Sunday: Free Performances on Berkeley Campus

With six stages, visitors will find classical, jazz, and international music, dance from India, Bali and Chinese traditions, Taiko drumming and much more from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the U.C. Berkeley campus this Sunday. Student groups will also be performing at outdoor stages around campus.

The venerable Kronos Quartet of strings is kicking off its yearlong residency at Cal Performances.

Also appearing is the women’s vocal group Kitka, which, according to Cal Performances, is recognized by many musical authorities as the foremost interpreter of Balkan and Slavic choral repertoire working in the United States.  I know little about vocal music, but was mesmerized by their performance last year.

The Lily Cai Chinese Dance Company mixes traditional Chinese dance with modern dance, while the Chitresh Das Dance Company performs the ancient Kathak dance of Northern India.

The list goes on to include 25 performances, and can be found at the Cal Performances website. Here’s a tip: Check performers’ websites for video or audio clips of their work. Each year, I find acts I didn’t know I would enjoy. (Some are linked above.)

This is the third annual Free for All and, in past years, most venues have filled up. Lines generally start an average of 30 minutes before the listed performance time. 

Food is available in front of Zellerbach Hall, parking is, as always, limited and use of public transit is encouraged.