New Mexico Tech hosting performing arts series

This fall, New Mexico Tech is excited to announce the artists performing in this year’s performing arts series.

“We’ve been doing this for a long time, as this program has been in existence for around 60 years,” said Ronna Kalish, director of New Mexico Tech Performing Arts Series at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. “Each year, we unfold a whole new set of activities and things, and with the pandemic we had one year that was all live-streamed, so this is the first real season where we’re intending for everything to be in person.”

Season tickets are now available which can save subscribers 25% off tickets. Individual tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $5 for youth, while Tech students enter free with student ID.

“So we started these outdoor festivals that were so successful and we gave a lot of local bands and dance companies a way to perform, so we just kept on doing that,” Kalish said.

With their first in-person series in a while, the performers had to be rockin’.

TNT Fest: Meet Tech & Town kicks off the series from 1 p.m.-7 p.m. on Campus Drive on Saturday, Aug. 27. This free event features student bands along with clubs, food trucks and more.

“Well, we look for a variety and because we’re a small town and a small university, we’re always trying to find things that meet a lot of different needs,” Kalish said.

“Yesterday: Tribute to the Beatles” comes to the Macey Center on Sept. 10.

“Everyone was super excited about ‘Yesterday: Tribute to the Beatles’ so we’re gonna do a ’60s costume party and a Beatles trivia contest like the third week of school,” Kalish said.

“We’re actually setting our stage up as a venue so that when we put the theater company in here it will have a more intimate feeling.”

Skerryvore kicks off on Oct. 7.

“They are a really fun group from Scotland and they play both traditional music and rock music,” Kalish said. “We have always done really well with Celtic bands here as our students love it, our oldest folks love it, everybody loves it.”

After Skerryvore comes “Horror Channel” on Nov. 4-5.

“It is a super exciting performance, Colleen Gino wrote this musical and it is a woman kicking up her heels on a Friday night drinking a glass of wine after a hard week,” Kalish said. “Then, she starts falling asleep and she has some nightmares where zombies appear.”

In January, Tech brings in the New Year with Big Richard, an up-and-coming all-women’s group.

“They just got together, as a project, really, and everybody loved it so much,” Kalish said. “They started hitting the festival circuit, folk, bluegrass and songwriting-type festivals all around the country and they just made a huge hit, so I just immediately put out feelers to bring this group.”

“Big Richard is not during WomenFest, but we just loved the concept of them for women getting together,” Kalish said. “Of course, the name of their band is a spoof on all these rock and roll bands that have names that are a little bit degrading to women, so Big Richard is certainly a spoof on those types of band names.”

On Feb. 10, 2023, Albuquerque Jazz Orchestra will perform with vocalist Hillary Smith.

A Sweetheart Soiree Dinner will be served prior to an evening of big-band swing music. Band members include professional and semi-professional musicians alongside local public school and university music educators to create a lively dynamic that lets audiences share in the dazzling sights and sounds of this ever-popular sound. Dancing, of course, is welcome.

“We have a whole group of students here who love swing and ballroom dancing, so this show will really speak to them, Kalish said. “And we have an older group of people that just loves big band music, whether it’s contemporary or traditional or swing; they love it all.”

Rhythm of the Dance, featuring World and Irish champion dancers, hits New Mexico Tech on March 2.

This show features a social hour beforehand with Irish foods and drinks.

“It’s an Irish step dance group, some of the original people from ‘River Dance,’ the original producers, not the original dancers, and then a whole troupe of musicians. So it’s just a big show, and really all about Irish history and an Irish music from many different angles, both contemporary and traditional.

Concluding March is WomenFest on March 24-25.

“I am a woman musician, so I have always tried to have women in our season every year because I think it’s really important for young people and communities to see the amazing women out there,” Kalish said. “It’s important for us to have a consciousness about women’s issues.”

The String Queens are performing March 24 as the trio plays an assortment of music ranging from the Baroque era to the Jazz Age to the Hot 100 Chart.

“They’re women of color, which is super important to really giving voice to all different kinds of artists,” Kalish said.

WomenFest comes with live music, workshops, artist showcases, vendors, and more as they celebrate women in our lives.

“We’re gonna do this again, where we have women in business and social services along with women from the campus and the community give talks in March,” Kalish said. “So the people in our community could really see the women in Socorro County and it was such a huge success that we’re just gonna keep going.”

Special preshow events are an additional charge. For more information visit nmt.edu/pas or call 575-835-5688.