Monmouth University’s Summer Music and Arts festival is now in its third season—and it’s first as an in-person event – in the theatres and galleries across campus. With student performances, a visual arts exhibit and an eclectic evening concert – there truly is something for everyone to enjoy.
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO LOW TICKET SALES. Join us for a family-friendly performance of Serge Prokofiev’s famous story Peter and the Wolf by the Garden State Philharmonic. In this production, children are invited to participate by filling in coloring books on stage for story time with the Garden State Philharmonic.
Monmouth University’s very own Blue Hawk House Band, who has been entertaining folks virtually throughout the pandemic monthly during Tuesday Night Record Club, will make their live debut. These talented students put their very own spin on rock and pop classics.
Join us for an evening of an evening of Poetry, Jazz and “Harp”Beats featuring – Kuf Knotz and Christine Elise’s hip-hop poetry with bluesy beats supported by the harp, New Jersey native and former Poet Laureatre Robert Pinsky ‘s “PoemJazz” with a reading and performance of poems in concert with a variety of jazz improvisations. Also featured on the evening’s bill are the Digba Ogunbiyi Quartet playing original compositions that are deeply rooted in Ogunbiyi’s Nigeria roots yet highly informed by his years of studying Jazz, and an opening set by Gregory Schwartz, former recipient of the Poet Laureate of Asbury Park award.
Pat Guadagno and his band Small Change along with special guests Eryn O’Ree and Ryan Gregg, pay tribute to the head-scratching, mind-bending music of Tom Waits.
As a co-founder of The Byrds, Roger McGuinn is firmly established as an indisputable industry icon. From his signature 12-string Rickenbacker sound, to his instantly recognizable vocals on hits like Turn, Turn, Turn, Eight Miles High and Mr. Tambourine Man, Roger McGuinn didn’t just make music; he made history.
Hailed as “the king and queen of the banjo,” (Paste Magazine) sixteen-time Grammy® Award-winner Béla Fleck returns to our stage alongside his wife, fellow banjoist and singer Abigail Washburn. Fleck is the world’s premier banjo player, known for his eclectic mix of bluegrass and jazz, while Washburn marries folk traditions with far-flung Eastern influences. Together, their sound is familiar yet wildly innovative and on stage, their artistry and chemistry results in a picking partnership unlike any on the planet.
The annual holiday tradition returns with the ever lovable and charismatic Father Alphonse Stevenson conducting the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea for their 30th concert of carols and seasonal favorites. There’s simply no better way to start the holiday season than to spend a special evening with Father Alphonse, his 42-piece orchestra and distinguished vocalists as he provides humorous and personal anecdotes amidst a program of holiday classics and carols.
The Doo Wop Project takes audiences on a journey featuring foundational tunes from the Crests, Belmonts and Flamingos through the vocal artistry of Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and The Four Seasons all the way to DooWopified versions of modern hits from Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz, Maroon 5, and Sam Smith. Featuring stars from the Broadway hits Jersey Boys, Motown: The Musical, and A Bronx Tale, The Doo Wop Project brings unparalleled authenticity of sound and vocal excellence to recreate—and in some cases entirely reimagine—the greatest music in American pop and rock history.
This year being the 50th anniversary of the emergence of hip hop, on February 22nd, the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music in association with Blue Hawk Records presents “Hip Hop in the Round,” an evening of conversation and music featuring hip hop artists from Monmouth University and Asbury Park.
