Artist Series History

The origins of the Artist Series date from 1901, when a group of Boulder women known as the Friday Musical Club began sponsoring visiting performers in recital at the University of Colorado. Edward MacDowell, a well-known American composer-pianist, was one of the first guests on this precursor to today’s Artist Series. Some of the better-known performers to be sponsored by the club included pianist Mary Wood-Chase, Mme. Schumann-Heink, Mme. Gadski of the Metropolitan Opera, and violinist Louis Persinger. Upon disbanding in 1915, the club’s treasury of $500 was donated to Macky Auditorium for the purchase of the organ.

The Boulder Musical Society was organized in 1921 and took over the sponsorship of the visiting artist series.  The first Boulder Musical Society program included, among others, pianist Artur Rubinstein and violinist Fritz Kreisler.

The Artist Series, as we know it today, presented its first official season in 1937. Since then, the series has sponsored approximately 420 concerts. The Artist Series celebrated its 70th season in 2006-2007 and continues to bring the most outstanding, internationally known performers of classical music, jazz, world music, and dance to Boulder.

Past Events:

2000s  |  1990s  |  1980s  |  1970s  |  1960s  |  1950s  |  1940s  |  1930s

2010-2011
Nobuyuki Tsujii, piano
Parsons Dance and East Village Opera
Hilary Hahn, violin
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Christmas in Ireland with Danú
Imani Winds
Oregon Ballet Theatre
Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight!
Nnenna Freelon
 

2009-2010
Dave Grusin and Lee Ritenour with the CU University Orchestra
Luna Negra with Paquito D'Rivera and the Turtle Island Quartet
Haochen Zhang, piano
MOMIX
REBEL Baroque Ensemble
Thomas Hampson
Kronos Quartet
Pink Martini

2008-2009
Mariza
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields with Julia Fischer
The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial with Ed Asner
Colorado Symphony with Alisa Weilerstein
Christopher O'Riley, piano
Soweto Gospel Choir
Kavafian-Schub-Shifrin
Philadanco
Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer

2007-2008
ODC Dance
The Eroica Effect
Peru Negro
Anderszewski, Piotr
Les Ballets Trockadero
Trio Mediaeval
Boston Brass
Yamato
First Person: Stories from the Edge of the World
Sandoval, Arturo

2006-2007
Kern, Olga
Scofield, John
Pilobolus Dance Theater
Finckel, David & Wu Han
Evidence Dance Company
Anonymous 4 w/Darol Anger & Scott Nygaard
Macmaster, Natalie
Glover, Savion  
Assad, Sergio & Odair w/Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg

2005-2006
Lovano, Joe & Luciana Souza
Galway, James and the Polish Chamber Orchestra
Soweto Gospel Choir
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Cantus
Fleck, Bela & Edgar Meyer
Hahn, Hilary
Kobrin, Alexander
Ballet Hispanico of New York

2004-2005
Holland, Dave
Fleisher, Leon
Camerata Sweden
Ensemble Kabul
McFerrin, Bobby
Bang on a Can
Red Priest
Glennie, Evelyn
STREB

2003-2004
Garth Fagan Dance
Trpceski, Simon
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Carlota Santana
Marsalis, Wynton
Yamato
Amadeus Trio
Parkening, Christopher & Jubilant Sykes

2002-2003
Academy of Ancient Music
Bell, Joshua
Alvin Ailey II
Percussions de Guinee
Sanchez, Poncho
Williams, John
Ioudenitch, Stanislav
Hamlisch, Marvin

2001-2002
Australian Chamber Orchestra
Pilobolus Dance Theater
King'singers
Trinity Dance
Elias, Eliane
SoVoSo
Kern, Olga
O'Connor, Mark

2000-2001
Parkening, Christopher
Parsons Dance
SamulNori
Brecker, Michael
Academy of Ancient Music
Perlman, Nikkanen & Bailey Trio
The Canadian Brass Quintet

1999-2000
Bronfman, Yefim
Graham, Martha
Chanticleer
Mystical Arts of Tibet
Sandoval, Arturo
Eroica Trio
Horne, Marilyn

1998-1999
Nakamatsu, Jon
Hubbard Street Dance
Gershwin By Request
Billy Taylor Trio
Assad, Sergio & Odair
Oliveira, Elmar

1997-1998
Ballet Hispanico of New York
Lovano, Joe
Douglas, Barry
Von Stade, Frederica

1996-1997
Combattimento Consort Amsterdam
Shaham, Gil (violin)
Alvin Ailey
Ax, Emanuel
Mingus Big Band
Kalichstein/Laredo/Robinson
Feld Ballets/NY
Colorado Symphony Orchestra

1995-1996
Chamber Music Society of the Lincoln Center
Goode, Richard (piano)
Paul Taylor Dance Company
The Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
Bolcom & Morris
Redman, Joshua
Ballet Folklorico Nacional de Chile
O'Rilley, Brey

1994-1995
Ameling, Elly
Le Ballet National du Senegal
Detroit Chamber Winds
Guarneri String Quartet
De Larrocha, Alicia
Laws, Hubert
Zukerman, Pinchas

1993-1994
Pedroni, Simone (piano)
Rollins, Sonny
Chanticleer
Limon Dance Theater
ISO & The Bobs
Tokyo String Quartet

1992-1993
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields w/Iona Brown, Dir.
Krasnayarsk Dance Company of Siberia
Children's Theater Company in The Jungle Book
Ballet Met
Kulintang Arts
King'singers
Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
Klezmer Conservatory Band
Ohlsson, Garrick
Tito Puente Latin Jazz All-Stars

1991-1992
Ballet Hispanico of New York
American Indian Dance
Waverly Consort
Boston Chamber Music Society
Hanover Band
Douglas, Barry
Marsalis, Branford

1990-1991
Dance Brazil
Moscow Studio Theater
King'singers
Ashkenazy, Vladimir
Urban Bush Women
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Octet
Sultanov, Alexei
Queen Ida & the Bon Temp Zydeco Band

1989-1990
Ma, Yo-Yo
Dean, Laura Dancers & Musicians
The Philharmonia Baroque/Nicholas McGegan Dir.
Feltzman, Vladimir
The Canadian Brass Quintet
Taylor, Billy (Trio)

1988-1989
Ballet Hispanico of New York
David Gordon Pick Up Company
King'singers
Wilson, Ransom
Zazofsky, Peter
The Berlin Symphony Orchestra of D.D.R.
Brubeck, Dave (Quartet)

1987-1988
The Guthrie Theatre
Serkin, Peter
Amsterdam Guitar Trio
The Washington Ballet
Soviet Georgian Chamber Orchestra
Marsalis, Wynton

1986-1987
Bolling, Claude
Fegali, Jose
Pilobolus Dance Theater
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra w/Pinchas Zukerman

1985-1986
Vienna Chamber Orchestra w/Philippe Entremont, Dir./piano
Rare Silk


1984-1985

Takács Quartet
Dichter, Misha & Cipa
Queen City Jazz Band
Holt, Ben
The Cleveland Quartet
Rostropovich, Mstislav
Murray, Louis & Dave Brubeck

1983-1984
Chicago Symphony Winds
Ax, Emanuel
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet 
Boston Camerata - Sing We Noel
Stern, Isaac

1982-1983
Rampal, Jean Pierre
Louis Falco Dance Company
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
Nikolais Dance Theatre

1981-1982
Brown, Stephanie
Mintz, Shlomo and Moiseiwitsch, Benno
Holm, Hanya
American Ballet Theater II

1980-1981
Peters, Roberta
Schub, Andre-Michel
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra w/ Goechinger Kantorei of Stuttgart
Starker, Janos
The San Francisco Symphony

1979-1980
Schneider, Alexander (Quartet)
Hanani, Yehuda & Larry Graham
Verret, Shirley
Kamal, Turan-Mirza
Julliard String Quartet
Aeolian Chamber Players
Toulouse Chamber Orchestra w/Michel DeBost
The New York Chamber Orchestra Soloists
Sherman, Russel
Gutierrez, Horacio
Boccherini, Quintero
Musicum Syntagma
Nesterenko, Evgeny
Vermeer Quartet
The Canadian Brass Quintet

1978-1979
Ameling, Elly
Souzay, Gerard
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields w/Richard Stoltzman
Istomin, Eugene
Twyla Tharp Dance Foundation
Kiri Te Kanawa
The Chinese Magic Circus of Taiwan
Fodor, Eugene
Denver Symphony w/Caroline Steossinger
Whiffenpoofs of Yale & the New Wizard Oil Combinations
Collar, Jean-Phillipe
Aulos Ensemble
Rostropovich, Mstislav
Vienna Boys Choir
The Voravai Concert
Merce Cunningham Dance Company
The Paillard Chamber Orchestra
The Atlanta Symphony & UofC Chorus w/Robert Shaw

1977-1978
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet
The Minnesota Orchestra
Zukerman, Pinchas
The Utah Symphony Orchestra
Milnes, Sherrill
Soviet Georgian Dancer & Tailiai Polyphonic Choir

1976-1977
Verret, Shirley
Tuckwell, Barry w/Gary Graffman
Prague Chamber Orchestra
Stern, Isaac
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet
Madame Butterfly

1975-1976
Hollander, Lorin
The Utah Symphony Orchestra
The Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
The Pennsylvania Ballet Company
Milnes, Sherrill
Jose Lhamo Dance of Tibet

1974-1975
The Pennsylvania Ballet Company
Sills, Beverly
Prague Chamber Orchestra
Polynesia
Graffman, Gary w/Barry Tuckwell

1973-1974
Stern, Isaac
The Utah Symphony Orchestra
The Rumanian Folk Ballet
Warsaw National Philharmonic
Ashkenazy, Vladimir
Arroyo, Martina

1972-1973
Kim, Young
Uck Ljublijana Dancer & Singers
The Luboff Norman Choir
Slobodyanik, Alexander
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London

1971-1972
Horne, Marilyn
Fiesta Mexicana
Watts, Andre
The Claude Kipnis Mime Theater
Budapest Symphony Orchestra

1970-1971
The Branco Krsmanovich Chorus
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet
Shirley, George
The Minnesota Orchestra
The Olacta Basque Festival of Bilbao

1969-1970
Oistrakh, David
The Denver Symphony Orchestra w/Saul Caston, Dir.
Baker, Janet
The Utah Symphony Orchestra
The Pennsylvania Ballet Company

1968-1969
Stern, Isaac w/Eugene Istomin & Leonard Rose
Prey, Herman
Primose, William
Bach Aria Group
Johannessen, Grant
Les Danseurs Africains
Theatre Royal Windsor

1967-1968
The Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
Stern, Isaac
The Vienna Academy Chorus
Ashkenazy, Vladimir
Forrester, Maureen

1966-1967
Ballet Folklorico
Kirsten-Morell Opera Gala
Konya, Sandra
Bream, Julian

1965-1966
The Cleveland Orchestra
Fizdale, Robert & Arthur Gold
Schwarzkopf, Elisabeth
The Rumanian Folk Ballet
Wolfgang Von Kjarajan Ensemble
The Wagner, Roger Chorale

1964-1965
Rubinstein, Artur
The Branco Krsmanovich Chorus
Milstien, Nathan
Japan Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
Tucker, Richard
Arirang

1963-1964
Les Ballet Trockadero of Seville by Godovsky Grand Opera
Goldovsky Grand Opera in Barber of Seville
Victoria de Los Angeles
San Francisco Ballet
Gramm, Donald
Cliburn, Van

1962-1963
Peerce, Jan
Bernstein, Leonard A.
The Denver Symphony Orchestra w/Saul Caston, Dir.
Stern, Isaac
Gedda, Nicholi
The Uday Shanger Hindu Dancers

1961-1962
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Haaser, Hans Richter
Roberto Iglesias Ballet Espanol
The Branco Krsmanovich Chorus

1960-1961
Segovia, Andres
Zachery Solov Ballet
Bashkirov, Dimitri
Shaw, Robert Chorale
Germani, Fernando
The Denver Symphony Orchestra w/Saul Caston, Dir. & Jamie Laredo
Maynor, Dorothy

1959-1960
The Denver Symphony Orchestra w/Saul Caston, Dir.
The Canadian Players
Boston Opera in The Voyage to the Moon
Firkusny, Rudolph
Amparan, Belen
Hunter, Ralph Dramatic Chorus

1958-1959
Chicago Opera Ballet
London, George
Janis, Byron
Candide w/ Martyn Green, Ira Petina & Rob Rounseville
The Vienna Academy Chorus
The Denver Symphony Orchestra w/Saul Caston, Dir.

1957-1958
Segovia, Andres
The Wagner, Roger Chorale
The Denver Symphony Orchestra w/Saul Caston, Dir.
American Ballet Theater
Pennario, Leonard

1956-1957
Kentner, Louis
Jose Limon Dance Company
DePauris Infantry Chorus
Siepi, Cesare
The Denver Symphony Orchestra w/Saul Caston, Dir.
Biggs, E. Power
Ives, Burl

1955-1956
Seefried, Irmgrad
The Mozarteum Orchestra
Whittmore & Lowe
The Denver Symphony Orchestra w/Saul Caston, Dir.
The Dublin Players
Fiesta in Haiti
La Boheme

1954-1955
Reins, Claude
Badura-Skoda, Paul
The Denver Symphony Orchestra w/Saul Caston, Dir.
Danilova, Alexandra
Corelli, Societa
Shaw, Robert Chorale

1953-1954
The Denver Symphony Orchestra w/Saul Caston, Dir.
Agnes DeMille Dance Theatre
Segovia, Andres
The Salzburg Marionette Theatre

1952-1953
The Gershwin Festival
Coci, Claire
DePauris Infantry Chorus
Guarrera, Frank
The Denver Symphony Orchestra w/Saul Caston, Dir.
Malcuzynski
Thebom, Blanche

1951-1952
Bjoerling, Jusse and Aria Lisa
Rogers & Hammerstein Nights

1950-1951
Melton, James
The Denver Symphony Orchestra w/Saul Caston, Dir.
DePauris Infantry Chorus
Rubinstein, Artur
Piatigorsky, Gregor
Eddy, Nelson
Maria, Ana
Dekker, Albert in Death of a Salesman

1949-1950
Nemenoff & Luboshutz
Roman, Stella
The Denver Symphony Orchestra w/Saul Caston, Dir.
Szigeti, Joseph
Mariemma
Rubinstein, Artur
Tropicana
Hines, Jerome

1948-1949

1947-1948

1946-1947

1945-1946

1944-1945
Ferrer, Jose, Paul Robeson & Ute Hagen Othello
Draper, Paul & Larry Alder w/Arthur Ferrante

1943-1944
Jepson, Helen
Spalding, Albert
Wessel, Mark w/Rink String Quartet
Drake, Helen & Walter Shaw
Dubrovnik Festival Orchestra
Evelyn, Judith in A Street Car Named Desire

1942-1943
Orchesis, University Dance Group
Stradivarius Quartet of New York
Robeson, Paul in Othello (w/Jose Ferrer & Isaac Stern)
The English Duo (Viola Morris & Victoria Anderson)
Bacon, Analee & Ernst
Travers, Patricia
Brailowsky, Alexander

1941-1942
Knowles, Lilian
Ricci, Ruggiero
Schipa, Tito
Grainger, Percy

1940-1941
Jones, Horace w/ Gloria Perkins & Universtiy Orchestra
Howe, Helen
The Trapp Family Singers
Linde, Anna

1939-1940
Sten, Suzanne
The Barrere Little Symphony
Eisenburg, Maruice
Bauer, Harold
Cossack, Dan

1938-1939
Sandburg, Carl
Borin, Igor
The Lhevinne Recital (Joseph & Rosina)
Kolisch Quartet

1937
The New English Singers
Ganz, Rudolph
Wessel, Mark w/Rink String Quartet
Powell, John
Ljingberg, Guita
Byrd, Rear Admiral Richard E.