The University Musical Society, the semi-autonomous fine-arts presenter based at the University of Michigan, today announces its 2011-12 season, running from September-April and featuring 56 performances by 40 different artists/ensembles.

UMS is best known for classical-music performances: Symphonic highlights include the London Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Vladimir Jurowski with violin soloist Janine Jansen; the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with conductor Riccardo Muti and violinist Pinchas Zukerman in an all-Brahms program; and three concerts by the San Francisco Symphony and conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, presenting their American Mavericks Festival, to be performed in its entirety only at Hill Auditorium and Carnegie Hall, and featuring many soloists including Jessye Norman. Chamber-music offerings include visits from the Emerson String Quartet, the Hagen Quartet and the Pavel Haas Quartet.

Big names on the non-classical schedule include jazz master Ahmad Jamal, the Mark Morris Dance Group, and the Rebirth Brass Band.

In another highlight, actor John Malkovich and The Vienna Academy Orchestra team up for a theater and music program called "The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer," a semi-staged production using classical arias to tell a story based on reality.

Theater offerings at the Power Center are Ireland’s acclaimed Gate Theater Company performing a double-bill of two one-act plays by Samuel Beckett, "Endgame" and "Watt"; The Andersen Project, a solo performance created by Canadian theater visionary Robert Lepage and performed by Yves Jacques; and the previously announced "Einstein on the Beach," the seminal opera by Philip Glass and Robert Wilson with choreography by Lucinda Childs, launching a world tour of what will likely be the last reconstructions of this work designed and led by its original creators.

The season includes two dominant thematic threads: First, a focus on Asia, with a particular concentration on China, Taiwan, Inner Mongolia, and India. Also, from January-March, UMS presents a special “season-within-a-season” that celebrates change-makers and thought-leaders in the performing arts. This “Renegade” series includes 10 performances by seven different artists/ensembles.

In one change for event goers, UMS is changing start times for weekday events in the 11/12 season. All performances on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday performances remain at 8 p.m. (except for "Einstein on the Beach"), and most Sunday matinees will begin at 4 p.m.

“The 11/12 season continues to affirm the artistic excellence at the core of UMS’s mission,” Kenneth C. Fischer, who enters his 25th season as UMS president, said in a prepared statement. “In addition to presenting familiar favorites, the 133rd season includes 18 UMS debut performances. At the heart and history of UMS is our signature Choral Union Series and Chamber Arts Series, which features a stellar lineup of classical music concerts including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic, and some of Ann Arbor’s favorite chamber music ensembles.

"Our Asia series features awe-inspiring artists that adhere to tradition as well as performers leading the arts world into brave new terrain. We look forward to hosting the creators, musicians, performers, and technical crew of 'Einstein on the Beach' for a three-week period as they reconstruct and mount 'Einstein on the Beach' for the first time in 20 years. And we’re thrilled to be introducing two new dance companies to Ann Arbor, as well as New Orleans jazz, Senegalese mbalax and Spanish flamenco. It’s one of the most interesting and innovative seasons I can remember.”

Subscription packages go on sale to the general public on Monday, May 9 and will be available through Friday, September 17. Current subscribers will receive renewal packets in early May and may renew their series upon receipt of the packet.

Tickets to individual events will go on sale to the general public on Monday, Aug. 22 (via www.ums.org) and Wednesday, Aug. 24 (in person and by phone). UMS donors of $250 or more may purchase tickets to individual events beginning Monday, Aug. 15.

To be added to the mailing list, contact the UMS Ticket Office at 734-764-2538 or visit www.ums.org. UMS also has an e-mail list that provides up-to-date information about all UMS events; sign-up information is available on the website.

THE SCHEDULE The full season schedule follows in chronological order. For more information on which performances are included in individual series packages, see the UMS website. Which event are you most interested in? Join in with a comment at the end of this post.

Ahmad Jamal With James Cammack (bass), Herlin Riley (drums), and Manolo Badrena (percussion) Saturday, September 17, 8 pm Hill Auditorium

Mozart’s Late Quartets: “King of Prussia” Emerson String Quartet Sunday, September 18, 4 pm Hill Auditorium Program: Mozart Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575 Mozart Quartet No. 22 in B-flat Major, K. 589 Mozart Adagio and Fugue in c minor, K. 546 Mozart Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K. 590

Mark Morris Dance Group Friday, September 23, 8 pm Saturday, September 24, 8 pm Power Center Program: Excursions (Barber’s Excursions for Piano, Op. 20) Festival Dance (Hummel Piano Quartet) Socrates (Erik Satie’s Socrates for tenor and piano)

"The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer" John Malkovich and The Vienna Academy Orchestra Louise Fribo and Valerie Vinzant, sopranos Saturday, October 1, 8 pm Hill Auditorium Program: Gluck Introduction and Chaconne: “L’enfer” from Don Juan Boccherini Chaconne from La Casa del Diavolo Gluck “Ballo grazioso” from Orfeo Vivaldi “Sposa son disprezzata” from Ottone in Villa Mozart Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio!, K. 418 Beethoven Ah! Perfido, Op. 65 Haydn Berenice, che fai, Hob. XXIVa:10 Weber “Ah, se Edmundo fosse l’uccisor!” Op. 52 Mozart “Ah, lo previdi!” K. 272

Yuja Wang, piano Sunday, October 9, 4 pm Hill Auditorium Program: Ravel Miroirs Copland Piano Variations Rachmaninoff Selected Preludes Brahms Sonata No. 1 or Sonata No. 3

State Symphony Capella of Russia Valeri Polyansky, conductor Thursday, October 13, 7:30 pm St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Program will include Russian choral works of Bortnianski, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Taneyev, Sidelnikov, and Schnittke, as well as works of Anton Bruckner and Russian folk songs.

Goran Bregovic & His Wedding and Funeral Orchestra Saturday, October 15, 8 pm Hill Auditorium Combining a Serbian Gypsy Band, string ensemble, orthodox male choir, and two Bulgarian female vocalists. "Water Stains on the Wall" Cloud Gate Dance Theater of Taiwan Lin Hwai-min, artistic director Friday, October 21, 8 pm Saturday, October 22, 8 pm Power Center

Schola Cantorum of Venezuela María Guinand, conductor Thursday, October 27, 7:30 St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Program includes songs by composers from Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Uruguay, Cuba, Mexico, and the United States.

Samuel Beckett’s "Endgame" and "Watt" Gate Theatre of Dublin Michael Cogan, director Thursday, October 27, 7:30 pm Friday, October 28, 8 pm Saturday, October 29, 8 pm Power Center

Apollo’s Fire Jeannette Sorrell, music director Philippe Jaroussky, countertenor Thursday, November 3, 7:30 pm Hill Auditorium Program Handel “Disperato il mar turbato” from Oreste Handel “Con l’ali di costanza” from Ariodante Vivaldi Concerto for Four Violins in b minor Vivaldi “Se in ogni guardo” from Orlando Finto Pazzo Vivaldi “Se mai senti spirati sul volto” from Catone in Utica Vivaldi/Sorrell La Folio (“Madness”) Vivaldi “Vedro con mio diletto” from Giustino Vivaldi “Nel profondo” from Orlando Furioso

Audra McDonald Friday, November 4, 8 pm Hill Auditorium Program TBA

Diego El Cigala Saturday, November 5, 8 pm Michigan Theater Flamenco

AnDa Union from Inner Mongolia Wednesday, November 9, 7:30 pm Michigan Theater Traditional Mongolian music group

"A Night in Treme: The Musical Majesty of New Orleans" Rebirth Brass Band with special guests from New Orleans Friday, November 11, 8 pm Hill Auditorium

St. Lawrence String Quartet Saturday, November 12, 8 pm Rackham Auditorium Program: Haydn Quartet No. 57 in C Major, Op. 74, No. 1 R.M. Schafer Quartet No. 3 Golijov New Work (composed for SLSQ) Haydn Quartet No. 61 in d minor, Op. 76, No. 2 (“Quinten”)

Beijing Guitar Duo with Manuel Barrueco Sunday, November 20, 4 pm Rackham Auditorium

Canadian Brass Sunday, November 27, 4 pm Hill Auditorium Holiday program

Handel’s "Messiah" Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra UMS Choral Union Jerry Blackstone, conductor Saturday, December 3, 8 pm Sunday, December 4, 2 pm Hill Auditorium

London Philharmonic Orchestra Vladimir Jurowski, conductor Janine Jansen, violin Tuesday, December 6, 7:30 pm Hill Auditorium Program: Pintscher Toward Osiris Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219 Tchaikovsky Manfred Symphony, Op. 58

Veni Emmanuel Stile Antico Wednesday, December 7, 7:30 pm St. Andrews Episcopal Church (306 N. Division Street, Ann Arbor) Program includes Thomas Tallis’s seven-part “Christmas” mass, interspersed with contemporary liturgical settings for Advent and Christmas.

Philip Glass & Robert Wilson’s "Einstein on the Beach" Lucinda Childs, choreographer Friday, January 20, 7 pm Saturday, January 21, 7 pm Sunday, January 22, 2 pm Power Center

Les Violons du Roy Bernard Labadie, conductor Maurice Steger, recorder Saturday, January 28, 8 pm Rackham Auditorium Program: W.F. Bach Overture in g minor (originally attributed to J.S. Bach, BWV 1070) Telemann Concerto for Recorder in C Major, TWV 51:C1 Scarlatti Concerto Grosso No. 3 in Seven Parts in F Major Vivaldi Concerto for Recorder in c minor, RV 441 Geminiani Concerto Grosso No. 12 in d minor, “La Folia” (after Corelli) Geminiani Concerto for Recorder in F Major (after Corelli)

"From the Canyons to the Stars" Hamburg Symphony Orchestra Jeffrey Tate, conductor Francesco Tristano, piano Daniel Landau, filmmaker Sunday, January 29, 4 pm Hill Auditorium Program: Messiaen Des canyons aux étoiles (“From the canyons to the stars”)

Sabine Meyer and the Trio di Clarone Saturday, February 4, 8 pm Rackham Auditorium Program: Mozart Three Arias from The Marriage of Figaro Poulenc Sonata for Two Clarinets Stravinsky Three Pieces for Clarinet Solo J.S. Bach French Suite No. 5 for Two Clarinets and Basset horn Mozart Divertimento No. 1 for Three Basset horns, K. 439b C.P.E. Bach Duo for Two Clarinets in C Major, Wq. 142 Mozart Four Arias from Cosi fan tutte for Three Basset horns

Shanghai Traditional Chamber Ensemble Wang Fujian, artistic director Thursday, February 10, 7:30 pm Rackham Auditorium Program of traditional Chinese music

The Tallis Scholars Peter Phillips, director Thursday, February 16, 7:30 pm St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Program includes Carlos Gesualdo’s “Tenebrae Responses”

Sweet Honey In The Rock Friday, February 17, 8 pm Hill Auditorium

FAR Random Dance Wayne McGregor, artistic director Saturday, February 18, 8 pm Power Center

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Wynton Marsalis, artistic director and trumpet Wednesday, February 22, 7:30 pm Hill Auditorium

Hagen Quartet Thursday, February 23, 7:30 pm Rackham Auditorium Program: Beethoven String Quartet in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1 Beethoven String Quartet in f minor, Op. 95 Beethoven String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 74

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti, conductor Pinchas Zuckerman, violin Friday, March 9, 8 pm Hill Auditorium Program Brahms Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77 Brahms Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73

Max Raabe and Palast Orchester Saturday, March 10, 8 pm Hill Auditorium Recreating the high style and musical glory of the Weimar era

Denis Matsuev, piano Thursday, March 15, 7:30 pm Hill Auditorium Program: Tchaikovsky Seasons Rachmaninoff Prelude in g minor, Op. 23, No. 5 Prelude in g-sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12 Scriabin Etude in c-sharp minor, Op. 2 Etude in d-sharp minor, Op. 8, No. 12 Tchaikovsky “Dumka” Stravinsky Three Movements from Petrouchka

The Andersen Project Ex Machina Robert Lepage, artistic director Starring Yves Jacques Thursday, March 15, 7:30 pm Friday, March 16, 8 pm Saturday, March 17, 8 pm Power Center American Mavericks San Francisco Symphony Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor Featuring: Jessye Norman, Emanuel Ax, and Meredith Monk, among others Thursday, March 22 7:30 pm Friday, March 23, 8 pm Saturday, March 24, 8 pm Hill Auditorium

Program: Thursday, March 22, 7:30 pm Paul Jacobs, organ Jeremy Denk, piano U-M School of Music, Theater & Dance Chamber Choir Aaron Copland Orchestral Variations Henry Cowell Piano Concerto Mason Bates Mass Transmission Lou Harrison Concerto for Organ with Percussion Orchestra

Program: Friday, March 23, 8 pm Jessye Norman, soprano Meredith Monk, vocalist Joan LaBarbara, vocalist St. Lawrence String Quartet Henry Cowell Synchrony John Adams Absolute Jest John Cage John Cage Songbooks Edgar Varèse Amériques

Program: Saturday, March 24, 8 pm Emanuel Ax, piano Carl Ruggles Sun-Treader Morton Feldman Piano and Orchestra Charles Ives A Concord Symphony

American Mavericks San Francisco Symphony Chamber Concert Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor Sunday, March 25, 4 pm Rackham Auditorium Program: Meredith Monk New Work Lukas Foss Echoi Morton Subotnick From Jacob’s Room David Del Tredici Syzygy

Zakir Hussain and the Master Musicians of India Fazel Qureshi, table and kanjira Rakesh Chaurasia, bansuri Dilshad Khan, sarangi Navin Sharma, dholak Abbos Kosimov, doyra Meitei Pung Cholom Performing Troupe (Dancing Drummers of Manipur) Thursday, April 12, 7:30 pm Hill Auditorium

Cheikh Lô Friday, April 13, 8 pm Michigan Theater Senegalese singer/songwriter

Charles Lloyd Quartet Charles Lloyd, tenor saxophone Jason Moran, piano Reuben Rogers, bass Eric Harland, drums Saturday, April 14, 8 pm Michigan Theater

Pavel Haas Quartet Wednesday, April 18, 7:30 pm Rackham Auditorium Program: Tchaikovsky Quartet No. 1 in D Major, Op. 11 Pavel Haas Quartet No. 2, Op. 7 (“From the Monkey Mountains”) Smetana Quartet No. 1 in e minor (“From My Life”)

Blanche Neige (Snow White) Ballet Preljocaj Angelin Preljocaj, artistic director Jean Paul Gaultier, costume designer Thursday, April 19, 7:30 pm Friday, April 20, 8 pm Saturday, April 21, 8 pm Power Center

Academy of St. Martin-in-the Fields Joshua Bell, leader and violin Sunday, April 22, 4 pm Hill Auditorium Program Beethoven Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 Beethoven Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61 Beethoven Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92