Arts Council continues ‘Classical Drinking’ series

The Doña Ana Arts Council (DAAC) continues its popular “Classical Drinking” evenings of live music “in a relaxed, casual atmosphere,” with 2020 performances scheduled in February, March and April.

The schedule of performances is as follows:

• Feb. 8: Erik Unsworth, double bass. Unsworth will be joined by pianists Dena Key Jones and Zeke Meza and special guests Jim Shearer, tuba, and Celeste Shearer, French horn. The performance will include works by composers Paul Hindemith, James Grant and Alec Wilder. In addition, local jazz musicians will join Unsworth to perform arrangements of “third stream” crossover works that blend classical and jazz elements, featuring the music of Charles Mingus and Duke Ellington in charts created especially for this concert. Also featured will be tunes from Unsworth’s upcoming solo CD release.

A native of New York state, Unsworth joined UTEP's Music Department in 2003 as assistant professor of string bass, jazz and commercial music studies, according to his UTEP biography. He took over as director of UTEP's Jazz Ensemble in 2009 and received the rank of associate professor of music in 2010. For more information, visit www.erikunsworth.com.

• March 14: Sarah Daughtrey, mezzo-soprano, with special guests, in a show titled “A Toast! to Drinking in Opera.”
• April 11: Celeste Shearer, French horn with Dena Kay Jones, piano, featuring music from Shearer’s upcoming Summit Records release titled “Sultry and Eccentric: The Music of James Grant.”

Jim Shearer is DAAC’s artistic director for the Classical Drinking series.

All events will be 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the DAAC Arts and Cultural Center, 1740 Calle de Mercado, in Bulletin Plaza. Each event is on a Saturday and part of the Second Saturday “Experience Mesilla Arts Hop.” Performances will follow DAAC’s Arts Hop Gallery opening, 4-7 p.m., each second Saturday.

Tickets are $15 at the door or purchased in advance at www.daarts.org or by calling 575-523-6403.

A cash bar by Dry Point Distillery will complement each performance and will include both cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages.