Changemaker Series

The Visual, Performing Arts and Design Changemaker Series spotlights artists and performers that have made significant and lasting contributions to their fields, redefining or reimagining their particular art form.

As Nazareth University moves into its second millennium of sending Changemakers into the world, this series showcases academic talent while also supporting high profile touring presentations connected to Nazareth’s mission. It offers a slate of diverse and high-quality performances, exhibitions, speakers, and more, that balance student, faculty, and professional proficiency, highlight the excellence of Naz's visual and performing arts programs, and benefit the greater Rochester community through increased community engagement.

Check out the Changemakers coming to Nazareth this year below!

Current Season:

2024 - 2025

Nazareth University Welcomes The Capitol Fools

December 31, 2024

A Rochester New Year’s Eve tradition returns to Nazareth!

The stairway to heavenly political satire originally laid by the Capitol Steps continues upward with the Capitol Fools — the new musical parody show.

 Capitol Fools


An Evening with the Brass Queens

March 7, 2025

A musical intersection of the Big Easy and the Big Apple! Inspired by and paying homage to the New Orleans brass band tradition while injecting the upbeat, multifaceted energy of New York into each performance, this all-female group will have you singing along to classic pop hits, dancing your heart out to reggaeton, and feeling like you’ve been transported to Frenchman Street.

Brass Queens


An Evening with Annie Jacobs-Perkins and Katelyn Vahala

March 13, 2025

Cellist Annie Jacobs-Perkins captivates audiences with her soulful interpretations and technical brilliance. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Annie has performed as a soloist and chamber musician internationally and throughout the United States, enchanting listeners with her expressive artistry and profound musicality. Known for her dynamic stage presence and deep connection to the music, Annie's performances resonate with classical enthusiasts and new listeners alike. Whether in renowned concert halls or intimate settings, she brings a unique blend of passion and precision to every performance, making her a standout rising star in the contemporary classical music scene.

Praised as a “highly accomplished pianist…with wonderfully rhythmic and robust playing” (New York Concert Review), Dr. Katelyn Vahala’s recent highlights include being a 2023-24 Piano Spheres Emerging Artist and a 2022 Leipzig International Bach Competition finalist. Other awards include first place at the 2021 USC Thornton Concerto Competition, first prize at the 2019 Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition, and Bronze Medal at the 2016 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Dr. Vahala is on faculty at the USC Thornton School of Music, where she teaches Keyboard Literature, and at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. Her past mentors include Dr. Lucinda Carver and Jeffrey Kahane.

Annie Jacobs-Perkins and Katelyn Vahala

 

Previous Seasons:

2023 - 2024

A Conversation with Marlee Matlin: From Oscar to The West Wing and Beyond

September 23, 2023

As a renowned advocate for diversity, Marlee Matlin, who is Deaf, has a story that will challenge the audience to advocate for equity, inclusion, acceptance, and access for all people. Matlin refuses to let naysayers get in the way of her success, saying, "The only thing I can’t do is hear. The rest is there for the taking.” She strives to live a life without judgment of others — believing everybody’s different, and nobody’s perfect.

 Marlee Matlin


An Evening with ATLYS

February 9, 2024

ATYLS is a classically trained, crossover string quartet comprised of four strong and unique women. Lauded for their passionate and dynamic performances and signature sound, their concerts are both mesmerizing and interactive. Curating programs that are diverse and intriguing, an ATLYS performance is more than an experience – it is a special conversation between artist and audience.

 ATLYS

2022 - 2023

American String Quartet

September 16, 2022

"Internationally recognized as one of the world's finest quartets, the American String Quartet has spent decades honing the luxurious sound for which it is famous."

The program included, among others, Octavio Vázquez's Piano Quintet, a piece composed for the ensemble and commissioned by the Aspen Music Festival, which enjoyed a very successful premiere last summer: "The new quintet revels in the rhythms and curlicues of the composer's native Galicia (in northwestern Spain). A keen ear could also hear references to plainchant, medieval madrigals, hints of Flamenco Galician dance rhythms and Spanish popular songs of many eras, assembled into an evocative mix" (The Aspen Times).

 American String Quartet


An Evening with Limón Dance Company

January 21, 2023

Acclaimed for its dramatic expression, technical mastery, and expansive yet nuanced movement, the Limón Dance Company illustrates the timelessness of José Limón’s work and vision. The Company’s repertory, which includes classic works in addition to new commissions from contemporary choreographers, possesses an unparalleled breadth and creates unique experiences for audiences around the world.

Limón Dance Company