The future of the arts rests in the hands of the next generation of artists. The next generation of artists is innovating, creating, and connecting. In Prince George’s, the University of Maryland is home to many of those budding artists — and The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center often showcases their talent. In May, the space is packed with performances from students and visiting artists.

Check out some of these powerful student performances:

  1. Watch the Final Jazz Showcase of the UMD Jazz Ensemble, UMD Jazz Lab Band, and University Jazz Band on May 1. This outdoor event will take place at The Clarice Courtyard, just behind Applause Cafe, so you can bring a picnic and a blanket to enjoy the music.
  2. The UMD Wind Ensemble will perform its May concert on May 2. This season’s concert will showcase composers from underrepresented populations, including some of the most respected repertoire written for wind band and chamber ensembles. 
  3. Listen to Robert Gibson’s Through the Ear of a Raindrop, Bedrich Smetana’s The Moldau, and Claude Debussy’s La Mer, all performed by the UMD Symphony Orchestra during their final season concert on May 4. These pieces all convey the power and beauty of water.
  4. See the undergraduate students at the UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Students during their U Moves: Undergraduate Dance Concerton May 3, 4, and 5. They’ll be performing new works of art in motion by student choreographers.
  5. On May 5, The Muses will be performing their Original Works Projects, a night of short plays written, directed, and performed by women who are either current, or past UMD students
  6. Catch a performance from the Tesla Quartet on May 5 at The Clarice. The group, which was formed at The Juilliard School in 2008 and has won top prizes around the globe, will be bringing their Musica Universalis showcase to the theater.
  7. Enjoy the Spring A Cappella Concert of the UMD Choral Activities’ two student-led ensembles, Voix de Chanson and Frendemusik, on May 6. The groups will sing familiar standards and interesting new arrangements for the audience.
  8. The University Orchestra performs its May concert at the Dekelboum Concert Hall on May 9. The group is led by students of the graduate conducting studio and performs works for both chamber and full orchestra.
  9. Experience the combination of music, dance, art, sculpture, digital media, lighting, and sound during the Farfalle performance of Italy’s Compagnia TPO (Teatro di Piazza o d’Occasione). This intimate, family-friendly show is coming to the theater on May 11.

Find more events in the arts and culture space in Prince George’s.