February 3, 2010
Borealis String Quartet. Download image.
Thursday, March 4
Borealis String Quartet with Guest Pianist Yakov Kasman, 7 p.m. in UAB's Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Tickets are $35; $20 for students. Call 205-975-2787 or go to www.AlysStephens.org. The Borealis String Quartet is an audience favorite at the ASC. The quartet teamed with Van Cliburn Competition winner and UAB artist-in-residence and associate professor of piano Yakov Kasman in 2007 for a sold-out performance, which The Birmingham News called "chamber music at its most visceral." Kasman will join the Borealis - Patricia Shih, violin; Yuel Yawney, violin; Nikita Pogrebnoy, viola; and Shih-Lin Chen, cello - for a performance of the Medtner Piano Quintet. Part of the Birmingham Chamber Music Society Series. Sponsored by the Birmingham Chamber Music Society, Jeanne Hutchison, Burr & Forman, Ben and Jessica Johnson, Alabama State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, The Birmingham News, WBHM and Viva Health.
Friday, March 5
An Evening with Shawn Colvin, 8 p.m. in UAB's Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Tickets are $45, $35, $25; $20 for students. A limited number of VIP tickets are available. Call 205-975-2787 or go to www.AlysStephens.org. Colvin's latest release, "These Four Walls," is perhaps her most assured and compelling work to date. She is one of those rare performers, like Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris or the idol of her youth, Joni Mitchell, who has been able to grow up alongside her audience and mature into her role as singer and songwriter. She was rewarded with a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk for her 1989 debut disc "Steady On" and reached mainstream audiences when her story of a housewife's fiery revenge, "Sunny Came Home," became a Top 10 hit years later. Part of the Eclectic Palate Series. Sponsored by Protective Life Corp., The Birmingham News and Viva Health.
Sunday, March 21
Boston Brass, 3 p.m. in UAB's Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Tickets are $50, $42, $32; $15 for the 30 & Under Classical Pass. A limited number of VIP tickets are available. Call 205-975-2787 or go to www.AlysStephens.org. Free pre-concert Prelude discussion of the music at 2 p.m. From exciting classical arrangements and burning jazz standards to breathtaking vocal harmony, Boston Brass achieves new levels in brass performance while treating audiences to a unique musical experience that captivates all ages. The ensemble performs more than 100 shows annually, has several acclaimed recordings to their credit and can often be heard on National Public Radio's "Performance Today." Their latest release, "Latin Nights," showcases the immense talent and range of capabilities of all five players. Part of the Birmingham Music Club Classically Inclined Series. This program has been made possible by a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts. Sponsored by the Birmingham Music Club Guild, National Endowment for the Arts, The Birmingham News, WBHM and Viva Health.
Saturday, March 27
ASC Kids' Club Presents "Down the Yellow Brick Road," an ASC Original Theatrical Production, at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. in UAB's Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Tickets are $8. Call 205-975-2787 or go to www.AlysStephens.org. Bring a camera and take pictures with the show characters after the performance. Will Dorothy find her way through the Land of Oz and home again? The audience is invited to help Dorothy and other familiar characters from "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" find their way down the yellow brick road. In this fun and interactive performance the narrator will invite audience members to participate in the story. This production will enchant children ages 3 to 103. Sponsored by Jane Stephens Comer, The Birmingham News and Viva Health.
Sunday, March 28
Peking Acrobats, 3 p.m. in UAB's Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Tickets are $45, $35, $25; $20 for students and $10 kid-friendly tickets. A limited number of VIP tickets are available. Call 205-975-2787 or go to www.AlysStephens.org. The Peking Acrobats are cultural diplomats who perform spectacular feats of talent and imagination. Since 1958, this elite group has toured the world, leaving audiences spellbound by their grace and athleticism. Carefully selected from the finest acrobat schools in China, these gymnasts, jugglers, cyclists and tumblers transform 2,000-year-old athletic disciplines into an all-ages kaleidoscope of entertainment and wonder. Part of the Movement & Magic Series. Sponsored by Mrs. Albert L. Fairley, Jr., IMS-Integrated Medical Systems, Jemison Investment Co., The Birmingham News and Viva Health.
About UAB's Alys Stephens Center
UAB's Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center is one of the Southeast's premier performing arts centers, hosting the best in international, national and local performance. Home to the UAB departments of Theatre and Music and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, the ASC also presents its own season, bringing the world's best music, dance, theater, comedy and family entertainment to Alabama.