Taproot Festival brings new music to Davis starting this weekend

Sam Nichols isn’t afraid of a little risk. As the curator for the Taproot New Music Festival, he puts a lot of trust into the composers and musicians creating pieces for the multi-day event. 

“There’s a sense of adventure,” said Nichols, chair of the Department of Music in the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis. “A lot of new music festivals are organized around themes or birthdays and I've kind of resisted both of those things.”

Instead, he prefers to let the artists experiment without restrictions. That goes for the audience too. 

“It is very different than already knowing the song and then going to hear it live — that's not the vibe,” he said. “It is kind of like rolling the dice and taking a chance. My hope is that you might go to one of these concerts and it might change the way you think about music, and what music is.” 

Eight participating composers working alongside exceptional artists will come together to produce and share new works with the community over six public concerts during the traditionally biennial Taproot New Music Festival. These composers will participate in seminars facilitated by UC Davis composition faculty and, over the course of the festival, develop their new compositions with the musicians who will premiere them. This 2025 festival is presented by the Department of Music and the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts at UC Davis.  

See the rest of the story, by Maria Sestito, explaining the festival's background and meaning.

From Memory to Print – Honoring Ancestry Through Silkscreen at TANA

Saturday, Oct. 25, Noon to 4 p.m., facilitated by guest artist Melanie King
TANA, 1224 Lemen Ave.  Woodland

Join TANA for a special Día de Muertos season workshop with guest artist Melanie King. Together, we will reflect on our ancestral connections and transform them into silkscreen art. Participants are invited to bring a meaningful object, ritual, or memory that ties them to their ancestors. Through guided sharing and hands-on printing, these stories and symbols will be honored and reimagined as original works of art. 

Come celebrate memory, ancestry and art in community at TANA. 
Materials provided / No prior experience needed — all ages are welcome

Violin and piano at Mondavi Center Sunday

Sunday, 2 p.m., Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

With remarkable musicianship that speaks for itself, Ray Chen is redefining what it means to be a classical artist in the 21st century.

At just 15, Ray Chen entered the Curtis Institute of Music. Since then, he’s released four acclaimed records, earning a spot on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list. He appears with longtime collaborator and pianist Julio Elizalde, a Bay Area native and San Francisco Conservatory faculty member praised for his “compelling artistry and power” (The Seattle Times). Together, they’ll deliver a program filled with some of classical music’s most treasured pieces. Tickets

Digital Program (PDF)

Next week in the arts

Square dance for all at Mondavi Center next Tuesday

Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, Oct. 28, 5 p.m.

The fall 2025 campus square dance at UC Davis is a rousing celebration of lively music and dancing. Hosted by the UC Davis Bluegrass and Old Time String Band under the direction of Scott Linford, the dance features guest caller Evie Ladin who joyfully guides even novice dancers in the movement. Space is limited. Free and open to all. The fun begins at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28 in the Vanderhoef Studio of the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts. See a video of a previous square dance below.  

Get ready for Día De Los Muertos and Halloween

Altar ready for placement on Wednesday, Oct. 29 and all week

Celebrate Día de Los Muertos by paying tribute to a loved one, or just view and take a moment for yourself at the ofrenda, or altar, at Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts. In what has become an annual tradition, visitors are welcome to visit the lobby 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. beginning Wednesday, Oct. 29 through Oct. 31, and through the weekend if attending a performance. 

This year, they are working with ofrenda builder Melissa Moreno, a Davis resident, and Terezita Romo with La Raza Galeria Posada. 

Campus and community members may add photos or notes to the ofrenda to honor their own departed loved ones when the lobby is open, according to Ruth Rosenberg, director of Arts Education and Artist Engagement at the Mondavi Center.

Got your costume and decorations yet? See this offer

Spirit Halloween raises funds for UC Davis Child Life

By Tricia Tomiyoshi, UC Davis Health