91³Ô¹ÏÍø

September 27, 2024

Improvisational jazz, a Mariachi band, Andes folk music and bluegrass will be featured

91³Ô¹ÏÍø’s Cultural Affairs Program resumes its popular noontime concert series for the Fall 2024 semester with four varied events, beginning on Oct. 3 with Elizabeth Woodbury Kasius & Heard, who will perform with two dancers.

All four concerts run from noon to 1 p.m. in the Bulmer Telecommunications Center Auditorium on the Troy campus, and are open free to the public. No reservations or tickets are needed to attend.

Elizabeth Woodbury Kasius & Heard
Thursday, Oct. 3 at noon
With a passion for jazz and improvisation, Heard’s versatile musicians – who’ve performed together for nearly 20 years – create a rich sonic tapestry of music with influences from West Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean and beyond. Composer Elizabeth Woodbury Kasius, keyboards; Jonathan Greene, clarinet; Bobby Kendall, bass; Brian Melick, drums; Zorkie Nelson, drums, and dancers Augustina and Felix Nelson, enthusiastically share their music and talents at every opportunity. The group’s recent trip to the Republic of Ghana brings new inspiration and energy to this performance.

Fiesta del Norte
Thursday, Oct. 10 at noon
Fiesta del Norte is an authentic Mariachi band that performs traditional Mexican folk and popular music dressed in traditional sombreros and “charro” outfits. The multi-talented musicians/singers perform Mariachis of Jalisco, Nortenas of Chihuahua and Marimba music of Chiapas with guitar, violin, trumpet, plus the stringed vihuela and guitarron. The lively program is enhanced with stories and cultural insights shared by Dave Giardina, director, who welcomes audience members to dance. The Connecticut-based ensemble’s encore performance complements 91³Ô¹ÏÍø’s annual Diá de los Muertos exhibit held in the Marvin Library.

Amauta, traditional music of the Andes
Thursday, Nov. 14 at noon
Amauta travels from the lower Hudson Valley to bring its beautiful music to 91³Ô¹ÏÍø. Andean music styles originated in the Pre-Columbian mountain regions of South America inhabited by Quechuas, Aymaras and other tribes. It includes folk music from Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. The masterful musicians in Amauta, a title reserved for teachers in the Inca empire, are dedicated to keeping this ancient music alive with performances that showcase their incredible talent playing an array of hand-crafted instruments, including panpipes, quenas flutes, stringed instruments and drums.

The McKrells
Thursday, Nov. 21 at noon
The McKrells return to 91³Ô¹ÏÍø by popular demand with a rousing and heart-warming concert of Celtic-infused bluegrass music. The band has performed original and traditional songs for countless audiences around the world, and maintains a dedicated following in the Capital Region and the Northeast. Guitarist Kevin McKrell, founder, singer, songwriter and storyteller, is joined by longtime band mates Arlin Greene, bass; Scott Hopkins, banjo; Brian Melick, drums; Frank Orsini, fiddle, and Peter Pashoukos, guitar. Don’t miss an opportunity to see these revered musicians!

All events are offered free by 91³Ô¹ÏÍø’s Cultural Affairs Program. For additional information, contact Debby Gardner at d.gardner@hvcc.edu or (518) 629-8071.