The Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts celebrates the abundant creativity of Brandeis students, faculty and staff, joined by distinguished guest artists.

Join us on campus and celebrate Brandeis' 75th anniversary with art and performances that connect with our founding Jewish values, innovation in education, repairing the world, and community. Most events are free and open to the public.

Schedule of Events

April 6, 2024

8 a.m.-6 p.m.: Post-Baccalaureate Exhibition at Dreitzer Gallery, Spingold Theater Center

9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.: Popular Media and the Aesthetics of Dissent: Contemporary Dalit and Anti-Caste Cinema at Wasserman Cinematheque, Sachar International Center

"Dalit" (literally oppressed) refers to the lowest rung of the Indian caste system. Dalits represent a major historically oppressed community not only in South Asia, but in the US as well (the vast majority of South Asian immigrants to the US come from the Brahmin or other advantaged castes). Although caste and casteism were made illegal by the Indian constitution of 1950, Dalit scholars, artists, and filmmakers continue to face major impediments in the Indian education system, including historical disadvantage and lack of opportunity, harassment and outright abuse.

A few Dalit filmmakers have recently made commercially successful and critically acclaimed films in recent years. This series highlights those films, supplemented by panel discussions on gender, sexuality and caste, as well as the aesthetics of dissent. Sponsored by the South Asian Studies Program. Additional screenings on Friday, April 5, 7:30-10 p.m.

11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: re: collections Tours at Rose Art Museum

Join the museum's student docents for a unique and insightful tour of "re: collections, Six Decades at the Rose Art Museum.

Noon: Indigeneity and Fashion from Frida Kahlo to Dior at Rose Art Museum

Join curator Circe Henestrosa for a conversation with Dr. Gannit Ankori, Henry and Lois Foster Director and Chief Curator of the Rose Art Museum, highlighting the global impact that Mexican Indigenous culture has had on contemporary art and design. Sponsored by the Rose Art Museum. Register at brandeis.edu/rose/programs.

3:30 p.m. - Kiss & release: Poetry Reading with Anthony DiPietro and Chen Chen at Rose Art Museum

Celebrate National Poetry Month with Anthony DiPietro, deputy director of operations at the Rose, whose book "kiss & release" was published this year by Unsolicited Press (Portland, Oregon). Chen Chen is author of, among other collections, "Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency," selected as a 2023 notable book by the American Library Association. Sponsored by the Rose Art Museum.

7 p.m. - The Tempest at Shapiro Campus Center Theater

In Shakespeare's classic late play, the sorceress Prospero seeks revenge on those who wronged her twelve years ago. This production explores themes of colonialism, redemption, and forgiveness. Presented by the student-run Hold Thy Peace. Performances on April 4, 5, 6, and 7. Naomi Stephenson '26, director; Ceil Shandell '26, stage manager. Featuring Laurel Kane '26 as Prospero, Phoenix Feldman '27 as Ariel, and JT Dickstein '27 as Caliban.

Tickets are free for Brandeis ID holders; $5 for general public. Available at the Shapiro Campus Center and Usdan box offices, or online at Brandeis Tickets.

7- 8:30 p.m.: Poetry Open Mic Night at Rapaporte Treasure Hall, Goldfarb Library

In celebration of National Poetry Month, the Brandeis University Library is sponsoring a poetry open mic night. Light refreshments will be provided. All in the Brandeis community are encouraged to attend, and to read a poem or just listen! Featuring Greg Roitbourd '26 and other members of the Creative Writing program. This is an open event, and all in the Brandeis community are encouraged to participate, either by stepping up to the mic with a poem or two, or simply dropping in to listen!

7 p.m.: J-SAI at Levin Ballroom, Usdan Student Center

JSAI is the Japanese Student Association's annual culture show, a grand celebration of Japanese culture through performances, games, and food. Performers include Showa Boston, Wellesley Aiko, Tokyo Tramps, and Brandeis XL Girls.

7:30 p.m.: Lydian String Quartet Concert at Slosberg Music Center

From its beginning at Brandeis in 1980, the Lydian String Quartet (Andrea Segar and Julia Glenn, violins; Mark Berger, viola; Joshua Gordon, cello) has been acclaimed by audiences and critics across the world for embracing the full range of the string quartet repertory with curiosity, virtuosity, and dedication to the highest artistic ideals of music making. Program includes Beethoven's String Quartet in F Minor, op. 95, "Serioso"; the world premiere of "seeking all that's still unsung," by Kurt Rohde; and Ravel's String Quartet. Tickets: $5/$15/$20

8 p.m. - Speech and Debate at Chum's, Usen Castle

In this dark comedy by Stephen Karam, three misfit high school students amidst a local sex scandal involving the Republican mayor and teenage boys are forced to grapple with difficult questions about truth and their roles in sharing it. Featuring Garrett Molinari '26, Emma Sadewasser '27, Harvey Vostrejs '27, and Lelu Branch '27. Directed by Cole Simmons '26. Presented by the student-run Free Play Theatre Cooperative. Additional performance on April 4, 8 p.m. and April 7, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

April 7, 2024

10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Raku Firing at Outside Spingold Theater Center

Observe the traditional Japanese ceramic process of raku, which produces a crackled effect in glaze and clay. Made possible by the Brandeis Arts Council and sponsored by the Department of Fine Arts.

Brandeis Folk Festival

Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy stellar performances by folk and acoustic ensembles from around New England.

11 a.m.: So Blue Band
11:45 a.m.: Tim Mann
12:30 p.m.: Lizzy Hilliard '22
1:15 p.m.: Too Cheap for Instruments: Brandeis a cappella
1:45 p.m.: Pamela Means
2:30 p.m.: Brandeis Roots Ensemble
3 p.m.: Buddy Merriam with Taylor Ackley and James Heazlewood-Dale

11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Create@Brandeis Craft Market

Shop for jewelry, accessories, artwork, and more, all made by Brandeis students and staff.

Noon-12:20 p.m. and 1-1:20 p.m.: Young People's Synthesizer Concert at Slosberg Music Center

The first composers in Brandeis' electro-acoustic music studio were among the inventors of live electronic music, thanks to the Buchla synthesizer, which still resides in Slosberg. Graduate composer Sam Long, GSAS MFA'25, gives a demonstration and lecture on the Buchla synthesizer, in the engaging style of Leonard Bernstein and his Young People's Concerts.

R/Evolution Dance

Dance performance in costumes inspired by NASA technology! Scientific advisor, Vivekanand Pandey Vimal, Ashton Graybiel Spatial Orientation Laboratory; artistic director, Brooke Stanton, costume shop director, Department of Theater Arts; composer/programmer, Yuval Gur Jalon, Berklee School of Music, MIT Media Lab; choreographer, Liam Delaney '26; director/publicity: Greg Roitbourd '25; costume designer, Sam Taxman '27; director of photography, AJ Pesaro '24.

Community Sing + Music Machine
Students in MUS 37a, Music and Community, will lead a community sing and an interactive "musical machine" game for audience members of all ages. Andrea Segar (Lydian String Quartet), instructor.

Performance Fair

Enjoy performances in the Shapiro Campus Center Theater by Brandeis students in a variety of genres from pop to jazz to R&B.

11:30-11:50 p.m.: Rae Rein '25 (stage name Rae Nico) is a folk-pop ukulele artist who performs original music.

12-12:30 p.m: The Brandeis Hillel Klezmer Band plays traditional Eastern European Jewish folk music. They're excited to share their music, whether it's a classic you know or something you've never heard before!

12:30-1 p.m.: Simon Fidlin '23, aka Fids, performs his original blend of electronic music, ambiance, hip-hop, R&B, and pop.

1-1:30 p.m.: James Heazlewood-Dale, GSAS PhD'24, and his jazz quartet perform three pieces from Koji Kondo's iconic score for Super Mario 64, in which for the first time in gaming history, players experienced Mario's whimsical adventures in a 3D setting.

1:30-2 p.m.: Zara Lokuge '26 performs original and cover songs accompanied by guitar.

3-3:20 p.m.: Vim?na plays R&B and soul covers.

2-2:30 p.m.: Brandeis' XL Girls perform K pop dance.

3:30-3:50 p.m.: Midnight Groove is an eight-member mixed genre band with a focus on R&B. They are looking forward to performing as the campus opener for Brandeis' Springfest on April 14!

All-ages Vogue + Ballroom Werkshop and Exploration of Queer BIPOC Herstor

Haus of Glitter is a dance, performance, and activist collective from Providence, Rhode Island. In the work they share and co-create with audiences, they strive to embody ancestral liberation and healing and love in every step and every breath of their creative process.

Noon - Indigeneity and Fashion from Frida Kahlo to Dior at Rose Art Museum

Join curator Circe Henestrosa for a conversation with Dr. Gannit Ankori, Henry and Lois Foster Director and Chief Curator of the Rose Art Museum, highlighting the global impact that Mexican Indigenous culture has had on contemporary art and design. Sponsored by the Rose Art Museum. Register at brandeis.edu/rose/programs.

2:30-2:50 p.m.: Children's Dance Workshop at Light of Reason sculpture (outside the Rose Art Museum)

Learn a fun piece of choreography with Irina Znamirowski '24 (Adagio Dance Company, Hooked on Tap, Ballet Club). Children of all abilities are welcome (must be accompanied by an adult).

3 p.m.: Brandeis Chamber Singers and University Chorus at Slosberg Music Center

Professor Robert Duff leads the Brandeis Chamber Singers & University Chorus in their spring 2024 concert, in preparation for their summer tour to Germany and Austria. Featuring works by Bach, Hogan, Mozart, Howells, and more. Sponsored by the Department of Music.

6 p.m.: Adagio Spring Showcase: Hollywood at Levin Ballroom, Usdan Student Center

Adagio is one of the largest dance groups at Brandeis, open to students of all dance backgrounds and levels. They perform student-choreographed work in styles such as jazz, contemporary, lyrical and modern.

7 p.m. - Brandeis Wind Ensemble: Playing Around at Slosberg Music Center

The concert opens with Leonard Bernstein's "Slava," a vaudevillian tune filled with side-slipping modulations, sliding trombones, and a canonic tune in 7/8 time. Program also includes Concerto No.1 for Marimba by Ney Rosauro (Michael Newman, guest soloist), music from Willy Wonka, and Movement 5, "Hobbits," from Johann DeMeij's "Lord of The Rings." Tom Souza, director. Sponsored by the Department of Music.

8 p.m. - Speech and Debate at Chum's, Usen Castle

In this dark comedy by Stephen Karam, three misfit high school students amidst a local sex scandal involving the Republican mayor and teenage boys are forced to grapple with difficult questions about truth and their roles in sharing it. Featuring Garrett Molinari '26, Emma Sadewasser '27, Harvey Vostrejs '27, and Lelu Branch '27. Directed by Cole Simmons '26. Presented by the student-run Free Play Theatre Cooperative. Additional performances at 2 p.m. and on April 4, 8 p.m. and April 6, 8 p.m.

9 p.m. - The Tempest at Shapiro Campus Center Theater

In Shakespeare's classic late play, the sorceress Prospero seeks revenge on those who wronged her twelve years ago. This production explores themes of colonialism, redemption, and forgiveness. Presented by the student-run Hold Thy Peace. Performances on April 4, 5, 6, and 7. Naomi Stephenson '26, director; Ceil Shandell '26, stage manager. Featuring Laurel Kane '26 as Prospero, Phoenix Feldman '27 as Ariel, and JT Dickstein '27 as Caliban.

April 9, 2024

Noon-1 p.m.: Dancing Through Deis Movement Workshop at Fellows Garden

Take a break from an otherwise hectic April and connect with Brandeis campus and community through contemporary-dance inspired movement with Irina Znamirowski '24 (Brandeis Ballet Club, Hooked on Tap, Adagio Dance Company). Open to all ages, no dance experience required!

4 p.m. - Photography and Social Justice: Judy Glickman Lauder at Rapaporte Treasure Hall, Goldfarb Library

Philanthropist, humanitarian, and photographer Judy Glickman Lauder has been photographing Holocaust sites throughout Europe since the late 1980s, and her work is held in prestigious institutions around the world. In this talk moderated by Lisa Fishbayn Joffe, director of the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, Glickman Lauder will discuss what photography teaches us about social justice and resilience. Sponsored by the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute and Institutional Advancement.

7 p.m.-8 p.m.: Day of Remembrance: Part One

This two-day series of events is an opportunity to reclaim the memory of people who died in the Jungfernhof concentration camp in Riga, Latvia, as well as the history of unmarked graves in the Waltham area. Directed by Karen Frostig, Women's Studies Research Center scholar and professor of art, Lesley University. Cosponsored by the Center for German and European Studies, Women's Studies Research Center, Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, Center for Community Partnerships and Civic Transformation (COMPACT), Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies (NEJS), and Brandeis MakerLab.

Day one begins with poetry and dramatic readings, a documentary video, and facilitated conversations about memory.

April 10, 2024

10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Day of Remembrance : Part Two

This second in a two-day series of events is an opportunity to reclaim the memory of people who died in the Jungfernhof concentration camp in Riga, Latvia, as well as the history of unmarked graves in the Waltham area. Cosponsored by the Center for German and European Studies, Women's Studies Research Center, Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, Center for Community Partnerships and Civic Transformation (COMPACT), Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies.

10 a.m.-noon: "Memory and the Ethics of Memorialization" Panel at Rapaporte Treasure Hall, Goldfarb Library

Panelists: Thomas Lutz, emeritus head, Topography of Terror Museum, Berlin; Hannah M. Lessing, secretary general, National Fund of the Republic of Austria for Victims of National Socialism; Ilya Lensky, director, Jews in Latvia Museum. Facilitator: Karen Frostig, Women's Studies Research Center scholar and professor of art, Lesley University. Moderator: Laurel Leff, professor of journalism, Northeastern University.

10 a.m.-4 p.m.: The Marriage of Art & Text at University Archives and Special Collections Reading Room (Brandeis Library, Level 2)

University Archives and Special Collections presents a selection of printed and manuscript material in which image, design, and text combine to tell a story. On view are rare medieval manuscripts, incunabula, Art Deco journals, artists' books, woodcut illustrations, fore-edge paintings, and much more. Curated by Surella Seelig, GSAS MA'05, exhibits and digitization archivist.

Noon: Music at Mandel: Chamber Singers at Mandel Center for Humanities

Put the day on pause with an informal concert by Brandeis' premier choral ensemble. Robert Duff, director. Sponsored by the Department of Music.

4:30-5:30 pm: Dancing Through Deis Performance at Light of Reason (outside the Rose Art Museum)

Original contemporary pointe choreography interacting with the Light of Reason. Irina Znamirowski ‘24, choreographer. Dancers: Irina Znamirowski '24, Grace Delaney '26, Carrie Wong '27.

April 11, 2024

6 p.m.: An Evening of Dance with Evangelina Macias and Daystar Rosalie Jones at Rapaporte Treasure Hall, Goldfarb Library

Evangelina Macias (Amskapi Pikuni, A'aninin), the Helaine B. Allen and Cynthia L. Berenson Postdoctoral Fellow in Indigenous Women, Genders, and Sexualities, presents her dance work, "Niiksokowaiks My Relatives." Grounded in Aamskapi Pikuni and Siksikaitsitapi ways of knowing, this dance work investigates complex mixed familial lineages, dispossession, embodied histories, and relationships to land and the more than human. The presentation features a dance by internationally recognized guest artist Daystar Rosalie Jones (Pembina Chippewa-Cree), artistic director of DAYSTAR: Contemporary Dance-Drama of Indian America, followed by a conversation with Macias and Jones.

Sponsored by the Department of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; the Women's Studies Research Center; Creativity, the Arts and Social Transformation, Peacebuilding and the Arts; and the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

6 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 9 p.m.: Senior Studio Productions at Laurie Theater, Spingold Theater Center

Graduating theater arts students Lucie Blau, Felicity Hyams, Noah Leikind, Nico Miller, and Yijia Yu present their thesis project work. Repeats on April 12, 13, and 14. Visit the Theater Arts website for information about each performance. Sponsored by the Department of Theater Arts.

7:30 p.m.: Sound and Space in Slosberg at Slosberg Music Center

Experience immersive acoustic and electronic installations from undergraduate and graduate student composers enrolled in MUS 196. Sponsored by the Department of Music.

April 12, 2024

2 p.m. - MAD Band at Shapiro Campus Center Terrace

A lively brass band performance by the student-run MAD Band. Featuring Elena Amado '25, Ben Blinder '24, Jonah Botkin '26, Alexander Cheetham '24, Eric Cooper '25, Tanner Eustace '24, Lucy Fay '24, and many more!

4-6 p.m.: Open Rehearsal of Yoni Battat: Fragments at Slosberg Music Center

Musicians and non-musicians alike are invited to observe Yoni Battat and the ensemble's creative preparation for the Saturday night performance of "Fragments." After the rehearsal, Yoni will stay to answer questions.

6 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 9 p.m.: Senior Studio Productions at Spingold Theater Center, Laurie Theater

Graduating theater arts students Lucie Blau, Felicity Hyams, Noah Leikind, Nico Miller, and Yijia Yu present their thesis project work. Performances on April 11, 12, 13, and 14. Visit the Theater Arts website for information about each performance. Sponsored by the Department of Theater Arts.

8 p.m. - Roots Music Ensemble at Slosberg Music Center

Enjoy music from roots traditions, including blues, country, swing, bluegrass, and Appalachian folk. Taylor Ackley, director. Sponsored by the Department of Music.

April 13, 2024

8:30 p.m. - Concert: Yoni Avi Battat | Fragments at Slosberg Music Center

How do we connect with ancestors we've never met and traditions we've never experienced? Yoni Avi Battat '13 and an accomplished ensemble of musicians on traditional Arabic instruments lean into the complexity of Arab-Jewish identity, performing original and traditional songs with lyrics in Hebrew, Arabic, English, and Yiddish. Accompanied by projections of artwork by Ariel Basson Freiberg, lecturer in fine arts. Followed by a reception with Middle Eastern refreshments.

Tickets are free, but please register in advance to guarantee a seat in the intimate Slosberg recital hall.

Sponsored by Arts Engagement with support from the Center for German and European Studies, the School of Arts and Sciences Cocurricular Fund, and the Samuels Center for Community Partnerships and Civic Transformation (COMPACT).

11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: re: collections, Six Decades at the Rose Art Museum at Rose Art Museum

Join the museum's student docents for a unique and insightful tour of "re: collections, Six Decades at the Rose Art Museum."

1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.: Senior Studio Productions at Laurie Theater - Spingold Theater Center

Graduating theater arts students Lucie Blau, Felicity Hyams, Noah Leikind, Nico Miller, and Yijia Yu present their thesis project work. Performances on April 11, 12, 13, and 14. Visit the Theater Arts website for information about each performance. Sponsored by the Department of Theater Arts.

3 p.m.: Film Screening: "Hero Camp!" at Mandel Center for the Humanities, G03 (ground floor), Park in Tower lot

The documentary film "Hero Camp!" follows three queer teens to a summer camp for live action roleplay (LARP), a real life game that combines improvisational acting, and costumes, and a fictional world. They transform their suburban Massachusetts camp into the fantasy world of Sidleterra, where they battle villains from the writings of Homer and Lewis Carroll. As they invent and role play their camp characters, they unearth revelations about their own identities. Followed by a conversation with director Sam Ho '20 and Jenny Alexander, lecturer in Creativity, Arts, and Social Transformation (CAST).

6 p.m. - Culture X: Finding Our Spark at Levin Ballroom, Usdan Student Center

Every year, Culture X celebrates diversity, inclusion, and multiculturalism on campus through student performances of dance, music, poetry, and other forms of artistic expression, making Culture X one of the most powerful and popular shows on campus.

7 p.m. - Zoë Rose Spills Her Guts at Shapiro Campus Center Multipurpose Room

Zoë Rose '20 presents her national award-winning one-woman show "Zoë Rose Spills Her Guts," an immersive, participatory theater experience about exploring identity. Throw things! Yell stuff! Laugh! Cry! Give feedback to shape the next performance! Featuring a special opening performance by Brandeis' TBA Improv. Sponsored by CAST (Community, Arts, and Social Transformation).

April 14, 2024

1 p.m. - Chamber Music Recital at Slosberg Music Center
Sponsored by the Department of Music.

3-6:30 p.m.: Springfest at Chapels Field

Nationally known bands perform in the annual concert produced by Campus Activities Board. Brandeis ID required for entrance.

1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m. - Senior Studio Productions at Laurie Theater, Spingold Theater Center

Graduating theater arts students Lucie Blau, Felicity Hyams, Noah Leikind, Nico Miller, and Yijia Yu present their thesis project work. Performances on April 11, 12, 13, and 14. Visit the Theater Arts website for information about each performance. Sponsored by the Department of Theater Arts.

3 p.m. - Brandeis Jazz Ensemble at Slosberg Music Center
Bob Nieske, director. Sponsored by the Department of Music.

7 p.m. - Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra at Slosberg Music Center

"Catch a Rising Star," featuring the winners of the annual concerto competition. Neal Hampton, director. Sponsored by the Department of Music.

Date: April 6-14, 2024

Cost: Free

Location:
The Brandeis University,
415 South Street,
Waltham, MA 02453.

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