Some performances feel less like concerts and more like ceremonies, moments that blur the line between past and present, between what is sung and what is remembered. Kurbasy’s Songs of the Ukrainian Forest was one of those rare evenings. It didn’t simply perform; it reached, branching outward from deep cultural roots and carrying with it echoes of survival, sorrow, and hope. Before the first note was sung, the Weis Center was already steeped in reflection. The pre-talk, led by Heather Almer, Assistant Director of International Student & Scholar Services, set the tone for the evening with both warmth and understanding. […]

The Weis Center Atrium had never felt so alive. Before the performance even began, the space pulsed with an energy that was warm and contagious. Conversations intertwined, laughter filled the air, and a gentle hum moved through the crowd like the sound of anticipation itself. It was not noise but life, a kind of harmony that emerges when people gather for something they love. Children weaved through clusters of adults, friends called out to one another across the room, and strangers exchanged smiles that needed no introduction. Under that roof, the evening became a celebration of togetherness and of the […]

It is not every day that Bucknell becomes a portal to the rainforest. On the evening of September 30, the Weis Center for the Performing Arts transformed. What began as a crisp fall night soon unfolded into an immersive journey through one of the world’s most vital and endangered ecosystems. The performance, an extraordinary multimedia presentation by National Geographic explorer and ecologist Dr. Nalini Nadkarni, pulled back the canopy’s veil and invited us not just to see the rainforest but to feel it. Even before the lights dimmed, the Atrium pulsed with life. The Environmental Expo turned the space into […]

c A Night of Communion and Celebration: Ruthie Foster Closes the Weis Center Season There are evenings that entertain, and then there are evenings that stay with you quietly, completely, without asking for permission. Ruthie Foster gave us the latter. From the moment she walked onto the stage, there was a shift in the air. The audience, already pulsing with anticipation, rose to meet her energy, and she returned it with something even greater: presence. Ruthie wasn’t just here to perform; she was here to connect. And from her very first note, that intention carried the room. There was no […]

The Weis Center will end its spring 2025 season with Grammy Award-winning blues artist Ruthie Foster on Friday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Weis Center Concert Hall. The performance is sponsored, in part, by Clayton and David Lightman and family. Collection for UCCYS: Patrons are encouraged to bring canned food items and/or toiletries to benefit local families; items will be distributed by Union County Children and Youth Services (UCCYS). ABOUT THE ARTISTIn January 2025, Ruthie Foster received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for her new release, Mileage. Ruthie’s musical journey is as eclectic and vibrant […]

My First Classical Music Experience After a long and stressful week of classes, attending the Neave Trio’s performance at the Weis Center on a Sunday afternoon was exactly what I needed. The music was deeply relaxing, and as someone who had never attended a classical concert before, this was an unforgettable introduction to the genre. The trio’s performance was elegant and moving, filling the hall with melodies that felt both powerful and soothing. It was the perfect way to step away from the rush of college life and simply be present in the music. Listening to the Neave Trio, especially […]

A Night of Daring Beauty: DakhaBrakha at the Weis Center From the moment DakhaBrakha took the stage at the Weis Center, the air shifted. There was no need for words, no need for introductions—the setting itself, drenched in shadow and sound, was invitation enough. The audience sat in quiet anticipation, not yet standing, but utterly alert. It felt like the prologue to a myth—grand, majestic, yet deeply personal. You weren’t just watching a performance. You were being summoned into something larger. DakhaBrakha didn’t play music. They conjured it. Each piece unfolded like a self-contained story, rooted in folk tradition but […]

The Esmé Quartet commanded the stage with a performance that was as precise as it was deeply moving. Each note carried an undeniable intensity, weaving a story that resonated with every listener. Their seamless synergy and artistry transformed the night into an unforgettable experience, leaving the audience spellbound and lingering in the echoes of their music.

The Weis Center will welcome Ukrainian world music ensemble DakhaBrakha on Thursday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the Weis Center Concert Hall. The performance is sponsored, in part, by Geisinger. DakhaBrakha is a world music quartet from Kyiv, Ukraine. Reflecting fundamental elements of sound and soul, Ukrainian “ethno-chaos” band DakhaBrakha creates a world of unexpected new music. DakhaBrakha was created in 2004 at the Dakh Contemporary Art Center by the avant-garde theatre director Vladyslav Troitskyi and given the name that means “give/take” in the old Ukrainian language. Theatre work has left its mark on the band’s performances; their shows […]

The Weis Center will welcome bluegrass ensemble Henhouse Prowlers on Friday, February 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Weis Center Concert Hall. The performance is sponsored, in part, by The News Item. Founded two decades ago, this Chicago-bred quartet finds itself at the intersection of performance, diplomacy and education. Onstage, the group’s performances give audiences a sense of how much they love what they do. In recordings — including 2023’s Lead and Iron — the band explores their collective life experiences through songwriting and intricate instrumentation. While bluegrass is the undeniable foundation of the Henhouse Prowlers’ music, the band bends […]