The Performing Arts Series at the University of Nevada, Reno celebrates 63 years with five extraordinary performances from critically acclaimed artists.

“During the 2023-24 season, historical cultural influences provide powerful undertones and inspiration for each performance,” Shoshana Zeldner, outgoing program manager with the School of the Arts, said.

The carefully curated lineup includes the all-female Latin American supergroup LADAMA, the ever-funky jazz ensemble Butcher Brown, Krakauer and Tagg’s high-octane dance music explosion, the inspired violin-erhu-piano trio 6-WIRE, and three-time Grammy-Award winning Hawaiian musician Kalani Pe’a.

“The Performing Arts Series strives to showcase diversity through artistic excellence, all the while increasing access to the arts. In addition to their public performances, each of our visiting artists this season will hold free and open-to-the-public events, providing community members with an opportunity to learn from these impressive individuals in an intimate setting,” Zeldner said.

The 63rd season begins on Thursday, Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m. with the all-female Latin alternative powerhouse, LADAMA, in Nightingale Concert Hall at the University of Nevada, Reno.

The all-star ensemble delivers an utterly unique experience as they flow from the electric to the acoustic, from Spanish to English to Portuguese, and from the high plains of Venezuela to the Colombian coast. Band members Lara Klaus, Daniela Serna, Mafer Bandola and Sara Lucas create music that represents their home countries and cultures of Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and the United States. The group utilizes traditional and non-traditional instruments from across the Americas, but with a modern twist to produce Latin Alternative music.

In collaboration with the Washoe County Library System, the Performing Arts Series presents a free and open-to-the-public event with LADAMA at the Sparks Library on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 11:00 a.m. During this interactive event, LADAMA will perform and speak about their collective work as an ensemble that challenges borders and investigates music between and across continents and cultures. 

The season continues on Thursday, Oct. 12 at 7:30 p.m. with the genre-defying quintet Butcher Brown in Nightingale Concert Hall. Butcher Brown is a jazz and hip-hop ensemble that skillfully blends elements of funk, soul and rock for a music that is all their own. The performance features the University of Nevada, Reno’s premier large jazz ensemble, Jazz Lab I.