters.

  

Dance Theatre of Harlem

Thurs, Oct 24 | 7:30 PM

Leap of Art Residency

“...A testament to the sheer brilliance and boundless talent of Black dancers in the world of ballet” -- Caribbean American Weekly

Now a singular presence in the ballet world and a beacon for dancers worldwide, the Dance Theatre of Harlem Company presents a powerful vision for modern day ballet that celebrates co-founder Arthur Mitchell's belief that ballet belongs to everyone.

Dance Theatre of Harlem touring company travels nationally and internationally, carrying forward the message of empowerment through the arts for all, and has earned global acclaim for its community engagement, artistic innovation and multi-cultural inclusivity.

Dance Theatre of Harlem will perform a mixed repertoire of representative works by George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Robert Garland, and other innovative contemporary works.

Los Angeles Master Chorale | Festival of Carols

Tues, Dec 17 | 7:30 PM

“Stunning … their voices soared to the heavens.” --Sydney Morning Herald

Rejoice in the holiday season with Los Angeles Master Chorale's Festival of Carols, featuring magnificent arrangements of traditional carols spanning the globe, alongside contemporary classics sung with the virtuosity and flair only the LA Master Chorale can deliver.

Praised as “the finest-by-far major chorus in America” (LA Times) the LA Master Chorale is a vibrant cultural treasure hailed for its powerful performances, technical precision, and artistic daring. The Chorale is a founding resident company of The Music Center and choir-in-residence at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

This family-friendly celebration, suitable for children aged six and older, brings the whole community together during this special time of year.

Doug Varone and Dancers

Sat, Feb 1 | 7:30 PM

Leap of Art Residency

“...A message of community, defiance, and resilience in a world recoiling and rebounding”

-- CultureMap Dallas

Doug Varone and Dancers' artistic investigations dig deep into the storytelling of human nature, engaging in dialogue with diverse audiences and creative communities globally. Their deeply emotional and technically versatile work has earned them the reputation of one of the most respected dance companies working today.

The company explores the creative vision of choreographer and director Doug Varone and his artistic collaborators, and for thirty years their impressive body of work has proven their devotion to the humanity and virtuosity of dance, and affirmed an expansive legacy encompassing dance, theatre, opera, and film.

 

Juilliard String Quartet

Thurs, Feb 27 | 7:30 PM

Leap of Art Residency

“Endlessly agile” -- The New York Times

With unparalleled artistry and enduring vigor, the Juilliard String Quartet (JSQ) continues to inspire audiences around the world. Founded in 1946 and hailed by The Boston Globe as “the most important American quartet in history,” the ensemble draws on a deep and vital engagement to the classics, while embracing the mission of championing new works, a vibrant combination of the familiar and the daring.

JSQ brings together the profound understanding and elegant musicality of its four members, Areta Zhulla (violin), Ronald Copes (violin), Molly Carr (viola), and Astrid Schween (cello), into one effortlessly unified and exquisite musical experience.

The Wailin' Jennys

Sun, Mar 9 | 7:30 PM

"Quiet, warm, subtle, mellifluous, almost too good to be true" – The Independent

Back on the Musco stage after last year's soul-stirring, sold-out show, The Wailin' Jennys continue to create and perform some of the most exciting music on the folk-roots scene, consistently thrilling audiences with their breathtaking signature harmonies, impressive instrumental prowess, and sophisticated arrangements.

From a fortuitous one-time-only performance at a tiny guitar shop in Winnipeg, Manitoba to becoming one of today's most beloved international folk acts, the three distinct yet enchantingly unified voices of Nicky Mehta, Ruth Moody, and Heather Masse remain both warmly intimate and achingly universal.

College of Performing Arts Ensembles to be Featured

Each season, Chapman University's College of Performing Arts (CoPA) produces more than 100 shows and concerts as part of the pre-professional curriculum in dance, music, and theatre, with CoPA students taking advantage of Musco Center's technologically sophisticated space to stage some of these events. For the 2024-25 Season, CoPA is thrilled to present an exciting range of affordable, high-caliber entertainment.

CoPA events at Musco Center include The Chapman Orchestra (October 4), Chapman Wind Symphony (October 11), Chapman Big Band & Jazz Combo (October 31), The Chapman Orchestra (November 8), Chapman University Wind Symphony (November 9), University Choir & Treble Choir (November 14), Fall Faculty Dance Concert (November 21 and November 22), Holiday Wassail (December 6 and December 7), Musical: Ride The Cyclone (February 20-22), Chapman Wind Symphony (March 8), The Chapman Orchestra (March 14), University Choir & Singers (April 4), Spring Opera (April 25 and April 27), Spring Dance Concert (May 9 and May 10), and the 49th Annual Sholund Scholarship Concert (May 17).

All CoPA events at Musco Center and other venues across Chapman University's campus will go on sale in September of 2024.

ABOUT MUSCO CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Since its opening in March 2016, Marybelle and Sebastian P. Musco Center for the Arts at Chapman University has taken its place among the nation's top university arts education and performance venues, offering students and distinguished faculty the opportunity to achieve the highest standard of arts-related education through hands-on, real-world production and performance experience. At Musco Center, the surrounding community enjoys student productions and visiting artists and companies that perform opera, theatre, touring dance, symphonies, chamber music, jazz, and more.

For more information about Musco Center, a full schedule of events and to purchase tickets, visit www.muscocenter.org.

ABOUT MARYBELLE MUSCO CONTEMPORARY DANCE SERIES

Chapman University's Marybelle and Sebastian P. Musco Center for the Arts has created a new contemporary dance series envisioned by and named for the center's co-founding benefactor, Marybelle Musco.

Says Marybelle Musco, “I proposed this series as a celebration of contemporary dance, showcasing prestigious companies that provide platforms for innovative choreography and performance. In addition to performances by these world-class dance companies, the series will also incorporate workshops and classes for Chapman students, offering unique opportunities for our aspiring dancers to learn from these distinguished professionals in the field.”

ABOUT LEAP OF ART RESIDENCIES

Musco Center Leap of Art Residencies allow performing artists to further engage with the Chapman University community through supplementary activities across campus, including guest-instructed classes for a variety of academic departments and speaking in community panel discussions. Often innovators in their fields, residency artists speak on topics of special interest to Chapman University and its scholarship.

ABOUT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university located in Southern California. Chapman is categorized by the Carnegie Classification as an R2 “high research activity” institution and offers personalized education to more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The campus has produced a Rhodes Scholar, been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, and hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest and most prestigious Honor Society. Based in the city of Orange, Chapman also includes the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine. In 2019, the university opened its 11th college, Fowler School of Engineering, in its newest facility, Keck Center for Science and Engineering. Learn more about Chapman University: www.chapman.edu.

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