ABD Presents: Amanda Casale and Jessica DePalo - Singing a selection of musical theater solos and cabarets!

Amanda Casale is SO happy to be back on the MIT campus in support of Artists Beyond the Desk! 

Amanda works for MIT Lincoln Laboratory and has a background in chemical engineering and mathematics, working for MIT by day and dabbling in all things CrossFit and music by night.  Though the pandemic and becoming a mom put things on pause the last few years, Amanda was an active musical theatre actress throughout the New England area between 2009 and 2019.  Her favorite roles include Louise in “Gypsy”, Jo in “Little Women”, Elle in “Legally Blonde”, and Woman 1 in “Songs for a New World”.  Now that her toddler has stolen her heart and the spotlight, she has focused more on taking the stage in various concerts and showcases.  Thank you to MIT ABD for giving her a reason to sing again today!

Jessica DePalo is currently working on her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Regis College with a planned graduation date of August 2024.  Onstage, some of her favorite roles include Roxie Hart (“Chicago”, Vokes Players), Jo March (“Little Women”, MMAS), Lumiere (“Beauty and the Beast”, Riverside Theatre Works), Catherine (“Proof”, Washington Street Players), Extraordinary Girl (“American Idiot”, The Company Theatre) and Esther Smith (“Meet Me in St Louis”, Weston Friendly Society).  She is excited to join another performance of the MIT Artists Beyond the Desk series!

Date and time: December 18th, 2023 - starts at 12:00 noon

Venue: Killian Hall

The ABD Presents:

A special winter 2024 performance by:

Ray Jackendoff

Lois Shapiro

and

Gillian Rogell

February 12th, 2024

starts at 12:00 noon 

Venue: Killian Hall

Date and time: February 12th, 2024 - starts at 12:00 noon 

Venue: Killian Hall

ABD Presents:  Ray Jackendoff, Lois Shapiro and Gillian Rogell LIVE at Killian Hall!

We are very excited to have Ray Jackendoff, Lois Shapiro back to play at Killian Hall this year. This performance includes violist Gilliam Rogell. 

Ray Jackendoff received his Ph.D. at MIT in 1969, under Noam Chomsky and is a professor of philosophy and has a PhD in liguistics. Ray Jackendoff's research spans many aspects of linguistics and cognitive science, including syntax, semantics, music cognition, spatial cognition, social cognition, and consciousness. His books can be found at all good book stores and online. Ray is a classical clarinetist who has  has soloed with the MIT Orchestra on their 1968 tour and again as part of the celebration of Jerry Wiesner’s inauguration in 1971, and with the Boston Pops in 1980 for MIT Night at the Pops, as well as with the Civic Symphony of Boston (three times) and the North Shore Philharmonic. Ray has recorded two CDs with Albany Records which can be found on iTunes and other retailers. ​

​

Pianist Lois Shapiro Is a New York Concert Artists Guild Award winner and highly sought-after soloist and collaborative pianist, Lois has appeared throughout the U.S. and abroad in concerts ranging from 18th-century period-instrument performances to premieres. Ms. Shapiro is a founding member of the piano trio Triple Helix, with violinist Bayla Keyes and cellist Rhonda Rider. They were Artist Ensemble-in-Residence at Wellesley College from 1999-2012; members of Project STEP, a string instrument training program for minority children, under the auspices of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 2013-2017; and from 2012 to 2015 at the Rivers School in Weston, MA. Triple Helix augments its schedule of performances and masterclass with innovative, wide-ranging interdisciplinary lecture-recitals. Critically acclaimed nationally, and a winner of the Chamber Music America Commissioning Grant, the group was named “Best Chamber Music Ensemble in Boston” for three years in a row (2000-2002) and “MUSICIANS OF THE YEAR” for 2002, in The Boston Globe. In May 2013, Shapiro performed and gave a workshop at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna. Shapiro has recorded on Afka, Bridge, Channel Classics, Centaur, MLAR, and Pierrot. Her 1996 duo recording with cellist Rhonda Rider was cited as “Best of the Year” in The Boston Globe. You can find these recordings on iTunes and other retailers.

Violist Gillian Rogell has been on the faculty of the New England Conservatory Preparatory School since 1977, when she was was both the first violist and the first chamber music coach on the faculty.   She went on to direct the Chamber Music Departments at both the Preparatory School and the School of Continuing Education. Ms. Rogell has been an active performer in both orchestral and chamber music concerts in the Boston area.   She was principal violist for 10 years with Boston Philharmonic and Boston Civic Symphony, and performed frequently as principal violist in Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra.  She appeared with the Opera Company of Boston, Boston Ballet, Cantata Singers, and numerous choral groups and academic orchestras and choruses. She was also presented in chamber concerts at the Gardner Museum, MIT, Brown, Harvard, and Brandeis.  She has taught and performed at festivals in Israel, Italy, and the Czech Republic; and at Castle Hill, Heifetz International Music Institute, Killington Music Festival, and the Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts. In 2008 Ms. Rogell created the award-winning DVD, At the Heart of Chamber Music, featuring The Jupiter String Quartet and Paul Katz, which has been distributed around the world, and has been shown on PBS stations which you can also find on Amazon and other retailers.

This is Ray and Lois's second show with the ABD and with the inclusion of Gillian Rogell we feel that this show will be quite special and are estatic to have these three incredibly talented musicians play at MIT's Killian Hall. 

Date and time: February 12th, 2024 - starts at 12:00 noon 

Venue: Killian Hall

Can't make it in person?

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The ABD Presents:

A special Spring 2024 performance by:

Curt Newton

April 17th, 2024

starts at 12:00 noon 

Venue: MIT Chapel

Date and time: April 17th, 2024 - starts at 12:00 noon 

Venue: MIT Chapel

ABD Presents:  Curt Newton: A Climate Meditation for Solo Drumset LIVE at The MIT Chapel!

Description

In this follow-up to his 2018 ABD concert, percussionist Curt Newton returns to the sublime sacred space of the MIT Chapel for a sonic meditation on climate change and the polycrisis of our times. What can the practices of slowing down, improvisation, playfulness, and seeking resonance offer as we navigate this urgent moment?

Bio

Curt Newton (b. 1963) coaxes whispers from drumsets and swing from stacks of rattly stuff, weaving varied musical traditions together in the spirit of serious playfulness. Over the past four decades he's performed across the U.S., Canada and Europe and recorded over 30 CDs with some of contemporary music's leading figures including Ken Vandermark, Joe Morris, Eric Hofbauer, Nate McBride, Pandelis Karayorgis, Jorrit Dijkstra, Charlie Kohlhase, Taylor Ho Bynum, and Dave Bryant. Curt studied privately with Bob Gullotti and has a Master's degree in Jazz Performance from New England Conservatory. His latest recording, "Waking Up!" with Eric Hofbauer's Five Agents ensemble, is a jazz suite inspired by Greta Thunberg's galvanizing 2019 "How dare you!" speech at the United Nations.

Explore and Learn More about http://curtnewton.com" target="_blank">Curt Newton here.

At MIT, Curt is Director of MIT OpenCourseWare and has worked with this groundbreaking open education program for over 20 years. He got activated in climate change work through MIT's 2014 community climate conversations process, helped launch and co-lead the MIT ClimateX program (2015-2018) which laid the foundation for the MIT Climate Portal, and has been a core contributor in the MIT Climate Nucleus education working group. He's also an experienced En-ROADS Climate Ambassador, and helped launch and is part of the leadership team of the Boston Green New Deal Coalition.

How to see this event? Live at the Chapel 4/17 - Noon 

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