Alumna Returns for Community Performance Series Concert & Residency at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music on April 18
Raquel Acevedo Klein ’16 will return to her alma mater as a McElheran Visiting Artist for a Community Performance Series concert on Saturday, April 18, at 6:45 p.m., in the Performing Arts Center. For tickets, visit www.cpspotsdam.org.
Community Performance Series will present an evening of innovative music featuring composer, conductor, vocalist, interdisciplinary artist and Crane School of Music alumna Raquel Acevedo Klein ’16 on Saturday, April 18.
The performance will be held in the Proscenium Theater, located in SUNY Potsdam’s Performing Arts Center.
Tickets and information: Raquel Acevedo Klein Classical x Electronic Music Experience
Guests are invited to start the evening with “Polyphonic Interlace” at 6:45 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center Lobby. “Polyphonic Interlace” is an immersive, audience-driven sound experience, where participants use their phones to activate layers of music. Built from more than 40 recorded vocal lines, the piece surrounds listeners in a shared sonic environment that evolves in real time.
Then, all can stay for a powerful live performance blending classical and electronic music, featuring Raquel Acevedo Klein alongside an exceptional ensemble of musicians.
The performance will feature Acevedo Klein (voice and electronics), joined by Andrew Sheron (piano and bass), Darian Donovan Thomas (violin), and Crane School of Music Professor Dr. Timothy Sullivan (drums).
A Crane School of Music student string quartet, including Paolina Iori (violin I), Emma Kuegel (violin II), Stephen Borgia (viola) and Maggie Christie (cello), will open the concert as accompanists on two Caroline Shaw pieces. The program will then transition to Acevedo Klein’s original works.
Learn more: Spotlight on Raquel Acevedo Klein ’16
Described by The Washington Post as a “force to be reckoned with,” Acevedo Klein’s work spans the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Opera, with collaborations including Rosalía, Florence and the Machine, Bon Iver and Alicia Keys. Her work moves fluidly between classical tradition and contemporary sound, creating performances that are both technically rigorous and deeply experiential.
As part of her residency, Acevedo Klein will lead guest artist workshops at The Crane School of Music, open to all students. These sessions will explore writing for the voice, vocal composition and interdisciplinary approaches to music-making, while also offering insight into navigating creative careers across artistic fields.
In addition to the performance and workshops, Acevedo Klein’s visual art exhibition, “Pluralidad: A Concerto for the Contours and Colors That Live in My Veins,” is currently on view in the Gibson Gallery as part of the residency. The exhibition explores identity, heritage and personal narrative through layered visual and musical influences, and will remain on view through Friday, April 17.
Acevedo Klein’s work consistently explores the intersection of sound, technology and audience engagement. Her compositions have been presented in collaboration with organizations including NASA and the European Space Agency, and her interdisciplinary projects have been featured at venues such as the Museum of Modern Art.
The April 18 performance reflects SUNY Potsdam’s commitment to presenting forward-thinking artistic work while creating meaningful opportunities for student collaboration and community engagement.
Tickets for the public performance are on sale now and may be purchased online at www.cpspotsdam.org.
Tickets are also available for in-person purchase at the Community Performance Series Box Office, located in the lobby of the Performing Arts Center on hour prior to the show. Ticket prices are $17 for adults, $12 for seniors, military service members and/or students, and $7 for children.
About Community Performance Series:
The Community Performance Series is a college-community partnership presenting distinctive and renowned performing artists and arts education opportunities in Northern New York. This rich mixture of programming links communities, classrooms and audiences of all ages and preserves access to the performing arts for future generations. For more information, visit www.cpspotsdam.org.
About The Crane School of Music:
Founded in 1886, SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music has a long legacy of excellence in music education and performance. Life at Crane includes an incredible array of more than 300 recitals, lectures and concerts presented by faculty, students and guests each year. The Crane School of Music is the State University of New York’s only All-Steinway institution and was one of the first Yamaha Institutions of Excellence. For more information, please visit www.potsdam.edu/crane.