Community Calendar

The University of Puget Sound is proud to announce that Los Angeles–based multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer Grace Youn ’13 will deliver the Spring 2026 Susan Resneck Pierce Lecture in Public Affairs and the Arts. The event, titled “The Art of Not Knowing Yet,” will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. in Schneebeck Concert Hall. Complimentary but tickets needed- https://ups.universitytickets.com

In her lecture, Youn will explore the intersection of rigorous technical training and the preservation of creative curiosity. Through a unique blend of live musical performance and personal storytelling, she will examine how embracing uncertainty and following one’s “pull” can lead to transformative creative paths both on and off the stage.

A Tacoma native and Puget Sound alumna, Youn has built a distinguished career that bridges classical music, rock, and pop. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Performance from the University of Puget Sound, followed by an Artist Diploma and Master of Music degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Youn toured internationally as a multi-instrumentalist — violin, viola, guitar, and vocals — on Hozier’s Unreal Unearth Tour, performing in major stadiums, arenas, and festival headlining slots around the world.

Get your deerstalker cap on—the play’s afoot! From multi-award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig (Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood) comes a fast-paced adventure about everyone’s favorite detective solving his most notorious case. The male heirs of the Baskerville line are being dispatched one by one. To find their killer, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson must crack the mystery of “The Hound of the Baskervilles” before a family curse dooms its newest heir. Watch as our intrepid investigators try to escape a dizzying web of clues, silly accents, disguises and deceit as five actors deftly portray more than 40 characters. Does a wild hellhound prowl the moors of Devonshire? Can our heroes discover the truth in time? Join the fun and see how far from elementary the truth can be.

Presented by KNKX. Ottmar Liebert’s global success can be attributed to a myriad of things – his creative vision, his determination, and a strong sense of melody. Born in Cologne, Germany, he began playing guitar at 11. Before the age of 19, Liebert had intended to stay in Germany and pursue a career as a designer and photographer. However, while journeying extensively through Asia and playing with other travelers and local musicians, he realised that he could not escape a life of music. After pursuing his dreams of playing rock music in Boston, he settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Santa Fe was a fresh start for Liebert in many ways and in addition to returning to the acoustic guitar, he remained open to letting the place define the music he made. It was this openness to the local landscape that defined what was to become his musical style, a mix of Spanish, Mexican and World elements, strong melodies tinged with a shade of melancholy, balanced with upbeat rhythms.

Liebert founded the first incarnation of his band, Luna Negra, in 1989. His debut album began as a self-produced release called Marita: Shadows and Storms, copies of which local Native American artist, Frank Howell, distributed in his art galleries. After the record made its way to radio stations, it began generating a buzz among programmers and received unprecedented response among listeners. Higher Octave Music picked it up and released a fully remastered version, Nouveau Flamenco. Recorded for less than $3,000 on an old analog machine in a shack beside a gravel pit, this CD became an international sensation, establishing Liebert’s unique border-style flamenco, and becoming the best-selling instrumental acoustic guitar album of all time.

Welcomed by KNKX. Frank Vignola is one of the most extraordinary guitarists performing before the public today. His stunning virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world’s top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, John Lewis, Tommy Emmanuel, Lionel Hampton, the Boston Pops, the New York Pops, and guitar legend Les Paul, who named Vignola to his “Five Most Admired Guitarists List:” for the Wall Street Journal.

His dynamic genre-spanning music has brought him to 21 countries on three continents – and still growing – performing in some of the world’s most illustrious venues, including the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, New York’s Lincoln Center, The Blue Note, and the world’s oldest indoor concert hall, Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy.

Pasquale Grasso - It was the kind of endorsement most rising guitarists can only dream of, and then some. In his interview for Vintage Guitar magazine’s February 2016 cover story, Pat Metheny was asked to name some younger musicians who’d impressed him. “The best guitar player I’ve heard in maybe my entire life is floating around now, Pasquale Grasso,” said the jazz-guitar icon and NEA Jazz Master. “This guy is doing something so amazingly musical and so difficult. “Mostly what I hear now are guitar players who sound a little bit like me mixed with a little bit of [John Scofield] and a little bit of [Bill Frisell],” he continued. “What’s interesting about Pasquale is that he doesn’t sound anything like that at all. In a way, it is a little bit of a throwback, because his model—which is an incredible model to have—is Bud Powell. He has somehow captured the essence of that language from piano onto guitar in a way that almost nobody has ever addressed. He’s the most significant new guy I’ve heard in many, many years.”

Presented by KNKX. Bria Skonberg is a Juno-award winning artist, 10x Downbeat Rising Star, recipient of the Legend Award by the Society for the Preservation of the Great American Songbook and a 2025 nominee for the prestigious "Academie du Jazz" awards.

The trumpeter, vocalist, and songwriter has been called the “shining hope of hot jazz”(NY Times) and is considered “one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation”(Wall Street Journal) She has been a featured artist at hundreds of festivals and stages the world over, including New Orleans Jazz Heritage, Kobe, Monterey, Breda, Newport and Montreal Jazz Festivals and recently at Carnegie Hall. Her debut LP on Sony Masterworks reached #5 on the Billboard Jazz charts. Her most recent studio album What it Means was recorded in New Orleans during Mardi Gras featuring top local musicians and released on Cellar Live. Her music has been streamed over 20 million times.

The daughter of teachers, Bria was introduced to jazz by a spirited public school band program and local festival in her hometown of Chilliwack, British Columbia Canada. A professional band leader since her teens, she moved to Vancouver and obtained her degree in Trumpet Performance from Capilano University. Since arriving in New York in 2010 she has been at the forefront of a revival of classic American music as both a performer and educator, programming concerts and workshops for students of all ages on behalf of Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Louis Armstrong House Museum, Jazz House Kids and more. She is a co-producer of the NY Hot Jazz Camp now in its 10th year. Bria is an active member of the Women in Jazz Organization, the International Trumpet Guild, a Bach Conn-Selmer artist, and became a mother in 2020.

Rainier Avenue Radio presents Call to Conscience, celebrating 100 years of Black History Month. Through immersive installations and Programs, the historic Columbia City Theater will transform into an exhilarating curated Black History Month museum celebrating the legacy, resilience, and contributions of Black communities in Seattle, Tacoma, and beyond.

This year’s museum features curated cultural installations and exhibits highlighting:

● The Seattle Chapter of the Black Panther Party
● The Hartsfield Enslaved Quilt Collection
● The history of religion in Seattle’s Black communities
● Jackson Street Jazz, including the legacy of Quincy Jones
● A History of Black Tacoma, presented by T. Heard
● An exhibit showcasing Blackpast.org and Dr. Quintard Taylor, founder of BlackPast.org
● The Rainier Cinema Vintage Black Movie Poster and Magazine Collection
● A history of Black Athletes and Administrators in the Metro League The month-long experience will also include special events such as:
● “Preserving Your Legacy”, featuring Phil Armstrong, former Executive Director of Tulsa’s Greenwood Rising Museum.

Plus special programs including a tribute to Seattle icon Lenny Wilkens, hosted and featuring former NBA and Sonics legends Spencer Haywood and James Donaldson; and a live history of funk performance and music honoring Parliament/Funkadelic, featuring KG and the Star 5, with a special appearance by Teleclere.

Hours are Thursday and Friday, 3-7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

The period from the 1870s to the 1900s, known as the Gilded Age, saw the rise of the railroad, textile industry, and production. It also saw a rise in migration to US cities, providing workers to fill low paying jobs producing many of the fashions of the era. This era marked a turning point in fashion as new technologies and changing cultural norms transformed the ways in which people dressed.

Explore this history and enjoy the rare chance to see clothing, notions, and artifacts of the period from the Washington State Historical Society collections.

Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music unveils the profound legacy of Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul artists who shaped the soundscape of American culture and used their music as instruments of resistance, identity, and representation.

Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul embody the profound influence of African American music on culture and history. From the spiritual foundations and transformative movements of Gospel hymns to the revolutionary improvisations of Jazz, the Blues’ Southern roots rising from the Mississippi Delta, and Soul’s powerful amplification of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, these genres have defined the unique sound and undying spirit of a nation that continues to echo through contemporary Black music today.

This is a permanent exhibition. Since time immemorial, Tribal nations have existed in this place we call Washington. This Is Native Land invites visitors to understand Washington State through the lived experiences and voices of its Native people.

Tribal nations are sovereign nations. Today, Native history, culture, and community thrive in our state. Through everyday acts of sovereignty – big and small – Indigenous peoples demonstrate they are still here, they have persevered, and they will always be here.

This Is Native Land is guided by three teachings:
We are of the land and waters
With knowledge comes responsibility
Sovereignty protects people, lands, and waters

These teachings are shared through multimedia, artwork, and interactive objects designed for guest engagement. They represent a contemporary continuation of Tribal stories and traditions.

Over 100 Native contributors from more than 60 Tribes shaped the exhibition’s stories and content. We thank the Native Advisory Committee and all community participants for their contributions.

Stories are shaped by the ways we tell them. In Shaping the Story: Designs for the Theatre by Carey Wong, go behind the scenes to see how theatre sets bring stories to life. During a career spanning over 50 years, Carey Wong has designed sets and costumes for more than 300 productions, including operas, plays, musicals, and ballets.

This exhibition features scale models of his designs in addition to costumes, set pieces, and stories of Washington’s rich entertainment history. From sketches of an idea to fully realized sets, explore how a designer’s decisions craft the world of a story.