Celebrity Series has always been centered on live performances, and we are constantly exploring new ways of experiencing live performances, such as the return of Jazz Along the Charles.
—Gary Dunning, President and Executive Director of the Celebrity Series of Boston
Celebrity Series of Boston announces its 2023/24 season today, marking 85 years of bringing world-class touring and local performing artists to Boston. The first season programmed by new Artistic Director Nicole Taney, this season’s offerings bring audiences new venues to explore, artist debuts, beloved returning artists, and in-person and streaming options for both the ticketed subscription and free Neighborhood Arts events.
This exciting new season begins on October 7 with Jazz Along the Charles, a public performance project in which more than 100 local musicians, in up to 25 jazz ensembles, perform in their own style, Boston-inspired set lists of music composed or popularized by women, co-curated by Ken Field and Zahili Zamora. This fun-filled one-day event is free and open to everyone! The call for local musicians opens May 2 and applications will be accepted through May 31.
Expanding the reach of the season even further, Celebrity Series presents four artists in two locations performing the same program at a Boston-area venue and in Groton, MA at the new concert space, Meadow Hall, in the Groton Hill Music Center.
Gary Dunning, President and Executive Director of the Celebrity Series of Boston, says, “the new artists that you’ll see this season aren’t the only debuts this year: Nicole Taney makes a long-anticipated debut as Artistic Director. She’s crafted a compelling balance of returning, new-to-us, and new-to-Boston artists. Celebrity Series has always been centered on live performances, and we are constantly exploring new venues, like the stunning Groton Hill Music Center or new ways of experiencing live performances, such as the return of Jazz Along the Charles.”
Nicole Taney, Artistic Director, adds, “It’s been wonderful working with artists and their managers and seeing how Celebrity Series’ reputation precedes us. We have 85 years of history to build on, and I hope that 2023/24 feels like the kind of season you expect from Celebrity Series, with a few surprises along the way.”
Single tickets for select performances go on sale Tuesday, August 22, 2023.
Purchasing tickets for three performances upgrades the ticket holder to subscriber status for the entire 2023/24 season. Subscribers enjoy benefits such as early access to seats before the general public, guaranteed pricing, advance notice of additional performances, and ticket exchange privileges.
Performance and ticketing updates may be found at celebrityseries.org.
Venues, artists, and programs are subject to change.
Charles Lloyd 85th Birthday Celebration brings together the great bandleader and composer Charles Lloyd with his longtime quartet, The Charles Lloyd New Quartet. Bandmates Jason Moran, Eric Harland, and Reuben Rogers constitute a rhythm section befitting one of the most enduring jazz visionaries of our time. On Sunday, October 15 at 7pm at Berklee Performance Center.
An Evening with Audra McDonald features the singer-actress in a one-night-only engagement with an orchestra of local musicians. An icon on stage and screen, the six-time Tony Award-winning McDonald lends her luminous voice and committed stage presence to Broadway favorites, standards, and much more on Sunday, October 22 at 5pm at Symphony Hall.
Cuban-born drummer Dafnis Prieto featuring Brazilian singer Luciana Souza join forces to engage listeners through words and music in support of their album, “Cantar,” on Saturday, October 28 at 8pm at the Berklee Performance Center.
Alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin and Phoenix use traditional conceptions of jazz, hip hop, and soul to create electrifyingly danceable grooves. On Friday, December 1 at 8pm at Berklee Performance Center.
What Makes it Great? with Rob Kapilow: “Ladies of the Canyon: the Music of Joni Mitchell and Carole King” turns the spotlight on the folk and rock music that came out of Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon in the 1960s and ’70s. Kapilow brings forward Carole King and Joni Mitchell to illustrate the genius of these two artists and the magic of the community that nurtured their iconic works. On Saturday, November 11 at 8pm at NEC’s Jordan Hall.
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway are standouts in roots music's new generation. Molly is the first woman to be named Guitar Player of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association and winner of the Best Bluegrass Album at the 2023 Grammy Awards. She and her band Golden Highway return to Berklee Performance Center on Friday, November 17 at 8pm.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis pay tribute to one of the greats when they celebrate the centennial of drummer Max Roach on Sunday, January 28 at 5pm at Symphony Hall.
Jazz artist Cecile McLorin Salvant weaves a tale of women’s secrecy under the male gaze in her latest project, Mélusine. She takes as her inspiration the European folk legend of Mélusine, the woman cursed to spend one day each week as a half-snake. Featuring a mix of originals and reorchestrations of songs dating back to the twelfth century, Salvant brings songs in French, English, Haitian Kreyól, and the ancient Southern French language Occitan. On Friday, February 2 at 8pm at Sanders Theatre.
Time For Three stands at the intersection of Americana, modern pop, and classical music. Charles Yang (violin, vocals), Nicolas Kendall (violin, vocals), and Ranaan Meyer (double bass, vocals)—have found a unique and captivating niche that includes two 2023 Grammy Awards for their album Letters for the Future. On Saturday, February 24 at 8pm at Sanders Theatre.
Arturo Sandoval and Pedrito Martinez bring two generations of Cuban jazz to the Berklee Performance Center on Friday, March 8 at 8pm. Trumpeter Sandoval is an undisputed legend: a protégé of Dizzy Gillespie, he helped redefine the sound of Cuban jazz as a founding member of Irakere. Percussionist Martinez, born in Havana, grew up surrounded by rumba music, and became a specialist in rumba and Afro-Cuban percussion.
Sierra Hull brings folk, pop, and bluegrass together with heartfelt and clever lyrics and ethereal vocals for an unforgettable evening of music on Saturday, March 9 at 8pm at Sanders Theatre.
Alan Cumming returns with his new cabaret show “Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age,” a joyful and mischievous evening of story and song – presented with his puckish, eclectic spirit and joie de vivre – exploring that most communal of pastimes: aging! On Friday, March 15 at 8pm at Sanders Theatre.
Composer and conductor Miho Hazama is one of the most promising and talented composers/arrangers of her generation. Hazama creates inventive, complex, and surprising compositions for m_unit, the 13-piece jazz chamber orchestra that she leads. On Saturday, March 16 at 8pm at Berklee Performance Center.
Patti LuPone, Broadway legend and three-time Tony Award winner, returns to Celebrity Series in “A Life in Notes.” In this personal musical memoir, LuPone, backed by her band, shares the songs that define her life on and off the stage. On Tuesday, April 2 at 8pm at Symphony Hall.
An Evening with David Sedaris sees the author and humoristreturn to Symphony Hall on Friday, April 12, at 8pm to read new and unpublished works, and offer an audience Q&A.
Three all-time greats share a stage in “Duets,” when Chucho Valdes, Dianne Reeves, and Joe Lovano come together for a rare evening of intimate duets. Saturday, May 4 at 8pm at Berklee Performance Center.
Through master classes with artists in public schools and conservatories; hands-on, interactive workshops for youth led by a core group of Boston-affiliated artists; community concerts in Boston and Cambridge neighborhoods; free and discounted tickets to subscription performances; and large-scale, public performance projects, Arts for All! brings the arts to everyone.
Neighborhood Arts programming in the 2023/24 season is anchored in partnerships with Boston-affiliated artists and ensembles, and showcases the rich diversity of musical offerings they perform. The full Neighborhood Arts season will be announced this summer.
Visit celebityseries.org/artsforall for information about all of our community engagement work.
This exciting new season begins on October 7 with Jazz Along the Charles, a public performance project in which more than 100 local musicians, in up to 25 jazz ensembles, perform in their own style, Boston-inspired set lists of music composed or popularized by women, co-curated by Ken Field and Zahili Zamora. This fun-filled one-day event is free and open to everyone! The call for local musicians opens May 2 and applications will be accepted through May 31.
Expanding the reach of the season even further, Celebrity Series presents four artists in two locations performing the same program at a Boston-area venue and in Groton, MA at the new concert space, Meadow Hall, in the Groton Hill Music Center.
Gary Dunning, President and Executive Director of the Celebrity Series of Boston, says, “the new artists that you’ll see this season aren’t the only debuts this year: Nicole Taney makes a long-anticipated debut as Artistic Director. She’s crafted a compelling balance of returning, new-to-us, and new-to-Boston artists. Celebrity Series has always been centered on live performances, and we are constantly exploring new venues, like the stunning Groton Hill Music Center or new ways of experiencing live performances, such as the return of Jazz Along the Charles.”
Nicole Taney, Artistic Director, adds, “It’s been wonderful working with artists and their managers and seeing how Celebrity Series’ reputation precedes us. We have 85 years of history to build on, and I hope that 2023/24 feels like the kind of season you expect from Celebrity Series, with a few surprises along the way.”
Ticket Information
The pre-sale ticketing period begins on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 for donors; Monday, May 15 for renewing subscribers; and Tuesday, May 16 for new subscribers. More information on subscriptions at: celebrityseries.orgSingle tickets for select performances go on sale Tuesday, August 22, 2023.
Purchasing tickets for three performances upgrades the ticket holder to subscriber status for the entire 2023/24 season. Subscribers enjoy benefits such as early access to seats before the general public, guaranteed pricing, advance notice of additional performances, and ticket exchange privileges.
Performance and ticketing updates may be found at celebrityseries.org.
Venues, artists, and programs are subject to change.
About New Artistic Director, Nicole Taney
Nicole Taney joined the Celebrity Series of Boston in summer 2022 as the Artistic Director. She was formerly the Director of Artistic Planning and Operations for Spoleto Festival USA, an annual, multi-disciplinary festival in Charleston, South Carolina, that presents more than150 events in 17 days in venues throughout the Charleston area. Prior to joining Spoleto Festival USA, she worked as Director of Producing and Touring for Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, Company Manager for New York City Ballet, and General Manager for Trisha Brown Dance Company. Early in her career, Nicole worked at Carnegie Hall and the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. One of her first positions in the arts was in Boston with the Children’s Museum. Nicole has degrees from the University of Connecticut (BA) and Columbia University (MA). Nicole has participated in several state, local, and industry panels and presentations. She has also served as an Adjunct Professor at the College of Charleston (SC).2023/24 Subscription Series Performances In Jazz & Popular Artists
The season opens with the much-anticipated return of Jazz Along the Charles. More than one hundred local musicians, in twenty-five jazz ensembles, will perform in their own style set lists of Boston-inspired music composed or popularized by women. Onlookers can experience the event however they choose: linger with one band to hear their interpretation of each tune, or make their way along a one-mile stretch to sample the diversity of our city’s jazz scene. Ken Field and Zahili Gonzalez Zamora are co-curators of this free public event on Saturday, October 7 at the DCR Charles River Esplanade, Boston. Celebrity Series is honored to partner with the Esplanade Association as lead sponsor of Jazz Along the Charles.Charles Lloyd 85th Birthday Celebration brings together the great bandleader and composer Charles Lloyd with his longtime quartet, The Charles Lloyd New Quartet. Bandmates Jason Moran, Eric Harland, and Reuben Rogers constitute a rhythm section befitting one of the most enduring jazz visionaries of our time. On Sunday, October 15 at 7pm at Berklee Performance Center.
An Evening with Audra McDonald features the singer-actress in a one-night-only engagement with an orchestra of local musicians. An icon on stage and screen, the six-time Tony Award-winning McDonald lends her luminous voice and committed stage presence to Broadway favorites, standards, and much more on Sunday, October 22 at 5pm at Symphony Hall.
Cuban-born drummer Dafnis Prieto featuring Brazilian singer Luciana Souza join forces to engage listeners through words and music in support of their album, “Cantar,” on Saturday, October 28 at 8pm at the Berklee Performance Center.
Alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin and Phoenix use traditional conceptions of jazz, hip hop, and soul to create electrifyingly danceable grooves. On Friday, December 1 at 8pm at Berklee Performance Center.
What Makes it Great? with Rob Kapilow: “Ladies of the Canyon: the Music of Joni Mitchell and Carole King” turns the spotlight on the folk and rock music that came out of Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon in the 1960s and ’70s. Kapilow brings forward Carole King and Joni Mitchell to illustrate the genius of these two artists and the magic of the community that nurtured their iconic works. On Saturday, November 11 at 8pm at NEC’s Jordan Hall.
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway are standouts in roots music's new generation. Molly is the first woman to be named Guitar Player of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association and winner of the Best Bluegrass Album at the 2023 Grammy Awards. She and her band Golden Highway return to Berklee Performance Center on Friday, November 17 at 8pm.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis pay tribute to one of the greats when they celebrate the centennial of drummer Max Roach on Sunday, January 28 at 5pm at Symphony Hall.
Jazz artist Cecile McLorin Salvant weaves a tale of women’s secrecy under the male gaze in her latest project, Mélusine. She takes as her inspiration the European folk legend of Mélusine, the woman cursed to spend one day each week as a half-snake. Featuring a mix of originals and reorchestrations of songs dating back to the twelfth century, Salvant brings songs in French, English, Haitian Kreyól, and the ancient Southern French language Occitan. On Friday, February 2 at 8pm at Sanders Theatre.
Time For Three stands at the intersection of Americana, modern pop, and classical music. Charles Yang (violin, vocals), Nicolas Kendall (violin, vocals), and Ranaan Meyer (double bass, vocals)—have found a unique and captivating niche that includes two 2023 Grammy Awards for their album Letters for the Future. On Saturday, February 24 at 8pm at Sanders Theatre.
Arturo Sandoval and Pedrito Martinez bring two generations of Cuban jazz to the Berklee Performance Center on Friday, March 8 at 8pm. Trumpeter Sandoval is an undisputed legend: a protégé of Dizzy Gillespie, he helped redefine the sound of Cuban jazz as a founding member of Irakere. Percussionist Martinez, born in Havana, grew up surrounded by rumba music, and became a specialist in rumba and Afro-Cuban percussion.
Sierra Hull brings folk, pop, and bluegrass together with heartfelt and clever lyrics and ethereal vocals for an unforgettable evening of music on Saturday, March 9 at 8pm at Sanders Theatre.
Alan Cumming returns with his new cabaret show “Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age,” a joyful and mischievous evening of story and song – presented with his puckish, eclectic spirit and joie de vivre – exploring that most communal of pastimes: aging! On Friday, March 15 at 8pm at Sanders Theatre.
Composer and conductor Miho Hazama is one of the most promising and talented composers/arrangers of her generation. Hazama creates inventive, complex, and surprising compositions for m_unit, the 13-piece jazz chamber orchestra that she leads. On Saturday, March 16 at 8pm at Berklee Performance Center.
Patti LuPone, Broadway legend and three-time Tony Award winner, returns to Celebrity Series in “A Life in Notes.” In this personal musical memoir, LuPone, backed by her band, shares the songs that define her life on and off the stage. On Tuesday, April 2 at 8pm at Symphony Hall.
An Evening with David Sedaris sees the author and humoristreturn to Symphony Hall on Friday, April 12, at 8pm to read new and unpublished works, and offer an audience Q&A.
Three all-time greats share a stage in “Duets,” when Chucho Valdes, Dianne Reeves, and Joe Lovano come together for a rare evening of intimate duets. Saturday, May 4 at 8pm at Berklee Performance Center.
About Arts for All!
Celebrity Series' Arts for All! programs collaborate with over 50 community organizations to engage people of all ages, harnessing the creative energy of the performing arts to build thriving neighborhoods and cultivate the next generation of artists and audiences.Through master classes with artists in public schools and conservatories; hands-on, interactive workshops for youth led by a core group of Boston-affiliated artists; community concerts in Boston and Cambridge neighborhoods; free and discounted tickets to subscription performances; and large-scale, public performance projects, Arts for All! brings the arts to everyone.
Neighborhood Arts programming in the 2023/24 season is anchored in partnerships with Boston-affiliated artists and ensembles, and showcases the rich diversity of musical offerings they perform. The full Neighborhood Arts season will be announced this summer.
Visit celebityseries.org/artsforall for information about all of our community engagement work.
