Three world premieres slated for Repertory Dance Theatre’s 50th anniversary Revel concert

Three world premieres – all embracing celebration in various forms of dance movement and music – will mark Revel, one of the concerts marking the Repertory Dance Theatre’s 50th anniversary. The program includes a new work by Bill Evans, a nationally known dance artist and choreographer who was one of the earliest dancers in RDT’s … Read more

NOVA Chamber Music Series’ New Paths concert to celebrate imaginative youthful masterpieces of Andrew Norman, Johannes Brahms

For its 2015-2016 season, NOVA Chamber Music Series once again is carving out several new ambitious paths in programming. Each of this year’s six subscription concerts is ingenious in approach and repertoire, with works from the existing chamber music literature that are paired specifically with new compositions and Utah premieres of music by local and … Read more

Plan-B Theatre’s The Kreutzer Sonata with NOVA Chamber Music is a blockbuster opener for 25th season

At one point in The Kreutzer Sonata, the obsessively mad Pozdnyshev breaches the taboo of chamber music etiquette by invading the space of the violinist and pianist who are in the midst of communicating a rare serene moment in this famous Beethoven work. His stance is almost menacing and he walks away resuming his blistering … Read more

Watch, Learn, Listen: Plan-B Theatre, NOVA Chamber Music Series join forces on Eric Samuelsen’s The Kreutzer Sonata

NOTE: This is the second part of the preview of Plan-B Theatre’s 25th season. See Part I here. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. (Matthew 5:28). His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man … Read more

Ballet Boys, The 78 Project Movie highlight Utah Film Center’s September documentaries

Two outstanding documentaries – an award-winning film from Norway about three teen boys who aspire to become ballet dancers and an unusual musical road trip which gives several American roots musicians the opportunity to make one-of-a-kind recordings on a 1930s direct-to-disc recorder – are part of the Utah Film Center’s September screenings which are free … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2015: Rachel Lee Priday, Aurelio, Lil’ Ed Williams lead closing day headliners

The Utah Arts Festival will close out its slate of musical headliners just as it opened – sampling from the broadest spectrum of music, this time 21st century classical, the Garifuba tradition emanating from Honduras, and the solid party band style of Chicago blues and shuffle. Rachel Lee Priday, 5 p.m., Festival Stage Still in … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2015: Sound Mass’ glorious collaboration caps festival’s music slate

In music, rare is the instinct in collaboration between two groups, especially when both sets of musicians live in different cities and do not meet perhaps as often they might like. However, when they do meet, the instincts immediately mesh and the mass of sound created is exhilarating and, yes, glorious. It has been two … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2015: Royal Southern Brotherhood is true blue musical royalty

Royal Southern Brotherhood, June 27, 9:45 p.m., Amphitheater Stage It is often incomprehensible why Americans have such a penchant for royalty, given how the nation was formed. However, if Americans truly want royalty, look no further at the Utah Arts Festival than the music industry. And, few groups capture the royal identity better than the … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2015: IAMA Day features John Gorka, The Kruger Brothers/Kontras Quartet, Songwriter Competition finals

After last year’s solid success at the Utah Arts Festival, the Intermountain Acoustic Music Association (IAMA) is once again sponsoring a day of performances tomorrow (June 27) by local and nationally know artists to demonstrate how interest in acoustic music and various musical niches and genres including folk, bluegrass, Irish, Celtic have grown in Utah … Read more

Backstage at The Utah Arts Festival 2015: Lena Prima, Santa Fe and The Fat City Horns, Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo, Erin Harpe highlight Day 2 headliners

The Utah Arts Festival’s second day of headliners honors some of America’s greatest musical institutions from the cities of Las Vegas and New Orleans to the great tradition of American song and jazz standards translated beautifully in the music of Lena Prima and to the virtuosity of two great guitar players and the contemporary interpretation … Read more