Cross the Ocean Ensemble

• Event Date: Saturday, December 3, 2022–Saturday, December 3, 2022
• Time: 3:00 pm–4:30 pm (CST)
• Location: Spurlock, Knight Auditorium

• Performance

Enjoy an afternoon of an immersive musical visual concert experience at Spurlock Museum: “Undefined”. Presented by “Cross the Ocean Ensemble” project, 3:00 p.m on Dec 3, 2022. Doors open at 2:45 pm.

The concert will feature songs inspired by The Great American Songbook, from Jazz to Musical Theater and popular song selections including Misty, Blue Skies, White Christmas, Autumn Leaves, songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein, "Wannabe" by Spice Girls and more. Special guests include singers Amy Watson, Maurice Fields, Steven Crook, Xintian Yu, drummer James Mauck. Arrangements are by Aaron Ames and Caleb Liddell, theatrical writing by Gina Maggio. This intercultural, immersive performance will explore a fresh pathway of expression of new sounds that cross the ocean and borders. The concert is a part of the “Cross the Ocean at Urbana” concert series, with the support of Urbana Arts and Cultural Program and Spurlock Museum at Urbana, Soundscape Gallery, Krannert Center Performing Arts lighting department. The concert is produced and directed by Ru Huang, with advising from Prof. Casey Robards, as well as Prof. Barrington Coleman, Prof. Sarah Wigley, Prof. Dawn Harris, Prof. Michael Tilley, Prof. Julie Gunn, Prof. Jason Finkelman, and Dr. Maureen Reagan.

“Cross the Ocean Ensemble” is a project-based cross-cultural ensemble founded by soprano and traditional Chinese two-string instrument player, Ru Huang. Members include flutist Julia Escobar, cellist Hari Khalsa, traditional Chinese zither player Fangziyu Lin, arranger Junhong Jiang and faculty advisor, Dr. Casey Robards. Contact could be made through crosstheoceanensemble@gmail.com