From TOLEDO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
TOLEDO, OH – The Grammy Award and 2017 MacArthur ‘Genius Grant’ winner Rhiannon Giddens will be in Toledo for a one-night-only Spotlight performance with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra (TSO) on Sunday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. at the Peristyle Theater to perform a program of jazz, blues, country, Gospel, and Celtic music from her critically-acclaimed albums. She will also present a free lecture the following evening in The University of Toledo’s Doermann Theatre.
Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Rhiannon Giddens began her musical studies at Oberlin Conservatory’s Opera Theater. In 2005, Giddens attended the Black Banjo Gathering in Boone, North Carolina where she met the future members of her band, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, the first African American string band to perform on the Grand Ole Opry. In 2011, the band won the Best Traditional Folk Album at the Grammy Awards for their fourth album, Genuine Negro Jig.
“Rhiannon Giddens is one of those artists who will go down in history for more than just their extraordinary talent,” says Zak Vassar, President & CEO of the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts. “She is an all-around inspiring person, and her music reflects that. She fuses her operatic training with powerful, musical story-telling, giving a voice to some of the most important but forgotten people and events in history. We are proud to kick off our 21-22 season by bringing Rhiannon Giddens to our community. Her appearance is not to be missed.”
In 2015, Giddens launched her solo career with the critically acclaimed album Tomorrow Is My Turn, honoring the works of African American artists like Florence Quivar and Nina Simone. She has performed for President Obama at the White House and has appeared on numerous television shows, including The Late Show, Austin City Limits, Later…with Jools Holland, both CBS Saturday and Sunday Morning shows, and collaborated with country superstar Eric Church on his powerful anti-racism song “Kill a Word,” which included a performance on The Tonight Show and the CMA Awards, among other programs.
Giddens is as much at home on stage as she is in roles on television. She made her acting debut with a recurring role on the hit TV show Nashville, playing the character of Hanna Lee “Hallie” Jordan, a young social worker with “the voice of an angel.” In 2018, Giddens became the host of the Metropolitan Opera’s podcast series Aria Code, which dives into some of the most legendary arias, exploring key moments in Opera and how they affect the listener through emotions.
This one-night-only performance with Rhiannon Giddens and the Toledo Symphony will take place Sunday, September 12 at 7 p.m. at the Peristyle Theater. Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased now by calling 419-246-8000 or stopping by the TAPA Box Office in person (1838 Parkwood Ave.) For more information, visit toledosymphony.com.
HOW TO ATTEND:
What: An Evening with Rhiannon Giddens
When: Sunday, September 12, 2021, 7 p.m.
Where: Peristyle Theater, 2445 Monroe St.
Cost: Single tickets $30-$60
More info: Visit toledosymphony.com, stop by the TAPA Box Office located 1838 Parkwood Avenue, or call 419-246.8000, Monday-Friday, 9-5 p.m.
This performance is presented in partnership with The University of Toledo’s Edward Shapiro Distinguished Lecture Series.
Following her Sept. 12 performance with the Toledo Symphony, Rhiannon Giddens will visit The University of Toledo to serve as the 2021 Edward Shapiro Distinguished Lecture speaker. The event will be held on Monday, Sept. 13 at UToledo’s Doermann Theatre located in University Hall on Main Campus starting at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6 p.m. with seating on a first come, first-served basis.
“The Shapiro Lecture series is one of our premier intellectual events,” Charlene Gilbert, Dean of the UToledo College of Arts and Letters, said. “Each year, we feature an individual of significant stature in their field. This year, we are honored to present musician, musicologist, and historian Rhiannon Giddens. Ms. Giddens has made a name for herself both as a performer and an academic, sharing the little-known but highly influential people and events in the history of American music and society. Her work has earned her well-deserved awards, and we are thrilled to have her as our featured guest this year at The University of Toledo.”
The annual lecture is made possible by the Shapiro Endowment left by Dr. Edward Shapiro, professor emeritus of economics who retired in 1989, to provide opportunities for the University to bring world-renowned speakers to Toledo.
HOW TO ATTEND:
What: Edward R. Shapiro Lecture with Rhiannon Giddens
When: Monday, September 13,7 p.m.
Where: Doermann Theatre, University Hall, on the main campus of The University of Toledo
Cost: Free
More info: Visit https://www.utoledo.edu/al/shapiro-lecture/.
