American songwriter and jazz vocalist René Marie performed on February 21st with her band featuring Quentin Baxter on drums, John Chin on piano, Elias Bailey on bass, and Randy Napoleon on guitar. Opening with “Turn the Page” by Bob Seger, Marie incorporated a variety of covers and original songs in her soulful performance. Marie proves that all musicians, at their core, are storytellers. She spins stories not just with her voice and musical accompaniment but with her breath, her body, her fingers and her feet. She falls into her music like a dancer, embracing the quirky high notes and deepest blues. […]

“We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea – whether it is to sail or to watch it – we are going back from whence we came.” –  John F. Kennedy On Tuesday night, renowned underwater photographer Brian Skerry presented a jaw-dropping multimedia journey through the oceans of the world in Ocean Soul, a National Geographic Live! event. He led the audience from the glacial waters of the arctic, to the “deserts” of the open sea, to the predator infested waters of tropical coastlines. Skerry’s photography and impassioned storytelling also brought viewers face to […]

Yumi Kurosawa and Anubrata Chatterjee blended together the expressive musical traditions of Japan and India in an incredible performance on Sunday, February 10th in the Weis Center atrium. The audience went on a journey of sound – from Vivaldi on the koto to Japanese edo period lullabies to Kurosawa’s original compositions. Kurosawa and Chatterjee’s collaboration speaks volumes to the unifying power of music. Their visionary compositions demonstrate the similarities between their musical traditions as well the unique characteristics of the Japanese koto and Indian tabla. Kurosawa is one of today’s most exciting soloists on Japan’s national instrument. Her many collaborations […]

With all the energy of a rock band and the synchronism of an orchestra, Sounds of China brought a magical performance to Bucknell University on Thursday, February 7th. The Sounds of China Neo-Folk Music Group was founded in 2014 by artistic director Ma Jiuyue, one of the pioneers and initiators of Chinese neo folk music. The group is made up of young instrumentalists from China’s top conservatories and state-owned performing arts companies. With strong roots in traditional Chinese music, Sounds of China creates a harmonious blend of Chinese instruments— including the erhu (a two-stringed spike fiddle), liuqin (a four-stringed Chinese mandolin), xun (a globular, vessel flute), pipa (a plucked four-string […]

FROGZ! is everything you could want from children’s theatre. The Imago Theatre brought on a spectacle of costumes, dance and comedy in their Weis Center performance on Thursday, February 5th. The ingenious masks, mesmerizing movement, outlandish costumes, and original music score created a fantastic carnival of the absurd. Kids of all ages (and their parents!) enjoyed free pre-show activities for Frogz!, provided by the Public Library for Union County. Featuring a selection of unique acts; including Orbs, Strings, Lizards and more, FROGZ! engaged with the audience both on stage and in the crowd. For multiple acts the performers came out […]

The Soweto Gospel Choir are a spectacle of pure joy. The South African gospel group preformed on Friday, November 30th for the biggest crowd we’ve seen this season – the audience peaking at around 700 people. The Soweto Choir was preceded by the Eric Ian Farmer Trio. Eric, joined by Josh Troup on drums and Denise Strayer on accordion, played music inspired by percussive stylings of rock legend Bo Diddley. For the first half of the show the choir “Songs of the Free,” a rousing program celebrating the centenary of the birth of the father of their Rainbow Nation, Nelson Mandela.  Following […]

Alsarah (left) and her sister Nahid Alsarah & The Nubatones performed at the Campus Theatre Wednesday, November 7th at 7:30 pm. The show was preceded by a pre-performace talk at 6:30 pm with Alsarah led by Professor Angele Kingue. Alsarah performed with her band, including her sister Nahid, on backing vocals, bassist Mawuena Kodjovi, oudist Brandon Terzic, and percussionist Rami El-Aasser of the Cafe Antarsia Ensemble. Singing original music inspired by Nubian/Sudanese traditions and songs, the Nubatones put on a fabulous, foot stomping show that got people out of their seats and dancing. At the Q&A pre-show talk Professor Kingue introduced Alsarah as “a young artist dealing […]

Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives performed at the Weis Center on Thursday, Nov. 1st at 7:30 p.m. Dressed like they just stepped out of 2005’s Walk the Line, the musicians were welcomed by an uproarious audience of die hard fans. Country music legend and Grammy winner Marty Stuart was a master crowd pleaser, engaging with the audience and even taking song suggestions, and his Superlatives were truly super; with Kenny Vaughan on acoustic guitar, Harry Stinson on multiple instruments and Chris Scruggs on the bass. The Superlatives covered some of country’s greatest hits in honor of the musical genre’s rich legacy. […]

Theatre Re presented ‘The Nature of Forgetting’ on Thursday, October 25th at 7:30 in the Weis Center, following a free health and wellness fair at 5 p.m. in the Weis Center Atrium lobby.The London based troupe performed a spectacular, heart wrenching story of early onset dementia. Accompanied by a live band, the actors traveled through the memories of the main character, Tom, from his boyhood to his marriage. There was little dialogue, most of which was intentionally faded in the music to replicate a foggy memory. Tom is haunted by three main players; his mother, his best friend, and his […]

The Nrityagram dance ensemble performed at the Weis Center on October 13th at 7:30 pm. Accompanied by live musicians the ensemble performed pieces from their newest piece ‘Samhara’, which brings together brilliant Indian dance traditions with shared ancient roots. Nrityagram is more than just one of India’s “premiere classical dance ensembles”; it is also India’s first modern Gurukul for Indian classical dances and an intentional community in the form of a dance village. In the words of the village founder Protima Gauri: “[Nrityagram] is a community of dancers in a forsaken place amidst nature. A place where nothing exists, except dance. A place […]