Matthew VanBesien News

The University Musical Society has announced the lineup of UMS 101 workshops featured as part of its 23/24 season. 

The University Musical Society has announced its 144th season, which runs from September 2022 through April 2023.

The University Musical Society announces a new, multi-faceted creative partnership with The Philadelphia Orchestra for the 2021-22 season, reigniting and capitalizing on its long history with the ensemble, which served as the residency orchestra for the May Festival for 49 years, from 1936-1984.

Maps are used to represent physical topographies of land or borders between nations, and to assist with directing us to a desired destination. But can they also be used to represent emotions? To make unseen connections? Or to understand the past or move forward into a new future? Can the arts help to shape a new kind of map?

Acclaimed actor Wendell Pierce is pushing forward a new way of imagining live theater in a lingering pandemic, which has shuttered in-person arts experiences throughout the country. 

Wendell Pierce (Olivier nominee for Best Actor for Death of a Salesman) will make his University Musical Society (UMS) debut with a Digital Artist Residency that will feature a filmed, fully-staged production of James Anthony Tyler's 2015 play, Some Old Black Man. The two-person play also features veteran actor Charlie Robinson.

Voters' Broadcast is a broadly participatory musical performance for an unlimited number of voices and instruments made up of choral and instrumental ensembles.

The University Musical Society, in partnership with the University of Michigan Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and the Democracy & Debate Theme Semester has announced that Daily Show star Trevor Noah will join the U-M community for a casual and interactive conversation on this pivotal moment that reflects both adversity and possibility.

The University Musical Society has announced its full cohort of Digital Artist Residency artists, each of whom will explore timely themes through an array of new creative projects being developed specifically for the digital frame.

UMS's 142nd Season kicks off in September with digital presentations, Q&A, virtual book launch, outdoor movement workshops and more.

Tickets to individual performances on the University Musical Society's 142nd season will go on sale to the public on Monday, August 3, 2020.

As the novel coronavirus continues to pose a serious threat to public health around the world, the University Musical Society has announced several changes to its fall season.

The University Musical Society (UMS) announces its 142nd season, which runs from September 2020 through April 2021.

In light of the recent recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and the State of Michigan, the University Musical Society (UMS) announces that the upcoming performances by American Ballet Theatre (ABT) and the Chineke! Orchestra with Sheku Kanneh-Mason have been canceled to support efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. UMS was originally scheduled to present ABT at the Detroit Opera House April 16-19 in partnership with Michigan Opera Theatre, and the Chineke! Orchestra was to perform at Hill Auditorium on April 23. With these two cancellations, UMS's 2019/20 season has concluded.

In response to the University of Michigan's prohibition on campus events that would convene 100 people or more through April 21, the University Musical Society (UMS) will cancel almost all remaining events in the 2019-20 season to support efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19.

 The University Musical Society (UMS) of the University of Michigan announces No Safety Net 2.0, a three-week festival of three provocative theater productions plus a one-on-one installation performance, all of which foster timely conversations around topical social themes. The festival will be held January 22–February 9, 2020 on the University of Michigan campus and features 20 staged performances at Arthur Miller Theatre (1226 Murfin Avenue) and the Duderstadt Center (2281 Bonisteel Blvd), two school day performances, and opportunities for open dialogue and conversation with artists and other audience members. The installation performances will take place throughout the festival in both Ann Arbor and Dearborn. The first No Safety Net festival was held in January–February 2018. Tickets to all performances are on sale now at ums.org.

Michigan Opera Theatre (MOT) and the University Musical Society (UMS) have announced the cast for American Ballet Theatre's (ABT) production of a?oeSwan Lake,a?? presented at the Detroit Opera House April 16-19. Starring in the role of Odette/Odile will be ABT Principal dancers Devon Teuchser, Isabella Boylston, Christine Shevchenko, Hee Seo and Gillian Murphy. Cory Stearns, Joo Won Ahn, Thomas Forster, Aran Bell and James Whiteside will alternate the male lead of Prince Siegfried.

A comprehensive presidential arts initiative designed to 'unleash imagination and creativity' at the University of Michigan was announced today by President Mark Schlissel.

As part of its annual meeting on Tuesday, June 11, the University Musical Society's (UMS) Board of Directors elected Mike Martin as its newest member. Martin's four-year appointment officially begins on July 1. The Board also elected four officers for the new term, including Chair Tim Petersen, who succeeds outgoing chair Sarah Nicoli. Due to a bylaws change that adjusted the length of the terms of Elected Directors, no terms expired this year.

The University Musical Society (UMS) and the University of Michigan's School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD) EXCEL Lab are announcing the 2019-20 cohort of 21st Century Artist Interns.