Something for your Deacs to look forward to
The Secrest Artist Series is one of the great perks of being a Wake Forest student. The series brings world-class artists to campus, and our students can see them for the mere cost of flashing their WFU ID.
The 2019-20 season has been announced, and it looks like another stellar lineup:
Take 6, “heralded by Quincy Jones as the “baddest vocal cats on the planet!’, is the quintessential a cappella group and model for vocal genius. Six virtuosic voices united in crystal clear harmony, against a backdrop of syncopated rhythms, innovative arrangements, and funky grooves that bubble into an intoxicating brew of gospel, jazz, R&B, and pop.”
Chick Corea Trilogy, “22-time GRAMMY-winning Jazz legend, pianist and composer, Chick Corea, in concert with Christian McBride, bass, and Brian Blade, percussion.”
Mahan Esfahani, “the first and only harpsichordist to be a BBC New Generation Artist (2008-2010), a Borletti-Buitoni prizewinner (2009), and a nominee for Gramophone’s Artist of the Year (2014, 2015, and 2017).”
Elias String Quartet, “the complete String Quartets of Ludwig van Beethoven, performed by the vibrant young Elias String Quartet in six concerts over three nights in March 2020”
A Far Cry, “A Far Cry was selected as Boston’s 2018 best classical ensemble by The Improper Bostonian, with one of its albums ranking at the top of Billboard’s Traditional Classical Chart. The self-conducted orchestra is a democracy in which decisions are made collectively and leadership rotates among the players.”
These are amazing performances, not to be missed. And I love that part of the Secrest mission states that “the best of the established artists in the performing arts and the most promising of the new will appear without admission charge to the students, faculty, and staff” and that “it is assumed that attendance at these first class artistic events is part of the cultural education and enhancement of students at Wake Forest.”
Mark your calendars, Deacs!