The Von Trapp Family Singers. Burl Ives. Isaac Stern. And now, Yo-Yo Ma.
Since 1937, CU Presents’ Artist Series has brought world-renowned, game-changing artists of the music, theater and dance world to Macky Auditorium. It’s been a boon for Boulder’s cultural pull, a thrill for audiences—and a learning opportunity for students.
“It’s been such an important addition to the intellectual and cultural life of the community,” says Joan McLean Braun (BM ’81, MBA ’93), Executive Director of CU Presents. “The common thread among all these artists is incredible artistic ability and the way the audience connects with them.”
Founded 80 years ago as a solo recital series, the Artist Series focused on classical music, filling an artistic void in the lives of residents and students.
“It was bringing culture to little old Boulder. It was a small and isolated community back then,” Braun explains.
Since then, world music, jazz, dance and other art forms have made their way onto the program. “It’s evolved as we’ve become less isolated to include a more eclectic mix that matches what the public is interested in.”
It also matches what students are interested in. The Artist Series has succeeded in opening up opportunities not only for education but also for collaboration between College of Music students and the artists they admire: The Indigo Girls, alumnus Dave Grusin (BM ’56) and many others.
“It allows our students to have first-hand experience of what the highest professional level demands as far as quality,” says John Davis, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Operations and former director of jazz studies at the college.
Those experiences happen in the classroom and onstage. When jazz singer Nnenna Freelon performed on the series in fall 2010, it was the first time students were invited to perform on stage with an artist.
“Students learned a lot and played exceptionally well. The audience was blown away and thrilled. That opened the window to more possibilities,” says Davis.
Since then, more artists have collaborated with students during ticketed events, including with Natalie Merchant and the Indigo Girls.
“It teaches our students invaluable lessons about the importance of knowing a variety of musical styles and being able to perform with minimal rehearsals,” says Gary Lewis, director of the CU Symphony Orchestra.
The orchestra performed with pop duo the Indigo Girls in March 2016. “Pops have always been a part of what the professional musician will encounter, but with many orchestras now, it can be as much as 50 percent of what musicians will face in their careers.
“These opportunities help set our students apart.”
Davis says gigs like this push students and faculty to perform at the highest level.
“People paid money for their tickets so we’re under more scrutiny,” he says. “When we’re preparing for one of these shows, we make doubly sure that we sound as good as possible.”
The Artist Series has made it possible to bring other guest artists to the College of Music. Hsing-ay Hsu, Artistic Director of the Pendulum New Music Series, sees the benefit of that relationship every day.
“When we were students, we needed the guidance of those who had gone before,” Hsu says. “Now that we are faculty, our teaching is tremendously enhanced by the visiting artists who touch on the same topics we teach, but in their personalized style.”
For the community, Braun says one of most important things the Artist Series can do is show people the value of live performance.
“It’s about the human condition and the transformative power of performance,” she says. “You can have a great artistic experience in your living room. But you come to performances so you can be there for everything—even the mistakes, because you learn something as you watch artists recover.
“The arts are a culture’s way of expressing itself. Hearing music or seeing dance gives you a portal to understanding more about our world.”
The 80th season of the Artist Series features performances by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, flutist James Galway, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and soprano Deborah Voigt. For more information about dates and tickets, visit the CU Presents website.
