Performances + Events
BOSTON—New England Conservatory (NEC) announces its Fall 2024 performance season, with the highly anticipated return of the NEC Festival, from November 10–17. This year’s edition celebrates American musical innovation with a week of free and accessible programming in Jordan Hall and other campus venues. The festival commemorates two American originals: Charles Ives on the 150th anniversary of his birth and the visionary composer, educator, and folklorist Ruth Crawford Seeger.
NEC’s Fall Festival
The festival kicks off on Sunday, November 10 with the Contemporary Musical Arts (CMA) department’s Barn Dance in Brown Hall from 2–5 p.m. All are invited to an afternoon of traditional American and Jewish dancing, accompanied by live music from the American Roots and Jewish Music ensembles. No partners or prior experience are needed, as world-renowned instructors Alex Cumming and Adah Hetko will provide dance instruction.
November 14 is a double-header: The evening starts at 6 p.m. in the Plimpton Shattuck Black Box Theatre with a fully-staged production of John Musto and Mark Campbell’s Later the Same Evening produced by NEC’s Opera department with conductor Robert Tweten and stage direction by Joshua Major. At 8 p.m.—later the same evening—Jazz Studies and NEC’s Song Lab present Ives in Song, in Jordan Hall.
On Tuesday, November 12, untold American voices and perspectives are featured through the works of Ruth Crawford Seeger, the newly commissioned work, I, Too, by CMA faculty member Farayi Malek, and Pulitzer Prize-winning guest artist Raven Chacon’s American Ledger No. 1.
This event is part of a larger Guest Artist Residency with Chacon from November 11 to November 13, showcasing his innovative approach that bridges Diné (Navajo) worldviews with Western classical, avant-garde, and art-music traditions.
Additional festival events include NEC Chamber Orchestra’s conductorless performance on November 11 at 7:30 p.m. in Jordan Hall, featuring Seeger’s Andante for Strings, and Ives’ Symphony No. 3 in addition to Haydn’s Symphony No. 44. On November 13, the NEC Symphony Orchestra performs Antonín Dvorák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World” and Ives’ Symphony No. 2 in Jordan Hall. Theo Bleckmann will be on campus on Wednesday, October 30 for a residency and concert during which he’ll be performing his music with NEC’s extraordinary student ensembles. The celebration of Ives builds on the many performances and talks held at NEC earlier in 2024, continuing the Conservatory’s exploration of his work.
Fall Semester Highlights
Faculty member Tanya Blaich is in recital with soprano Heidi Stober ’03 MM at 7:30 p.m. in Jordan Hall on October 15. Piano faculty Minsoo Sohn ’99, ’01 GD, ’04 AD presents a recital in Jordan Hall on October 31 at 7:30 p.m. and hosts a public piano seminar class at 10 a.m. on November 15. John Hollenbeck’s ensemble GEORGE is in residency October 21–24, featuring workshops and Q&As with the public.
Save the dates for master classes given by world-renowned artists, including tenor Lawrence Brownlee, September 12; saxophonist and composer Gaia Wilmer, September 16; violist Paul Neubauer, October 6; violinist Nathan Cole, who comes to campus on November 19 following his recent appointment as concertmaster with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
NEC will pay tribute to the late pianist Russell Sherman on Sunday, September 29 at 4 p.m. in Jordan Hall with a celebration of life, featuring an original biopic and reception.
In its 121st season, performances at NEC’s Jordan Hall and all events across campus are free and open to the public unless otherwise specified.
All performances and events may be found on the Performance + Events calendar.
