Arts

6 eclectic events coming to the Berklee Performance Center this winter

From smooth jazz to Flamenca, these performances are not to be missed.

"Drum Tao" is presented by Global Arts Live. Tao Entertainment

By Cheryl Fenton

2 minutes to read

If you’re looking for a place where classic talent meets avant garde creativity and cultural exploration, the Berklee Performance Center is where you’ll find it. The 1,215-seat theatre located on Mass. Ave. in Boston is the largest space of its kind on the Berklee College of Music campus, and while primarily used for college-affiliated activities, it also boasts a performance calendar you won’t want to miss. From the explosive nature of taiko drumming to honoring the smooth jazz of Tony Bennett, take a look into six eclectic shows this winter at this prime performance spot in Boston.

Drum Tao: Feb. 2 at 8 p.m.

This is no ordinary drum circle. Consider this a visual and sonic tour de force. Presented by Global Arts Live, this performance sets the stage on fire with explosive taiko drumming and acrobatic choreography. An intensely physical performance and a feature of Japanese culture for the past 1,500 years, the term “taiko” refers to both the drum itself and the percussive music it creates. So strenuous are the physical demands of this art form, these skilled drummers actually train as athletes. Tickets cost $40 to $69.

Slyde!: Feb. 8  at 8 p.m.

Named after the iconic American tap dancer who mixed the art form with jazz, Jimmy “King of Slides” Slyde, Slyde! is more than just a tribute to tap dance. From the groovy nature of Stevie Wonder to Destiny’s Child’s hold on pop-meets-R&B, it’s a true celebration that highlights and honors the dance form’s history through live music and tapping by the “T” Tap Club. Tickets cost $12 to $17.

2024 Chinese New Year Concert: Feb. 13 at 8 p.m.

Transformed into a dragon-themed wonderland, the performance center becomes the perfect place for an unforgettable evening of music, culture, and vibrant performances to usher in the Year of the Dragon, which begins Feb. 10. From traditional Chinese music to modern pop, the spring festival concert presented by Berklee’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) will dazzle audiences with student acts as well as performances by Budaya’s music of Malaysia, student-run club Chinese Traditional Music (CTM), and IMIX. Tickets cost $12 to $17.

The Black Book Cypher: An Invitation / To Talk Back / To The Screen: Feb. 28 at 8 p.m.

This three-movement multimedia hip-hop composition by hip-hop scholar and artist Queen D. Scott is performed in composition with Toni Morrison’s “The Black Book,” which relays the experience of being Black in the U.S. The performance will also feature guest artists Will Johnson, Akua Naru, Kamari Carter, and more. Tickets cost $12 to $17.

The Signature Series honors the music of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga.

Great American Songbook: Night and Day—A Celebration of Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Mar. 7 at 8 p.m.

Bringing classics from the Great American Songbook and the legacy of a transformative duo to its Signature Series, this uplifting student concert of Berklee singers, instrumentalists, arrangers, track producers, and dancers showcases the work of jazz legend Tony Bennett (who received an honorary doctorate from Berklee in 1974) and avant-garde pop empress Lady Gaga. Tickets cost $15 to $20.

Gala Flamenca: Mar. 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Another Global Arts Live presentation, Gala Flamenca assembles a talented trio to ignite the passion and beauty of flamenco on stage. Known as mavericks in the flamenco world, Manuel Liñán and Alfonso de Losa will be accompanied by rising star El Yiyo as the three embrace the power of the dance alongside a full music ensemble that includes guest singer Sandra Carrasco. Tickets cost $44 to $89.

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The Berklee Performance Center is located at 136 Massachusetts Ave. in Boston.

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