Immeasurable Equation: The Music of Sun Ra University Jazz Band returns to perform the music of the pioneering bandleader, composer and performer Sun Ra. Join them for what promises to be an unforgettable night of music, celebrating one of the most innovative figures in the history of jazz! Having grown up in the big band tradition, arranging and performing with swing stalwarts, such as Coleman Hawkins and Fletcher Henderson, Sun Ra went on to form his interstellar 'Arkestra'. With an ever-changing line-up of anywhere between 15 and 35 musicians, the ensemble played Sun Ra's original compositions and engaged in large-scale collective improvisation. The Sun Ra Arkestra is still active today and is known for its distinctive performance style, incorporating outfits that reflect Sun Ra's fascination with Egyptology and the mysteries of outer space. Arkestra members also regularly venture into the audience, playing and singing among them. University Jazz Band focuses on performances of large-ensemble jazz and improvised music from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Recent projects have included performances of the works of Charles Mingus and J Dilla. The ensemble is directed by the award-winning arranger and composer Fergus Quill, who has collaborated with artists such as John Zorn and Hermeto Pascoal. He was also involved with the debut album of saxophonist Marshall Allen, the current musical director of The Sun Ra Arkestra, which was released to coincide with Allen's one-hundred-and-first birthday. Fergus Quill director

Handel – Music for Royal Occasions Four Coronation Anthems (incl. Zadok the Priest) Tu del ciel ministro eletto from Trionfo del Tempo Sento il cor che lieto gode from Fernando, re di Castiglia Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne Selection from Music for the Royal Fireworks Following their thrilling collaboration last season on Bach's Mass in B Minor, The 24 again unite with dynamic period ensemble Manchester Baroque – now in its seventh year – for a resplendent all-Handel programme (to be repeated at Hallé St Peter's on 29 May). Joined by a trio of stellar soloists (including from the ranks of I Fagiolini), our forces will revel in the composer at his most regal, including the Coronation Anthems penned for the 1727 crowning of George II and his magnificent Music for the Royal Fireworks conceived to accompany celebratory pyrotechnics in London's Green Park marking the end of the War of the Austrian Succession in 1749. Emily Vine soprano Martha McLorinan mezzo-soprano Frederick Long bass with The 24 & Manchester Baroque Robert Hollingworth conductor Pauline Nobes leader, director of Music for the Royal Fireworks

Join Tangram on a deep exploration of Chinese philosophy and Western classical music. Divine Intimacies presents a programme for Chinese and Western instruments that showcases how ancient divination practices have inspired music, ritual and performance for over 1000 years. Returning to York following their compelling performance last season, Tangram is a London-based artist collective specialising in multidisciplinary and cross-cultural productions. They are Associate Artists at LSO St Luke's, where they have been praised for their 'highly imaginative presentations' (I CARE IF YOU LISTEN), 'powerfully theatrical performance' (TEMPO) and 'intoxicating overall mood of poetry, restraint and elegance' (The Stage). Garwyn Linnell cello Daniel Shao flute Beibei Wang percussion Peng Cheng erhu PK, Meng Chang design

Our annual student showcase celebrates the breadth of musical talent from across the University. The line-up includes a cappella group Vox, presenting arrangements of pop songs, most of which were created by members of the ensemble, past and present. Gospel choir Zamar prides itself on being all about having fun while singing. The ensemble performs music from a range of genres, including pop, folk and musical theatre. Currently celebrating its tenth anniversary, Animas is a mixed choir that sings repertoire spanning the centuries. Join our exceptionally talented student performers as they take you on an exhilarating journey through the history of vocal music!

Resurgent interest in American composer Julius Eastman in the decades since his death in 1990 has brought both his mercurial musical output and his uniquely collaborative artistic approach to global attention. His 1974-piece Femenine unfolds from a simple oscillation between two notes into a vast and varied sonic canvas shaped by its performers. It sits at the heart of this programme from The Chimera Ensemble, alongside new works by students.

Join us in celebrating the rich and diverse community of postgraduate performers here at York, showcasing a selection of their outstanding work from across the year. This performance also offers an opportunity to honour the University's association with Dame Janet Baker, whose influence continues to inspire our talented student musicians through the scholarships made in her name.