New at The Zankel: SURROUND – Intimate Concert Series Seats Audience Onstage
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Borrowing a page from the SPAC On Stage script, the Arthur Zankel Music Center on the campus of Skidmore College will host three shows in a new concert series that seats the audience onstage with the artist.
The intimate three-show series, titled SURROUND, will utilize the setting sun as backdrop and showcase performances at 4 p.m. Sundays.
The shows feature Brandee Younger w/ Eric Wheeler (Sept. 15), EMEL (Oct. 6), and Tenzin Choegyal (Nov. 3).
Choegyal’s showcase will mark his first concert in Saratoga Springs since staging a pair of stirring performances at the Tang Museum and at the Zankel Center last October. His newest album, “Whispering Sky,” will be released this week. Look for a review of the release in an upcoming edition of Saratoga TODAY.
Schedule
Sunday, Sept. 15: Brandee Younger w/ Eric Wheeler (bass) –– Brandee Younger is revolutionizing harp for the digital era. Over the past 15 years, she has worked relentlessly to stretch boundaries and limitations for harpists. In 2022, she made history by becoming the first Black woman to be nominated for a Grammy® Award for Best Instrumental Composition. That same year, she was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award and later, the winner of the 2024 NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Jazz Album for her latest album Brand New Life.
Sunday, Oct. 6: EMEL solo performance –– Tunisian-American, NYC-based art pop musician Emel Mathlouthi, aka EMEL, rose to fame in 2012 with her protest song “Kelmti Horra” (My Word Is Free), earning her the title “the voice of the Arab Spring.” In 2016, she performed Kelmti Horra at the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony, marking a climax in her journey with this powerful song. Her latest album, MRA, derives its name from the Arabic word for “woman” and was entirely produced with women artists from around the world, embodying sisterhood and the musical fight against patriarchy in a male-dominated industry.
Sunday, Nov. 3: Tenzin Choegyal solo performance –– Tibetan artist, composer, and activist Tenzin Choegyal channels the wisdom and traditions of his nomadic ancestors through his extraordinary vocal performances and mastery of the lingbu and dranyen. Forced into exile, he now resides in Australia, where he continues to blend traditional Tibetan music with contemporary influences, maintaining an unbroken lineage while exploring new musical horizons. The music is deeply connected to Tenzin’s nomadic roots and Buddhist practice, offering listeners an immersive experience that transcends geographical boundaries.
Tickets are limited –– $20 general public; $5 Skidmore community (students, faculty, staff, alumni, and retirees). Buy online at https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/zankel/7074 or call the box office at 518-580-8381.