Bringing the Rhythm and Spirit of Brazil to Pittsburgh!

Get ready for an unforgettable cultural experience with Pittsburgh Samba Group and Timbeleza — two of Pittsburgh’s premier Brazilian performance groups coming together to light up the city with the sounds, sights, and soul of Brazil.

The Pittsburgh Samba Group is a high-energy dance group that has been dazzling audiences with authentic samba performances, vibrant costumes, and electrifying choreography. From the feathers and sequins of Rio-style Carnaval to folkloric and Latin fusion styles, the group brings Brazilian dance to life at festivals, parades, weddings, school events, private parties, and more.

Timbeleza is Pittsburgh’s leading Brazilian Batucada (percussion) ensemble, delivering powerful, high-energy rhythms rooted in the samba traditions . With pounding drums, syncopated beats, and infectious grooves, Timbeleza transforms any space into a street party — creating the heartbeat behind the dance.

Together, Pittsburgh Samba Group and Timbeleza offer a fully immersive, show-stopping performance experience that combines live Brazilian percussion with stunning samba choreography. This collaboration brings the true essence of Carnaval to life — energetic, colorful, and unforgettable.

We’ll bring a mixture of modern instrumental and improvised music to this historic Downtown Indianapolis venue on Mass Ave

Known for its immersive and environmental nature, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Luther Adams’ Inuksuit is a concert-length composition for percussion instruments designed to be performed outdoors. This project will be led by PAS Hall of Fame Member and world-renowned percussionist Steven Schick

From the magic of Harry Potter to the epic sounds of Star Wars, experience an unforgettable evening of John Williams’ greatest film scores performed live by the full symphony orchestra. A blockbuster concert for the whole family!

Join La Escuelita Arcoiris from 11-2pm on Sunday, 2/November in Squirrel Hill to celebrate Día de Muertos with crafts, food, music & dance!

The MMF is a joint effort between Heartland Marimba and Lancaster Marimba Ensemble to celebrate the contributions of Clair Omar Musser to our art form. The festival takes place in Manheim, PA, Musser's hometown.

Performing vibraphone duets with Ben Dumbauld -https://bendumbauld.wordpress.com/

New music by Sound Ecologies composers performed by Forward Motion at Ruth Lilly Performance Hall.

Sound Ecologies is an Indianapolis music artist collective, dedicated to cultivating Music, Community, and Conservation.  Forward Motion is an Indianapolis ensemble that advocates for the creation of new works by presenting innovative performances in a variety of spaces.  They focus on the performance of new works and free improvisation.

For more info visit: https://news.uindy.edu/events/faculty-artist-concert-series-sound-ecologies-x-forward-motion/

Graphic Scoring (or Graphic Notation) is a process where artwork often includes symbols for musicians - who perform the artwork. This is your chance to come receive a bit of guidance then spend some time creating art - and hear your artwork performed at the end of the session!

Consider how to visualize music. 

Join Forward Motion to learn a bit about graphic scoring/notation, and then spend some time creating your own artwork. Before you leave - you'll be able to hear the musicians perform your artwork! Leave feeling calmer and refreshed after creating. 

This program is great for people of all ages.

*This program will have a Spanish language interpreter.
Este programa contará con un intérprete de español.

Graphic Scoring (or Graphic Notation) is a process where artwork often includes symbols for musicians - who perform the artwork. This is your chance to come receive a bit of guidance then spend some time creating art - and hear your artwork performed at the end of the session!

Consider how to visualize music. 

Join Eric Salazar and friends to learn a bit about graphic scoring/notation, and then spend some time creating your own artwork. Before you leave - you'll be able to hear the musicians perform your artwork! Leave feeling calmer and refreshed after creating. 

This program is great for people of all ages.

*This program will have a Spanish language interpreter.
Este programa contará con un intérprete de español.

Forward Motion will be performing three times for the 2025 Indy Fringe Festival! Performance dates are 8/20 at 8pm, 8/23 at 2pm and 8/24 at 8pm.

Proceeds from the All Together Now! Music Festival will go to the Collaborative for Immigrant Impact to help immigrants access legal services, housing, healthcare, education, English classes, career development, food assistance, and more, ensuring our immigrant neighbors have the opportunity to thrive.

The Collaborative for Immigrant Impact is a network of 18 Pittsburgh-based organizations that serve as a critical safety net for over 20,000 immigrants in our community. In an era of rapidly shifting immigration policies and funding challenges, these organizations have come together to address urgent needs and provide essential short-term support.

$30 tickets- all proceeds donated

It’s not always this... but it’s always good. So always come!

Tough Pill is a monthly creative and experimental performance series held every third Thursday at The Government Center. Tough Pill seeks to create space for practitioners and expand the scope of the creative music and performance audience in Pittsburgh.

Ego is a revolutionary musical journey through the intersection of identity and technology. Seamlessly blending avant-garde music with psychological explorations of how the different facets of personality are influenced by Artificial Intelligence, Ego is a mind-bending musical masterpiece you won’t want to miss. For more information and tickets visit: https://newhazletttheater.org/events/ego/

Three Performances:

Thursday March 20th 8pm

Friday March 21st 10am

Friday March 21st 8pm

Pittsburgh Sound Preserve presents Foundation: an improvised music series featuring ad hoc groupings of local improvisers.

Dwell Together takes its name from Psalm 133: "How pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." It’s the final line from Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, which will be presented alongside the Pittsburgh premiere of Joel Thompson’s powerful The Seven Last Words of The Unarmed, Julia Perry’s heart wrenching Stabat Mater, and several other choral works. Dwell Together isn’t just sentiment, it’s a powerful call to action.

Two performances:

Friday March 7th 8pm- First Baptist Church Oakland

Sunday March 9th 4pm- Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church

Forward Motion will be presenting Phil Kline’s annual winter time piece Unsilent Night. Following Unsilent Night Forward Motion will present a concert at the Herron School of Art and Design in Eskenazi Hall

Bernstein: West Side Story: Selections
Copland: Clarinet Concerto
  Michael Rusinek, clarinet
Nkeiru Okoye: Voices Shouting Out
Hanson: Symphony No.2, op.30 ‘Romantic’

The 56th season opens with a vibrant celebration of American music, featuring selections from Leonard Bernstein’s beloved “West Side Story,” and Aaron Copland’s Clarinet Concerto performed by Michael Rusinek, principal clarinet of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The evening also includes Nkeiru Okoye’s Voices Shouting Out, a moving musical response to 9/11 and Hanson’s lyrical Symphony No 2.

Perspective is a collaborative music and visual art event series presented at Ignite Studio. Forward Motion, Indianapolis’ premiere contemporary classical music ensemble, is teaming up with visual artists to present two events with curated music that shares strong thematic connections to new art pieces. The first of these events is a collaboration with Ignite’s Fall Maker-in-Residence, Nicole Meyer. Enjoy a pre-performance talk and then listen to music curated specifically to pair with Nicole's pieces, and engage in a live-weaving activity where you can make your own music-inspired piece. November’s event will be in conjunction with the opening of the Winter Exhibit. Perspective is made possible through a grant from the Fisher’s Arts and Culture Commission. All ages.

Performing a solo set on a show organized by Bubba Fontaine

About the Show: What are you carrying that you should let go? This experimental music show combines traditional instruments with contemporary sounds, blending a mixture of pre-composed music by Indianapolis composer Rob Funkhouser with the spontaneity of Forward Motion's improvisations. Featuring flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and percussion, this show creates space for introspection, guiding you through washes of sound and feeling. By the end you may find yourself releasing your stresses, coming away lighter, bolder, and ready for your own adventure. 

Tickets here: https://indyfringe.vbotickets.com/event/reflect__release_-_show_209/130943

Featuring:

Jennifer Page, flute

Eric Salazar, clarinet

Maya Nojiri Sutherland, cello

Allison Vickery, piano

Corey Denham, percussion

Master of Fine Arts candidates Ana Brotons, Nhan Ho, and Jillian Peterson premiere “En/root,” at the Stevie Eller Theatre. “En/root” seeks to redefine and enrich our understanding of the diverse roots that contribute to the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary dance.

I’ll be contributing a solo piano work composed by Michael Vince

I will presenting a lecture and program of works involving various extended techniques and preparations as found in the marimba repertoire.