Gene & Shelley Enlow Recital Hall at Kean University Announces Upcoming Season: Ben Vereen and More

The Gene & Shelley Enlow Recital Hall at Kean University announces the third concert season with a line-up of 12 performances featuring today's leading musicians and legends of our time in classical, jazz, pop and world music.

Enlow Recital Hall opens the 2012-13 season on September 22.  The line-up includes Chick Corea & Gary Burton, Arco Ensemble, LeAnn Rimes, Joshua Bell, Ben Vereen, African Children's Choir, Holiday Brass, Nai Ni Chen & Ahn Trio, Elaine Paige, 2 CELLOS and Marvin Hamlisch.

Located on Kean University's East Campus, Enlow Hall is renowned for its superb acoustics and elegant design. The newly renovated 300 - seat hall has been praised by noted performers and patrons for its intimate ambiance and close proximity between musicians and audience members.

A Season Three Opening Night celebration features Chick Corea & Gary Burton (Saturday, September 22 at 7:30 p.m.) followed by a champagne and dessert reception.  Renowned pianist-composer Chick Corea and vibraphonist Gary Burton have forty years of performing together and have garnered 23 Grammy Awards together.  They'll perform material from their new album Hot House which explores their unique take on "standards" by composers from Kurt Weill and Antonio Carlos Jobim to Thelonius Monk and Lennon & McCartney.

New Jersey's virtuoso string chamber orchestra Arco Ensemble (October 14 at 3 p.m.), American country/pop singer and two time Grammy Award winner LeAnn Rimes (October 26 at 7:30 p.m.), classical music superstar violinist Joshua Bell (November 4 at 3 p.m.) and Tony Award winner Ben Vereen (November 17 at 7:30 p.m.) are highlighted throughout the season.

Enlow Hall celebrates the holidays with two special performances: African Children's Choir (December 2 at 3 p.m.) featuring world-renowned performers from Uganda serving as ambassadors for Africa's most vulnerable children and Holiday Brass (December 16 at 3 p.m.) playing the most vibrant music of the season.

The season continues with Nai Ni Chen & Ahn Trio (February 23 at 7:30 p.m.) in an exciting new collaboration integrating poetry with new music by contemporary composers and original dance.  The Arco Ensemble (March 3 at 3 p.m.) performs a concert of music composed by and for women, followed by Elaine Paige (March 10 at 3:00 p.m.), "The First Lady of Musical Theater" and 2 CELLOS (April 6 at 7:30 p.m.) classically trained cellists performing unique convergent cello versions of today's pop and rock music.  The season concludes with Marvin Hamlisch: Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, Tony and Golden Globe award-winning composer of more than forty motion picture scores as well as groundbreaking Broadway musicals. (May 5 at 3 p.m.).

A 2012-13 Season Subscription guarantees tickets to all 12 Enlow Hall concerts.  Season Subscribers receive exclusive VIP benefits to enhance their Enlow Hall experience including priority seating, special invitations to elegant receptions, recognition in Enlow Hall concert programs, reserved VIP parking, personal assistance on the Subscriber Phone Line and much more. As an added benefit, Season Subscribers may request two complimentary tickets to a performance of their choice (subject to availability).

Foulger International Music Festival (founded this year by cellist Allison Eldredge) will present 22 events in Enlow Hall throughout July 2012.  "Expressing the Inexpressible" (Friday, July 6 at 7pm); "A Feast of Brahms" (Free Open Rehearsal: Saturday, July 7 at 1pm, Concert: Sunday, July 8 at 3pm); "Romantic Vienna" (Friday, July 13 at 7pm); "Foulger Chamber Orchestra" (Friday, July 20 at 7pm); "Summer Music" (Friday, July 27 at 7pm).  All concerts are $25.

Foulger International Music Festival presents the following masterclasses: Cellist Timothy Eddy (Monday, July 9 at 7pm); Pianist Yoshie Akimoto (Monday, July 16 at 7pm); Violist Samuel Rhodes (Monday, July 23 at 10:30am and 2pm) and Violinist Shmuel Ashkenasi (Wednesday, July 25 at 7pm). Free admission to all masterclasses.

The students of the Young Performers program perform solo and chamber music on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays beginning July 7 at 7pm with two concerts on Saturday, July 28 at 1pm and 7pm. Free admission to all Young Performers programs.

ASTA/NJ Chamber Music Institute will perform its eighth annual professional 2012 Summer Series in Enlow Hall featuring Concert Artist Ensemble of Kean University (Sunday, July 29 at 7:30 p.m and Thursday, August 9 at 7:30pm); JACK Quartet (Thursday, August 2 at 7:30 p.m.) and Shangahi Quartet (Sunday, August 5 at 2pm). Single tickets are $25. ASTA/NJ Summer Series ticket package is $75 and includes all four concerts – a $25 savings. 

The Concert Artist Program of Kean University delivers world-class music education and performances by a professional ensemble of nationally and internationally reputed musicians who also serve as studio faculty for Kean's Conservatory of Music. As part of the 2012-13 Concert Artist Series, the following eight concerts will be performed in Enlow Hall:  "A Schubertiade" (Sunday, September 23 at 3pm); "Birds of a Feather" (Thursday, October 18 at 7:30pm); "Introducing Jorge Cavallero" (Thursday, November 1 at 7:30pm); "Six Times Two" (Thursday, November 29 at 7:30pm); "Sounds of the Angels II" (Monday, March 4 at 7:30pm); "The Russians Are Coming" (Thursday, April 4 at 7:30pm): "Ars Vitalis: The New Jersey New Music Forum (Thursday, April 18 at 7:30pm) and "Bridges East and West" (Friday, April 26 at 7:30pm). All Concert Artist Series performances in Enlow Hall are $25.

Tickets to Enlow Hall can be purchased by calling Kean Stage Box Office at 908.737.SHOW (7469), online at http://enlowhall.kean.edu , or in person at Kean University's Wilkins Theater Box Office.  Audiences have the opportunity to save with advanced tickets sales.  Tickets buyers receive $5 off all tickets purchased by September 14, offering deep discounts for early purchase.  Enlow Recital Hall is located at 215 North Avenue, Hillside, NJ 07205.u.