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Duke Arts

Duke Performances

Music, Theater, Dance and More

Duke Performances, the professional performing arts presenting organization at Duke University, presents willfully eclectic, forward-thinking performing arts of the highest quality. Through performances, visiting artist residencies, and the commissioning and development of exciting new work, Duke Performances has led the way in fostering meaningful artistic engagement with the Duke campus and Durham community.

Duke Performances offers a robust season of more than 80 world-class performances and 100 student and free public engagement events each year, making extensive use of a network of more than a dozen Duke and Durham venues, and presenting artists spanning classical music, contemporary classical, jazz, Americana, independent rock, international music, theater, and dance.

Read The New York Times review of Duke Performances’ ten-day celebration of the centenary of North Carolinian jazz genius Thelonious Monk, MONK@100.

Fall Highlights

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Alsarah speaking to chorus class at Durham School of the Arts
Visiting Artist

Alsarah & The Nubatones

A rousing week-long residency by Alsarah & The Nubatones, hosted by Duke Performances, brought Sudanese-American vocalist Alsarah to classes at Duke and Durham School of the Arts and events for the public at large, kicking off a three-year residency series—“Building Bridges”—that aims to combat Islamophobia by showcasing the richness and diversity of Muslim art.