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2016-17 Lineup Announced for ‘The Schaefer Center Presents…’ Performing Arts Series

Havana Cuba All-Stars
Havana Cuba All-Stars
The 2016-17 season of “The Schaefer Center Presents…” performance series, presented by Appalachian State University’s Office of Arts and Cultural Programs from late September, 2016 through early April, 2017, has been announced.  The series offers a diverse mix of music, dance and film programming for campus and community audiences comprised of university students, faculty, staff and residents across the region.
By creating memorable performance experiences and related educational and outreach activities, the series promotes the power and excitement of the live performance; provides a “window on the world” through the artistry of nationally and internationally renowned artists, and showcases some of the finest artists of our nation and our region. For more information, visit http://theschaefercenter.org.
Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016
Havana Cuba All-Stars: “Cuban Nights”
7 p.m., Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Embrace the culture of Cuba as the Havana Cuba All-Stars share their rich musical heritage, from the rumba to the cha-cha-cha to the habanera. Comprised of Cuba’s greatest and most prominent musicians, this 11-member band makes its debut tour of the United States with a performance billed as “Cuban Nights.” Drawing inspiration from the Cuban Son—a genre which later gave way to salsa—the program’s infectious melodies and rhythms showcase the cultural diversity of the Cuban people and will leave audiences dancing in their seats!
Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016
Film Screening: “Remember”
7 p.m., Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Co-sponsored by the Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies
This compelling film tells the story of Zev Guttman (Academy award-winner Christopher Plummer), a 90-year-old struggling with memory loss who is living out his final years in a serene retirement home. A week following the death of his beloved wife Ruth, he suddenly receives a mysterious package from his close friend Max (Academy Award-winner Martin Landau), containing a stack of money and a letter detailing a shocking plan. Both Zev and Max were prisoners in Auschwitz, and the same sadistic guard was responsible for the death of both their families–a guard who, immediately after the war, escaped Germany and has been living in the U.S. ever since, under an assumed identity. Max is wheelchair-bound but in full command of his mental faculties; with his guidance, Zev will embark on a cross-continental road-trip to bring justice once and for all to the man who destroyed both their lives.
A post-film discussion will follow the screening.
Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
The SteelDrivers
7 p.m., Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Winner of the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album, the Nashville-based SteelDrivers have captivated audiences with their blend of country, soul, blues and other contemporary influences. When the group was founded in 2005, the lineup included now-acclaimed country singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton. Today, the SteelDrivers continue to create an unapologetic hybrid of new music with an old feeling. SteelDrivers fan Vince Gill describes the band’s fusion as simply “an incredible combination.”
Since the release of “The SteelDrivers” in 2008 and “Reckless” in 2010, The SteelDrivers have been nominated for three Grammys, four International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards and the Americana Music Association’s New Artist of the Year. They were presented the IBMA’s award for Emerging Artist of the Year in 2009. That same year the band spent a week in Georgia as part of the cast in the movie “Get Low,” which featured a soundtrack that included four tunes by The ‘Drivers.
Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017
Jessica Lang Dance
7 p.m., Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Founded in 2011, New York-based Jessica Lang Dance is known for repertoire rich with stunning movement and dynamic visuals that transforms classical ballet into emotionally engaging contemporary work. Hailed “a master of visual composition” by Dance Magazine, the Bessie Award-winning Jessica Lang choreographs to enrich and inspire audiences by immersing them in the beauty of movement and music.
This performance is funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and also involves residency activities from February 6-8.
Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017
Special concert to be announced soon!
7 p.m., Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
The Nile Project
7 p.m., Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Egyptian ethnomusicologist Mina Girgis and Ethiopian-American singer Meklit Hadero founded the Nile Project in 2011 with a mission to educate, inspire and empower citizens of the Nile basin to foster the sustainability of the Nile River’s ecosystem.  The Nile Project collective brings together musicians hailing from along the great river that connects 11 countries and over 400 million people, to make music that combines the rich diversity of the oldest place on Earth. Kindred harps and resonant lyres from the river’s sources in East Africa and Ethiopia to its deltas in Sudan and Egypt have reunited to learn new musical modes while buzzing timbres and ingenious polyrhythms support vocals in more than ten languages.
On the surface, the Nile Project blends traditional musical phrases into one seamless Nile sound. But look a little further and you’ll begin to see a 35-member musicians collective modeling contemporary organizational concepts such as systems thinking, network theory, and participatory leadership. The Nile Project is pioneering a new approach to transform transboundary water conflicts by using music to ignite cross-cultural empathy and spark environmental curiosity. And its collaborative model offers a blueprint for new ways in which Nile citizens can organize themselves to strengthen the sustainability of their river. In an evolving series of interlocking programs that spring from the concert experience, the project works to inspire, educate and empower Nile citizens to collaborate on developing innovative solutions to the challenges at the root of their water conflict.
This performance is funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council, and also involves residency activities from April 2-4.
Tickets
Tickets for these events are on sale now at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts box office and online athttp://theschaefercenter.org.  The Office of Arts & Cultural Programs is committed to affordable ticket prices, with prices for all events ranging from $5-$30.  A faculty/staff and retired faculty/staff discount is available when tickets are purchased over the phone or at the box office. To purchase tickets, call or visit the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts Box Office at 828-262-4046 or visit: http://theschaefercenter.org.
About “The Schaefer Center Presents”
“The Schaefer Center Presents” is a series offering campus and community audiences a diverse array of music, dance, theatre and film programming designed to enrich the cultural landscape of the Appalachian State University campus and surrounding area. By creating memorable performance experiences and related educational and outreach activities, the series promotes the power and excitement of the live performance experience; provides a “window on the world” through the artistry of nationally and internationally renowned artists; and showcases some of the finest artists of our nation and our region. Musical events range from symphony orchestra and chamber music performances to jazz, folk, traditional, international, and popular artists. Theatre productions run the gamut from serious drama to musical comedy. Dance performances offer an equally wide array of styles, from ballet to modern dance to international companies representing cultural traditions from around the world. For more information, visit http://theschaefercenter.org.
Corporate Sponsors
McDonald’s of Boone and the Boone Area Visitors Bureau.
Media Sponsors
Charter Media, Our State Magazine, High Country Radio, WDAV 89.9 FM, WFDD 88.5FM and WASU 90.5FM.