Community Calendar

Celebrating over 50 years of captivating performances, the Fischer Duo brings their boldly imaginative and technically assured artistry to a program that explores the profound “late style” in music. The evening features Beethoven’s final cello sonata alongside George Rochberg’s deeply moving Sonata-Aria, one of his last compositions, and William Bolcom’s Cello Sonata #2 (2020)—a work that embodies the very essence of Bolcom’s finest writing. Both the Rochberg and Bolcom pieces were commissioned, premiered, and recorded by the Fischers, who have built a celebrated legacy championing new music alongside masterworks of the past. Join us for an unforgettable concert that promises “long, thrilling arcs of dramatic insight” (Gramophone) and the “slow-burning combustion” (Toledo Blade) that has made the Fischer Duo beloved by audiences around the world.

This special evening will be marked by an afterglow following the performance. Complimentary sparkling wine and other beverages and a light selection of treats will be shared, and patrons will be welcome to mingle with the artists and enjoy one another’s company.

Norman Fischer, cello
Jeanne Kierman Fischer, piano

“Thresholds” explores moments and spaces where the ordinary meets the divine. These “thin places” occur in nature, in meditation, in houses of worship, and within ourselves. Highlighting the works of women composers from the 12th century to the present, this program offers transcendent, contemplative music to offer peace during the midwinter season.

Serafina's mission is to lift up music written by, for, and about women through performance, education and advocacy. The ensemble has been featured on the Society for Historically Informed Performance’s summer concert series in Boston, the Detroit Institute of Art's Friday Night Live series, the Fairlane Music Guild concert series in Dearborn, and the Artist Series of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Chattanooga.

BILLY KING & EMILY SLOMOVITS
BEVERLY MEYER opens
Admission: $20, $18 student/senior
No advance sales; cash or check at door only
Stalwarts of the Southeast Michigan folk music community, Billy King & Emily Slomovits have performed across the Midwest for many years. Their musical talents range from guitar, banjo, mandolin, and keyboards for Billy King to classical violin, jazz and folk fiddle styles, and guitar for Emily Slomovits. King has been performing since childhood and now helps run his family’s beloved Frog Holler Farm, where he co-founded its annual music festival, Holler Fest. Slomovits has been performing from a young age as well, playing with her father and uncle in the treasured Ann Arbor duo Gemini since the age of eight. As a duo the two blend their melodically compelling original music with vibrant covers of songs by Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, and the Beatles, among others.
Beverly Meyer, known to many (especially younger audiences) as The Music Lady, is an accomplished performer with impressive instrumental skills and a big, beautiful voice. MAMA’s Coffeehouse is happy to have her back.

The Ann Arbor Concert Band presents Gustav Holst’s epic composition The Planets, Opus 32, a seven-movement suite. Each movement is named after a planet of the Solar System and its supposed astrological character. “The Planets” was composed over nearly three years, between 1914 and 1917. The work had its origins in March and April 1913, while Holst holidayed in Spain. A discussion about astrology piqued Holst's interest. Shortly after the holiday Holst wrote: "I only study things that suggest music to me. Recently the character of each planet suggested lots to me, and I have been studying astrology fairly closely". Holst described The Planets as "a series of mood pictures", acting as "foils to one another", with "very little contrast in any one of them". But although astrology was Holst's starting point, he arranged the planets to suit his own plan. The order of the movements is not the same as that of the planets' orbits round the sun. Holst’s only criterion was that of maximum musical effectiveness. Opening with the more disturbing character of Mars allows a more dramatic and compelling working out of the musical material. The Ann Arbor Concert Band is proud to present Gustav Holst’s The Planets Suite, featuring Singers from the Ann Arbor Civic Chorus.

10-piece big band led by Chris Smith, specializing in hot jazz of the 1920s and 30s. Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Duke Ellington and other jazz legends are prominent in their repertoire. Great for listening or dancing.

Hala Al-Karib is the Regional Director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) and is the Donia Human Rights Center’s inaugural Raoul Wallenberg Human Rights Practitioner Fellow. In her lecture, Ms. Al-Karib will reflect on her experiences advocating for human rights in the African context and how it mirrors the fight for civil rights in the United States.

"I grew up in the diminishing shadows of the African liberation movements. My childhood recollections were filled with long political debates among my parents, their friends, older cousins, and uncles about memories of leaders like Biko of South Africa, Senghor of Senegal, Nkrumah of Ghana, Nyerere of Tanzania, Nasser of Egypt, and Patrice Lumumba of the Congo. Naturally, this history has shaped my political consciousness.

Later in my life, I discovered that at the same time, another liberation movement was unfolding across the Atlantic, where young men and women of African descent were challenging a system that disregarded their humanity; they also vigorously strived for equality, justice, and human rights. In this conversation I am going to have with you, I will seek to illustrate how the quest for liberation and decolonization in Africa parallels the civil rights movement in America; both movements are reflecting our extended struggle to cross over that bridge towards a peaceful and just society."

Commentator

Carina Ray
A.M. and H.P. Bentley Chair and Associate Professor of African History, Department of History, U-M

This is event is free and open to the public and is in-person only. For questions, please reach out to umichhumanrights@umich.edu.

2 Stones Events will be bringing in metro Detroit’s finest jazz artists for a new series — Sessions @ The Vinyl Society, in the heart of downtown Detroit’s Paradise Valley. Two shows every Wednesday: 8:00 and 9:45 p.m. — and NEVER a cover charge!
Oct. 8 Heather Black Project
Oct. 15 Ben Sharkey
Oct. 22 Noah Jackson & Full Circle
Oct. 29 Jim Alfredson's Dirty Fingers

“Can You Trust What You See? AI and the Future of Democracy”
“That video of a candidate saying something shocking? Could be fake. That grassroots movement flooding your feed? Might be bots. The campaign message that perfectly speaks to your deepest fears? Algorithmically designed just for you.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping politics in real-time. Deepfakes make "seeing is believing" obsolete. Chatbots manufacture false consensus and overwhelm genuine voices. Sophisticated targeting turns campaigns into psychological operations, delivering custom-tailored messages that bypass our rational defenses.
We're not just talking about election interference anymore—we're watching the fundamental rules of political discourse get rewritten. How do we preserve informed democracy when disinformation scales infinitely? When anyone can generate thousands of unique fake news articles? When the line between persuasion and manipulation disappears?
Join us for a critical discussion on AI's impact on politics: the threats we face, the opportunities we're missing, and what we can do about it.”

Rehearsals for our 2026 Spring Concert will begin on Thursday, January 22nd at
7:30pm, and will be held in the basement of Emmanuel Lutheran Church. Please
plan to arrive a few minutes early to register and collect your music- doors will
open at 7pm. See you there!

For more information visit ypsicommchoir.org.

If you would like to receive email notifications prior to the start of each semester,
contact info@ypsicommchoir.org

Introducing Melodies & Morsels, a new series at Kerrytown Concert House in collaboration with Zingerman’s Deli, in which patrons get to experience the sounds and flavors of different regions from around the world.

January’s France Edition pairs a tasting box of three French assortments curated by Zingerman’s Deli with complimentary wines from KCH’s cellar! Your tasting will be guided by an expert from the Zingerman’s Deli.

KCH will pair your tasty delights with the irresistible swing sounds of Django Reinhardt’s “Hot Club of Paris” style jazz, played by Third Coast Swing featuring violinist Grant Flick. These outstanding musicians will bring this vibrant music to life with dazzling energy and charm.

We hope you will join us for this special collaboration and celebrate two Ann Arbor Kerrytown institutions coming together to transport you to Paris for a night of culture, cuisine, and captivating music.

Grant Flick, violin
Steve Plummer, guitar
Kaedin Plummer, guitar
Tom Knific, bass