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Science: Keith Devlin: Probability Theory

Science Until the mid-17th century, mathematicians generally agreed that it was impossible to accurately and scientifically determine the likelihood of one event occurring rather than another. Everything changed in 1654 when French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote to Pierre de Fermat describing a method to predict mathematical futures. Keith Devlin, (the “Math Guy” on NPR’s Weekend Edition), traces the history of Pascal’s letter, explaining how vital risk management is to modern life and how radically humanity was changed by it—fundamentally changing human beings’ concept of the future. Presented as part of the Seattle Science Lectures, with University Book Store. , , Tickets are $5 and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com, 800/838-3006 and at the door beginning at 6:30. Town Hall members receive priority seating. Tuesday, October 7, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

University Book Store: Art Spiegelman

Literary Best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel memoir, Maus, Art Spiegelman is back with another graphic memoir. Breakdowns: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@&*! traces the artist’s evolution from a MAD-comics obsessed boy, to a neurotic adult examining the effect of his parents’ memories of Auschwitz on his own son. Spiegelman also looks back at his own work of the 1960s and 70s. Presented by University Book Store. Tickets are free with the purchase of “Breakdowns: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@&*!” from University Book Store; otherwise tickets are $5. Call 206/634-3400 for more information. Wednesday, October 8, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

TownMusic: 20th Century American Masters

Music Joshua Roman returns to Seattle for his second season as music director of Town Hall’s chamber music series with a program featuring works from the pantheon of American composers. Roman performs George Crumb’s Cello Sonata. Clarinetist Bill Kalinkos, who wowed the Town Hall audience last season with his performance in Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time, performs Gra for solo clarinet by Elliott Carter. Roman and Kalinkos are joined by other musically adventurous New York-based musicians performing China Gates and “Put Your Loving Arms Around Me” from Gnarly Buttons by John Adams, Soliloquy and “Andantino” from the Violin Sonata by John Corigliano, and a String Quartet by Philip Glass. Also on the program is Clapping Music by Steve Reich performed by Roman and Kalinkos. , , Advance tickets are $18/$15 Town Hall members, students & seniors at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. $20/$17 at the door. Thursday, October 9, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

**CANCELLED** Anna's Bay Music Festival: German Art Song

Music Baritone Matthew Melendez Blegen and soprano Tessia Altiveros offer an evening of musical love letters showcasing the development of the song cycle and an exploration of German Romanticism. The program includes Schumann’s Dichterliebe, selections from Brahms’ Fünf Lieder, Mahler’s Lieder Eine Fahrenden Gesellen, Beethoven’s An Die Ferne Geliebte, as well as Mendelssohn’s Lieder Ohne Worte. Presented by Anna’s Bay Music Festival on Hood Canal. , Tickets are $30/$25 Anna’s Bay and Town Hall members. Visit www.annasbay.org or call 360/898-5000 for tickets and more information. Friday, October 10, 2008, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods: Community Celebration

Civic Join community members from across the city as the City of Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods celebrates twenty years of community building projects with the Neighborhood Matching Fund. The event features an exhibit of projects from all around the city, musical entertainment, food, and reusable 20th Anniversary bags. Free and child-friendly, no tickets required. Call 206/684-0464 or visit www.seattle.gov/neighborhh\oods/nmf/twenty for more information. Saturday, October 11, 2008, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Film Screening: 'A Wing and a Prayer'

Civic Aziz Junejo emcees a conversation about the fulfillment of American dream for Muslim Americans. The evening includes a screening of a documentary film about Monem Salam, an investment manager from Bellingham, as he follows his lifelong dream to learn to fly. Salam and his wife Iman will join Junejo for an on-stage conversation and the audience is invited to join in a discussion thereafter. Junejo is host of "Focus on Islam," a weekly cable-television show, a Seattle Times columnist, and a frequent speaker on Islam. , , Tickets are $5 and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com, 800/838-3006 and at the door beginning at 6:30. Town Hall members receive priority seating. Sunday, October 12, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Elliott Bay Book Company: Sarah Vowell

Literary Sarah Vowell is a bestselling author (Assassination Vacation and Take the Cannoli, among others) and a contributing editor for public radio’s This American Life. In her latest book, The Wordy Shipmates, Vowell travels once again through America’s past, this time to seventeenth-century New England and the Puritans. Writing with her patented blend of historical fact, dry wit, and social commentary, Vowell finds the Puritan beliefs about church and state more interesting than their reputation would suggest. Tickets are $5 at Elliott Bay Book Company or at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. Call 206/624-6600 for more information. Monday, October 13, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Rick Steves: Uncovering Iran

Civic Recently returned from ten-day trip to the Islamic Republic of Iran, travel guru and social activist Rick Steves presents a slide-show lecture about his experience. Steves believes travel is a necessary tool to break down cultural barriers and potentially reduce conflict in our world—now more than ever. A Rick Steves public television special on Iran is slated to premiere across the country in January 2009. Presented by the United Nations Association of Seattle. Advance tickets are $10 and available at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. , Visit www.unaseattle.org for more information. Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Future of Health: Betty Fussell: 'Raising Steaks'

Health The author of The Story of Corn has turned her attention to America’s most iconic food. Betty Fussell offers a cultural history of steak, with players ranging from yesterday’s cowboys to today’s corporations which breed, feed, slaughter, package, and distribute the animals we turn into meat. In the end, the story of beef becomes the story of our colonial beginnings, of our geography and ecology, and of our national identity. Presented as part of the Future of Health Lectures, with University Book Store. , , Tickets are $5 and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com, 800/838-3006 and at the door beginning at 6:30. Town Hall members receive priority seating. Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

James Traub: 'The Freedom Agenda'

Civic In his latest work, James Traub (a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine) traces the history of America’s democratic evangelizing, including a detailed portrait of the Bush administration’s largely failed efforts to bolster democratic forces abroad. Traub argues that democracy matters—for human rights, ethnic and religious reconciliation, political stability, and equitable development—but that the United States must exercise caution in its efforts to spread it, matching its deeds to its word, abroad and at home. Presented by the Town Hall Center for Civic Life, with University Book Store. For those wanting to hear James Traub, but also not wanting to miss the Presidential Debate at 6 pm, we will have television monitors set up for viewing at Town Hall. Traub has agreed to provide his analysis of the debate and take a few questions about it before segueing into his talk. Doors will open at 5:30 , , Tickets are $5 and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com, 800/838-3006 and at the… Wednesday, October 15, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Quiz Show: You're On The List

Other Performance Emcee and comedian David Silverman returns with musical sidekick Rob Witmer and his accordion for another evening of fun with Salumi’s Armandino Batali and Jim Spady of Dick’s Drive In and the return of special musical guests Nick Garrison and Angie Louise and the Kit Kat Band. Audience members join in the hilarity, competing for valuable prizes. , , Advance tickets are $12/$10 Town Hall members, students & seniors at www.brownpaperticket.com or 800/838-3006. $15/$13 at the door. Thursday, October 16, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Choral Arts: Aspects of Love

Music One of the region’s finest chamber choirs, Choral Arts explores aspects of love in a performance featuring the premiere of Jake Heggie’s song cycle Faith Disquiet (based on texts by Emily Dickinson). Heggie, best known for his opera Dead Man Walking, has written numerous art songs, song cycles and instrumental works. Other works on the program include the Northwest premiere of Steven Paulus’ Poemas de Amor, as well as works by Dominic Argento, Paul Ayres, Eric Whitacre, and Monteverdi. There is a “Meet the Artist” reception following the concert honoring Mr. Heggie. Advance tickets are $22/$18 seniors/students are free. $25/$20 at the door. Visit www.choral-arts.org or call 877/404-2269 for tickets and more information. Friday, October 17, 2008, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Cappella Romana: Music from Ukraine

Music Ukraine, and its capital Kiev, were the center of a golden age of choral music for the Orthodox Church in Eastern Music. Slavic music expert Mark Bailey returns to lead Cappella Romana in a program of Ukranian sacred masterpieces. His last appearance with the group in 2006 sold out, and The Oregonian called it “pure, sumptuous pleasure.” This is the second season at Town Hall for Cappella Romana, a vocal chamber ensemble dedicated to passionate performance of the musical traditions of the Christian East and West, with emphasis on early and contemporary music. Pre-concert talk at 7 pm. Single tickets available after 8/1/08. Visit www.cappellaromana.org or call 800/494-8497 for subscription tickets and more information. Saturday, October 18, 2008, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Piano Recital: Eldred Marshall

Music Eldred Marshall began his piano studies at six, and began playing in public at seven He made his debut at sixteen, playing Brahms’s Second Piano Concerto. In the fall and winter of 2007 he became the first African-American pianist to perform the entire 32 piano sonatas of Beethoven in public, from memory, as a concentrated series. He appears at Town Hall performing one of the monuments of the keyboard literature, J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations BWV 988. Tickets are $20/$10 student & senior at the door. Visit www.eldredmarshall.net or call 909/725-4525 for more information. Sunday, October 19, 2008, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

The Housing Crisis: What's Next for Puget Sound?

Civic Until recently, our region seemed to be immune from the worst of the mortgage foreclosure crisis affecting so much of the U.S. Is that still true? What can we expect near and long-term? How are federal agencies coordinating their response to help families save their homes from foreclosure? CityClub and Town Hall present a conversation with Steve Preston, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and one of the main overseers of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which many are calling the precursor to the bailout bill. Prior to assuming his office in June 2008, Secretary Preston was Administrator of the Small Business Administration and has an extensive financial and capital markets background. Presented by the Town Hall Center for Civic Life with CityClub. , , Tickets are $5 and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com, 800/838-3006 and at the door beginning at 5. Town Hall members receive priority seating. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street. Monday, October 20, 2008, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Antonia Juhasz: 'The Tyranny of Oil'

Civic A leading expert on international trade and finance, Antonia Juhasz is a fellow with Oil Change International and the Institute for Policy Studies. Author of The Bush Agenda, Juhasz returns to Town Hall to talk about her upcoming book, The Tyranny of Oil: the World’s Most Powerful Industry, and What We Must Do To Stop It. Presented by the Town Hall Center for Civic Life, with Elliott Bay Book Company. , , Tickets are $5 and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com, 800/838-3006 and at the door beginning at 6:30. Town Hall members receive priority seating. Tuesday, October 21, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Ralph Nader Campaign

Civic Consumer advocate and presidential candidate Ralph Nader speaks about the Wall Street bailout, single-payor healthcare, the Iraq War, the environment, and the state of the presidential debates (from which he was excluded. , , Tickets are $10/$5 student (with ID) at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. Visit www.votenader.org for more information. Tuesday, October 21, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Science: Russell Shorto: 'Descartes' Bones'

Science Russell Shorto is the author of the bestselling The Island at the Center of the World and a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine. His latest book, Descartes' Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Religion, reflects the current conflict over science vs. religion, describing how it all got started with the publication of Rene Descartes', Discourse on the Method over 350 years ago. Decartes’ famous phrase cogito ergo sum, "I think therefore I am," is one of the most influential ideas in human history and is the foundation of the scientific method. Presented as part of the Seattle Science Lectures, with University Book Store. , , Tickets are $5 and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com, 800/838-3006 and at the door beginning at 6:30. Town Hall members receive priority seating. Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Dave Zirin: 'People’s History of Sports'

Civic Called an icon in the world of progressive sports, Dave Zirin is the author of si.com’s The Edge of Sports and the XM satellite ration show of the same name. Zirin views sports as not mere games, but a reflection of the political conflicts that shape American society. His new book, A People’s History of Sports in the United States, offers an entertaining chronicle of larger-than-life sporting characters and dramatic contests, in what amounts to an alternative history of the United States as seen through the games its people play. Presented by the Town Hall Center for Civic Life, with Elliott Bay Book Company. , , Tickets are $5 and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com, 800/838-3006 and at the door beginning at 6:30. Town Hall members receive priority seating. Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Edward Miguel: 'Economic Gangsters'

Civic In Economic Gangsters: Corruption, Violence, and the Poverty of Nations, economist Edward Miguel (with Raymond Fisman) traces the connections between poverty, crime, and corruption. Using economics, Miguel follows the foreign aid money trail into the hands of corrupt governments and shady underworld characters, and proposes solutions that can make a difference to the world’s poor. Presented by the Town Hall Center for Civic Life, with Elliott Bay Book Company. , , Tickets are $5 and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com, 800/838-3006 and at the door beginning at 6:30. Town Hall members receive priority seating. Thursday, October 23, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Lake Union Civic Orchestra

Music Lake Union Civic Orchestra opens its 13th season with the world premiere of Cortège for Father Marquette by Patrick Stoyanovich, commissioned by the orchestra. Steven Noffsinger returns for a performance of Aaron Copland’s jazz-influenced Clarinet Concerto (commissioned by Benny Goodman). The concert concludes with a performance of the lush and romantic Symphony No. 4 by Johannes Brahms. Christophe Chagnard conducts. Tickets are $15/$10 seniors & students. Subscription tickets available. Visit www.luco.org or call 206/343-5286 for tickets and more information. Friday, October 24, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Saturday Family Concerts: Chic Streetman

Family Chic Streetman performs acoustic bluesy ballads, and upbeat, jazzy originals delivering a positive and uplifting message of equality and racial harmony. A prolific composer of music for the stage and screen, Streetman presents a special and timely performance entitled “What Are Mom & Dad Voting For.” Presented with Seattle International Children’s Festival. , Free tickets for kids 12 and under with accompanying adult/$5 for adults. No children admitted without adults; no adults admitted without children. Tickets required for both children and adults and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. Saturday, October 25, 2008, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Saturday Family Concerts: Chic Streetman

Family Chic Streetman performs acoustic bluesy ballads, and upbeat, jazzy upbeat originals delivering a positive and uplifting message of equality and racial harmony. A prolific composer of music for the stage and screen, Streetman composed the music and starred in Seattle Intiman Theatre’s 2006 production of Native Son by Richard Wright. Presented with Seattle International Children’s Festival. , Free tickets for kids 12 and under with accompanying adult/$5 for adults. No children admitted without adults; no adults admitted without children. Tickets required for both children and adults and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. Saturday, October 25, 2008, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Seattle Theatre Group presents: Martin Sexton

Music For nearly 20 years, Martin Sexton has channeled his love of soulful folk, blues, rock and pop music into accessible, emotional songs that recall the work of Van Morrison and Otis Redding. Known for his wide vocal range and ability to improvise, he often plays the guitar without a pick, using his thumb to play bass lines and his fingers for chords and melodies. Opening the show is Boston-based singer/songwriter Ryan Montbleau. Advance tickets are $26/$28 day of show (general seating) only at www.ticketmaster.com, 206/628-0888 or www.theparamount.com. Visit www.theparamount.com for more information. Saturday, October 25, 2008, 8:00 PM – 10:30 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Short Stories Live: Tales of Mystery & Intrigue

Literary Co-presented with ACT Theatre, the seventh season of Short Stories Live returns with more terrific local actors reading stories appropriate for Halloween—including Peter Crook reading “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe, “The Last Demon” by Isaac Bashevis Singer read by Wesley Rice, and “Mrs. Acland’s Ghosts” by William Trevor read by Peter Crook and Imogen Love. ACT’s Kurt Beattie hosts and directs. , , Advance tickets are $13/$10 at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. $15/$13 at the door. Sunday, October 26, 2008, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Earshot Jazz: Cecil Taylor

Music Pianist Cecil Taylor is generally acknowledged as one of the inventors of free jazz. His music is some of the most challenging in jazz, characterized by an extremely energetic, physical approach, producing exceedingly complex improvised sounds, frequently involving tone clusters and intricate polyrhythms. His piano technique has often been likened to drums and percussion rather than to any other pianists and sometimes resembles modern classical music as well as jazz. A NEA Jazz Master, Taylor appears in a solo performance. , , Tickets are $32-$25/$30-$23 Earshot and Town Hall members, students, and seniors at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. Visit www.earshot.org or call 206/547-6763 for more information. Sunday, October 26, 2008, 8:00 PM – 10:30 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Elliott Bay Book Company: 'I Live Here'

Literary I Live Here: the Book is a project of the I Live Here Foundation, which is dedicated to telling the stories of silences and unheard people through a series of books and other media projects. The book includes stories written in collaboration with displaced women and children in Chechnya, Burma, and Mexico, travel journals, images, and graphic novellas. Featured speakers are actor Mia Kirshner (The L-Word, The Black Dahlia), director Paul Shoebridge and videographer Michael Simons (Adbusters), and graphic artist Joe Sacco (Palestine). Tickets are $5 at Elliott Bay Book Company or at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. Call 206/624-6600 for more information. Monday, October 27, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Bruce Barcott & Dave Uberuaga: On Rainier

Civic The National Parks Conservation Association presents local author Bruce Barcott and Mount Rainier National Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga for a conversation about Mount Rainier. Embraced by Northwesterners as their own, Barcott and Uberuaga speak about Mr. Rainier’s charm, its challenges—physical and administrative—and what people can do to help protect this crown jewel of the National Park System. Barcott is the author of The Measure of a Mountain: Beauty and Terror on Mount Rainier and a contributing editor at Outside magazine. Dave Uberuaga has been superintendent of Mount Rainier National Park since 2002. Free, no tickets required. Visit www.npca.org/northwest or call 206/903-1444 x 24 for more information. Tuesday, October 28, 2008, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Mike Chinoy on North Korea

Civic Until recently the Senior Asia Correspondent for CNN, Mike Chinoy is one of the world’s keenest observers of Asian affairs, having reported on the most important events in the region for almost thirty years. His just-published, Meltdown: The Inside Story of the North Korean Nuclear Crisis, provides a detailed account of the behind-the-scenes policy debates within the Bush administration and other governments that drove the recent confrontation over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and assesses what other policy options the next U.S. president might pursue. Presented by the Town Hall Center for Civic Life with the Pacific Council on International Policy. , , Tickets are $5 and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com, 800/838-3006 and at the door beginning at 6:30. Town Hall members receive priority seating. Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

New York Review of Books: After Bush

Civic For the past seven years The New York Review of Books has critically examined the Bush administration’s policies at home and abroad. Several of the Review’s contributors and editors, including Tom Powers, Jonathan Raban, Martin Kettle, and Michael Tomasky assess the human and political costs of the war on terror and the occupation of Iraq, and look ahead to the 2008 election. They are joined by Robert Silvers, editor of a collection of essays published in the Review entitled The Consequences to Come: American Power After Bush. Presented by the Town Hall Center for Civic Life, with New York Review of Books, Guardian America and Elliott Bay Book Company. , , Tickets are $5 and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com, 800/838-3006 and at the door beginning at 6:30. Town Hall members receive priority seating. Thursday, October 30, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Earshot Jazz presents: Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra feat. Carla Bley

Music One of the most significant bassists in jazz, Charlie Haden performs with the Liberation Orchestra, his adventurous, politically charged big band of New York all-stars. The performance features the arrangements and compositions of Haden’s longtime colleague and friend, Carla Bley. , , Tickets are $32-$25/$30-$23 Earshot and Town Hall members, students, and seniors at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. Visit www.earshot.org or call 206/547-6763 for more information. Friday, October 31, 2008, 8:00 PM – 10:30 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Jazz: Dave Frishberg in Concert

Music Dave Frishberg is a jazz pianist, singer, and songwriter whose style puts him into a category all of his own. One of the most thoughtful-but-fun jazz musicians around, his creative piano style spans both stride and “traditional.” He has perhaps become best known for writing and performing songs such as “My Attorney Bernie,” “Do You Miss New York,” and “Slappin’ the Cakes on Me.” Presented by Seattle Artists. Tickets are $25 & $20 at www.kenyonhall.org or 206/937-3613. Friday, November 7, 2008, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Ivan Doig: 'The Eleventh Man'

Literary Ivan Doig grew up along the rugged rims of the Rocky Mountains in Montana where much of his writing takes place. His first book, the highly acclaimed memoir This House of Sky, was a finalist for the National Book Award. He is also acclaimed for his bestselling fiction including English Creek and The Whistling Season. He comes to Town Hall to read from his latest novel, The Eleventh Man, the story of a close-knit Montana college championship football team, all of whose members enlist as the U.S. hits the thick of WWII. Presented by Town Hall, with University Book Store. , , Tickets are $5 and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com, 800/838-3006 and at the door beginning at 6:30. Town Hall members receive priority seating. Wednesday, November 12, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Global Rhythms: Chirgilchin

Music Chirgilchin, an extraordinary quartet of three men and one woman, vocalize in the other worldly melodies of Tuvan throat singing, sounding as if their voices were not coming from their own bodies. Formed in 1996, Chirgilchin, meaning "dance of the air in the heat of the day" or "miracle," is widely considered the finest touring ensemble of Tuvan peformers. Their music evokes the open spaces, steppes and pastoral life of Tuva (in Siberia), with string instruments notable for their expressive range. Individual members of the ensemble have won multiple Tuvan national music competitions, are masters of at least six throat singing styles, and include the director of the National Tuvan Traditional Orchestra. Chirgilchin has collaborated with a number of cutting edge Western musicians, most notably in concerts with Laurie Anderson. Listen to Chigilchen here. , , Advance tickets are $22/$19 Town Hall members, students & seniors at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. $25/$22 at the door. Friday, November 14, 2008, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Saturday Family Concert: Central Services' The Board of Education

Family Central Services’ The Board of Education is one part schoolhouse rock, one part science classroom, two parts borax, one part school glue, and 100% fun! With densely-packed wordplay and pop-cultural allusions, their performances are suited for kids ages 6 and older. Their brand of feel-good family rock manages to be educational, metaphorical, and catchy all at the same time. Presented with Seattle International Children’s Festival. , Free tickets for kids 12 and under with accompanying adult/$5 for adults. No children admitted without adults; no adults admitted without children. Tickets required for both children and adults and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. Saturday, November 15, 2008, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Saturday Family Concert: Central Services' The Board of Education

Family Central Services’ The Board of Education is one part schoolhouse rock, one part science classroom, two parts borax, one part school glue, and 100% fun! With densely-packed wordplay and pop-cultural allusions, their performances are suited for kids ages 6 and older. Their brand of feel-good family rock manages to be educational, metaphorical, and catchy all at the same time. Presented with Seattle International Children’s Festival. , Free tickets for kids 12 and under with accompanying adult/$5 for adults. No children admitted without adults; no adults admitted without children. Tickets required for both children and adults and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. Saturday, November 15, 2008, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Jonathan Curiel: 'Al'America'

Civic From surf music to the ice cream cone, from the Alamo to the Citadel, San Francisco Chronicle journalist Jonathan Curiel offers a fascinating tour through the little-known influence of Arab and Islamic culture on America’s past and present. Part travelogue, part cultural history, Al’America: Travels Through America’s Arab and Islamic Roots reveals a continuous pattern of give-and-take between America and the Arab-Muslim world. Presented as part of the Town Hall Center for Civic Life, with Elliott Bay Book Company. , , Tickets are $5 and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com, 800/838-3006 and at the door beginning at 6:30. Town Hall members receive priority seating. Monday, November 17, 2008, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

TownMusic: The Biava Quartet

Music The Biava Quartet, founded in 1998 at the Cleveland Institute of Music, is recognized as one today’s most exciting young American quartets. In residence at the Juilliard School, the quartet has performed to acclaim in major concert halls throughout America, Europe and Asia. Works on the program are Mozart’s Quartet in B Flat Minor, Quartet No. 1 by Leos Janacek, Quartet in G minor by Claude Debussy, and Love Bleeds Radiant by Dan Visconti. , , Advance tickets are $18/$15 Town Hall members, seniors & students only at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. $20/$17 at the door. More information at www.biavaquartet.com. Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Quiz Show: You're On The List

Other Performance Emcee and raconteur David Silverman returns with musical sidekick Rob Witmer and his accordion for another season of fun with local celebrities and special musical guests in Town Hall’s comedy, cabaret quiz show. Audience members join in the hilarity, competing with politicians and media personalities for valuable prizes. , , Advance tickets are $12/$10 Town Hall members, students & seniors at www.brownpaperticket.com or 800/838-3006. $15/$13 at the door. Thursday, November 20, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra

Music Celebrating its 10th season, this young, all-volunteer orchestra performs a wide-ranging repertoire driven by its love of music and performance. Lead by Alan Shen, Microsoft program manager by day, the orchestra is known for its adventurous, infectious, and enthusiastic music making. Tickets TBD at www.psso.org. Saturday, November 22, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM. Great Halll, enter on 8th Avenue.

Evening of Sevdah: Bosnian Love Songs

Music “Sevdah,” a word of Arabic origin meaning love, describes the poetic traditional urban music of old Bosnia & Herzegovina. Artists from Bosnia, Croatia and more perform the beautiful and melodic Ottoman-influenced love songs accompanied by a variety of traditional instruments including saz, tamburica, and the modern accordion. Presented by Sevdah North America. Tickets are $12/$7 seniors and children under 13 at www.eveningofsevdah.com. Saturday, November 29, 2008, 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM. Greatn Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Wildlife Photography: The Last Polar Bear

Civic During the past eight years, wildlife photographer Steven Kazlowski has accumulated a comprehensive and unparalleled portfolio of the polar bear in its habitat. He shares his images and observations and talks about what every citizen can do to make a difference in the fate of the polar bear—and the planet. Presented by Braided River, the Burke Museum of History & Culture, and Alaska Wilderness League, with Elliott Bay Book Company. Tickets TBD. More information at www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/. Thursday, December 4, 2008, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Northwest Girlchoir: Holiday Family Concert

Music The combined choirs of the Northwest Girlchoir perform seasonal favorites from around the world. This concert for the whole family features a sing along, candy canes, and a visit from a special holiday guest. Advance tickets are $16/$14 at the door. Children five and under, free. Call 206/985-3973 for tickets. Saturday, December 6, 2008, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Seattle Radio Theatre: Live Holiday Radio

Other Performance Town Hall and Seattle Radio Theatre present a live one-hour radio production of a holiday radio play, complete with live music and sound effects, and a cast featuring Northwest favorites. This performance (suitable for the whole family) celebrating the golden age of radio will be broadcast live on a local radio station. , , Advance tickets are $13/$10 Town Hall members, seniors & students/$5 12 and under at www.brownpapertickets.com. $15/$14/$5 at the door. Saturday, December 6, 2008, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Seattle Pro Musica: Holiday Concert

Music Seattle Pro Musica returns to Town Hall for its annual holiday concert performing a program featuring the lively rhythms of Latin America, a candlelight processional, and captivating Baroque villancicos for voices, guitars, and percussion blending indigenous music from Spain, Africa and Latin America. The matinee is a one-hour performance geared towards children and their families with audience interaction and a sing-along to follow. Tickets $32 & $22/$17 senior/$12 student/children 12 and under when reserved in advance (matinee only) at 206/781-2766, tickets@seattlepromusica.org or www.seattlepromusica.org. Sunday, December 7, 2008, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Seattle Pro Musica: Holiday Concert

Music Seattle Pro Musica returns to Town Hall for its annual holiday concert performing a program featuring the lively rhythms of Latin America, a candlelight processional, and captivating Baroque villancicos for voices, guitars, and percussion blending indigenous music from Spain, Africa and Latin America. Tickets $32 & $22/$17 senior/$12 student/children 12 and under when reserved in advance (matinee only) at 206/781-2766, tickets@seattlepromusica.org or www.seattlepromusica.org. Sunday, December 7, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Early Music Guild: Jaap ter Linden

Music The Six Suites for Cello by J.S. Bach, one of the great masterworks of the Baroque era, is performed by Jaap ter Linden, one of Europe’s most prominent interpreters of Baroque music. As one of the first specialists in early music, ter Linden was co-founder of the ensemble Musica da Camera and is principal cellist of Music Antiqua Köln, The English Concert, and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. Tickets are $38/$35 Town Hall members & seniors/$20 students at www.earlymusicguild.org or 206/325-7066. Friday, December 12, 2008, 8:00 PM – 10:30 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Seattle Girls' Choir: Holiday Concerts

Music The Seattle Girls’ Choir returns for its annual holiday concert under the direction of Dr. Jerome Wright. All six choir levels perform Tickets are $15 at 206/526-1900. Visit www.seattlegirlshcoir.org for more information. Saturday, December 13, 2008, 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Seattle Children's Chorus: Christmas Concert

Music Tickets are $14/$9 students & seniors at 206/542-7998, 888-561-7139 or office@seattlechildrenschorus.org. Saturday, December 13, 2008, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Seattle Baroque & Tudor Choir: 'Messiah'

Music Seattle Baroque Orchestra led by Ingrid Matthews and the Tudor Choir under the direction of Doug Fullington return for two performances of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah. Their much lauded period version of Handel’s most famous creation filled Town Hall—a warm and intimate setting in which the rich complexity of the score can be heard perfectly. , , Advance tickets are $22/$19 Town Hall members, seniors & students at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. $75 tickets, which include a post-concert reception, are available. Children 6-16 admitted free with paying adult. Children under 6 not admitted. $25/$22 at the door. Saturday, December 20, 2008, 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Early Music Discovery: Orpheus' Lyre

Music Seattle-based harpist Maxine Eilander is one of the world’s leading specialists in Renaissance and Baroque harp. She performs on three historical instruments tracing 250 years of music for harp featuring works by Mudarra, De Huete, Trabaci, Frescobaldi, C.P.E. Bach, and others. Tickets are $10/$5 seniors & students. Visit www.earlymusicguild.org or call 206/325-7066 for more information. Sunday, December 21, 2008, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street.

Seattle Baroque & Tudor Choir: 'Messiah'

Music Seattle Baroque Orchestra led by Ingrid Matthews and the Tudor Choir under the direction of Doug Fullington return for two performances of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah. Their much lauded period version of Handel’s most famous creation filled Town Hall—a warm and intimate setting in which the rich complexity of the score can be heard perfectly. , , Advance tickets are $22/$19 Town Hall members, seniors & students at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800/838-3006. $75 tickets, which include a post-concert reception, are available. Children 6-16 admitted free with paying adult. Children under 6 not admitted. $25/$22 at the door. Sunday, December 21, 2008, 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Radio Show: 'Says You'

Literary Ring out the old and ring in the new with the popular radio show, Says You. Join Richard Sher and the gang as they tape their “game of words and whimsy, bluff and bluster” at Town Hall. Tickets are $31.50-$21 only at www.saysyou.net. Wednesday, December 31, 2008, 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Radio Show: 'Says You'

Literary Ring out the old and ring in the new with the popular radio show, Says You. Join Richard Sher and the gang as they tape their “game of words and whimsy, bluff and bluster” at Town Hall. Tickets are $31.50-$21 only at www.saysyou.net. Thursday, January 1, 2009, 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.

Cappella Romana: Kontakion of the Nativity

Music Cappella Romana performs the world premiere of The Kontakion of the Nativity by American Orthodox composer Richard Toensing. Written for two choirs and soloists a cappella, the work is a setting of the 6th century poem by St. Romanos telling the story of the Magi and Virgin Mary. Also on the program are popular Orthodox carols and hymns. Alexander Lingas conducts. Tickets and information at www.cappellaromana.org or 866/822-7735. Saturday, January 3, 2009, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM. Great Hall, enter on 8th Avenue.