utah music

Jaw-dropping kinetics on the UtahPresents’ menu as Cuban-born music masters Alfredo Rodriguez, Pedrito Martinez set to take Kingsbury Hall stage Feb. 6

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The third concert of this season in UtahPresents’ jazz series turns the spotlight on two Cuban-born musicians who came from the legendary musical pedagogy of their homeland: Alfredo Rodriguez and Pedrito Martinez. Discovered by his mentor Quincy Jones at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Rodriguez studied at the classical music conservatory in Havana, mastering keyboard works … Read more

New and recent music to highlight Jan. 13 Sō Percussion concert, presented by UtahPresents, University of Utah School of Music

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Percussionist and composer Brian Blume said in a 2017 concert talk, “I think that, by nature, percussionists are tinkerers. We are explorers.” In the Cambridge Companion to Percussion, Adam Sliwinski wrote that percussionists are “curators of sound.” In the world of classical chamber music ensembles, string quartets have many encyclopedias of masterworks to consider. Meanwhile, … Read more

Magnificent calls to the spirit of the season: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir, Eccles Organ Festival’s Brass and Organ Christmas Concert

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CHRISTMAS WITH THE TABERNACLE CHOIR CONCERT There were plenty of notable moments of impressive musicianship in the Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir concert at the conference center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The choir, with music director Mack Wilberg at the helm, did full justice to its eminent reputation. One example … Read more

Two works by Grammy-nominated composer Shawn Okpebholo, along with two Bach cantatas, slated for Nov. 16 NOVA Chamber Music Series concert

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The juxtapositions of music by Bach and Grammy-nominated composer Shawn Okpebholo, in the upcoming concert Sacred Spaces, as part of NOVA Chamber Music Series current season, are wisely chosen. Distance for cello and marimba (2016) and Two Black Churches (2020 by Okpebholo will receive their Utah premieres, running parallel to two Bach cantatas, Liebster Jesu, … Read more

Lakecia Benjamin and Phoenix set to take UtahPresents stage Oct. 23 as part of blockbuster jazz series

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In the video for Noble Rise, the epitome of musical collaboration is dynamic. An exquisite conversation is captured in a montage with alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin on her solos and her core band Phoenix in the studio while fellow alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins plays his solos from his home. Joining in is guitarist Mark Whitfield. … Read more

Countdown to 50th anniversary: 2024 bronze medalist Wynona Yinuo Wang to lead off season of Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation laureate concerts

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In preparation for its 50th anniversary celebrations next spring, the Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation has invited four Bachauer laureates for this season’s concert series, including two gold medalists, the most recent bronze medalist from last year’s international artist competition, and the fifth prize winner from the 2012 young artists competition. Opening the season on … Read more

Two recent excellent events: ChitraKaavya Dance: In a forest, a deer…, Intermezzo Chamber Music Series’ September concerts at The Grand America Hotel

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The Utah Review offers reviews of several recent excellent downtown Salt Lake City performing arts events.   ChitraKaavya Dance: In a forest, a deer… In a talkback following ChitraKaavya Dance’s production featuring In a forest, a deer…, an Indian-American audience member who was visiting downtown Salt Lake City on the most recent Labor Day weekend commented … Read more

Like great unusual wine pairings, NOVA Chamber Music Series’ 2025-2026 season builds innovative harmonious bridges

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Like great unusual wine pairings that create surprising bridges for innovative harmonious experiences, every concert in NOVA Chamber Music Series’ 2025-2026 season highlights the organization’s long successful programming brand. For example, Elegies and Romances, the theme of the Sept. 21 opener (Libby Gardner Hall, 3 p.m.), pairs music by Rachmaninoff and Mozart with Utah premieres … Read more

UtahPresents’ 10th anniversary season is a blockbuster slate, with jazz, theater, dance, film, music and circus

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Marking its tenth anniversary season, UtahPresents, a major  performing arts presenter at the University of Utah, has a blockbuster slate for the 2025-2026 season. This includes a phenomenal four-concert jazz series, a trio of internationally acclaimed dance companies on tour, several intriguing theatrical productions touching on contemporary social issues, programs featuring some of Utah’s best-known … Read more

Summer review roundup: Twofold (RDT Link Series), Intermezzo Chamber Music Series, Rose Performing Arts Coalition’s Our Carnival of the Animals

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TWOFOLD: REPERTORY DANCE THEATRE LINK SERIES In an internationally recognized hub of modern and contemporary dance such as Salt Lake City, nearly every week brings a show that reflects just how high the bar of excellence is pitched when it comes to movement. As part of Repertory Dance Theatre’s Link Series offerings, always worth checking … Read more