The Vail Series

Upcoming Events

Here are just a few notable speakers from past years:
  • Itzhak Perlman
  • Yo-Yo Ma
  • Renée Fleming
  • Wynton Marsalis
  • Jessye Norman
  • Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer

About the Series

Get ready for an exciting 45th season of arts performances! The Vail Series offers a captivating blend of music and artistry. From string performances to a cappella brilliance, and from multidisciplinary showcases to rising stars, the 45th season is set to enthrall audiences with a range of unforgettable experiences.

Canadian string ensemble collectif9 performs with the power of an orchestra and the intimacy of a chamber ensemble, mounting engaging and intriguing programs around the world. They present “Rituaels,” a dynamic program spanning from the Middle Ages to modern times, promising an immersive musical experience.

With a record-breaking 10 Grammy Awards and numerous other accolades, Take 6 brings exceptional a cappella vocals to the stage, astounding global audiences. We are delighted to have them come to Denison’s campus and thrill us with their vocal acrobatics!

Third Coast Percussion’s multidisciplinary show, “Metamorphosis,” combines percussion with movement artistry by Lil Buck and Jon Boogz. TCP will be joined on stage by Trent Jerry and Cameron Murphy, movement artists who specialize in street choreography in an engaging performance, with special lighting direction and music by Philip Glass, Tyondi Braxton, and Jlin.

Young Concert Artists on Tour: Four extraordinary rising stars Lun Li (violin), Daniel McGrew (tenor), Joseph Parrish (bass baritone), and Albert Cano Smit (piano) will dazzle with their performances during their campus residency in February.

Modern music collective Wild Up is committed to creating thought-provoking and exciting concerts that create a sense of community. Their innovative programming, together with Pulitzer Prize winning composer Raven Chacon, will bring exhilarating energy to the evening as part of our TUTTI 2024 New Arts Festival.

Kittel & Co: Blending classical, Celtic, bluegrass, folk, and jazz influences, Jeremy Kittel and his five-piece band promise an eclectic and electrifying performance that will bring down the house with their amazing artistry.

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Series Archives

2023 - 2024

YCA on Tour

The Vail Series welcomes YCA on Tour.

Third Coast Percussion - ‘Metamorphosis’

The Vail Series welcomes GRAMMY® Award-winning and Denison’s own Ensemble-in-Residence, Third Coast Percussion.

Take 6

The Vail Series welcomes GRAMMY® award-winning a cappella group Take 6.

collectif9

The Vail Series welcomes Juno- nominated Montreal string nonet collectif9.

2022 - 2023

MJFonTour2023

The Vail Series welcomes the Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour.

Terence Blanchard, the E-Collective, Turtle Island Quartet & Andrew F. Scott

The Vail Series welcomes Terence Blanchard featuring the E-Collective, Turtle Island Quartet & Andrew F. Scott.

TERENCE BLANCHARD, the E-COLLECTIVE, TURTLE ISLAND QUARTET & ANDREW F. SCOTT.

The Vail Series welcomes Terence Blanchard featuring the E-Collective, Turtle Island Quartet & Andrew F. Scott.

Ukraine Orchestra

The Vail Series welcomes Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine.

Fazil Say and Jamal Aliyev

The Vail Series welcomes Fazıl Say and Jamal Aliyev.

The Queen’s Cartoonists

The Vail Series welcomes The Queen’s Cartoonists.

2021 - 2022

Roomful of Teeth

The Vail Series welcomes multi-Grammy Award-winning vocal octet Roomful of Teeth.

Red Sky

Denison University’s Dance Department, Laura C. Harris Series and Vail Series presents Red Sky Performance.

Fifth House Ensemble

The Department of Music presents the TUTTI Festival Concert X: "We Are Good" presented by the Vail Series.

American Spiritual Ensemble

The Vail Series presents American Spiritual Ensemble.

BLACKBIRD

"BLACKBIRD, FLY" A Concert for Voice, Body and Strings: Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Spoken Word. Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR), Violin, Piano.

Aoife O'Donovan

The Vail Series welcomes Grammy Award-winning artist Aoife O’Donovan.

2020 - 2021

Third Coast Percussion

The Vail Series is partnering with Music Institute of Chicago to bring you a Livestream performance with Third Coast Percussion.

JLCO_piper_ferguson

The Vail Series presents a co-sponsored livestream event, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.

American Spiritual Ensemble

The Vail Series welcomes the American Spiritual Ensemble.

Aoife O’Donovan

The Vail Series welcomes Aoife O’Donovan presenting a virtual concert.

2019 - 2020

Roomful of Teeth

The Vail Series welcomes Grammy award winners Roomful of Teeth.

SYBARITE5

The Vail Series and TUTTI 2020 partner to present SYBARITE5 in a grand finale concert.

Brasil Guitar Duo with JIJI

The Vail Series welcomes Brasil Guitar Duo with JIJI presenting an evening of classical guitar music.

Brasil Guitar Duo with JIJI

The Vail Series welcomes Brasil Guitar Duo with JIJI presenting an evening of classical guitar music.

Matt Haimovitz

The Vail Series welcomes acclaimed cellist Matt Haimovitz and his brilliant musical variation on the concept of "A Moveable Feast."

Tarpaga Dance

The Vail Series presents Baker + Tarpaga Dance Project "When Birds Refused to Fly," winner of a National Dance Project Award.

Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain and Edgar Meyer with Rakesh Chaurasia

The Vail Series welcomes Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain and Edgar Meyer with Rakesh Chaurasia.

2018 - 2019

ETHEL

The Vail Series presents ensemble-in-residence ETHEL in concert.

Isabel Leonard

100 Years of Leonard Bernstein- The Czech National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of John Mauceri featuring soloist Isabel Leonard

Dee Dee Bridgewater

The Vail Series presents Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater in concert.

Pablo Ziegler

The Vail Series welcomes GRAMMY-winning pianist, composer and arranger Pablo Ziegler presenting a U.S. premiere performance titled "12 Hours."

2017 - 2018

Photo of contemporary classical ensemble Eighth Blackbird in concert

The Vail Series presents contemporary classical ensemble Eighth Blackbird in concert.

Photo of South African a cappella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo

The Vail Series presents Grammy-winning South African a cappella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo in concert.

Photo of Catherine Russell

The Vail Series presents Catherine Russell in concert.

Photo of the Grammy nominated chamber music ensemble Eroica Trio

The Vail Series presents the chamber music ensemble Eroica Trio in concert.

2016 - 2017

Photo of Sam Bush

The Vail Series welcomes Sam Bush performing at the 2017 Bluegrass Concert.

Photo of NOW Ensemble

The Department of Music welcomes NOW Ensemble in concert.

Photo of Wynton Marsalis and vocalist Catherine Russell

The Vail Series welcomes the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis performing "Big Band Holidays."

Image of Gabriel Alegría and the Afro-Peruvian Sextet

The Vail Series presents Gabriel Alegría and the Afro-Peruvian Sextet.

2015 - 2016

Denison’s ensemble-in-residence, ETHEL

Denison’s ensemble-in-residence, ETHEL,, presents "Documerica," a multimedia concert.

Image of Cyrille Aimée

The Vail Series presents Cyrille Aimée.

Portrait of Regina Carter

The Vail Series welcomes genre-spanning violinist Regina Carter for her Southern Comfort Concert.

The Metropolitan Opera Rising Stars

Vail Series presents the Metropolitan Opera Rising Stars Concert, featuring the next generation of leading men and women at the renowned "Met."

Vail Series presents: Dafra Kura Band

The Vail Series welcomes the Dafra Kura Band, hailing from Burkina Faso and performing world music, traditional and contemporary sounds from Africa.

2014 - 2015

Photo of the quartet "Sweet Honey In The Rock."

The Vail Series presents "Sweet Honey In The Rock."

Turtle Island Quartet

The Vail Series presents "Turtle Island Quartet."

Billy Collins

The Vail Series presents Poet Laureate Billy Collins.

Photo of "The Ahn Trio"

The Vail Series presents "The Ahn Trio."

Photo of Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer

The Vail Series presents Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer.

2013 - 2014

Photo of Bobby McFerrin

The Vail Series presents the multi-talented Bobby McFerrin.

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