Purdue Convocations announces Spring 2021 virtual performances in its ‘Convos at Home’ series

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Convocations announces its Spring 2021 lineup of virtual performances in its “Convos At Home” series. This series features livestream engagements with world-class artists and a compelling mixture of in-depth discussions and high-quality performances specifically designed for Convocations audiences. All performances are free of charge.

Following the “Convos at Home” presentations earlier this academic year with artists Manual Cinema and Scott Silven, Convocations continues to invest in artists who are imagining creative ways to connect to their audiences, discuss their work, and let the audiences in on their creative process.

“We’re thrilled to be using the virtual livestream medium in a way that capitalizes on what it does well: create a forum for in-depth discussion and open the door to expanded audience access with free events,” said Todd Wetzel, assistant vice provost for student life and executive director at Purdue Convocations. “We invite everyone to enjoy these free performances on their largest screens from the comfort of their favorite chairs.” 

Events are:

“Live From Emmet’s Place” with the Emmet Cohen Trio and special guests

Every Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET, through April 26.

Join jazz pianist and Convos alum Emmet Cohen with his trio every Monday evening as they livestream from Cohen’s apartment in Harlem. Each week is an adventure with A-list guests sitting in with the band, including vocalist and Convos alumna Veronica Swift on Feb. 8. This weekly event comes live from Emmet Cohen’s Facebook and YouTube pages. No advance registration required.

Soyeon Kate Lee & Ran Dank

Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m. ET

Prize-winning pianists and spouses, Ran Dank and Soyeon Kate Lee, tackle Franz Liszt’s towering transcription for two pianos of Beethoven’s orchestral masterpiece, the Symphony No. 9 in D minor. In a live interview, the artists will discuss the work and musical themes, examine the pianistic challenges, and share their perspectives on performing it. They will prepare the audience to enjoy a performance captured for the Library of Congress in December. Free with advance registration.

“Dissonance”: TEDxPurdueU’s Main Event

March 20, 2021, noon ET

Dissonance involves a clash — of musical notes, of ideas, of beliefs. But those who listen closely may find value and true beauty emerges out of the dissonance. TEDxPurdueU invites all to join the journey to discover all the ways in which dissonance enriches lives and challenges people. Free with advance registration.

St. Lawrence String Quartet: “The Haydn Discovery Experience”

March 25, 2021, 7:30 p.m. ET

Franz Josef Haydn is generally acknowledged as the “father” of the string quartet, having conceived of the ensemble and the musical approach that still serve as a foundation and a point of departure today. In “The Haydn Discovery Experience,” the St. Lawrence String Quartet reveal Haydn’s genius in a virtual journey filled with a live discussion about the history and musical conception of a Haydn quartet (the ebullient
Opus 20, No. 3), followed by a full performance of work that was captured at Stanford University’s Bing Hall. Free with advance registration.

“Baldwin & Buckley at Cambridge” (work in progress)

April 15, 2021, 7:30 p.m. ET

In 1965, James Baldwin and William F. Buckley, Jr. were invited to the Cambridge University Union (England) to debate the resolution, “The American Dream is at the Expense of The American Negro." New York-based theatre creatives Elevator Repair Service re-create this still resonant debate verbatim for an intimate-scale, work-in-progress performance. Free with advance registration.

Tickets for all these events and experiences are free with advance registration, unless otherwise noted, at the Stewart Center box office at 765-494-3933 or 800-914-SHOW, or online at www.convocations.org. For information on how to become a Friend of Convocations, make your initial gift and have access to the presale, please go to https://www.purdue.edu/convocations/support/ 

Initiated in 1902, Purdue Convocations was one of the first professional performing arts presenters in the United States. Each year, Convocations offers the region 30-40 performances of widely varying genres: Broadway-style shows, theater, dance, children's theater, world music, jazz, and chamber music, along with rock, pop, country and comedy attractions. With a vision for connecting artists and audiences in artistic dialogue and for drawing in academic discourse, Purdue Convocations aims to promote frequent exposure to and familiarity with human cultural expression in a multitude of forms and media.

Source: Mike Armintrout, Purdue Convocations senior associate director, 765-496-2913, mikearmintrout@purdue.edu