This summer, experience an immersive journey of the senses with Space Travelers Union as they transform the Flandrau Planetarium into an experimental site for deep listening. Space Travelers Union is a collective founded by Ryan Wheless dedicated to pushing the boundaries of acoustic and electronic fusion. Influenced by the likes of Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Robert Glasper, Yussef Dayes, and Toro y Moi, they have quickly made its mark, catching the attention of key industry figures. Space Travelers Union: No Surface is an improvised creative music performance combining live acoustic and electronic sound with real-time projections to blur the line between music and visuals, creating the feeling of weightlessness and drift. This one-night collaboration between Space Travelers Union and Tucson-based projection artist Tucker Grams transforms the planetarium dome into an experimental site for deep listening and exploration. Improvisation forms the core of the performance, with small fragments of composed material woven in. Space Travelers Union: No Surface is part of the Tucson Studio Project.

Straight from the streets of Mexico City, Son Rompe Pera smashes old-school marimba with wild punk energy live on the Hotel Congress Plaza. Born and raised in the deep outskirts of Mexico City, the Gama brothers are keeping alive the rich legacy of marimba music running through their family with their latest project, Son Rompe Pera. While firmly rooted in the tradition of this historic instrument, their fresh take on this folk icon challenges its limits as never before, moving it into the garage/punk world of urban misfits and firmly planting it in the 21st century. Originally performing alongside their father at local events since they were kids, they now find themselves at the forefront of the contemporary international cumbia scene with their sonic explorations of the classic marimba. Their unique blend comes from typical youthful rebellion when, as teenagers, they left behind their upbringing on the marimba and began to play in various punk, rockabilly, and ska bands. Now they’ve gone full circle with the marimba leading the way, mixing all of their influences with their energetic take on the popular instrument, giving it a new twist never before seen in Mexican folk music.

Join Arizona Arts Live and the Office of the Provost for a lecture exploring community building as a collective practice with Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Presented live in Centennial Hall. Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker, literary scholar, and journalist Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is an acclaimed cultural critic and institution builder. He is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University. Among his dozens of books are recent New York Times bestsellers Stony the Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow and The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song. He has also produced and hosted an array of documentary films. The Black Church (PBS) and Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches (HBO), which he executive produced, received Emmy nominations. Finding Your Roots, Gates’s groundbreaking genealogy and genetics series is now in its tenth season on PBS. Professor Gates has received countless awards and honors, including a George Polk Award for his social commentary in The New York Times, a MacArthur Fellowship, the Chicago Tribune Literary Award for lifetime achievement, and the prestigious Gold Medal from the National Institute of Social Sciences, among many others. His filmmaking has received Emmy, Peabody, and NAACP Image Awards and an Alfred I. duPont Columbia University Award. Recently, he received the coveted Spingarn Medal from the NAACP. Professor Gates serves on the boards of many notable institutions, including the New York Public Library, the Aspen Institute, and the Brookings Institution, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Experience an evening of virtuosic brilliance with American pianist Jon Nakamatsu whose electrifying performances have captivated audiences worldwide for over three decades. Presented and fully seated on stage for an up-close and intimate audience experience in Centennial Hall. Now in his third decade of touring worldwide, Jon Nakamatsu continues to draw critical and public acclaim for his intensity, elegance and electrifying solo, concerto, and chamber music performances. Catapulted to international attention in 1997 as the Gold Medalist of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition—the only American to achieve this distinction since 1981—he subsequently developed a multi-faceted career encompassing recording, education, arts administration, and public speaking. From major symphony halls to intimate chamber performances, Jon Nakamatsu brings music to life in a way that feels both powerful and personal. Whether he’s playing Beethoven, Gershwin, or something in between, his performances are full of nuance and emotion.

Celebrate 20 years of GRAMMY-nominated Brooklyn Rider in a special commemoration honoring legendary composer and pianist Philip Glass. Presented and fully seated in Tooley’s Cafe for an up-close and intimate audience experience. Brooklyn Rider celebrates the string quartets of Philip Glass for their 20th anniversary. A principal figure of the American minimalist movement, Glass’ works for string quartet have found inspiration from Shakespeare to Beckett. From the life of Yukio Mishima to the legend of Dracula. From Schubert to Bach. Taken as a whole, they document the unique and inimitable spirit that powerfully encapsulates our time. With their gripping performance style and unquenchable appetite for musical adventure, Brooklyn Rider has carved a singular space in the world of string quartets over their fifteen-year history. Claiming no allegiance to either end of the historical spectrum, Brooklyn Rider most comfortably operates within the long arc of the tradition, seeking to illuminate works of the past with fresh insight while coaxing the malleable genre into the future through an inclusive programming vision, deep-rooted collaborations with a wide range of global tradition bearers, and the creation of thoughtful and relevant frames for commissioning projects.

Ten acrobats and a live string quartet celebrate the music of composer Dmitri Shostakovich in a stunning work of power, virtuosity, and physical poetry with Opus by Circa. Presented in Centennial Hall. Australian company Circa returns with a bold piece of extreme physicality and nuanced detail melded into a seamless whole with Opus. Beginning with a solo performer suspended on a rope serenaded by musicians, Opus then moves powerfully through rapidly alternating scenes of dislocated stillness and violent explosions into extreme physicality to arrive at exquisitely detailed and nuanced geometries of acrobats flying, balancing, and landing. This groundbreaking experience is brought to life by France’s Debussy String Quartet who perform three passionate quartets by 20th-century composer Dmitri Shostakovich live and from memory. The result? A red-hot fusion of extreme acrobatics, lyrical movement, and group choreography. Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Vimeo

Join Grammy-winning Silkroad Ensemble in an unforgettable musical journey around the world, offering a fresh perspective on the history and migration of music. Presented in Centennial Hall. Silkroad brings together musicians globally to inspire collaboration and add more equity and justice into the world. Conceived by Yo-Yo Ma in 1988, Silkroad continues to break new ground with innovative music, cultural collaboration, and high-quality arts education under the leadership of visionary Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens. In Uplifted Voices, Silkroad showcases a synthesis of global musical traditions and contemporary innovation, with each artist contributing their unique voice to craft a shared musical experience. From the Tuscarora Nation in North Carolina, singer-songwriter and activist Pura Fé blends traditional Native American sounds with contemporary Americana, honoring her Indigenous heritage while celebrating its enduring relevance. Japanese multi-percussionist Haruka Fujii has gained international acclaim as a prominent solo percussionist and marimbist, known for her interpretations of contemporary music and premieres of works by leading composers. Scottish harpist and composer Maeve Gilchrist intertwines jazz and folk while staying true to her Celtic roots, expanding the harp’s role into new, unexplored territories. Acclaimed cellist Karen Ouzounian centers her artistic practice on her love of the collaborative process and the development of adventurous new works. Lebanese violinist and composer Layale Chaker merges the intricate sounds of Arabic Maqam with jazz and contemporary classical elements, inviting listeners on a journey into new soundscapes. Mazz Swift, a violinist and composer, brings a deeply innovative approach, fusing classic African American music, electronica, and mindfulness, with improvisation as a central theme across genres.

Internationally renowned Reggie Watts uses his formidable voice, looping pedals, and vast imagination to blur the lines between music and comedy. Join Arizona Arts Live and TENWEST for an evening of unparalleled talent at 191 Toole. Using only his extraordinary voice, looping pedals, and boundless imagination, musician, comedian, writer Reggie Watts delivers entirely improvised performances that are as unpredictable as they are unforgettable. Most recently, he starred as bandleader on The Late Late Show with James Corden and as DJ for the 2021 Emmy Awards. Watts’ Netflix special, Spatial, earned rave reviews, with The New York Times hailing him as “the most influential absurdist in comedy today” and The A.V. Club calling the performance “exhilarating, silly, exhausting, and transcendent.” A favorite on major stages and festivals worldwide, including Bonnaroo, SXSW, Just For Laughs, and Bumbershoot, his unique fusion of comedy and music continues to captivate fans across the U.S. and Europe.

Join Arizona Arts Live and TENWEST this spring for an unforgettable evening with the man whose voice has defined a generation of storytelling, Guy Raz. Presented live in Centennial Hall. Guy Raz is celebrated as one of the most influential podcasters of our time, creating global sensations like How I Built This, TED Radio Hour, and the award-winning kids’ science show Wow in the World. Dubbed by The New York Times as “one of the most popular podcasters in history,” his shows captivate 19 million listeners monthly. With a career spanning over 25 years, Raz’s engaging storytelling and unparalleled interview style have earned him a reputation as “the greatest interviewer of his generation” (Forbes). From anchoring groundbreaking news at NPR and CNN to transforming the podcasting world, Raz’s achievements have garnered numerous accolades, including the Edward R. Murrow Award and a Peabody. Over his illustrious career, he has interviewed over 20,000 people, including presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and cultural icons, bringing their stories to life with depth and insight. In 2017, Raz became the first person in the history of podcasting to have three shows in the top 20 on the Apple Podcasts charts simultaneously. His talk, 7 Lessons I’ve Learned From the World’s Greatest Entrepreneurs will inspire you with the practical advice you need to make your next business breakthrough. In addition to Guy’s keynote, TENWESTx Talks will feature a Made in Arizona segment that will highlight the founder journeys of three companies built and grown in Arizona: Manish Shah, Maya and Transit Tea; Mike Spangenberg, State Forty Eight; and Lauren Bailey, Upward Projects & Postino. This interview style segment will be led by Cristie Street, Senior Vice President & COO of Southern Arizona Leadership Council and former CEO of NextTrio. Artist's Site Facebook Instagram Twitter

Arizona Arts Live and KXCI presents Baila el Pueblo–A Desert Music Festival celebrating our regional cultural diversity. The festival will showcase a vibrant array of musical traditions from around the southwest. Plus, enjoy local food vendors and artisans on-site at the MSA Annex. Internationally touring artist Reyna Tropical will headline the festival. Inspired by the wide-reaching cultural traditions of Peru, Colombia, and the Congo, trailblazing guitarist and songwriter Fabi Reyna remixes and melds these influences to create a tropical feel. Regional artists include Los Esplifs, Native Creed, Hataałii, Nicosa, MizSkoden and Las Chollas Peligrosas.  Doors open at 3:30 pm, and the show starts at 4:00 pm at MSA Annex’s iconic festival and event space. Advance general admission tickets are $30 for KXCI Members and $35 in advance for the general public. Tickets can be purchased at all Bookmans locations, online at KXCI.org, and at the door. All tickets will be $40 at the door. Youth 12 and under will be free with adult paid admission. Food can be purchased from local vendors and MSA Annex eateries and bars. Galeria Mitotera will curate a micro artisan market that celebrates Chicanx culture and uplifts artists to inspire one another through art and togetherness.  All proceeds support KXCI’s mission to connect the communities of Tucson and Southern Arizona to each other and to the world with informative, engaging, and creative community-based programming. 

Guided by their signature blend of dark psychedelia and Latin-inspired rhythms, XIXA invites you on an extraordinary journey through the mystical underworld. Presented at the Rialto Theatre. On their latest album, XIXA leave the sunbaked desert behind, taking listeners on a journey through the underworld. Diving into the richness of folklore, Brian Lopez and Gabriel Sullivan, who share XIXA’s songwriting, lead vocals and lead guitars, expand on their mystic, psychedelic rock, reaching more into their Latin influences to create a musical and lyrical narrative for XOLO, an album exploring both a mythic journey and what messages it might have for today. XOLO (in both band name and album title, the x is pronounced like ch) refers to the breed of Mexican hairless dog, Xoloitzcuintli, sacred in Mayan and Aztec cultures as guides through the underworld, Mictlán. The record loosely tells the story of a young girl, Arcoiris, on her journey through all nine levels of Mictlán, guided by her sacred protector, El Xolo. Musically, the moods and styles shift along with the journey. Still guided by dark psychedelia and cumbia, XIXA brings more dynamic arrangements, expanding their musical language and carving the album into more distinct chapters. XOLO is the band’s third full-length record, following Genesis (2021) and Bloodline (2016), and EPs The Code (2019) and Shift and Shadow (2015).

Connect with multifaceted pianist Lisa Moore in a striking performance that combines lyricism and virtuosity with expressive and emotional power. Presented and fully seated on stage for an up-close and intimate audience experience in Centennial Hall. Hailed as “brilliant and searching…beautiful and impassioned” by The New York Times, Lisa Moore brings unmatched emotional depth and virtuosity to every performance. Her extraordinary career has taken her to iconic venues like Carnegie Hall, La Scala, and the Sydney Opera House. A champion of modern music, she has premiered hundreds of works, collaborating with over 200 living composers. Her acclaimed recordings span genres, with standout releases like Mad Rush (Philip Glass) and The Stone People, named a New York Times Top Classical Album of 2016. A founding member of Bang on a Can All-Stars, Moore has performed alongside legends like Philip Glass, Meredith Monk, and Steve Reich. Her music bridges the traditional and avant-garde, delivering unforgettable performances that resonate with passion and precision. Read this evening’s full program here.

Discover the next frontier of dance in a centennial celebration with one of the most influential forces of the 20th Century, the Martha Graham Dance Company. Presented in Centennial Hall. Since 1926, Martha Graham’s groundbreaking and uniquely American dance style has influenced generations of artists, dancers, and audiences worldwide. In celebration of its upcoming centennial, the Company has organized GRAHAM100. This three-season program explores Graham’s artistic legacy through performances, new productions, exhibitions, film screenings, publications, discussions, and educational activities. This March, join “one of the great companies of the world” (New York Times) for a captivating performance featuring Graham masterworks and new pieces, including Steps in the Street (1936, featuring UA School of Dance students), Immediate Tragedy (1937), Errand into the Maze (1947), CAVE (2022), and We The People (2024).

Embark on a 60-year musical legacy with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, five-time Grammy winners spreading messages of peace and love. With a deep respect for cultural and personal history, they return to the Old Pueblo for an evening of uplifting South African rhythms and harmonies taking center stage at the Rialto Theatre. For over 60 years, the five-time Grammy-winning group Ladysmith Black Mambazo has captivated global audiences with messages of peace, love, and harmony. Formed in the early 1960s, their name symbolizes the founder’s hometown (Ladysmith), strength (Black, like oxen), and the ability to triumph over rivals (Mambazo, Zulu for chopping ax). Specializing in isicathamiya, a traditional music style developed in South African mines, the group reflects the cultural resilience of black workers who, despite harsh conditions, found solace in music during weekends away from home. In the mid-1980s, Paul Simon collaborated with them, introducing their rich harmonies to mainstream audiences through his landmark Graceland album, a pivotal moment in the popularization of World Music. Their musical efforts over the past five decades have garnered praise and accolades from a wide body of people, organizations, and countries. The late former South African president Nelson Mandela designated the group “South Africa’s cultural ambassadors to the world,” a title the members carry with them with the highest honor. In 2018, the group received two Grammy Award nominations for two separate albums, a first in the history of World Music. These two nominations brought their career total to 19 Grammy nominations. Artist's Site Facebook Instagram Twitter

An immersive experience like no other, join Indian Ink Theatre: Mrs. Krishnan’s Party with music, dancing, and vegetarian dhal prepared live in this heart-warming show. Presented at Maya Tea Warehouse. Indians throw big parties. Heard of Diwali? A million lamps floating on a river and fireworks lighting the sky. Heard of Holi? An explosion of color and joy–massive dry cleaning bills. How about Onam? An annual harvest festival celebrating life, death, and rebirth…and possibly the biggest of them all! Mrs. Krishnan is renting an apartment to the overzealous wannabe DJ, James. James has invited a few friends into the back room of Mrs. Krishnan’s corner shop as a special surprise to celebrate Onam and her son’s return home. But when 100 strangers turn up (you, the audience) Mrs. Krishnan has no choice but to throw the party of her life. Please join us after the show to enjoy a taste of freshly prepared vegetarian dhal (red lentils) and rice with the cast! ParTEA Pass Add-On Looking for even more fun? Here’s your chance to really steep yourself in adventure! Join Manish Shah, the founder and CEO of Maya Tea Company and Transit Tea, for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the Maya Tea Factory—happening just one hour before the performance. You’ll leave brimming with tea wisdom and … TWO $100 gift cards (yes, TWO—one for Maya Tea and one for Transit Tea, because we believe in spoiling you properly). And that’s not all! Sip your way to joy with a limited-edition commemorative tea canteen, created just for this event. It’s perfect for showing off during the show—or to your friends later when you casually mention how you got the VIP treatment. Trust us, this is the kind of experience that makes people say, “Wait, YOU did what?!” Seating Chart Top Table: prize seat at the center of the room. First-class treatment all the way, and a place to rest your drink.Inner Circle: premium seat, close to all the action. You can see and be seen. Perfect for the in-crowd.Wallflowers: prefer to hang back? This is the seat for you with a perfect view of everything.Cheeky Seats: not too hot, not too cold. Close, but not too close.Party Animals: you came to party! You need room to move and you’re gonna dance like no-one is watching! Click to enlarge image

Experience beauty, originality, and emotional depth with the captivating performances by award-winning classical pianist Rachel Breen. Presented and fully seated on stage for an up-close and intimate audience experience in Centennial Hall. Hailed as “truly show-stopping” by Gramophone UK, American pianist Rachel Breen is Gold Medalist Winner in the 2023 International Bösendorfer Piano Competition. Captivating audiences with her radiant piano sound and extraordinary artistry, she presents a brilliant program of major piano works by Beethoven, Schumann and Stravinsky. A rising star on the international stage, Breen’s further accolades include most recently top prizes at the Premi Iturbi, Hans von Bülow, and Honens International Piano Competitions, among many others. She has graced the stages of renowned festivals and venues, including the Beethovenfest in Bonn, Festival Piano aux Jacobins, and San Francisco International Piano Festival. Breen’s training spans from self-taught beginnings to mentorship under the legendary Lars Vogt at Hannover’s Hochschule für Musik; previously, she completed degrees at Yale University and the Juilliard School. In addition to her concert career, Breen’s artistic curiosity extends to languages, philosophy, and visual arts, reflecting the depth and passion she brings to her music.

In the wake of the deadly and devastating fires in the Los Angeles area, Tucson musicians and artists are coming together to raise funds for those in need. Presented at Hotel Congress. Tucson Loves LA will bring together a large coalition of local artists, as well as some special guests from out of town, to do our part in helping the Los Angeles musical community recover from the recent fire disaster.  Proceeds will be donated to the 501c3 nonprofit MusiCares, an institution dedicated to the well-being of recording artists and performers. MusiCares has played a critical role in providing relief and resources to those displaced or worse by the fires, and in conjunction with the Recording Academy, have announced $1 million in funding for fire victims. MusiCares’ Fire Relief efforts include $1,500 in financial assistance and a $500 grocery card for near-term needs such as necessities and evacuation costs. MusiCares will also provide additional, more substantial support for individuals with considerable impact, including assistance for damaged equipment, medical needs, and rental assistance. Confirmed participants in Tucson Loves LA include event co-organizer Howe Gelb (and his Friends), Jason Lytle (of California’s beloved Grandaddy), Brian Lopez, Petie Ronstadt, indie rock band Orchadia, Gabriel Sullivan, Beth Goodfellow performing solo and with Thøger Lund and Naim Amor, Gabby Pietrangelo, and Salvador Duran, rockers Birds and Arrows, and more. Artists have been invited to include a cover of a favorite Los Angeles musician’s song as they are able.  

Experience the vibrant legacy of New Orleans jazz with Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, a premier ensemble dedicated to preserving and evolving jazz traditions. Presented at the Rialto Theatre. Founded in 2007 by NEA Jazz Master and Grammy-winning trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis, UJO emphasizes riff-playing, spontaneous group improvisations, and New Orleans polyphony. The orchestra has released three critically acclaimed CDs and tours globally. Marsalis also founded the “Swinging with the Cool School” program, bringing jazz to students and offering music therapy at the New Orleans Children’s Hospital. Since 2021, UJO has produced the annual Jazz at Congo Square Festival, celebrating New Orleans culture with live performances, local food, and arts. Through these initiatives, Marsalis and UJO continue to inspire new generations with the rich legacy of American jazz.

Discover the dynamic artistry of Endea Owens, a rising star in the jazz world and an award-winning bassist and composer, and philanthropist. Presented at the Rialto Theatre. Detroit-raised and Juilliard-educated, Owens has performed with legends like Wynton Marsalis, Diana Ross, and Jon Batiste, and is a member of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s house band, Stay Human. Her accolades include an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Peabody Award, featuring her work on projects like Judas and the Black Messiah and H.E.R’s Super Bowl performance. Endea has a true passion for philanthropy and teaching. She has taught students across the United States, South America, and Europe. In 2020, Endea founded The Community Cookout, a non-profit organization birthed out of the COVID-19 pandemic that provides meals and music to underserved neighborhoods worldwide. To date, Endea’s organization has helped feed over 6,000 people. She has composed for prestigious ensembles, including the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and recently released her debut album, Feel Good Music.

Join Arizona Arts Live and the Tucson Jazz Festival as we welcome the return of multifaceted American jazz pianist and composer Emmet Cohen. Presented at the Rialto Theatre. Emmet Cohen is the winner of the 2019 American Pianists Awards and the Cole Porter Fellow of the American Pianists Association, and Artist-in-Residence at the University of Indianapolis. He was a finalist in the 2011 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition. Cohen has appeared at major international jazz festivals and at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall and Washington’s Kennedy Center, in addition to headlining at the Village Vanguard and other major New York jazz clubs. For many years he was Hammond B-3 Organist-in-Residence at Harlem’s SMOKE jazz club. During the lockdown, he created “Live From Emmet’s Place,” a weekly livestream that received millions of internet views worldwide. Cohen is a Mack Avenue artist. A Suzuki piano student at age three, Cohen holds jazz piano degrees from the Manhattan School of Music (M.M.) and the University of Miami (B.M.). Emmet Cohen has performed, recorded, or collaborated with Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Jimmy Cobb, George Coleman, Jimmy Heath, Tootie Heath, Houston Person, Christian McBride, Kurt Elling, Billy Hart, Herlin Riley, Lea DeLaria, and Bill T. Jones. Emmet's Website Emmet's Facebook

Celebrate the musical genius of Paquito D’Rivera, a 16-time Grammy and Latin Grammy winner known for his mastery of Latin jazz and classical music. Presented at the Rialto Theatre. Born in Havana, Cuba, Paquito D’Rivera was a child prodigy who performed with the National Theater Orchestra at age 10. A founding member of the iconic Irakere, he helped blend jazz, rock, and traditional Cuban music, earning international acclaim. He has recorded over 30 solo albums, collaborated with prestigious orchestras like the London Philharmonic, and composed works performed by world-renowned ensembles. A recipient of numerous honors, including the NEA Jazz Masters Award and the National Medal of the Arts, Paquito D’Rivera remains a vibrant force in both jazz and classical music, continually bridging cultural divides through his innovative compositions and performances.

An evening of stand-up, storytelling, and a cappella singing with GRAMMY-winning author, humorist, and radio personality Garrison Keillor. Presented at The Rialto Theatre. Garrison Keillor Tonight is an evening of stand-up, storytelling, audience song, and poetry. One man, one microphone. There are sung sonnets, limericks and musical jokes, and the thread that runs through it is the beauty of growing old. There is the News from Lake Wobegon, a town booming with new entrepreneurs, makers of artisanal firewood and gourmet meatloaf, breeders of composting worms, and dogs trained to do childcare. But some things endure, such as the formation of the Living Flag on Main Street, citizens in tight formation wearing red, white or blue caps, and Mr. Keillor among them, standing close to old neighbors, Myrtle Krebsbach (“Truckstop”) and Julie Christensen (“Bruno, The Fishing Dog”) and Clint Bunsen. And an a cappella sing-along with the audience singing from memory an odd medley of patriotic songs, pop standards, hymns, and ending with the national anthem.

Inspired by the Audioramas of Mexico City, our Cuk Ṣon Audiorama is located on the east side of Centennial Hall on the Historic University of Arizona Mall. Cuk Ṣon is the Tohono O’odham name for Tucson, referring to the 17th-century O’odham village at the base of “Black Hill or Mountain.” Cuk Ṣon is the Tohono O’odham name for Tucson, referring to the 17th-century O’odham village at the base of “Black Hill or Mountain.” Read, nap, and daydream; the Audiorama is a place for people to rest in the company of nothing but trees and music. It is an open-air concert auditorium, and there are several places to sit surrounded by speakers that play music all day. The type of music differs by the day of the week. Student performances are held live on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 – 5:00 PM. Bring a book or borrow one, escape the noise and craziness around us, and sit with nature.Cuk Son Audiorama is made possible thanks to generous donations by Arzate Design Group of Tucson in collaboration with Old Pueblo Hemp Co., Ponderosa Cactus, Civano Growers, AYJ Construction, Desert Streams and Gardens, University of Arizona Facilities Management and was built together with CAPLA students.   Preview the sounds of Cuk Son Audiorama: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Avatar: The Last Airbender comes to Tucson featuring a two-hour series recap with original dialogue, sound effects, and live renditions of the beloved soundtrack. Avatar: The Last Airbender In Concert presents a live orchestral rendition of the series’ iconic soundtrack by award-winning composer Jeremy Zuckerman. Enjoy a two-hour special recap of the animated series’ three seasons on a full-size cinema screen with original dialogue and sound effects. The result? A truly immersive and grandiose concert experience. Just as Avatar: The Last Airbender masterfully blends Chinese culture with anime and American cartoon styles, an orchestra especially handpicked for this event will harmoniously combine Eastern and Western musical traditions. Watch as the ensemble faithfully reflects the signature sound of the Avatar saga with taiko drums, erhus, violins, clarinets, and more. The performance will comprise an initial 80-minute segment, encompassing seasons 1 and 2 of the series, followed by a 40-minute presentation on season 3, and concluding with a 4-minute encore performance (Secret Tunnel).

Witness an indelible performance far beyond a traditional magic show with illusionist, mentalist, and performance artist, Scott Silven. Presented in Tornabene Theatre. Tickets start at just $10 for any student! Scott Silven is a master of illusion and imagination, blending mind-bending mystery with profound insight. Named a “Critic’s Pick” by The New York Times and praised by Vogue as a “world-renowned mentalist,” Silven’s performance Wonders takes audiences on an unforgettable journey beyond traditional magic. His work has captivated from Broadway to the Sydney Opera House, leaving audiences awestruck and inspired. Step into a world where the boundaries of perception dissolve, and you’ll leave with a newfound connection to the wonders within yourself and the people around you. Experience a night that promises to shift your perspective—forever. You will leave feeling different.

Blue Note Recording Artist, pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini makes his debut appearance in the Century Room for a special night of South African jazz. South African jazz pianist Nduduzo Makhathini blends the deep cultural roots of Zulu music with jazz influences. His sound is shaped by the legends of South African jazz such as Bheki Mseleku and Abdullah Ibrahim, alongside American greats like John Coltrane and McCoy Tyner. As an educator and head of the music department at Fort Hare University, Makhathini is committed to preserving the emotional depth of African jazz while pushing the genre forward. He has performed internationally, including at Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Cape Town International Jazz Festival. With eight award-winning albums, including his critically acclaimed 2020 Blue Note debut Modes of Communication: Letters from the Underworlds, Makhathini continues to make a global impact as both a performer and a producer.

Ten dancers break through boundaries in the U.S. premiere of this visually striking spectacle featuring live music and mesmerizing lighting. Presented in Centennial Hall. In an era where the advancing frontier of knowledge and control monitors our movements, defines our identities, and gathers our data, the human body has never been so visible. Increasingly, surveillance technologies blur the border between public and private in an attempt to orchestrate our place in the world. In Frontera, choreographer Dana Gingras tackles these borders to answer the question: what space remains for the unruly, ungovernable body in a world consumed by monitoring technologies? Watch ten dancers navigate a spectacular world of light in a visual conversation between choreography, architecture, and live music by Fly Pan Am and field recordings by post-rock musician Dave Bryant (Godspeed You! Black Emperor).

An unforgettable live concert experience featuring Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México performing alongside a screening of Disney Pixar’s Coco. Catch a full screening of this beloved film as the 20-member Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México performs Oscar®-winning composer Michael Giacchino’s musical score live. This family-friendly experience also features “Remember Me” by Oscar-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and additional songs co-written by Germaine Franco and co-director and screenwriter Adrian Molina. Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México stands out for its ability to fuse pre-Hispanic instruments with instruments from the colonial era. Made up of expert musicians, the ensemble features traditional instruments dating back to colonial times from the “Huehuetl “and “Tepobaztli” to flutes, Ocarinas, guitars, violins, and more.

Celebrate Homecoming 2024 with the release of the latest collaboration with Pueblo Vida! Enjoy a delicious new Hazy India Pale Ale with Hibiscus. Presented in Centennial Hall. Come on down to the first-ever Arizona Arts Live Beer Garden, brewed by Pueblo Vida Brewing Company! Enjoy Pueblo Vida’s newest beer, Experience Unexpected and all their other yummy brews, including Wildcat Cerveza. Plus, there’ll be food, music, and games to keep you entertained. And the best part? We’ll be watching the Homecoming Bonfire from the Centennial Hall patio. Just remember, you gotta be 21 or older to get in. So, bring your friends and let’s make this unforgettable night!

Embark on an inter-dimensional journey across the multiverse with Miles Morales in Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse in Concert. Building on the success of the sold-out global shows of the first Oscar®-winning Spider-Man™ animated Spider-Verse film, comes the highly anticipated sequel, Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse. Witness the return of Mile Morales as he embarks on an interdimensional journey across where he encounters the Spider Society. Watch a full screening of this Oscar-winning film on a colossal HD screen complemented by a diverse ensemble of musicians performing the film’s iconic score and soundtrack live. This extraordinary experience features a full orchestra, a skilled scratch DJ on turntables, and percussion and electronic instrumentalists.

Dive into Muscogee (Creek) Nation activist Jean Hill Chaudhuri’s incredible life story in this harrowing recount of her family’s history, inspired by true events. Presented in Tornabene Theatre. In a captivating one-woman performance, playwright, actor, and attorney Mary Kathryn Nagle (Sovereignty; Manahatta) recounts the pivotal moments in the life of activist Jean Hill Chaudhuri who served as Executive director of the Tucson Indian Center, the Traditional Indian Alliance, founded the first off-reservation Indian Health clinic in Tucson, and was inducted into the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame posthumously in 2013. From the Trail of Tears to the Supreme Court’s landmark opinion in McGirt v. Oklahoma that upheld the sovereignty of the Muscogee territories, Nagle sheds light on her mother-in-law’s relentless pursuit of justice and a legacy of broken promises between nations. Watch as On the Far End intertwines Chaudhuri’s personal story–the Native boarding school she fled on foot, her marriage to a young Bengali scholar, and the advocacy that became her life’s work–to highlight the resilience of Indigenous communities and the need to confront historical injustices. “‘On the Far End’ is a beautiful and noteworthy one-woman play … acknowledges the generational effects of the Indian Removal Act on Native American communities. This play calls attention to the importance of fighting for what is right” (MD Theatre Guide).

Experience a heartfelt tribute to global music legend Cesária Évora and Cape Verde’s rich musical traditions with Award-winning jazz vocalist Kavita Shah. Presented in the Century Room. Kavita Shah is an award-winning jazz vocalist, composer, researcher, polyglot and lifelong New Yorker of Indian origin, hailed for possessing an “amazing dexterity for musical languages” (NPR). In her latest project, Cape Verdean Blues, she explores the sounds and stories of São Vicente, an island of Cape Verde, off West Africa, and the birthplace of world music legend Cesária Évora. Shah, herself a daughter of diaspora who resonated with the music’s language of longing, has teamed up with Évora’s longtime bandmates–including master acoustic guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Bau–to create her most personal work to date. This is music that makes you want to dance and cry at the same time. She will be joined by Bau, as well as two other masters of Cape Verdean music: guitarist Jorge Almeida and percussionist N’du Carlos.

Step into a fantastical world where reality bends and imagination reigns with MOMIX’s mesmerizing new show, ALICE. Presented in Centennial Hall. MOMIX: Alice sends audiences flying down the rabbit hole in Moses Pendleton’s newest creation inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice in Wonderland, seemingly seamlessly blending illusion, acrobatics, magic, and whimsy. “I don’t intend to retell the whole Alice story,” Pendleton says, “but to use it as a taking off point for invention.” Join this dazzling company on a mind-bending adventure, as Alice encounters time-honored characters including the undulating Caterpillar, a lobster quadrille, frenzied White Rabbits, a mad Queen of Hearts, and various other surprises. Filled with visual splendor and startling creative movement, Alice reveals that nothing in MOMIX’s world is as it seems!

Experience an Ohio family’s story told through visual and musical relics in a moving theatrical performance, Relics and Their Humans. Seated on stage in Centennial Hall. Join the performers on a theatrical and musical journey alongside the Quillen family in Dover, Ohio. Three key family relics—a recorded interview with Quillen’s mother, Jerry Quillen’s journal, and a surprising playlist — guide us through three years of family life framed around the years following a devastating ALS diagnosis. Using reimagined musical classics, from “One Less Bell to Answer” to “Free Bird,” and phrases from Jerry’s journal, Gordon and Quillen’s spirited performances, together with playwright and director Talvin Wilks’s inventive dramaturgy and Jennifer Tipton’s evocative lighting design, transform these elements into a beautiful storytelling experience. Relics and Their Humans marks the second collaboration between writer, director, and performer Ain Gordon and composer, writer, and percussionist Josh Quillen (So Percussion). This work was partially developed during a 2022 residency with Arizona Arts Live. 

The Revolutionary Love Bus Tour 2024-2025 is a healing odyssey across the United States calling people to rise up in courage, humanity, and love. Presented at Hotel Congress. Join visionary civil rights leader Valarie Kaur in an immersive experience of storytelling, music, song, ancestral wisdom, and community-building. We invite you into a space for soulful introspection, deep listening, and courageous action. Each stop uplifts local leaders, artists, and advocates who catalyze hope. You will leave with the tools needed to lead with love and courage in your daily life. At the heart of every event, Valarie and fellow artists tell stories of how their ancestors survived seemingly apocalyptic times. Together, we explore how each of us can walk the path of love, healing, and justice. Featuring raag-based kirtan by celebrated Sikh women artists Jasvir Kaur Rababan and Nirinjan Kaur Khalsa. And renowned trumpeter and artist Sonny Singh performing from his new album Sage Warrior, accompanied by Qais Essar or Shahjehan Khan. There will also be special guests at every stop who will be announced soon!

Celebrate the healing and unifying power of the arts in the community-led Art is Vital Fiesta premiering simultaneously in 18 cities nationwide. Presented at the Edward B. Berger Performing Arts Center. Inspired by the inter-city Federal Theatre Project in 1936, the Arts for Everybody Project brings together people and communities to prove how the arts can lead to healthier people and communities. Cities nationwide will collectively answer the prompt “No Place Like Home” through large-scale participatory arts projects drawing on sounds, styles, and stories of their communities. Tucson’s Art is Vital Fiesta will kick off with a concert reading of “Anita,” a new musical about the power of joy to create a sense of home and belonging. The experience will also feature live music by local award-winning mariachi bands, heritage food booths, art exhibits, interactive activities promoting the connection between arts participation and personal and collective wellbeing, and a special “Art is Vital” art contest winner presentation by Tucson Mayor Regina Romero.