POTSDAM, NY (07/21/2011)(readMedia)-- Community Performance Series is pleased to announce its upcoming season, featuring renowned guest musicians, dance and programs for the whole family. The 2011-12 CPS season will begin this September and continue through May 2012.
The 2011-12 CPS Guest Artist Series will bring eight celebrated artists to the SUNY Potsdam campus this year.
"The 2011-2012 season offers a diverse mix of programs. All of these artists perform around the world in major music halls and theaters; each are experts in their genre," said CPS Executive Director Amy Flack. "Presenting such a varied season is exciting because every performance has the potential of reaching new audiences, allowing us to serve the greatest number of people in our region."
CPS launches its season on Sept. 17 with Broadway singer Linda Eder. Famous for winning 12 consecutive weeks on the hit show "Star Search" in 1987 and then later for her role as Lucy Harris in "Jekyll & Hyde" on Broadway, Eder will delight audiences with her powerful renditions of Broadway's best anthems.
On Sept. 20, Paul Taylor's ensemble Taylor 2 will offer the North Country a glimpse into the powerful and expressive world of modern dance with a repertoire unique to the Potsdam performance.
Organist Janette Fishell will continue the tradition of dynamic organ concerts as part of the 12th Annual L. Felix and Helen Miller Ranlett Organ Recital series this October. Her program will include works by Bach, Liszt and more contemporary composers.
Premiere banjoist and Grammy Award-winner Béla Fleck returns to Potsdam, playing with the original Flecktones, for a Nov. 15 performance. Fleck is widely acknowledged as one of the world's most innovative and premier banjo players. Together with his band the Flecktones, he combines the music of bluegrass, country, jazz, folk, classical, pop and spoken word -- making for one eclectic and entertaining concert experience. Fleck's total Grammy count is 11 won and 27 nominations, making him the most nominated musician in more categories than anyone else in Grammy history.
The New York Philharmonic Principal Brass Quintet will also perform in November, as the McElheran Visiting Artists, to take part in a celebration of brass music at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music.
The second half of the season kicks off in February with the Juilliard-trained contemporary string quartet ETHEL, which will perform Philip Glass' suite from "The Hours."
In March, the SFJAZZ Collective will ignite the stage with their unique arrangements of pop music icon Stevie Wonder's repertoire. Unlike any other jazz band, the group features a changing lineup with each member hand-selected to contribute their own unique sounds, styles and voices.
CPS will culminate its 2011-12 Guest Artist Series with National Public Radio's hit show "From the Top" with host Christopher O'Reilly in April. Featuring young regional and national artists, this weekly music series is broadcast nationally to more than 700,000 listeners.
CPS also offers youth and family programming in its 2011-12 Meet the Arts Series. This fall, CPS will present modern dance with a school performance of Taylor 2 and "Danny, King of the Basement," a play about homelessness and the power of the imagination.
In January, CPS will present the musical adventures of fish friends Tank, Bubbles, and Dorsel in John Tartaglia's "ImaginOcean." In the spring, a kaleidoscope of music will be performed by the Orchestra of Northern New York, with a concert entitled "My Many Colored Days." The National Players will also present a dramatic adaptation of John Steinbeck's poignant novel "Of Mice and Men."
Tickets to Meet the Arts performances range from $5 to $10.
Guest Artist Series season tickets are now on sale and can be purchased through the CPS Box Office, located in Sara M. Snell Music Theater on the SUNY Potsdam campus, or by calling (315) 267-2277 or visiting www.cpspotsdam.org. Individual event tickets will be available for purchase beginning Aug. 15. Guest Artist Series tickets range from $6 to $50.
Become a Guest Artist Series subscriber by purchasing tickets to all eight events and receive the best seat options, best prices, and invitations to special events. New subscribers will save 40 percent and returning subscribers save 25 percent.
For more information on the 2011-2011 season and artists, log on to www.cpspotsdam.org or check out the CPS Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cpspotsdam.
The Guest Artist Series has been sponsored in part by SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music, the Northern New York Community Foundation, North Country Public Radio, and Tom and Mabel Walker, with media sponsorship from 7 News/Fox 28 and Northern New York Newspapers. The Meet the Arts Series is made possible through generous underwriting from the Edward John Noble Foundation, with additional support from the Maresca Family Endowment, Stearns-Cottrell Endowment, Stewart's Shops and the Sweetgrass Foundation.
CPS is a college-community partnership in residence at SUNY Potsdam that presents world-class performing artists and arts education opportunities in Northern New York. This rich mixture of programming links communities, classrooms and audiences of all ages and preserves access to the performing arts for future generations.
The 2011-12 CPS Season is as follows:
2011-12 CPS Guest Artist Series:
2011-12 CPS Meet the Arts Series:
For more information, visit www.cpspotsdam.org.
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Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of only three arts campuses in the entire SUNY system. SUNY Potsdam's arts curriculum offers the full palette: music, theatre, dance, fine arts and creative writing. No matter the discipline, people from all backgrounds can find their creative compass at Potsdam, with myriad arts immersion experiences available for both campus and community.
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