Center for the Arts

This fall, George Mason University’s dance studios buzzed with excitement as School of Dance students prepared for and performed José Limón’s 1958 original composition Missa Brevis, alongside professional dancers from the Center for the Arts artists in residence Limón Dance Company.

Superstar violinist Ray Chen performs with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on Jan. 23 a sparkling masterpiece which has played a huge role in his stratospheric career: the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, which was the first violin concerto Chen ever performed with an orchestra at the age of 13, and the piece he performed to win first prize in the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Competition in Brussels in 2009 which helped launch him to fame.

Grammy Award-winning band La Santa Cecilia, known for its seamless blend of Latin culture, rock, and world music, led a timely week of events as a Mason Artist-in-Residence, exploring art and advocacy leading up to its November 15 concert at the Center for the Arts.

The American Festival Pops Orchestra (AFPO), conducted by Maestro Peter Wilson, returns to the Hylton Performing Arts Center on December 8 and the Center for the Arts on December 13. Its upcoming program, Holiday Pops: Songs of the Season, sets the festive mood for all audiences, with everything from jazzy tunes and a Broadway melody to an original piece by a George Mason alumnus.

The Vienna Boys Choir, built on six centuries of tradition, performs at the Center for the Arts on Dec. 14.

The Center for the Arts will be collecting donations from November 11 through December 14. for the Patriot Pantry, which provides non-perishable food and hygiene items to currently enrolled George Mason students through University Life’s Student Support and Advocacy Center.

George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) highlights discounted tickets to alumni for performances across Mason Arts venues during Homecoming Week at George Mason University.

Friday, November 14 at the Center for the Arts, the concert features a partnership between George Mason University and Legal Services of Northern Virginia with a special guest appearance by George Mason President Gregory Washington.

On October 6, 1990, the Center for the Arts celebrated its opening night with a star-studded event, and we asked staff and Friends of the Center for the Arts for their memories of the occasion.

Virginia Opera's effervescent production of Rossini's Cinderella—full of charm, humor, and breathtaking music—speaks across generations and includes a special Nov. 23 post-show photo opportunity with Cinderella and Prince Charming.