New Mexico Tech Art Series Event

This fall, New Mexico Tech is excited to announce the artists in this year’s Art Series.

“We’ve been doing this for a long time because we’ve had this program for almost 60 years,” said Rona Kalish, director of the New Mexico Tech Performing Arts Series at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. “Every year we put out a whole new set of activities and stuff, and we had a year where everything went live during the pandemic, so this is the first real season where we’re thinking about having everything live.

Pre-registration tickets are available now, saving registrants 25% off tickets. Individual tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $5 for youth, and Tech students get in free with a student ID.

“So we started these outdoor festivals that were very successful and gave a lot of local bands and dance companies a way to perform, so we’re continuing to do that,” Kalish said.

Appearing in person for the first time in a while, the performers had to be rockin’.

TNT Fest: Meet Tech & Town kicks off the series on Saturday, Aug. 27 on Campus Drive from 1 p.m. to noon. This free event features student bands along with clubs, food trucks and more.

“Well, we want variety and being a small town and a small university, we’re always trying to find things that meet a lot of different needs,” Kalish said.

On September 10, “Yesterday: A Tribute to The Beatles” comes to the Massey Center.

Kalish “Yesterday: A Tribute to The Beatles” Everyone loved it so we’re having a 60’s costume party and a Beatles trivia contest as the third week of school competitions.

When we put the theater company here, we are setting up the stage as a stage to make it more visceral.

Skerryvore launches on October 7th.

“They’re a really fun group from Scotland and they play both traditional music and rock music,” Kalish said. We’ve always done well here with the Celtic bands, as our students love it, our seniors love it, everyone loves it.

After Skerryvore comes “Horror Channel” on November 4-5.

“It’s such a fun show, Colin Gino wrote this music and it’s a woman kicking up her heels on a Friday night after a hard week with a glass of wine,” Kalish said. “Then she starts sleeping and has some nightmares where zombies appear.”

Tech brings in the new year in January with Big Richard, an upcoming all-girls team.

“It really came together as a project and everyone really loved it,” Kalish said. “They started hitting the festival circuit around the country, folk, bluegrass, and rock-type festivals and they were having a lot of success, so I immediately brought out the feelers to bring this group out.”

“Big Richard isn’t during WomenFest, but we love the concept of women coming together,” Kalish said. “Obviously their band name is a spoof on all these rock and roll bands that have little girly names, so Big Richard is definitely a spoof on these band names.”

In the year

A Sweetheart Soiree dinner will be served the night before with swinging music by a big band. Band members include professional and semi-professional musicians, along with local public school and university music teachers, to create a lively dynamic that allows audiences to share in the amazing sights and sounds of this beloved sound. Of course dancing is welcome.

“We have a whole group of students here who love swing and ballroom dancing, so this show really speaks to them,” Kalish said. “And we have an older crowd that just likes contemporary or traditional or swing music. Love them all.

Dance Rhythms featuring world and Irish champion dancers performed at New Mexico Tech on March 2nd.

This show also features a social hour with Irish food and drinks.

“It’s an Irish step dance group, some of the original people from ‘River Dance,’ original producers, not original dancers, and then a whole bunch of musicians. So it’s just a big show, and it’s about Irish history and Irish music from many angles, from modern and Traditional both.

March wraps up with Women’s Fest on March 24-25.

“I’m a female musician, so I try to have females every year because I think it’s important for the youth and the community to see the amazing females out there,” Kalish said. “It’s important for us to be aware of women’s issues.”

String Queens is performing March 24 as the trio plays music ranging from the Baroque era to the Jazz Age to the Hot 100 chart.

“It’s women of color, which is incredibly important to give a voice to artists of all kinds,” Kalish said.

WomenFest comes with live music, workshops, artist performances, vendors and more as they celebrate the women in our lives.

“We’re going to do it again, when Women in Business and Social Service from across campus and the community speak in March,” Kalish said. “So people in our community could really see the women in Sororo County and it was a huge success and we’re just going to continue.

Special pre-show events are an additional charge. For more information, visit nmt.edu/pas or call 575-835-5688.