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LEWISBURG — According to a press release, the upcoming spring season at Bucknell University’s Weis Center for the Performing Arts includes 10 professional performances, including world music, classical, bluegrass, ballet dance, and jazz.
The season kicks off with flamenco and classical guitarist Pablo Giménez and his Ensemble at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31. Giménez is the artistic director of the Pablo Giménez Spanish Ensemble and the Corazon de Granada flamenco company.
Gospel quartet Kings Return will perform at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8. The group takes pride in crafting a diverse, yet supremely cohesive, a cappella sound. The blend of their unique vocal timbres is so rich and smooth that, at times, it sounds more like a full choir than four men.
Heloisa Fernandes Quartet performs at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11. The Brazilian pianist and composer will be joined by an ensemble that includes flute, bass and percussion.
Bluegrass ensemble Henhouse Prowlers perform at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14. Founded nearly two decades ago, this Chicago-bred quartet gives audiences a sense of how much they love what they do. While bluegrass is the undeniable foundation of the Henhouse Prowlers’ music, the band bends and squeezes the traditional form into a keenly developed sound all its own.
Jazz drummer Nate Smith performs at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21. Smith is a drummer, composer and producer from Chesapeake, Virginia. His visceral, instinctive and deep-rooted style of drumming has led to three Grammy nominations. Smith fuses his original compositions with an eclectic mix of music, including everything from jazz to rhythm and blues and hip-hop to pop.
Esmé Quartet performs at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28. Praised for its warm sound and powerful stage presence, the Esmé Quartet brings together four brilliant and distinct musical personalities to form a cohesive, close-knit group that is passionately dedicated to the string quartet repertoire.
World music quartet from Ukraine, DakhaBrakha performs at 7:30 p.m. March 20. Reflecting fundamental elements of sound and soul, Ukrainian “ethno-chaos” band DakhaBrakha creates a world of unexpected new music. Their shows are always staged with a strong visual element.
Houston Ballet II graces the stage at 7:30 p.m. March 28. Houston Ballet II is comprised of a stellar array of young dancers from around the world. They will perform “Grand Pas de Deux” from “Don Quixote,” Act II, as well as “A Dance in the Garden of Mirth” and “Sleeping Beauty,” from Act III.
Classical ensemble Neave Trio will perform at 2 p.m. March 30. Since forming in 2010, the Grammy-nominated Neave Trio, including violinist Anna Williams, cellist Mikhail Veselov and pianist Eri Nakamura, has earned enormous praise for its engaging, cutting-edge performances.
The spring season ends with blues artist Ruthie Foster at 7:30 p.m. April 25. Renowned for her ability to weave together a tapestry of diverse musical influences ranging from gospel and blues to folk and soul, Foster’s musical odyssey has taken her from singing in churches in rural Texas to earning multiple Grammy nominations. With her milestone tenth studio album, Mileage, Foster continues to tell stories that reflect her personal triumphs, losses, and the universal human experience.
The Weis Center for the Performing Arts is located at 525 Weis Drive, Lewisburg. For more information or tickets, call 570-577-1000 or visit Bucknell.edu/BoxOffice.