Dambudzo is a live anti-genre work by acclaimed choreographer nora chipaumire, combining sound, painting, sculpture and performance to confront colonial legacies.

Shana Tucker kicks off the Duke Arts and Hayti Heritage Center at American Tobacco series on September 3 with her signature “ChamberSoul” sound — a captivating blend of jazz, classical, folk, acoustic pop, and soul, anchored by cello and voice.

Join us as Nashville-based artist Kenny Sharp takes the stage and delivers a Southern-fried blend of soul, funk, country, blues, and rock. He calls it “Brown Liquor Music”—a sound that’s smooth, punchy, and deeply rooted.

Don’t miss out — Dior Ashley Brown is an award-winning emcee, poet, and activist whose work fuses music and social change. A powerhouse of the D.C. arts scene, she uses her voice to uplift women and honor hip-hop’s roots.

Closing out the series this year, Nashville-based artist Denitia has spent years remapping country music. Her sound drifts between Nashville roots and Brooklyn edge—acoustic guitar and pedal steel woven with shimmer, soul, and restraint.

Long-time collaborators cellist Leonard Elschenbroich and pianist Alexei Grynyuk perform three brilliant duets by Clara Schumann, Beethoven, and Brahms.

Grammy Award-winning ensemble The King’s Singers present “Such Stuff as Dreams are Made On,” a tour of exquisite vocal works of the Romantic era by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Fanny Mendelssohn, and more.

Pianist and composer Conrad Tao has been dubbed “the kind of musician who is shaping the future of classical music” by New York Magazine. He presents an innovative program exploring the impact of American popular music, including jazz and song, on the work of Rachmaninoff.

Featuring Duke’s Ciompi Quartet with special guests, "Dvořák in America" explores the Black and Indigenous influences on Dvořák during his time in the United States with a program of staples of his oeuvre alongside American compositions.

Percussion innovators Tyshawn Sorey and Sandbox Percussion celebrate the centenary of legendary drummer, composer, and innovator Max Roach with original arrangements and compositions inspired by Roach's revolutionary ensemble, M'Boom.

time/life/beauty by Michael Sakamoto and DJ Spooky blends hip-hop, new music, dance, and media visuals, honoring Ryuichi Sakamoto’s legacy through interdisciplinary performance.

Duke’s resident Ciompi Quartet revisits "Memoirs," a 2003 composition by the late Paul Schoenfield. Works by Bach and Schubert round out the program.

Marc Ribot performs re-interpretations and re-framings of Bob Dylan’s mid 1960s-era visionary poetry, the poetic environment from which Dylan’s work emerged.

Ephrat Asherie collaborates with Grammy award-winning pianist and composer Arturo O’Farrill on the company’s newest creation, Shadow Cities, a reflection on the beauty, vastness and joy of the in-between.

John Scofield’s Trio blends original jazz, standards, and surprising covers in an energetic, intuitive live format.

Bear Grease is an unapologetically Indigenous musical—a loving clap back to the classic hit musical and film Grease.

Theatre of Music has joined forces with composer Steven Bryant to create an immersive, multi-disciplinary work inspired by Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte.

An ensemble of Native and Indigenous jazz musicians led by vocalist Julia Keefe, celebrating the genre's deep Indigenous roots with standards and contemporary songs.

Led by Troy Anthony, "The Revival: It Is Our Duty" blends gospel, ritual, and joy—inviting all into a healing celebration of liberation, identity, and transformation.

Celebrate The Pinhook’s legacy with surprise performers and touring acts. This closing night honors The Pinhook's communities of artists, activists, and creatives.

Durham’s Anjimile blends lyrical storytelling with intricate guitar work and spiritual depth, followed by Speed Stick's experimental genre-defying instrumentation.

The Pinhook owner Kym Register and their band, Meltdown Rodeo, open this set with a signature blend of twang-infused rock. Followed by Adeem the Artist's tribute to Lavender Country.

A four-part harmony group backed by some incredible local players, The Lover Boyz have delivered smooth vocals, sharp choreography, and undeniable joy to Durham for over 30 years.

Taylor Mac takes on the holidays to celebrate the season in all its dysfunction. "For all those who find caroling, eggnog and enforced family visits destabilizing” (Los Angeles Times)

A stunning tapestry of dance, live music, and home video footage that invites audiences into Jenn Freeman’s life following her Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis at age 33.

Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman fuses the raw, aching power of authentic Delta Blues with the expansive sound of a chamber orchestra.

Described as “the violin’s domme” by The New Yorker, Sudan doesn’t just play the violin—she commands it, looping riffs into whole orchestras, flipping classical training into raw, radiant funk.

Cuarteto Casals specializes in under-represented repertoire of their native Spain. They pair a quartet by Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga with works of Beethoven and Shostakovich.

Described by BBC Music Magazine as a ‘sonically daring ensemble’, the Akropolis Reed Quintet has commissioned more than 150 new works by living composers for their distinctive instrumentation: oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, and bassoon. This program pairs exciting new works with arrangements of Gershwin and Ravel.

Praised for their 'sumptuous sweetness and laser-like clarity' (BBC Music Magazine), Doric String Quartet has earned international acclaim. Tracing a lineage of musical invention, the quartet’s program spans the work of Bach, Haydn, and Beethoven.

Manhattan Chamber Players bring together accomplished soloists and ensemble musicians, combining their talents in a flexible line-up that brings fresh vitality to chamber music. They present a pair of piano quintets by Weinberg and Brahms.

Recently profiled in The New York Times for 50 years of enduring excellence, Takács Quartet thrives with a sound that remains unmistakably its own. Their program features works by Mozart and Schubert.

Hailed by The Washington Post for performing with “a power and confidence that puts her in the top echelon,” Barton Pine opens the 80th anniversary season of the Chamber Arts Series with an all-Brahm's program.

Trio con Brio Copenhagen presents piano trios by Weinberg and Schubert alongside a new commission by Louise Alenius in a program offering poignant reflections on life and mortality.

Delve into the diverse and varying traditions of Día de los Muertos with this panel conversation in which campus and community members explore their own memories and holiday traditions.

New show added! Singer-songwriter and lead vocalist and guitarist of indie rock band Big Thief performs an afternoon set at 3:00pm in Page Auditorium.

"Light Lane" draws attention to sustainability and celebrating our city with bicycles featuring images created by local artists and music selected to accompany their work.

Multinational salsa band Conjunto Breve was founded by percussionist Brevan Hampden in 2012. Members of the band come from all corners of the Americas. This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required.

Acclaimed artists from the Music Maker Foundation's record label take over American Tobacco Campus in this free event. No reservations are required.

Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. leads his father's Grammy Award-winning Ils Sont Parti Band, one of the few zydeco groups to achieve mainstream success. This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required.

This double-bill of two North Carolina-based family Gospel ensembles showcases Gospel as one of the quintessential musical genres of the American South. This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required.

GRAMMY®-winning musician Meshell Ndegeocello performs from her newest album "No More Water: The Gospel Of James Baldwin." The visionary work is at once a musical experience, a church service, a celebration, a testimonial, and a call to action.

Transport yourself into a realm of traditional Japanese art with Kodo, a taiko drumming troupe that blends rhythmic precision with spectacular expression and physicality.

Performer-composers Caroline Shaw and Gabriel Kahane's new work, "Hexagons," inspired by Jorge Luis Borges’s 1939 short story, “The Library of Babel.”

Ensemble Intercolor is a trailblazing young trio that combines cimbalom, viola, clarinet and voice with their varied cultural backgrounds – the three musicians are from Belarus, Colombia and France

The Ciompi Quartet of Duke University has delighted audiences and impressed critics around the world. All its members are professors at Duke University. Reservations are open now for this free event.

The Ciompi Quartet of Duke University has delighted audiences and impressed critics around the world. All its members are professors at Duke University. Reservation is available now for this free event.

Racine Nago's powerfully expressive music features call-and-response vocals and intricate percussion to create crosscurrents of rhythm that move the body and nourish the soul.

The Music Maker Foundation Celebrating 30 Years concert features Taj Mahal, Dom Flemons, and Jackson Browne and many more in the American roots music industry.

Singer-songwriter and lead vocalist and guitarist of indie rock band Big Thief is known for her raw intimacy and captivating storytelling. Described as “breathtaking” by NPR Music.

Jerusalem Quartet returns with Mozart’s so-called ‘Dissonance’ Quartet, which features some of the composer’s boldest harmonic writing.

Zodiac Trio are at the forefront of innovative programing, heralded as ‘a breathtaking ensemble of virtuosity and sensitivity’ (Radio France).

Twenty-one-year-old prodigy hailing from Mexico has already performed with over thirty orchestras on four continents, including her professional debut at age 8.

Elias String Quartet is one of the UK’s foremost ensembles, celebrated by BBC Music Magazine as a ‘tour de force’ and The Strad as a ‘remarkable ensemble.’

German boys’ choir, Thomanerchor Leipzig was established in 1212 and is one of the oldest and most renowned choirs in the world.

The Goldmund Quartet has garnered a reputation as one of the leading string quartets of the great classical and modern works of the quartet canon, delivering performances of ‘exquisite playing.'

“The Women of Chicago’s Black Renaissance” program pairs Cann’s acclaimed renditions of works by each featured artist with spoken commentary about their fascinating lives and histories.

Adia Victoria and Shirlette Ammons collaborate to explore emergent sounds, blur genre lines and redefine southern music.

Kyshona, Grace Givertz and Sam Rise sing the music of freedom movements and pay tribute to the storytelling, oral traditions and civil rights icons.

Fiddler extraordinaire Brian Farrow, singer-songwriter Dusky Waters and local musicians cook up an energetically acoustic musical gumbo.

Lumbee-Tuscarora singer-songwriter Charly Lowry plays electrifying originals and explores indigenous contributions to roots music.

Tonality is an award-winning chamber chorus with a mission to deliver authentic stories through voice and body to incite change, understanding and dialogue.

2023 Grammy-nominated British vocal ensemble VOCES8 is acclaimed globally for their complex and wide-ranging a cappella concerts. Performing holiday music spanning centuries.

The cello-piano duo of David Finckel and Wu Han return to Duke Arts with a journey through the great chamber works of Beethoven.

Yang has garnered international acclaim for her virtuosity and colorful musical personality.

Blue Cactus, Kym Register and Kamara Thomas trace their country-rock lineages, paying tribute to rock inventors

Described as “phenomenal” (The Times) and “devastatingly beautiful” (Gramophone Magazine), Tenebrae is acclaimed for its interpretation of choral works spanning five centuries.

Nosrati’s international acclaim stems from her dedication to the piano, which has earned her numerous accolades and concerts at Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center and more.

The Tesla Quartet is acclaimed for their superb capacity to find the inner heart of everything they play, regardless of era, style, or technical demand” (The International Review of Music).

The Modigliani Quartet has been making waves in the chamber music world since they first began playing together in 2003, following their studies at the prestigious Conservatoire de Paris.

Celebrated for their unique interpretations of original and transcribed works for piano and percussion, the Vesna Duo is ‘smashingly effective’ (Wall Street Journal).

Classical guitar instructor, Randy Reed, is retiring at the end of this semester. Reed has been at Duke since 1994. Join us for a recital in tribute to his time ...

12 pm: Complementary Lunch Reception 1 pm: Preview Screening + Discussion Our special two-day celebration of the life and legacy of jazz pianist, composer, and mentor Yusuf Salim continues with ...

Singer-songwriter Gregory Porter has garnered wide acclaim for his rich baritone and fusion of jazz, soul, and gospel. Drawing inspiration from legends like Nat King Cole, Donny Hathaway, and Stevie Wonder, Porter ...

Presented by Joshua Redman is a different sort of musical explorer. As an improviser and a bandleader, he tends to strike an elegant balance between logic and risk. 11-time Grammy ...

Founded in 2009 as an after-school program in Elandsdoorn, Limpopo, South Africa the Ndlovu Youth Choir rose to international fame following an unforgettable journey on America’s Got Talent in 2019. ...

Featuring Frankie Alexander, Eve Cornelious, Lois Deloatch, Nnenna Freelon and Adia Ledbetter Jazz pianist, composer, and mentor Yusuf Salim — known by the community as Brother Yusuf — was born ...

Featuring Gary Bartz, Eve Cornelious, Chip Crawford, Nnenna Freelon and Rachiim Ausar-Sahu Jazz pianist, composer, and mentor Yusuf Salim — known by the community as Brother Yusuf — was born ...

Presented by A weekend of jazz from Duke Arts Presents kicks off with none other than Vice Provost for the Arts John V. Brown as he convenes an all-star group of local ...

Presented by “From beginning to end the playing sounded intelligent and sure, softened at the edges with a full and mellow tone.” Featuring Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo soprano and Ieva ...

Presented by In 2019, Cornell University started “Freedom on the Move,” a database of “runaway ads” from the United States’ early newspapers—names, dates, descriptions, rewards. The database notes that it ...

Presented by The dynamic four-piece a cappella group Kings Return is made up of such a rich and powerful blend of vocal timbres that it’s no wonder that in a short time, ...

Presented by The possessor of a comprehensive technique who brings an inner glow to every bar. Having performed in the top concert halls around the globe from a very young ...

Presented by “He commands the stage with aristocratic ease … Mr Grosvenor makes you sigh with joy … A temperament rare in yesteryear, let alone now.” We are thrilled to ...

Presented by “Daring and vivid” Across their fifteen years together, the Marian Consort has amassed an international reputation for their “astounding” performances and ensemble sound. (The Herald) This fall, the youthful choir brings ...

Presented by The performances, by ASMF Chamber Ensemble, are nothing short of stunning…. Wind players from one of the world’s finest chamber orchestras, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, return ...

Doric String Quartet led a spellbinding series of concerts, rich in variety, impeccable in execution. The Doric String Quartet is one of the leading quartets of its generation, widely celebrated for its ...

Presented by …Eloquent, full-blooded playing… The four players offer a beautiful blend of individuality and accord. Former BBC New Generation Artists, season artists of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln ...

Trumpeter, pianist, and composer Terence Blanchard is a seven–time Grammy winner and two–time Academy award nominee whose fearless improvisations and prolific compositions have left an indelible mark on music. Blanchard’s newest release, Absence, ...

Celebrated New York-based singer José James has been called a “jazz singer for the hip-hop generation,” as he shares a genre-bending sound influenced by jazz as well as contemporary hip ...

Unique vocal talent, accomplished songwriting and commanding instrumental skills are just a few of Darin and Brooke Aldridge’s gifts. Brooke is a four-time consecutive winner for Female Vocalist of the ...

Harpist Brandee Younger has spent fifteen years stretching boundaries both sonic and social by playing jazz, R&B and hip hop on the classical instrument and unearthing the underrepresented legacies of ...

Dawn Landes is a force to be reckoned with. This multi–talented American singer–songwriter, musician, and producer has five full–length albums and five EPs under her belt. From touring with roots ...

Hailed as a “bebop supergroup” by NPR, The Cookers’ seven members have played on over 1,000 recordings combined, and two of them — drummer Billy Hart and saxophonist Donald Harrison, ...

Close to 40 years after her debut album as a bandleader, Eliane Elias is just hitting her stride.  Elias has picked up three Grammy and Latin Grammy wins in the ...

Nella Rojas got off to a blazing start when her debut Voy won Best New Artist at the 2019 Latin Grammys. The flamenco-driven title track was named one of the ...

Gregory Porter’s powerful baritone shows out on recordings like “Concorde,” the opening track of 2020’s Grammy-nominated All Rise — an album All Music called “buoyantly sophisticated.” But to truly experience ...

The Mingus Big Band is an avatar of the fierce jazz giant, Charles Mingus, now celebrating his 100th birthday year. Guided by his widow Sue Mingus, a 2023 National Endowment ...

This event is a co-production between Motorco and Duke Arts. Tickets are sold via the Motorco website. ### with MaLLY / DJ LAST WORD Brother Ali is a respected Hip ...

This event is a co-production between Motorco and Duke Arts. Tickets are sold via the Motorco website. ### DMV rapper and record producer Oddisee realized early on that purpose and ...

Save 20% when you buy 4 or more events. Book now. Log in here to access employee and student discounts. ### Radio France dubbed Yacine Boulares “one of the most talented jazzmen of ...

Save 20% when you buy 4 or more events. Book now. Log in here to access employee and student discounts. ### The Mingus Big Band is an avatar of the fierce jazz ...

Save 20% when you buy 4 or more events. Book now. Log in here to access employee and student discounts. ### To listen to Nobuntu is to experience joyous harmony that few ...

Save 20% when you buy 4 or more events. Book now. Log in here to access employee and student discounts. ### We are thrilled to open the season with Joey Alexander, the ...

In partnership with NorthStar Church of the Arts, Duke Performances is pleased to present a community celebration of the life and work of pioneering pianist/composer Mary Lou Williams on Saturday, ...

Phil Cook returns to Duke Performances for an intimate performance of the entirety of his new solo piano album All These Years. Recorded on a 1923 Steinway in Durham’s NorthStar ...

When Pat Metheny landed on the international jazz scene in 1974, he quickly became known for his unique rhythmic and harmonic sensibility, bolstered by a tendency to phrase melodies like ...

Three Lobed Records’ founder and director Cory Rayborn characterized the seven new releases that mark the label’s twentieth anniversary as leaning “into the slightly weirder side of what you may ...