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Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 22, 2015
The Kennedy Center
announces the
Millennium Stage Schedule for
February 2015
Free Daily Performances
Featuring
Nasha Thomas-Schmitt of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Beijing Chamber Players
Eunbi Kim
Conservatory Project Participants
and many more!
(WASHINGTON)—The Kennedy Center presents its complete schedule of events on the Millennium
Stage for February 2015. The upcoming month’s calendar features international acts such as Beijing
Chamber Players (February 9), Shaanxi Folk Art Theater (February 11), and pianist Eunbi Kim (February
14); creative dance collaborations including a workshop with a former Alvin Ailey American Dance
Theater dancer (February 7), Chantal Loïal (February 23), and Lula Washington Dance Theatre (February
27); and trendy, young musical talents like singer-songwriters Andrew Duhon and his trio (February 10)
and Ani Cordero (February 12). The Kennedy Center Millennium Stage also hosts a series of eight
performances February 15–22 as part of its Conservatory Project, featuring highly skilled students from the
Curtis Institute of Music, Rice University, Manhattan School of Music, the Cleveland Institute of Music,
University of Michigan, Indiana University, Yale University, and the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins
University.
Now in its 17th year, the Millennium Stage is the only place in the United States to offer a free
performance every day of the year that is streamed live on the web. A full schedule of Millennium Stage
performances for the month of February 2015 is below. Unless otherwise noted, performances will take
place in the Kennedy Center Grand Foyer and no tickets are required. Performances are open to television
and radio news coverage. Media crews must confirm attendance prior to the performance date.
Full Chronological Schedule for February 2015
DATE
Sun., Feb. 1
TIME
6 p.m.
Mon., Feb. 2
6 p.m.
Tues., Feb. 3
6 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 4
6 p.m.
Thurs., Feb. 5
6 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 6
6 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 7
5:30 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 8
6 p.m.
Mon., Feb. 9
6 p.m.
Tues., Feb. 10
6 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 11
6 p.m.
Thurs., Feb. 12
6 p.m.
PERFORMANCE
Musical theater connoisseur, educator, and local artist Scot Reese
presents cabaret songs from the Broadway stage, the American
Songbook, and contemporary standards in his show My Favorite Things.
In Imani-Grace Cooper Sings Fitzgerald, jazz vocalist and Howard
University music major Imani-Grace Cooper pays homage to the
legendary Ella Fitzgerald and her 1957 project: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the
Duke Ellington Songbook. This Millennium Stage performance is
presented in collaboration with East River Jazz.
The Radford University Percussion Ensemble, comprised of full-time
students in the school’s percussion studio, performs standard repertoire,
contemporary works, and fun adaptations on the Millennium Stage.
WNO Preview: Washington National Opera presents selections from its
two upcoming productions, Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites and
Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman.
The Ashley Daneman Band brings the Beauty Indestructible tour to the
Millennium Stage. The singer performs a unique breed of heartfelt jazz
and modern folk in promotion of her recently released debut album.
Students from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s OrchKids program
perform on the Millennium Stage. OrchKids is a year-round, during- and
after school music program designed to create social change and to
nurture promising futures for youth in Baltimore City neighborhoods.
One of the nation’s favorite dance companies, Alvin Ailey American
Dance Theater offers a special group workshop for beginners.
Attendees will learn choreography from the company’s most iconic
work, Revelations. Master Teacher for Arts in Education and former
dancer with the Alvin Ailey company, Nasha Thomas-Schmitt, teaches
excerpts from the sections “I've Been 'Buked,” “Wade in the Water,” and
“Rocka My Soul.”
San Francisco Bay area actor Lorri Holt performs Colette: A OneWoman Show—The Author of Gigi in Her Own Words, written by Zack
Rogow and based on Shipwrecked on a Traffic Island and Other
Previously Untranslated Gems, a collection of Colette’s work. Copies of
the book will be available for purchase on site and a signing will take
place following the performance.
Direct from the Central Conservatory Preparatory School in China, the
Beijing Chamber Players make their debut on the Millennium Stage.
New Orleans singer-songwriter Andrew Duhon and his trio perform
original works in his colorful troubadour style, shaped with storytelling.
Shaanxi Folk Art Theater returns to the Millennium Stage with its
trademark shadow puppetry that features a collection of six signature
vignettes based on Chinese folklore. This performance is presented in
collaboration with the Embassy of China.
New York–based singer-songwriter, guitarist, and drummer Ani
Cordero, best known for her work with Os Mutantes and Pistolera, reinterprets classic love and protest songs that narrate Latin America’s
history and influenced her own life story.
Fri., Feb. 13
6 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 14
6 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 15
Terrace Theater
Mon., Feb. 16
Terrace Theater
6 p.m.
Tues., Feb. 17
Terrace Theater
6 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 18
Terrace Theater
Thurs., Feb. 19
Terrace Theater
6 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 20
Terrace Theater
6 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 21
Terrace Theater
6 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 22
Terrace Theater
6 p.m.
Mon., Feb. 23
6 p.m.
Tues., Feb. 24
6 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 25
Terrace Theater
6 p.m.
6 p.m.
6 p.m.
Target Family Night: Directed by Reginald Golden, the Howard
Gospel Choir of Howard University enlivens the Millennium Stage with
its energetic gospel music. The ensemble is formed by students, alumni,
and community members, and is the first college choir of its kind.
New York City–based pianist Eunbi Kim presents a program of
classical and contemporary solo piano works inspired by dreams and
delirium. It includes works by Fred Hersch, William Albright, Nikolai
Kapustin, Toby Twining, Ravel, and a world premiere of a
commissioned work for piano and multimedia by Daniel Bernard
Roumain.
Conservatory Project: Students from the Curtis Institute of Music
perform as part of the Kennedy Center’s Conservatory Project.
Conservatory Project: Students from The Shepherd School of Music
at Rice University perform a Beethoven String Quartet, Weirich’s
Steamboat Stomp for French Horn solo, a soprano aria by Verdi, and
Ouyang’s brand new Three Pieces for Piano.
Conservatory Project: Students from Manhattan School of Music
Chamber Choir perform Gregg Smith’s On the Beach at Night, two
Whitman songs, and David Lang’s The little march girl passion.
Conservatory Project: Students from the Cleveland Institute of Music
perform as part of the Kennedy Center’s Conservatory Project.
Conservatory Project: Students from the University of Michigan
School of Music, Theatre, and Dance perform as part of the Kennedy
Center’s Conservatory Project.
Conservatory Project: Students from the Indiana University Jacobs
School of Music perform a violin sonata by Debussy; Liszt’s Sposalizio
from Années de Pèlerinage for piano; songs by Haydn, R. Strauss, and
Menotti for soprano; and a string quartet by Bartók.
Conservatory Project: Students from the Yale School of Music
perform Mozart’s Piano Quartet in G minor and R. Strauss’s Piano
Quartet in C minor.
Conservatory Project: Students from the Peabody Institute perform
Cantigas de Santa Maria by a Spanish Renaissance composer, arias for
soprano by R. Strauss, songs by Brahms for tenor, Mey’s Musique de
Tables for percussion, York’s Fantasia for Four Violas, and solo piano
works by Chopin and Balakirev.
Chantal Loïal presents an original dance work that serves as testimony
and a tribute to Sarah Baartman, a South African woman better known as
the Hottentot Venus, but also as an ode to black women. They Call Her
Venus, created in collaboration with Paco Dècina, melds traditional
Afro-Caribbean moves with contemporary aesthetics.
The United States Air Force Band Jazz Quintet, Airmen of Note,
performs classic and modern jazz standards led by TSgt Grant Langford.
D.C.’s Apollo Orchestra presents Dance Music of the Americas,
including Ginastera’s Four Dances from Estancia; Copland’s “HoeDown” from Rodeo; Stravinsky’s Tableau IV from Pétrouchka; and
Arturo Márquez's Danzón No. 2. The program also features Metropolitan
Opera soprano Harolyn Blackwell as guest soloist in the orchestral
premiere of excerpts from Ricky Ian Gordon’s Genius Child, and in the
spiritual “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hand.” Genius Child was
written for Ms. Blackwell and is based on poems by Langston Hughes.
Free general admission tickets will be distributed in the States Gallery
starting at approximately 5:30 p.m., up to two tickets per person.
Thurs., Feb. 26
Terrace Theater
6 p.m.
New York comedian Hari Kondabolu brings his exciting political
stand-up to the Millennium Stage. He released his debut album Waiting
for 2042 in March 2014 and is currently NYU’s APA Institute’s Artist in
Residence for the 2014-2015 academic year. He has appeared in comedy
stints with Chris Rock on FX, and on The Late Show with David
Letterman, Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Comedy Central, and more.
This program contains mature themes and strong language. Free
general admission tickets will be distributed in the States Gallery
starting at approximately 5:30 p.m., up to 2 tickets per person.
Fri., Feb. 27
6 p.m.
The trailblazing Lula Washington Dance Theatre graces the
Millennium Stage with its risky, experimental dance works and
masterpieces by legendary pioneers in African American dance.
Sat., Feb. 28
5 p.m.
Strum Along
The Millennium Stage performances as part of this year’s highly
anticipated international festival, IBERIAN SUITE: global arts
remix, kicks off with a Ukulele Jam. The audience is encouraged to
6 p.m.
Performance
bring their instruments for a Strum-Along from 5-6 p.m., followed by a
performance with D.C. uke stars The Sweater Set, and Louisa Hall.
The show will close with a full audience strum- and sing-along!
Audience Strum-Along participants should know chords C, F, G, and A
minor.
All performers and programs are subject to change without notice.
ABOUT THE KENNEDY CENTER MILLENNIUM STAGE
The Kennedy Center is the only U.S. institution that presents a free performance 365 days a year. Created
in 1997 and underwritten by James A. Johnson and Maxine Isaacs, the Millennium Stage features a broad
spectrum of performing arts each day at 6 p.m. Brought to the public by Target Stores and The J. Willard
and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, the Millennium Stage helps fulfill the Center’s mission of making the
performing arts accessible to everyone. In the past 17 years, more than 3 million visitors have seen 6,000
groups with performances as varied as: jazz, ballet, storytelling, popular music, contemporary dance, opera,
choral music, tap dance, theater, chamber music, symphonic music, puppetry, stand-up comedy, and
cabaret. Of the more than 43,000 performers that have appeared on the Millennium Stage, approximately
25,000 have been Washington-area artists and more than 4,500 have been international performing artists
representing more than 50 countries. The Millennium Stage has also hosted artists representing all 50
states, and has presented more than 15,000 artists in their Kennedy Center debuts. Since 1999, each night’s
performance has been broadcast live over the Internet, and more than 4,430 of these performances have
been digitally archived on the Kennedy Center’s website, kennedy-center.org.
Need a Lift?
The FREE Kennedy Center Shuttle, the Center’s link to Metro’s Foggy Bottom/George Washington
University Metro station (blue/orange/silver lines), departs every 15 minutes from 9:45 a.m. to midnight,
Monday – Friday; 10 a.m. to midnight, Saturdays; noon to midnight, Sundays; and 4:00 p.m. to midnight
on Federal holidays. Free parking is not available when attending free events.
FUNDING CREDITS
The Millennium Stage is brought to you by Target and The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation.
The Conservatory Project is made possible by Michael F. and Noémi K. Neidorff and
the Centene Charitable Foundation.
The Millennium Stage was created and underwritten by James A. Johnson and Maxine Isaacs to make the
performing arts accessible to everyone in fulfillment of the Kennedy Center's mission to its community and
the nation.
Additional funding for the Millennium Stage is provided by The Isadore and Bertha Gudelsky Family
Foundation, Inc., The Meredith Foundation, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Dr. Deborah
Rose and Dr. Jan A.J. Stolwijk, U.S. Department of Education, and the Millennium Stage Endowment
Fund.
The Millennium Stage Endowment Fund was made possible by James A. Johnson and Maxine Isaacs,
Fannie Mae Foundation, James V. Kimsey, Gilbert† and Jaylee† Mead, Mortgage Bankers Association of
America and other anonymous gifts to secure the future of the Millennium Stage.
Major support for WNO is provided by Jacqueline Badger Mars.
David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of WNO.
General Dynamics is the proud sponsor of WNO's 2014-2015 Season.
WNO acknowledges the longstanding generosity of Life Chairman Mrs. Eugene B. Casey.
Additional support for Dialogues of the Carmelites is provided by an award from the
National Endowment for the Arts.
Additional support for The Flying Dutchman is provided by the
Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts.
IBERIAN SUITE: global arts remix
Presented in cooperation with the governments of Portugal and Spain
Honorary Chairman
His Majesty King Juan Carlos
Festival Leadership Committee
José Andrés, Natalia and Carlos Bulgheroni, Helen Lee Henderson, Amalia Perea Mahoney,
Former President Felipe González Márquez, The Honorable Luis Alberto Moreno, and
David M. Rubenstein
Presenting Underwriter
HRH Foundation
Festival Benefactors include the Portuguese Secretary of State for Culture,
Ambassador Elizabeth F. Bagley, Natalia and Carlos Bulgheroni,
Amalia Perea Mahoney and William Mahoney, and David and Alice Rubenstein
Major Sponsors include Arte Institute, Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Camões – Instituto da Cooperação e da
Língua, EDP, Fundação Luso-Americana, Marca España, and SPAIN arts & culture, and
ThinkFoodGroup
Education and related artistic programs are made possible through the generosity of the
National Committee for the Performing Arts and the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts.
International Programming at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the
Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts.
For more information on the Millennium Stage,
please visit the Millennium Stage event page or Millennium Stage Facebook page.
Discover the Kennedy Center on social media:
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PRESS CONTACT:
Camille Cintrón Devlin
(202) 416-8447
cjcintron@kennedy-center.org
PUBLIC INFORMATION:
(202) 467-4600; (800) 444-1324
www.kennedy-center.org