Celebrity Series Of Boston Announces 2022/23 Season

The Celebrity Series of Boston announces its 2022/23 season today, marking 84 years of bringing touring and local performing artists to Boston. In this new season, audiences will find a diverse and dazzling array of artists in one of the Series' largest seasons ever. Expanded programming offers audiences new venues to explore, artist debuts, beloved returning artists, and in-person and streaming options for both the ticketed and free Neighborhood Arts events.

With classical music and contemporary/jazz curated by guest programmers Hanako Yamaguchi and Bobby Asher, and dance programmed by Celebrity Series Chief Operating Officer Karen Brown, respectively, this season spans genres with new artists and returning favorites.

Special festivals return-Stave Sessions, this season at the Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre, and the Celebrity Series Jazz Festival at Artists For Humanity EpiCenter in South Boston. Series audiences will be welcomed back to Sanders Theatre, NEC's Jordan Hall, and NEC's Plimpton Shattuck Black Box Theatre for the first time since 2020. Streaming concerts from GBH's Calderwood Studio, and select events at NEC's Jordan Hall, Longy's Pickman Hall, and Neighborhood Arts venues bring the concert hall into homes, continuing to offer audiences an unparalleled on demand viewing experience.

Gary Dunning, President and Executive Director of the Celebrity Series of Boston, says, "We are delighted that this will be the most diverse season Celebrity Series has seen in our 84-year history, which helps us to make real our commitment to support racial diversity and center equity, inclusion, and accessibility both on stage and behind the scenes as a key strategic goal for the organization. A mix of virtuosic performers will intrigue and inspire, with programs featuring both new and creative takes on the performing arts and reimagined favorites alongside commissioned new works and world premieres. From debut performers to familiar favorites, Celebrity Series remains committed to expanding our range and amplifying artists' voices."

Ticket Information

The pre-sale ticket period will begin on May 11, 2022 for donors of $100 and more; May 16 for renewing subscribers; and May 17 for new subscribers.

Public single tickets for performances go on sale August 23, 2022.

Purchasing tickets for three performances upgrades the ticket holder to subscriber status for the entire 2022/23 season. Subscribers enjoy benefits such as early access to seats before the general public, guaranteed pricing, advance notice of additional performances, and ticket exchange privileges.

Performance and ticketing updates may be found at celebrityseries.org.

Venues, artists, and programs are subject to change.

Venue Safety Information & Covid-19 Procedures

In the still evolving public health environment, the safety of audiences, artists, and staff remains a top priority. Celebrity Series of Boston's unwavering commitment to stellar customer service remains unchanged. Transparency and clarity guide audience communications, and ticket holders will receive timely details about ticket reservations and expected experiences in the venues. For more information about safety protocols, visit: celebrityseries.org/safety

Guest Programmers

This season, Celebrity Series invited guest programmers to curate the 2022/23 season during the search for a new artistic director. The search for a new artistic director is well underway, and Celebrity Series will make a formal announcement later this spring.

Programmers Hanako Yamaguchi, Bobby Asher, and Celebrity Series' Chief Operating Officer Karen Brown bring new ideas, new artists, and new works to the season-the largest slate of performances since the 2018/19 80th anniversary year.

Hanako Yamaguchi (classical music programming) is an independent arts professional who believes in the transformative power of the arts. She served as director of music programming at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and was a key leader in establishing a reputation for innovation and transformation of the performance experience. Hanako was a co-creator of Lincoln Center's White Light Festival and a force behind the revitalization of the Mostly Mozart Festival, as well as the artistic programmer of the Great Performers series.

Her current and recent projects include advising for Little Island, a public park in the Hudson River, and a special project with cellist Alisa Weilerstein, in addition to managing the WQXR Artist Propulsion Lab. Hanako serves on various grant and advisory panels and music competition juries. She is currently a board member of the International Society for the Performing Arts.

Bobby Asher (jazz, popular music, and Stave Sessions programming) is a performing arts curator whose work focuses on creating experiences that meaningfully connect with audiences and communities. He has served as director of Duke Performances, director of programming at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas in New Haven, CT, and at the University of Maryland's Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, presenting jazz, contemporary, popular, and chamber music as well as theatre, dance, and puppetry. Bobby was a member of the Association of Performing Arts Presenter's 2012 Leadership Development Institute cohort and the 2016 EMC Arts Leaders as Cultural Innovators cohort, and has served on numerous grant panels and committees in service to the field.

Karen Brown (dance programming) currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Celebrity Series of Boston. As a seasoned arts administrator, she oversees planning for performances and community engagement across a wide spectrum of genres including dance and classical, jazz and global music, with a special interest in producing outdoor public projects including Street Pianos Boston, Jazz Along the Charles, and Let's Dance Boston. Prior to her role at Celebrity Series, Karen served in program and artist management roles at Boston Symphony Orchestra's Tanglewood Music Center and in the Dance Division at IMG Artists. Karen has been a member of professional industry cohorts through the Association of Performing Arts Professionals' Emerging Leaders, National Dance Project's Regional Dance Development Initiative, and other industry affiliations. She currently contributes to her local arts community as board chair of Arlington Center for the Arts. She spends many nights backstage and in the seats of concert venues all over Boston, and delights in experiencing a warm standing ovation at the end of a memorable performance.

Artist Debuts

Artist debuts in the 2022/23 season include violinist María Dueñas in her Boston debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic; conductor Kirill Petrenko in his Boston debut leading the Berliner Philharmoniker; Jessica Vosk in her Boston concert debut; the Boston recital debut of pianist Seong-Jin Cho; the Boston debut of Britain's Chineke! Orchestra with conductor Andrew Grams and pianist Stewart Goodyear; A.I.M by Kyle Abraham in its Celebrity Series debut with a new dance work co-commissioned by Celebrity Series; Junction Trio in its Celebrity Series debut; Artemis in its Celebrity Series debut; jazz pianist Hiromi in her Celebrity Series debut; and jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon in her Celebrity Series debut.

Stave Sessions artists making their Celebrity Series debuts are beatboxer Dominic "Shodekeh" Talifero, contemporary music ensemble Wild Up, guitarist Yasmin Williams, and jazz pianist Craig Taborn. Stave Sessions is generously sponsored by Susan & Michael Thonis. Support provided by the Barr Foundation through its ArtsAmplified initiative.

The Debut Series continues for the 10th year at Longy's Pickman Hall with performances by pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, pianist Martin Helmchen, violinist Alexi Kenney, soprano Fatma Said in her U.S. recital debut with guitarist Rafael Aguirre, bass-baritone Davóne Tines and pianist Adam Nielsen, and the Aizuri Quartet. The 2022/23 Debut Series is generously sponsored by Harriet & David Griesinger and the Longy School of Music of Bard College.

2022/23 Subscription Series Performances

The 2022/23 season is sponsored by Amy & Joshua Boger.

Maria Schneider Orchestra brings Data Lords, a profound statement on the tension between our dystopian digital environment and the natural world, to Sanders Theatre on Friday, October 7, 2022 at 8pm. This performance is sponsored by an anonymous donor.

Chucho Valdés brings The Creation with the Yoruban Orchestra, Hilario Durán & John Beasley in his new project examining the Regla de Ocha story of creation, from the Afro-Cuban religious practice Santería. The performance is Friday, October 14, 2022 at 8pm at the Berklee Performance Center.

Broadway star Jessica Vosk makes her Boston concert debut in My Golden Age on Friday, October 21, 2022 at 8pm at Symphony Hall. Jessica Vosk is presented in loving memory of Bill Casey.

Los Angeles Philharmonic returns to Symphony Hall under the baton of conductor Gustavo Dudamel on Sunday, October 23, 2022 at 5pm. They will perform Mahler's Symphony No. 1 and a newly commissioned work by Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz featuring Spanish violinist María Dueñas in her Boston debut. This performance is sponsored by Stephanie L. Brown Foundation.

Mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie Von Otter and pianist Kristian Bezuidenhout perform in recital on Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 8pm at NEC's Jordan Hall. This performance is An Aaron Richmond Recital, endowed by Nancy Richmond Winsten and the late Dr. Joseph Winsten.

Berliner Philharmoniker returns with the Boston debut of music director Kirill Petrenko and violin soloist Noah Bendix-Balgley on Sunday, November 13, 2022 at 8pm at Symphony Hall. Program: Andrew Norman's "Unstuck;" Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 1; Korngold's Symphony.

A.I.M by Kyle Abraham performs Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth, a new dance work
co-commissioned by Celebrity Series on Friday-Saturday, November 18 & 19, 2022 at 8pm at Boch Center Shubert Theatre. The 2022/23 Dance Series is generously sponsored by Leslie & Howard Appleby, Stephanie L. Brown Foundation, and Royal Little Family Foundation.

What Makes It Great? with Rob Kapilow brings Inventing America Part 1: The Songs of Irving Berlin: An American Voice for Popular Music with commentator Rob Kapilow and vocalist Michael Winther on Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 3pm at Calderwood Studio at GBH Boston. This performance will also be available on demand. This performance is sponsored by Amy & Joshua Boger.

Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson makes his Boston debut as part of the Debut Series on Tuesday, November 29, 2022 at 8pm at Longy's Pickman Hall. The program places works from Mozart's last decade in dialogue with pieces by Haydn, C.P.E. Bach, Cimarosa, and Galuppi. The 2022/23 Debut Series is generously sponsored by Harriet & David Griesinger and the Longy School of Music of Bard College.

NPR's Mountain Stage, hosted by Kathy Mattea and featuring Rosanne Cash, comes to Berklee Performance Center in a star-studded showcase on Sunday, December 4, 2022 at 7pm. Media Partner is WUMB.

Pianist Martin Helmchen makes his Boston recital debut in a program of Bach, Brahms, and R. Schumann on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 at 8pm at Longy's Pickman Hall as part of the Debut Series. This performance will also be available on demand. The 2022/23 Debut Series is generously sponsored by Harriet & David Griesinger and the Longy School of Music of Bard College. This performance is An Aaron Richmond Recital.

Soweto Gospel Choir returns with their new show, Hope: It's Been a Long Time Coming, on Friday, December 9, 2022 at 8pm at the Berklee Performance Center.

Junction Trio-violinist Stefan Jackiw, cellist Jay Campbell, and pianist Conrad Tao-perform arrangements of chant, madrigals, and a R. Schumann trio alongside a Celebrity Series co-commission, "Bells and Whistles" by Amy Williams on Saturday, December 10, 2022 at 8pm at NEC's Jordan Hall. This performance is sponsored by Susan & Michael Thonis.

Pianist Seong-Jin Cho makes his Boston recital debut in a program of Handel, Brahms, and R. Schumann on Sunday, December 11, 2022 at 3pm at NEC's Jordan Hall. This performance is An Aaron Richmond Recital.

Stefanie Batten Bland Company brings Look Who's Coming to Dinner, a modern-day theatrical dance piece that draws from the 1967 film of a similar name on Saturday & Sunday, January 14-15, 2023 at 8pm & 3pm at NEC's Plimpton Shattuck Black Box Theatre. Stefanie Batten Bland Company is sponsored by Susan & Michael Thonis, with additional support provided by the Amy Lam Fund for Creative Performance.

LaTasha Barnes brings together her collective of extraordinary dance artists and jazz musicians in The Jazz Continuum as they explore the parallel flourishing of jazz music and Black American social dance styles through the decades, Thursday-Saturday, January 19-21, 2023 at 8pm at NEC's Plimpton Shattuck Black Box Theatre. LaTasha Barnes is sponsored by Susan & Michael Thonis, with additional support provided by the Amy Lam Fund for Creative Performance.

Emerson String Quartet makes their final Boston concert appearance on Sunday, January 22, 2023 at 3pm at NEC's Jordan Hall. Program selections will be drawn from their recordings of quartets by Bartók, Shostakovich, Beethoven, along with the poignant Lyric for Strings by George Walker. This performance will also be available on demand. This performance is sponsored by Sally S. Seaver, PhD. This performance is An Aaron Richmond Recital.

Danish String Quartet returns to the Series with a program of quartets by Haydn and Shostakovich alongside Nordic folk tunes arranged by members of the ensemble on Friday, January 27, 2023 at 8pm at NEC's Jordan Hall. This performance is sponsored by Dorothy & Stephen Weber.

An Evening with Branford Marsalis features Marsalis and his quartet in a program that will include music from their latest album, The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul on Saturday, January 28, 2023 8pm at Berklee Performance Center.

Mandolinist Chris Thile brings songs from his latest album Laysongs to the Sanders Theatre stage on Friday, February 3, 2023 at 8pm. This performance is sponsored by Amy & Joshua Boger.

Jazz supergroup Artemis, comprised of six of the top-charting female jazz musicians, makes its Celebrity Series debut on Saturday, February 4, 2023 at 8pm at the Berklee Performance Center.

What Makes It Great? with Rob Kapilow brings Inventing America Part 2: Copland's Appalachian Spring: An American Voice for Classical Music with Boston-based chamber orchestra A Far Cry on Sunday, February 5, 2023 at 3pm at NEC's Jordan Hall. This performance is sponsored by Amy & Joshua Boger.

Australian contemporary circus ensemble Circa returns to Boston with Sacre, a new work set, in part, to Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring on Thursday-Saturday, February 9-11, 2023 at 8pm at Boch Center Shubert Theatre. The 2022/23 Dance Series is generously sponsored by Leslie & Howard Appleby, Stephanie L. Brown Foundation, and Royal Little Family Foundation.

Emi Ferguson and Ruckus bring Fly the Coop, a wild romp through some of Bach's most playful and transcendent works orchestrated for baroque flute, baroque guitars, baroque bassoon, cello, viola da gamba, harpsichord, organ, bass, and banjo to Calderwood Studio at GBH Boston on Saturday, February 11, 2023 at 8pm. This performance will also be available on demand.

Jason Moran and the Harlem Hellfighters perform James Reese Europe and the Absence of Ruin in a concert featuring archival photos, recordings, and original multimedia creations on Friday, February 17, 2023 at 8pm at Berklee Performance Center.

Violinist Alexi Kenney makes his Celebrity Series recital debut in a program called Shifting Ground in a program of music for solo violin with and without electronics that weaves selections from Bach's Sonatas and Partitas with contemporary compositions. The performance is on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 8pm at Longy's Pickman Hall as part of the Debut Series. This performance will also be available on demand. The 2022/23 Debut Series is generously sponsored by Harriet & David Griesinger and the Longy School of Music of Bard College.

Dreamers' Circus draws inspiration from the deep traditions of Nordic folk music in a performance on Friday, February 24, 2023 at 8pm at NEC's Jordan Hall.

Pianist Igor Levit performs Beethoven's final three piano sonatas-nos. 30, 31, and 32-on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 8pm at NEC's Jordan Hall. This performance is sponsored by Stephen C. Perry & Oliver Radford.

Tenor Lawrence Brownlee and pianist Kevin miller return to Celebrity Series with a program based on texts by poets and authors of the Harlem Renaissance on Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 3pm Calderwood Studio at GBH Boston. This performance will also be available on demand.

Jazz Festival

Artists For Humanity EpiCenter | March 8-11, 2023

The Jazz Festival returns for its second year at the Artists For Humanity EpiCenter! Support for the Jazz Festival is provided by the Barr Foundation through its ArtsAmplified initiative.

Melissa Aldana Quartet, Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at 7pm
Hiromi, Thursday, March 9, 2023 at 7pm
Nnenna Freelon, Friday, March 10, 2023 at 7pm
Ambrose Akinmusire, Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 7pm

KODŌ, the Japanese taiko drum ensemble, perform Tsuzumi on Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 5pm at Symphony Hall.

Singer-songwriter Aoife O'Donovan returns to the Series on Friday, March 17, 2023 at 8pm at Sanders Theatre.

Chineke! Orchestra, the first professional majority Black and Asian orchestra in Europe, makes their Boston debut in a performance with conductor Andrew Grams and pianist Stewart Goodyear on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at 8pm at NEC's Jordan Hall.

Jazz artist Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science with rapper/vocalist Toki Wright and other guest artists to be announced, confront a range of social justice issues including mass incarceration, political imprisonment, police brutality, homophobia, Native American injustice, and gender justice on Friday, March 24, 2023 at 8pm at Berklee Performance Center.

Stave Sessions | Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre | March 29-April 1, 2023
Stave Sessions returns with four thrilling contemporary music performances at a new venue to the Celebrity Series-the Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre in Davis Square. Stave Sessions is sponsored by Susan & Michael Thonis, with support provided by the Barr Foundation through its ArtsAmplified initiative.

Sō Percussion and Dominic "Shodekeh" Talifero, Wed., March 29, 2023 at 8pm
Wild Up, Thursday, March 30, 2023 at 8pm
Yasmin Williams, Friday, March 31, 2023 at 8pm
Craig Taborn, Saturday, April 1, 2023 at 8pm

Soprano Fatma Said makes her U.S. recital debut with guitarist Rafael Aguirre as part of the Debut Series on Thursday, March 30, 2023 at 8pm at Longy's Pickman Hall in a program of Spanish, Egyptian, Brazilian, and Lebanese songs. This performance will also be available on demand. The 2022/23 Debut Series is generously sponsored by Harriet & David Griesinger and the Longy School of Music of Bard College.

Author and humorist David Sedaris returns to Symphony Hall on Sunday, April 2, 2023 at 7pm to read new and unpublished works, and offer an audience Q&A. ASL interpreter Robert G. Lee has been engaged to interpret Mr. Sedaris' presentation.

Violinist Joshua Bell and pianist Daniil Trifonov join forces for a recital on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at 8pm Symphony Hall, in a program of Beethoven, Prokofiev, and Franck. This performance is sponsored by The Rabb Family Foundations.

Pianist Beatrice Rana returns to the Series in a program which includes Beethoven's Hammerklavier Sonata on Friday, April 14, 2023 at 8pm at NEC's Jordan Hall. This performance is an Aaron Richmond Recital.

Paul Taylor Dance Company performs as part of the company's global tour honoring the legacy of Taylor under its new artistic director, Michael Novak. Friday-Sunday, April 14-16, 2023 at 8pm, 8pm, and 3pm at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre. The 2022/23 Dance Series is generously sponsored by Leslie & Howard Appleby, Stephanie L. Brown Foundation, and Royal Little Family Foundation.

An Afternoon with Itzhak Perlman showcases Perlman in a deeply personal look at his childhood and the earliest years of his celebrated career in an afternoon of multimedia, music, and storytelling on Sunday, April 16, 2023 at 3pm at Symphony Hall. This performance is made possible by additional support provided by the Consulate General of Israel to New England.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis brings jazz to Symphony Hall on Friday, April 21, 2023 at 8pm. This performance is sponsored by Leslie & Howard Appleby.

Doric String Quartet and pianist Benjamin Grosvenor in a concert which includes Frank Bridge's Quintet in D minor on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at 8pm at NEC's Jordan Hall. This performance is an Aaron Richmond Recital.

Pianist Evgeny Kissin performs Bach's Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue; Mozart's Sonata No. 9 in D Major; Debussy's Estampes; and selections from Rachmaninoff's Preludes and the complete Études-Tableaux in a recital on Sunday, April 23, 2023 at 3pm at Symphony Hall. This performance is sponsored by The Rabb Family Foundations.

Bass-baritone Davóne Tines and pianist Adam Nielsen make their Celebrity Series debut in a program entitled Recital No. 1: MASS. Tines invites listeners to recontextualize Bach arias, Caroline Shaw's Mass, and religious ritual next to arrangements of spirituals by Tyshawn Sorey, Moses Hogan, and Margaret Bonds, as well as Julius Eastman's powerful a cappella work, Prelude to the Holy Presence of Joan d 'Arc. The recital takes place on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 8pm at Longy's Pickman Hall. The 2022/23 Debut Series is generously sponsored by Harriet & David Griesinger and the Longy School of Music of Bard College.

Osvaldo Golijov's Falling Out of Time, A Tone Poem in Voices, from the novel by David Grossman with translation from Hebrew by Jessica Cohen. Presented in association with the Boston Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, April 30, 2023 at 2pm at Symphony Hall.

Aizuri Quartet brings Clara Schumann's "Ich stand in dunklen Traumen;" Bartók's Quartet
No. 4; "Sivunittinni" by Canadian Inuit composer and throat singer Tanya Tagaq; and Haydn's "Sunrise" Quartet in its Debut Series recital on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 8pm at Longy's Pickman Hall. This performance will also be available on demand. The 2022/23 Debut Series is generously sponsored by Harriet & David Griesinger and the Longy School of Music of Bard College.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to the Boch Center Wang Theatre, Thursday-Sunday, May 4-7, 2023. Thu, May 4 (8pm); Fri, May 5 (8pm); Sat, May 6 (2pm & 8pm); Sun, May 7 (3pm). The 2022/23 Dance Series is generously sponsored by Leslie & Howard Appleby, Stephanie L. Brown Foundation, and Royal Little Family Foundation.

Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain join together to present an evening of bluegrass, classical, global music, and jazz on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 8pm at the Berklee Performance Center. This performance is sponsored by Julia Byers & Steven Holtzman.

The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra featuring Diane Schuur on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 8pm at Calderwood Studio at GBH Boston. This performance will also be available on demand.

Streaming Performances

Alongside the live and in-person performances, Celebrity Series will continue its slate of digital performances. Nine performances on the subscription series premiere at 8pm two days following the live performance for on demand viewing for seven days. Approximately 15 Neighborhood Arts concerts will be released digitally for free viewing on demand, with performance details and dates to be announced this summer.

What Makes It Great? with Rob Kapilow, Inventing America Part 1: The Songs of Irving Berlin: An American Voice for Popular Music streams on demand beginning 11/22/2022.

Pianist Martin Helmchen's recital streams on demand beginning 12/8/2022.

Emerson String Quartet's performance streams on demand beginning 1/24/2023.

Emi Ferguson and Ruckus streams on demand beginning 2/13/2023.

Violinist Alexi Kenney's performance streams on demand beginning 2/24/2023.

Tenor Lawrence Brownlee and pianist Kevin miller's recital streams on demand beginning 3/7/2023.

Soprano Fatma Said and guitarist Rafael Aguirre's performance streams on demand beginning 4/1/2023.

Aizuri Quartet streams on demand beginning 5/5/2023.

The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra featuring Diane Schuur streams on demand beginning 5/22/2023.

Arts For All!

The 2022/23 Neighborhood Arts Program is sponsored by the Stephanie L. Brown Foundation.

Celebrity Series' Arts for All! community engagement programs reach more than 10,000 individuals annually, through master classes with artists in public schools and conservatories; hands-on, interactive workshops for youth led by a core group of Boston-area artists; community concerts in Boston neighborhoods; free and discounted tickets to main stage performances; and large-scale, public performance projects. Neighborhood Arts programming in 2022/23 will be anchored in partnerships with Boston-area artists and ensembles, and showcases the rich diversity of musical offerings they perform.

Celebrity Series Gala

The 2023 Gala will be held on Friday, May 12, 2023. Join the Celebrity Series for a spectacular evening that will recognize the Celebrity Series' history and its impact on Boston's cultural community. Supporters, patrons, and community leaders will come together to celebrate the future of the Celebrity Series of Boston during this black-tie event. We invite you to experience this innovative event that delights guests with dramatic surprises. Proceeds from the Gala will benefit the education, programming, and community engagement efforts of the Celebrity Series.

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