HU Announces 2011-2012 Musical Arts Society Season

HU Announces 2011-2012 Musical Arts Society Season The Hampton University Musical Arts Society has announced its 2011-2012 events featuring the Urban Souls Dance Company, Handel’s “Messiah” Sing-a-Long and Lonnie Liston Smith and the Cosmic Echoes. All performances will be held in Hampton University’s historic Ogden Hall, widely known for being one of the premier acoustic settings on the East Coast. Urban Souls Dance Company, Nov. 11, 2011 at 8 p.m. Based in Houston, Texas, the Urban Souls Dance Company believes in bridging gaps between the worlds of urban life and dance theater. Dedicated to the preservation and creation of historical and contemporary dances, Urban Souls celebrates cultural themes that educate and entertain.  This dance troupe provides audiences with more than just a dance performance, but a passionate “dance experience that will inspire and energize audiences.” Admission is $30 general, $15 for students. Tickets are available online throughticketmaster.com, or call the HU Convocation Center box office at (757) 728-6800, Mon. - Fri., 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Call (757) 728-6508 for more information on attending a master class with Urban Souls Dance Company. HU Choirs & Orchestra present Handel’s “Messiah” Sing-A-Long, Dec. 4, 2011 at 4 p.m Celebrate the season with a “Sing-A-Long” to George Frederic Handel’s timeless holiday classic.  This timeless musical holiday classic has become a traditional event in the Hampton Roads community.  HU’s Department of Music, University Choirs and Orchestra invite audiences to join along with featured artists Shelia J. Maye, soprano; Suzanne Oberdorfer, mezzo-soprano; Michael Myers, tenor; and Walter Swann, baritone. Admission for this annual event is free; donations are appreciated. Lonnie Liston Smith and the Cosmic Echoes April 6, 2012, at 8 p.m. Richmond-native Lonnie Liston Smith is one of contemporary music's most versatile musicians, fusing jazz, soul and funk music together.  In a career that began in the 1970s, he has played alongside leaders such as Miles Davis and Pharoah Sanders before founding his own band, the Cosmic Echoes. Admission is $25 general, $15 students.  Tickets are available online throughticketmaster.com, or call the HU Convocation Center box office at (757) 728-6800, Mon. - Fri., 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more information on the Hampton University Musical Arts Society visit http://mas.hamptonu.edu.