BYU-Idaho Center Stage announces fall line-up of entertainment

The following is a news release from Brigham Young University-Idaho.

REXBURG — The Center Stage Performing Arts Series has announced its fall line-up of entertainment at Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg.

“We’ll kick off the fall semester with a lively student concert by The National Parks in September followed by concerts by Scottish and Mexican bands,” said Don Sparhawk, coordinator of the Center Stage Performing Arts Series. “We also will have the tenor trio Gentri, the women’s a cappella group Noteworthy and two classical concerts featuring pianist Norman Krieger and the award-winning wind quintet WindSync.”

The semester will end with the traditional Christmas concert that will feature actor and singer Santino Fontana and 15-year-old singing sensation Lexi Walker.

The season opens with a return performance by The National Parks, a Utah-based band that is popular with students. The group will perform in the Hart Auditorium on Friday, Sept. 22.

The Scottish folk-rock band Skerrymore will perform Friday, Oct. 6, in the Kirkham Auditorium.

Gentri: The Gentlemen Trio from Utah will perform Friday, Oct. 13. The tenors will be joined by special guest Lexi Walker.

The female a cappella group Noteworthy from BYU in Provo, Utah, will perform Saturday, Oct. 21, in the Kirkham Auditorium.

The Villalobos Brothers, one of today’s leading contemporary Mexican bands, will perform Friday, Nov. 3, in the Kirkham Auditorium.

WindSync, one of the nation’s top wind quintets, will perform Friday, Nov. 10, in the Barrus Concert Hall. They are winners of the 2016 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition.

Pianist Norman Krieger will perform the Brahms 2nd Concerto with the BYU-Idaho Symphony Orchestra Thursday, Nov. 16, in the Barrus Concert Hall.

This year’s “A BYU-Idaho Christmas” concert will feature Santino Fontana and Lexi Walker, along with the BYU-Idaho choirs, university orchestra and dancers. Fontana, an actor and singer, was the voice of Prince Hans in the Disney movie “Frozen” and has performed several times with the Mormon Tabernacle choir. Fifteen-year-old Lexi Walker from Utah is an up-and-coming singers and Sony recording artist.

A free brochure listing all performing arts events at BYU-Idaho is available at the BYU-Idaho Ticket Office and the Rexburg Chamber of Commerce, or by calling (208) 496-2000. Detailed information can also be found on the Center Stage website at www.byui.edu/centerstage.

Season tickets also may be ordered through the ticket office by calling (208) 496-3170.

Here is more detailed information about each event:

The National Parks
Friday, September 22
7:30 p.m., Hart Auditorium

Center Stage is teaming up with the Activities Program for a return performance of The National Parks. The band was formed by front man Brady Parks in early 2013 in Provo, Utah. To date the band has independently released two full-length albums (and a standalone single “As We Ran”), which together have amassed more than 13.2 million Spotify streams. The band’s self-booked touring began in the summer of 2014 and by 2016 the act was filling clubs in every region in the country. The National Parks is currently at work on their third studio album (Places). Salt Lake City Weekly named the group Utah’s “Band of the Year” in 2016.

Notice: Audience members will be allowed to stand at this concert. Concert will be loud.

Tickets go on sale September 5. $6 for BYU-Idaho students, $12 for general public. No children under four. Classroom dress.

Skerryvore
Friday, October 6
7:30 p.m., Kirkham Auditorium

Back on the remote Scottish island of Tiree in 2005, the raw, but contemporary trad quartet that formed Skerryvore, could have only dreamed that over the next decade they would become a multi-award winning act, which was performing in over 25 countries worldwide, and featured as ambassadors for their country, in an international advertising campaign for “Visit Scotland.” From those traditional roots, the band has developed, both in size and sound, to create a unique fusion of their traditional music and songs, with the urban sounds of rock, pop and funk. With their outstanding musicianship and the mesmerizing voice of award-winning singer-songwriter Alec Dalglish, Skerryvore has become an international sensation, performing in cities such as Dubai, Beijing, Shanghai, Madrid, Munich and New York. The band’s high-energy shows have also featured at many premier festivals, both at home and abroad. Notice: Concert could be loud.
Tickets go on sale September 5. Cost is $6 for BYU-Idaho students, $12 for general public. No children under four. Classroom dress.

Gentri
Friday, October 13
7:30 p.m., Hart Auditorium
6 p.m., Preshow Dinner ($16 extra)

Gentri: The Gentlemen Trio is comprised of three tenors: Brad Robins, Casey Elliott and Bradley Quinn Lever. Pioneering a signature sound that can only be described as “cinematic pop,” the music of Gentri is transfused with lush, epic orchestrations and rich, dynamic three-part harmonies all composed by the group’s producer Stephen Nelson. Gentri will be joined on stage for a few songs by 15-year-old singing sensation Lexi Walker, who will also be featured on this year’s Christmas concert on December 3 in the BYU-Idaho Center. Gentri’s self-titled, debut EP was released in 2015. The record spent 10 consecutive weeks in the Top 10 on two different Billboard charts, including three weeks at No. 2 on both the Classical and Classical Crossover charts. The Gents recently released their full-length album RISE, which includes eight new original songs and two covers.

Tickets go on sale September 5. Floor and red seats: $8 for BYU-Idaho students, $16 for general public. Bleachers: $6 for BYU-Idaho students, $12 for general public. No children under four. Classroom dress.

BYU Noteworthy
Saturday, October 21
7:30 p.m., Kirkham Auditorium

Noteworthy, Brigham Young University’s top female a cappella ensemble, delivers a power-packed concert that combines vocal percussion, humor, and a tight harmony. Noteworthy has appeared on NBC’s hit television show “The Sing-Off” and was crowned the International Championship of Collegiate A Capella (ICCA) champion in 2007. They have made a strong impression on YouTube with their music videos. In October 2015, their music video “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” went viral with over three million views in two weeks after its release. Noteworthy’s varied repertoire includes rock, pop, country, jazz, R&B, spiritual, and other musical styles – so there is something for everyone.

Tickets go on sale September 11. $6 for BYU-Idaho students, $12 for general public. No children under four. Classroom dress.

Villalobos Brothers
Friday, November 3
7:30 p.m., Kirkham Auditorium

The Villalobos Brothers are one of today’s leading contemporary Mexican bands. Their original compositions and arrangements masterfully blend and celebrate the richness of Mexican folk music with the intricate harmonies of jazz and classical music. In 2013 they performed at Cumbre Tajin, one of the most important music festivals in Latin America. Later that year they became the Ultimate winners of the “2013 Battle of the Boroughs,” one of National Public Radio’s flagship competitions in New York City. They were the first Mexican band ever to play at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

Tickets go on sale September 11. $6 for BYU-Idaho students, $12 for general public. No children under four. Classroom dress.

WindSync
Friday, November 10
7:30 p.m., Barrus Concert Hall

Hailed by the Houston Chronicle as “revolutionary chamber musicians,” WindSync is internationally recognized for dramatic and engaging interpretations of classical music. The young, adventurous group plays exclusively from memory, including elements of staging and choreography, and focuses on building a connection with audiences through dynamic concert programming and charismatic stage presence. WindSync is the Gold Medalist in the 2016 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition and winner of the Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh International Competition. The wind ensemble features flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon and French horn.

Tickets go on sale September 19. $6 for BYU-Idaho students, $12 for general public. No children under six. Event dress.

Norman Krieger
with the BYU-Idaho Symphony Orchestra
Thursday, November 16
7:30 p.m., Barrus Concert Hall

Pianist Norman Krieger will perform the Brahms 2nd Concerto with the BYU-Idaho Symphony Orchestra directed by Robert Tueller. Krieger one of the most acclaimed pianists of his generation and is highly regarded as an artist of depth, sensitivity and virtuosic flair. He regularly appears with the major orchestras of North America, including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, and the National Symphony. In August 2016, he was appointed professor and chair of the piano department at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.

Tickets go on sale September 11. $6 for BYU-Idaho students, $12 for general public. No children under six. Event dress.

A BYU-Idaho Christmas
with Santino Fontana and Lexi Walker
Saturday, December 2
7:30 p.m., BYU-Idaho Center
6 p.m., Preshow dinner ($20 extra)

Santino Fontana and Lexi Walker will be the featured guests at the university’s seventh annual Christmas program in the BYU-Idaho Center. Actor and singer Santino Fontana was the voice of Prince Hans in the Disney animated film Frozen. In 2015, he became the first guest artist to perform three times in the space of one year with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, including in the Christmas concert with the Muppets and the Pioneer Day concert. At just 15 years of age, Lexi Walker will capture your heart with her magical voice and delightful personality. As a Sony-recording artist, Lexi’s young career has included performances with Kristen Chenoweth, The Piano Guys and Lindsey Stirling. Santino and Lexi will join the BYU-Idaho Symphony Orchestra, combined choirs and dancers.

Tickets go on sale September 11. $6 for BYU-Idaho students, $12 for general public. No children under six. Event dress.