Music

Founded in 1990 by pianist and conductor Mikhail Pletnev, the Russian National Orchestra quickly established itself as one of the foremost ensembles to be found anywhere. The orchestra is the first from Russia to win a Grammy.

In We Shall Overcome, vocalist Damien Sneed weaves jazz, classical, Broadway, gospel, and spirituals together with the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speeches to exemplify a living musical tradition that continues to inspire, uplift, and challenge us.

Born in Baghdad, Rahim AlHaj is a master of the oud—a stringed instrument with a history unfurling back 5,000 years. AlHaj and the Kontras Quartet with Christopher Polen (bass) will play his composition created from the text of actual letters of Iraqis living in their war-torn country.

Some folks say music is a universal tongue, but just in case, Banda Magda sings in six languages. From samba to French chanson, from Greek folk tunes to Afro-Peruvian lando, Banda Magda offers you a whirlwind tour of music from every corner of the globe.

Violist Kim Kashkashian, flautist Marina Piccinini, and harpist Sivan Magen explore the full range of chamber music, including their own transcriptions, traditional repertoire, and newly commissioned works.

A superstar of stage and screen, Kristin Chenoweth will help us ring in the new year with a concert for the ages. From Wicked to Glee, Chenoweth captivates audiences with her matchless voice. This is a New Year’s celebration you won’t want to miss as we pull out all the stops to welcome 2019.

The Canadian Brass, a favorite of Hancher Audiences since 1979, returns for the first time in more than two decades. Led by co-founding member Chuck Daellenbach on tuba, the quintet will bring the sparkle of the holidays to the stage.

Two iconic vocal groups, The Manhattan Transfer and Take 6—who have won a combined total of twenty Grammy Awards—come together to sing their greatest hits as well as holiday favorites.

“Soul crosses all cultural and linguistic barriers,” says Alsarah, whose astounding vocals were central to The Nile Project, which Hancher presented in 2015. Now, she returns with her new band to perform music she calls East African retro-pop.

Adored around the globe, the Soweto Gospel Choir brings beautiful, joyous music to audiences everywhere. Sporting colorful costumes from their South African home, the members of the choir blend their voices to create one unimaginably stirring sound.