November at The University Musical Society Includes SUPERPOSITION, THE BIG SQUEEZE, and More

The University Musical Society (UMS) continues its 2014-2015 season in November with eight must-see performances. The month opens with superposition, a stage work by Japan's leading contemporary artist Ryoji Ikeda on Friday, October 31 and Saturday, November 1 in the Power Center; superposition explores the world of micro-data using a rich sonic soundscape, synchronized content feeds on twin cinema screens, and human performers who execute real-time data streams.

Also on Saturday, November 1, UMS presents The Big Squeeze: An Accordion Festival in Hill Auditorium, a celebratory performance that showcases the accordion and its relatives, including the Accordion Virtuosi of Russia, an orchestra of accordion players; Russian bayan phenom Alexander Sevastian; Julien Labro on bandoneo?n and accordina with the Spektral Quartet; and the Irish Duo of John Williams on button accordion and concertina and Liz Carroll on fiddle.

The month continues with a performance by Apollo's Fire & Apollo's Singers, performing Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610 in St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church on Thursday, November 6. Quatuor E?be?ne will perform in Rackham Auditorium on Sunday, November 9; known for their spontaneous spirit and their exploration of the concept of "the quartet," Quatuor E?be?ne deftly shifts gears from classical to jazz to pop within any given performance.

The following week, the San Francisco Symphony returns to Hill Auditorium for two different programs. On Thursday, November 13, they perform Mahler's Symphony No. 7, a work that has never been performed at a UMS concert. The next night they perform a program of Liszt, Prokofiev, and Ravel with violin soloist Gil Shaham.

On Saturday, November 15, the acclaimed jazz pianist Bob James will perform a UMS debut in Hill Auditorium on the heels of his October 30th indoctrination to the University School of Music, Theatre, and Dance Hall of

Fame. A U-M alum who lives in Traverse City, Bob James serves as an incredible example of Michigan's rich cultural legacy.

Hawaiian ukulele wizard Jake Shimabukuro makes his first UMS performance in Hill Auditorium on Wednesday, November 19. Shimabukuro made history when his ukulele rendition of George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" became one of YouTube's first viral videos; since then, he has taken the world by storm with music that combines elements of jazz, blues, funk, rock, bluegrass, classical, swing, and flamenco.

Closing out the month, pianist Yuja Wang and violinist Leonidas Kavakos perform a program of Brahms, Schumann, Stravinsky, and Respighi in a joint recital in Hill Auditorium on Sunday, November 23.

Tickets to All Events on Sale Now

How to Order:

? www.ums.org

? 734-764-2538

? In person: Michigan League (911 North University Avenue)

? At the performance venue: beginning 90 minutes before performance start time

? Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., closed Sunday

Photo Credit: Kazuo Fukunaga