By IAN BENJAMIN
Executive Editor
Through the Premiere Performances concert series, Saint Rose has been able to bring a host of acclaimed performers to the campus throughout the years. Past performers have included jazz master Dave Brubeck, the Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem Alumni Ensemble, Ramsey Lewis, and Tim Reynolds of Dave Matthews Band notoriety. The series is always filled with a variety of performances by virtuosos in their respective genres. This year is no different with a kick-off performance by Maceo Parker to be followed by performances from Soulive and The Ravi Coltrane Quartet, among numerous others.
According to Salvatore Prizio, Massry Center programming director, the initial outreach and planning for the 2011-2012 season began in January prior. “After that it is mostly scheduling, availability, cost negotiation, and working with the faculty to ensure the season works with their academic needs as well. It goes right up until July when we begin to work on press releases with PR, making programs, flyers etc.” Make Prizio’s and the staff of The Massry Center’s hard work worthwhile by checking out some of this year’s performances.
The Chronicle spoke with Salvatore Prizio about the upcoming performances.
What excites you most about this year’s line-up?
The diversity. We have some great genres of music coming here from Funk with Maceo Parker, to Jazz with Chick Corea, and Classical with the Cameratas and Yuja Wang, to Pop with Paula Cole.
Are there any acts that you think students would be particularly interested in?
“Soulive in October is going to be a great concert. I definitely programmed it with more of the student body in mind, however they are doing their Beatles show, and I requested this intentionally because I wanted the concert to have a wider appeal to a more diverse crowd of people who might be interested in it from that aspect. The Paula Cole concert will have the first three rows set aside for Saint Rose students. We are running that concert like a version of Inside the Actors Studio but for music, or like a Storytellers Concert. Paula Cole will play some music, talk about her career, and take questions from the students. It gives them an opportunity to talk and interact with a Grammy award winning artist who has traveled the world. Our intention is for the students and audience to get some real insight into the world of professional recording and touring.”
“Are their discounts for students? Yes there are. We have a new discount policy for students this year. We are offering a 50% discount to all concerts to the first 25 students who order tickets for each concert. Limited 1 ticket per student. The really great thing is that with our new Vendini ticketing system, students can order any ticket they want for any show throughout the season as of now. So if they want to buy tickets at a discount for a concert in April, they can. All students can visit our web site at www.strose.edu/concerts . They can pick out their concert and any seat that is available and enter the discount code Student. Or students can call me at 337-4871 to order over the phone. There will be some additional student discounts for some select concerts like the Paula Cole concert in which the first 3 rows are for students so more discount tickets are available as an educational component to the concert.”
What else, apart from the Premiere Performances, will students be able to take advantage of this year in Massry?
“There’s always so many activities going on at the Massry Center. The Esther Massry Gallery has fantastic exhibits going on. Dr. Hansbrough and The College of Saint Rose faculty have performances from the student ensembles which are usually free and always worth a trip to the Massry Center. It’s a great venue to see the stars of today and the stars of tomorrow.”
