The Wharton Center for performing arts at Michigan State University is rolling out its 2012-13 schedule.
The Broadway series will be announced on Sunday, but today, we have information on their classical music and jazz schedules.
WKAR’s Scott Pohl spoke with Wharton Center Executive Director Michael Brand for a sneak peek.
SCOTT POHL: What might be the highlights of your classical music programming this year?
MICHAEL BRAND: Having Renee Fleming is something we’ve tried for a long time to have, and we’ve also got the BBC Concert Orchestra, which doesn’t come to the United States that often. Keith Lockhart is the Music Director. It’s a chance for our audience to see this pops orchestra conductor do his thing with the BBC Orchestra, and they’ve programmed a British program for us, so it’s very interesting. And then, kind of a late addition, but we’ve included the James Galway legacy tour, which we just had to have, because he’s been here a number of years, and we’re bringing in some new artists and we’re bringing in some that have been here before, celebrating our 30th anniversary.
POHL: You have a nice jazz schedule this year. Sonny Rollins may be the highlight there.
BRAND: Sonny Rollins is actually one of our signature events, which are selected artists and organizations that we’ve picked in association with our 30th anniversary. He, too, has been an artist we’ve been trying to get here for a number of years, and we finally locked in his schedule.
Sonny Rollins will appear October 7th.
The rest of the jazz schedule includes Live At Birdland featuring The Birdland Big Band on October 25th; Tiempo Libre on December 6th; Monterey Jazz Festival featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Benny Green, Chris Potter and Lewis Nash on March 20th; and John Scofield’s Hollowbody Band next April 7th.
The classics schedule has the BBC Concert Orchestra led by Keith Lockhart on January 31st; Renee Fleming on February 27th; and Sir James Galway next March 28th.
This Sunday, the Wharton Center will announce its complete schedule, including incoming Broadway shows, for the year to come. We’ll have more of Scott Pohl’s conversation with Michael Brand on our website, wkar-dot-org, on Sunday.
Season brochures will start arriving in mailboxes on Monday (April 16).
