Whether you’re looking for something fun to do on a Friday night, Saturday night, or even a Sunday afternoon, Stanford Lively Arts has a lot to offer.

At Stanford Lively Arts there are dance performances, chamber music recitals, vocal productions, classical recitals, and spoken word performances. The 35th annual season kicked off on Oct. 6 with a year full of events that include such names as Yo-Yo Ma, Bobby McFerrin, and the Grupo Corpo Brazilian Dance Theater.

Stanford Lively Arts, sponsored by donations, funds, and ticket sales, is an organization that brings music and art from all over the world to our hometown and community. It provides a culturally enlightening season that includes performances from all different countries, art communities, and time periods. The organization offers music from the chamber, vocal, and classical genres and features dance shows from different areas of the world including North and South America. For people who enjoy theater, Stanford offers a few nights of spoken word, like poetry, as well.

"Right in your neighborhood, you have one of the best cultural experiences," Lively Arts public relations manager Barbara Bickerman said. "Because it’s our 35th anniversary season we’ve put out all the stops. At Stanford Lively Arts, you have your choice of chamber, classical, world, dance, and spoken word performances."

According to the October 1999 issue of Lively Arts Magazine, before Stanford Lively Arts was founded, Stanford put on a Summer Festival, which included musicians from all different genres and backgrounds. The Summer Festival finished its last season in 1969 and Lively Arts was founded soon after. The new program had its first season in 1969 and was originally called Lively Arts at Stanford. Originally the program only included 14 shows but has since expanded to include 30 events.

For those interested in attending any of the Stanford Lively Arts events, the list below shows some of what can be expected of the performances this coming up year. However, the performances listed below are just a few of the many performances this season. For a complete list of events for the 2004-2005 season, log on to the Stanford Lively Arts’ website at <http://livelyarts.stanford.edu/> or go to the ticket window in the student union for a Stanford Lively Arts calendar.

Event: Grupo Corpo Brazilian Dance Theater

Date: 8 p.m. Oct. 15-16

Location: Memorial Auditorium

Description: According to the 2004 season press release, this dance performance will include ballet, jazz and modern dance mixed with a Brazilian flavor.

Event: Masters of Mexican Music

Date: 2:30 p.m. Oct 17

Location: Memorial Auditorium

Description: The Masters of Mexican Music consist of four different headlining groups, according to Bickerman, and each group is award winning. The group sings from a selection of tex-mex, marimba, and mariachi music. Dancers will accompany the vocalists. The intent of the Masters of Mexican Music is to preserve their culture and heritage using the arts, according to Bickerman.

Event: English Concert with Andre Manze

Date: 2:30 p.m. Nov. 7

Location: Memorial Auditorium

Description: According to Bickerman, the English Concert is fun because "you can move in your chair and there is more going on [than in a chamber music recital] and more instruments to listen to." The English Concert features violinist and first year director, Andrew Manze. He will direct pieces from the Baroque Period and selections from Mozart, Bach and Vivaldi. Bickerman said Manze wants to "deliver music the way it was performed back then."

Event: Maria del Mar Bonet

Date: 8 p.m. Nov. 19

Location: Dinkelspiel Auditorium

Description: According to Bickerman, Maria del Mar Bonet is a Spanish superstar in Europe. She is a vocalist with a "sexy, sultry voice," Bickerman said. As stated on The Stanford Lively Arts website, Maria del Mar Bonet sings in Catalan, her native language, and her songs provide an insight to Mediterranean life

Event: Sekou Sundiata, blessing the boats

Date: 8 p.m. Feb. 5

Location: Dinkelspiel Auditorium

Description: According to Bickerman, this will be a first hand experience of performance art. Sundiata’s performance is composed of a recital of prose poetry about his life, mixed in with humor and music and images flashing in the background.

According to the 2004 season press release, all the shows are held at the Memorial Auditorium, located on Serra St. at Galvez, Dinkelspiel Auditorium, located on Lagunita Drive, or at the Memorial Church, located at the end of Palm Drive. Conveniently, the venues are situated right in the heart of Stanford’s campus.

Tickets have already gone on sale, but seats are still available for many of the shows. To order tickets, visit the Stanford Lively Arts homepage at <http://livelyarts.stanford.edu/>, or purchase them at the ticket window in the Tressidor Student Union on campus. Prices range from $25-$100 (premium seating). Students do get a discount.