This Land is Our Land
Featuring Martha Redbone Roots Project and American Patchwork Quartet
Friday, February 28, 2025, 8pm
Zellerbach Hall
Run time for this performance is approximately 2 hours including intermission
This program will be announced from the stage.
From the Executive and Artistic Director
February always sees Cal Performances’ season kicking into high gear as we move into our busiest time period. Once again this year, there’s truly something for everyone as we continue with an array of events designed to appeal to the eclectic interests and adventurous sensibilities of Bay Area audiences. Together, we’ll enjoy appearances by dozens of companies, ensembles, and soloists offering a wide range of opportunities to revisit old friends as well as discover thrilling and unfamiliar performers and artworks.
At Hertz Hall (HH) this month, we begin with our annual concert by the Eco Ensemble, UC Berkeley’s acclaimed resident new-music group, performing works by alumni of the university’s prestigious composition program (Feb 1). Chamber music offerings include annual season visitors the Danish String Quartet (Feb 2); pianist Wu Han and cellist David Finckel, this year joined by guest violinist Arnaud Sussmann (Feb 9); and the Takács Quartet (Feb 16). And on February 23, we look forward to the long-anticipated return—for the first time in more than a quarter century!—of Austria’s renowned Hagen Quartet, one of the world’s most enduring and admired string ensembles.
At Zellerbach Hall (ZH), a true season highlight sees the magnificent Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen making her Bay Area debut in recital with a great friend of our program, pianist Malcolm Martineau (Feb 4). And our world-famous dance programming is distinguished by Twyla Tharp Dance’s 60th anniversary Diamond Jubilee program (Feb 7–9), toasting the achievements that have made Tharp one of today’s most celebrated choreographers; and Batsheva Dance Company with performances of MOMO, a daring recent work by the brilliant dance maker Ohad Naharin (Feb 22–23).
Rounding out our February offerings at Zellerbach, jazz great Samara Joy demonstrates once again why she’s one of the hottest names on today’s jazz scene (Feb 5); historian and political commentator Heather Cox Richardson joins UC Berkeley professor of law and history Dylan Penningroth in a timely conversation about the reshaping of the United States’ two major political parties (Feb 26); and singer and songwriter Martha Redbone lends her soul-stirring voice to a new collaboration with her popular Martha Redbone Roots Project and the genre-defying American Patchwork Quartet (APQ) for an evening exploring the United States’ rich cultural tapestry (Feb 28).
The Redbone/APQ concert is part of our 2024–25 Illuminations theme of “Fractured History,” which continues to offer nuanced accounts and powerful new voices to enrich our understanding of the past and explore how our notions of history affect our present and future. I recommend you give particular attention to these programs, as well as check out the excellent “Fractured History” videos that live on the Illuminations page on our website; next month, for instance, sees the return of the multi-talented South African stage and visual artist William Kentridge with the Bay Area premiere of his mind-expanding new chamber opera, The Great Yes, The Great No (March 14–16, ZH). (Berkeley audiences will fondly recall the US premiere of Kentridge’s remarkable Sibyl, in addition to the many other performances and events that were part of his residency that season.)
I’m also happy to recognize the Maria Manetti Shrem and Elizabeth Segerstrom California Orchestra Residency, which this year hosts three concerts with the peerless Vienna Philharmonic and preeminent conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin (March 5–7, ZH), and joined by pianist Yefim Bronfman for our 2025 Gala concert on March 7 (check our website for details).
Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention another Illuminations event, the upcoming Cal Performances debut of the world-renowned Brazilian troupe Grupo Corpo (Apr 25–26, ZH). And please note that we’ve also recently added a special event to our calendar with Pultizer Prize-winning composer, vocalist, and banjo virtuoso Rhiannon Giddens and the Old Time Revue (June 21, ZH).
I look forward to engaging with so many fresh artistic perspectives alongside you as we continue with the second half of our season. Together, we will witness how these experiences can move each one of us in the profound and unpredictable ways made possible only by the live performing arts.
Jeremy Geffen
Executive and Artistic Director, Cal Performances
February always sees Cal Performances’ season kicking into high gear as we move into our busiest time period. Once again this year, there’s truly something for everyone as we continue with an array of events designed to appeal to the eclectic interests and adventurous sensibilities of Bay Area audiences. Together, we’ll enjoy appearances by dozens of companies, ensembles, and soloists offering a wide range of opportunities to revisit old friends as well as discover thrilling and unfamiliar performers and artworks.
At Hertz Hall (HH) this month, we begin with our annual concert by the Eco Ensemble, UC Berkeley’s acclaimed resident new-music group, performing works by alumni of the university’s prestigious composition program (Feb 1). Chamber music offerings include annual season visitors the Danish String Quartet (Feb 2); pianist Wu Han and cellist David Finckel, this year joined by guest violinist Arnaud Sussmann (Feb 9); and the Takács Quartet (Feb 16). And on February 23, we look forward to the long-anticipated return—for the first time in more than a quarter century!—of Austria’s renowned Hagen Quartet, one of the world’s most enduring and admired string ensembles.
At Zellerbach Hall (ZH), a true season highlight sees the magnificent Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen making her Bay Area debut in recital with a great friend of our program, pianist Malcolm Martineau (Feb 4). And our world-famous dance programming is distinguished by Twyla Tharp Dance’s 60th anniversary Diamond Jubilee program (Feb 7–9), toasting the achievements that have made Tharp one of today’s most celebrated choreographers; and Batsheva Dance Company with performances of MOMO, a daring recent work by the brilliant dance maker Ohad Naharin (Feb 22–23).
Rounding out our February offerings at Zellerbach, jazz great Samara Joy demonstrates once again why she’s one of the hottest names on today’s jazz scene (Feb 5); historian and political commentator Heather Cox Richardson joins UC Berkeley professor of law and history Dylan Penningroth in a timely conversation about the reshaping of the United States’ two major political parties (Feb 26); and singer and songwriter Martha Redbone lends her soul-stirring voice to a new collaboration with her popular Martha Redbone Roots Project and the genre-defying American Patchwork Quartet (APQ) for an evening exploring the United States’ rich cultural tapestry (Feb 28).
The Redbone/APQ concert is part of our 2024–25 Illuminations theme of “Fractured History,” which continues to offer nuanced accounts and powerful new voices to enrich our understanding of the past and explore how our notions of history affect our present and future. I recommend you give particular attention to these programs, as well as check out the excellent “Fractured History” videos that live on the Illuminations page on our website; next month, for instance, sees the return of the multi-talented South African stage and visual artist William Kentridge with the Bay Area premiere of his mind-expanding new chamber opera, The Great Yes, The Great No (March 14–16, ZH). (Berkeley audiences will fondly recall the US premiere of Kentridge’s remarkable Sibyl, in addition to the many other performances and events that were part of his residency that season.)
I’m also happy to recognize the Maria Manetti Shrem and Elizabeth Segerstrom California Orchestra Residency, which this year hosts three concerts with the peerless Vienna Philharmonic and preeminent conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin (March 5–7, ZH), and joined by pianist Yefim Bronfman for our 2025 Gala concert on March 7 (check our website for details).
Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention another Illuminations event, the upcoming Cal Performances debut of the world-renowned Brazilian troupe Grupo Corpo (Apr 25–26, ZH). And please note that we’ve also recently added a special event to our calendar with Pultizer Prize-winning composer, vocalist, and banjo virtuoso Rhiannon Giddens and the Old Time Revue (June 21, ZH).
I look forward to engaging with so many fresh artistic perspectives alongside you as we continue with the second half of our season. Together, we will witness how these experiences can move each one of us in the profound and unpredictable ways made possible only by the live performing arts.
Jeremy Geffen
Executive and Artistic Director, Cal Performances