Bobby McFerrin, a 10-time Grammy Award winning artist, will launch Princeton University’s 125th anniversary season.
His special performance will be staged at the Richardson Auditorium at Alexander Hall on Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Featured alongside his a cappella group, Gimme5, McFerrin will play a program he titled, ‘Circlesongs,’ which is what he calls an evening of spontaneous music-making through shared improvised sound, in a language growing out of tribal chant and sacred music.
With some assistance from the Princeton University Glee Club, audiences will be led in a call and response with the performers.
“I want everyone to leave the theatre and sing in their own kitchens the next morning,” said McFerrin. He wants to lead everyone, “into the incredible feeling of freedom that I get when I sing.”
Prior to McFerrin’s performance that evening at 7:30, he and his a cappella group, Gimme5, will also perform the first ‘Live Music Meditation,’ of the Princeton University Concert 2018-19 season at 12:30 p.m.
A partnership with the Princeton University Office of Religious Life open to all, these “Mindfulness with Music” programs feature half-hour meditations to live music performed by musicians on the PUC series, guided by Associate Dean of Religious Life Matthew Weiner.
The first singing meditation of the program, the Live Music Meditation with McFerrin and Gimme5 is an unprecedented opportunity to experience music even more personally than a traditional concert setting allows.
The ‘Live Music Meditation’ is free, but a reservation is required. The public can make free reservations as of noon on Sept. 17, online only at princetonuniversityconcerts.org. Any remaining seats will be available at Richardson Auditorium beginning at 11:45 on the morning of the meditation.
Tickets for the McFerrin concert on Sept. 21, are $45 for general admission and $15 for students. They are available online at, princetonuniversityconcerts.org. Tickets will be available by phone at 609-258-9220 after Sept. 4. Any remaining tickets will be available in person two hours prior to the concert at the Richardson Auditorium Box Office.