The UNLV Performing Arts Center, Southern Nevada's premier performing arts venue for more than 35 years, recently announced its 2011-2012 season, which includes the longstanding Charles Vanda Master Series, New York Stage & Beyond Series, and UNLV Classical Guitar Series.

The season opens Sept. 16 with the New York Stage & Beyond performance of "Corea, Clarke and White: Forever." Pianist Chick Correa, bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White re-define the jazz landscape with incredible improvisational skills and musicianship, acoustic bliss, and funky "jazzitude."

Additional performances within this season's New York Stage & Beyond Series are Complexions Contemporary Ballet on Nov. 5; Neil Berg's "Broadway Holiday" on Dec. 3; and the legendary Hal Holbrook in "Mark Twain Tonight!" on May 19. Within 14 hours of material, Holbrook tailors each performance to the times and the town he's visiting, making every "Mark Twain Tonight!" performance brand new.

The Charles Vanda Master Series opens Oct. 1 with the Utah Symphony, featuring conductor David Lockington and pianist Jeremy Denk. Called "one of the best pianists of his generation" by The Denver Post, Denk joins the Utah Symphony for a stunning concert that includes Mendelssohn's "The Hebrides," Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3, and Dvorak's Symphony No. 8.

Other performances within the Charles Vanda Master Series include Argentinian pianist Ingrid Fliter and 19-year-old cellist Julian Schwarz with the UNLV Symphony Orchestra on Nov. 22; the Grammy Award-winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet on Jan. 7; Europa Galante with Fabio Biondi, featuring mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux, on Jan. 26; master classical musician and international superstar Itzhak Perlman on Feb. 11; and Houston Ballet II on April 14.

The UNLV Classical Guitar Series, held in the Doc Rando Recital Hall of the Lee & Thomas Beam Music Center, features The Falla Guitar Trio on Oct. 12; Elena Papandreou on Nov. 9; Xuefei Yang on March 14; and Luis Zea on April 11.

For information on purchasing a season subscription, please call 895-ARTS (2787) or visit UNLV Performing Arts Center.

UNLV PAC Facts

• Arts organizations, like the Desert Chorale, Las Vegas Master Singers, and Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society, have longstanding traditions here.
• With productions by the College of Fine Arts, including productions presented by the Nevada Conservatory Theatre and the dance and music departments, Southern Nevadans can enjoy the arts nearly every day of the year.
• The PAC continues to be good community citizens:
  • hosting more than 50,000 Clark County School District students yearly for productions, concerts, and festivals;
  • donating over $100,000 in production costs to the CCSD Fine Arts division to give students a quality performance experience at limited expense;
  • and granting fellow not-for-profit organizations major discounts on facility rental fees.

Founded in 1976, the Performing Arts Center at UNLV continues to be Southern Nevada's premier performing arts venue. Located on the north end of the UNLV campus, the PAC hosts a variety of performances each year in three distinct series - the Charles Vanda Master Series, the New York Stage & Beyond Series, and the Classical Guitar Series. UNLV and KLVX Channel 10 are graciously sponsoring the season.