Asphalt Orchestra performs on the Olin Arts Center terrace on Oct. 8. Photograph by Jose Leiva.

On an October day that could have passed for August, Bates marked the 25th anniversary of its Olin Arts Center with a family arts festival.

And while the attractions included a marching band, popcorn, balloon animals and juggling, the festivity was much more than just another day at the circus.

See video of the Olin anniversary event.

The headliners, avant-garde marching band Asphalt Orchestra and the New Vaudeville act Two, managed both to honor the long traditions they represent and to show them in a new light. Maine natives Matt and Jason Tardy, aka Two, delivered their juggling and acrobatics with astounding skill, but also with edgy humor about show-biz conventions and performers’ egos.

“They convey the fact that there’s more behind it” than just the mechanics of their art and of creating a spectacle, said concert hall manager Seth Warner, who organized the Olin celebration.

Meanwhile, Asphalt Orchestra took the exhilarating energy of a half-time show and shifted it into a whole other realm.

Jason and Matt Tardy, aka Two, are joined by a young guest artist during an Olin Arts Center anniversary performance. Photo: Jose Leiva.

The band skipped Sousa and Top 40 in favor of world music and tunes by Björk and Frank Zappa. The arrangements left plenty of room for soaring jazz solos. And, eschewing uniforms for a blue-gray-black pastiche of denim and vintage garb, the 12-piece Asphalt showed in ways other than its name the awareness that a marching band’s home is the street.

In short sets on the Olin terrace, the band whirled and marched right into the crowd of students, kids and parents, many of whom played along on drums that Warner had set out.

Asphalt’s dance party tendency gained a new dimension as students from Rachel Boggia’s dance improvisation course performed during one set. Exploiting the grass and stone steps of the Keigwin Amphitheater, the dancers flowed and pivoted up and down, periodically flinging themselves at the feet of the musicians, who in turn brought their own choreography to the encounter.

This burst of energy on the banks of Lake Andrews was a high point of the day. And it was even more improvised than anyone had expected, Boggia said later. The dancers had planned to perform indoors, in the Bates Museum of Art, but “it seemed like everything was happening outside” — so they quickly revised their plans to work with Asphalt on the amphitheater.

“It was a great opportunity for them to realize that not everything goes by the rules.” After the dance, Boggia adds, Asphalt drummer Nick Jenkins shared nice thoughts about the occasion: “It seems like you have a really vital arts community here at Bates.”

Students in a dance improvisation course perform with Asphalt Orchestra. Photo: Jose Leiva.

The Tardys, of Buckfield, combined juggling, acrobatics, contortion — Matt threading himself through the ruptured mesh of a tennis racket, for instance — all set to thumping techno-pop tracks created by Matt. “This is so — dangerous!” Jason said as his brother began to juggle three knives. “Notice how Matt catches them by the handle part, not the shiny metal part.”

One of several bits in their show, the knife routine consisted of one Tardy juggling the blades while the other commented. Periodically they would trade roles — a brother tossing the knives to the other and getting the microphone in return, all juggling, all the time. The absence of lacerations was impressive, as was a mock mic mixup in which Matt, juggling the mic and two knives, managed to time his remarks to Jason just as the mic flew past his mouth.

Inside the arts center, families mingled with Bates students and faculty in the lobby amidst the buttery smell of popcorn. People of all ages sported the wearable balloon art made by Margaret Foster, of Portland, and face-painting and paper airplane-making were also on offer.

With the a cappella Merimanders contributing a well-received performance, the art museum open, and more music on tap from a jazz trio led by pianist Ahmad Hussan Muhammad, Warner’s intent was to offer arts for all tastes. In particular, he said, “I wanted to open it up to all ages.”

The day ended with Asphalt. Inside Olin, their performance was formally excellent, all pristine playing and solemn choreography. A high point, delivered as the musicians formed a long straight line across stage front, was Björk’s elegiac “Hyper-Ballad.”

But the proceedings seemed stiff, and after a few numbers alto sax player Ken Thomson announced the return to the terrace for the remainder of the set. The band led us out for a few more songs — and wound up a sparkling day at Bates with a hopping Balkan polka, Goran Bregovic’s “Champagne.”

Jee Hye Kim '12 and Kimberly Liaw '12 sport colorful headgear during the Olin Arts Center anniversary party. Photo: Jose Leiva.

Four musicians of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center perform a program featuring 20th-century music at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14 in the Olin Arts Center Concert Hall, 75 Russell St. Tickets are $10 and $4.

Gil Kalish and Wu Han, two of New York’s finest pianists, are joined by percussionists Daniel Druckman and Ayano Kataoka in two landmark works: Béla Bartok’s Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion (1937), and George Crumb’s 1974 Music for a Summer Evening (Makrokosmos III) (1974).

“What an opportunity to hear these works in one setting, especially because Crumb was directly inspired by Bartok,” says concert hall manager Seth Warner. The folkloric elements and pictorial richness of Bartok contrast with the American flair of Crumb’s musical language — bold, authoritative and charged with energy.

Co-artistic director of the Chamber Music Society, pianist Wu Han is one of today’s most esteemed and influential classical musicians. Leading an unusually multifaceted artistic career, she has risen to international prominence through her wide-ranging activities as a performer, recording artist, educator, arts administrator and cultural entrepreneur.

In high demand as a recitalist, concerto soloist, and chamber musician, Wu Han has appeared at many of the world’s most prestigious concert series and venues. She is a frequent collaborator with many of today’s finest musicians and ensembles, and appears extensively each season as duo pianist with cellist David Finckel, with whom she shares the artistic direction of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

Kalish is a major figure in American music-making, and in 2006 was awarded the Peabody Medal by the Peabody Conservatory for his outstanding contributions to music in America. He was the pianist of the Boston Symphony Chamber Players for 30 years, and was a founding member of the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, a group that flourished during the 1960s and 70s in support of new music.

He is particularly known for his partnership of many years with the late mezzo-soprano Jan DeGaetani, as well as for current collaborations with soprano Dawn Upshaw and cellists Timothy Eddy and Joel Krosnik. As an educator and performer he has appeared at the Banff Centre, the Steans Institute at Ravinia, the Marlboro Music Festival, and Music@Menlo; from 1985 to 1997 he served as chairman of the Tanglewood faculty.

His discography of some 100 recordings embraces both the classical and contemporary repertories. A distinguished professor at SUNY Stony Brook, Kalish has been an artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 2006.

Druckman  is active as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician and recording artist, concertizing throughout the United States, Europe and Japan. He has appeared as soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the American Composer’s Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic’s Horizons concerts, and the San Francisco Symphony’s New and Unusual Music series, as well as in recital in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo.

He has been a member of the New York Philharmonic since 1991, where he serves as associate principal percussion. He is an integral part of New York’s new music community, has made several solo recordings and is on faculty at The Juilliard School, where he chairs the percussion department and directs the percussion ensemble.

Kataoka is known for her artistic versatility. She participated in a performance of Stravinsky’s Soldier’s Tale which included violinist Jaime Laredo and actors Alan Alda and Noah Wyle. In the same year, she performed Leon Kirchener’s Flutings for Paula for flute and percussion with Paula Robison in celebration of the composer’s 90th birthday, at the Miller Theatre and Gardner Museum.

Recently she presented a solo recital at Tokyo Opera City Recital Hall which was broadcast on NHK, the national public radio of Japan. Her performances can be heard on the Deutsche Grammophon, Naxos, New World, New Focus, and Albany recording labels.  She is a faculty member of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Jazz composer, bassist and singer Avishai Cohen made a Bates debut in 2008 that concert hall manager Seth Warner calls “amazing.” Now he returns for a performance at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17, in the Olin Arts Center Concert Hall, 75 Russell St. Tickets are $12 and $6, and are available at www.batestickets.com.

Cohen brings with him the players and songs from his 2009 album Aurora (EMI International), a highly personal effort reflecting the cultural cross-currents that flow through Israel, where Cohen was born, and featuring lyrics in Hebrew, English, Spanish and Ladino. The French newspaper L’Express called it “an album that could play an entire lifetime,” with “catchy and timeless melodies.”

Supporting Cohen at Bates are vocalist Karen Malka, percussionist Itmar Doari and oudist Amos Hoffman.

Not to be confused with the trumpeter of the same name, Cohen came of age musically in New York as a member of Chick Corea’s sextet Origin. Known as a bandleader for making an eclectic brand of jazz that seamlessly blends energy and lyricism, he has also performed with jazz masters like Paquito D’Rivera, major symphony orchestras and pop-soul artist Alicia Keyes. Bass Player Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential bass players of the 20th century.

The award-winning Ensemble 415 performs chamber works and concerti by Albinoni, Muffat, Albicastro and J.S. Bach at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6 in the Olin Arts Center Concert Hall, 75 Russell St.

Tickets are $10 and $4 and are available at batestickets.com. For more information, please contact 207-786-6135 or this olinarts@bates.edu.

Led by violinist Chiara Banchini, the internationally renowned Ensemble 415 has established itself as one of the finest baroque ensembles in the world. The group has released more than 20 recordings and has performed at prestigious festivals and concert venues worldwide. Acclaimed by critics and the public alike for its performances, the ensemble is also known for its efforts to broaden the concert repertoire of music from the 17th and 18th centuries.

“It’s the U.S. debut for this seasoned European group,” says Olin concert hall manager Seth Warner. “The Olin audience will never have heard music for Baroque strings played with such finesse and fire.”

Baroque ensemble Musica Nuova brings to Bates a program called It’s Complicated -– a name borrowed from Facebook — at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24, in the Olin Arts Center Concert Hall, 75 Russell St. Focused on music by Italian composers from the early 1600s, this highly entertaining concert illustrates that love and its complexities haven’t changed so much over the years.

Tickets are $5 and available from www.batestickets.com. Proceeds benefit the 2010 Dempsey Challenge. For more information, please conatct 207-786-6135 or this olinarts@bates.edu.

Founded in 2008, Musica Nuova reflects three years of collaboration between mezzo-soprano Amanda Keil and lutenist Scott Lemire, who actively perform as recitalists in Boston. They joined forces with Suzanne Cartreine, harpsichordist, and Joshua Schreiber Shalem, viola da gambist, to form a historically informed continuo ensemble

“What I love about this group is that they find ways to keep the music of the Baroque as fresh and vital as when it was new,” says Olin concert hall manager Seth Warner. “They mix drama, music, a modern sensibility and fun.”

Back-to-back concerts at Bates College explore the music of two composers associated with the formative years of Viennese classical music, Franz Josef Haydn and Luigi Boccherini.

The Parker Quartet becomes a fivesome when guitarist Seth Warner sits in for a performance of Boccherini’s “Fandango” Quintet for guitar and strings in a 7:30 p.m. program on Saturday, Oct. 17. The program also includes music by Haydn and Mendelssohn.

Regarded as one of the world’s foremost players of harpsichord and fortepiano, Andreas Staier performs fortepiano music by Haydn starting at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. Staier will use a copy of a Walther fortepiano built by R.J. Regier of Freeport.

Both concerts take place in the Olin Arts Center Concert Hall, 75 Russell St. Tickets, at $12 for general admission and $6 for seniors and students, are available at www.batestickets.com. (One hundred free tickets for each concert will be available at the door to Bates students on a first-come, first-served basis.)

The Parker Quartet has been called “something extraordinary” by The New York Times. The Boston Globe hailed its “fiercely committed performances” and The Washington Post declared it “a quartet that deserves close attention.”

The quartet’s awards include first prizes at the 2005 Concert Artists Guild Competition and the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition. They have performed in such series as Lincoln Center’s Great Performers, the Wolf Trap Discovery Series and Ravinia’s Rising Stars; and at such venues as Jordan Hall and Gardner Museum in Boston, and in New York’s Symphony Space and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Warner, concert hall manager at Bates, is a multi-instrumentalist whose performances on guitar and lute were described as “ethereal” by the Portland Press Herald. On the Boccherini, he will play a reproduction of a 19th-century guitar by Viennese luthier Johann Anton Stauffer.

Born in Göttingen, Germany, Staier studied modern piano and harpsichord in Hannover and Amsterdam. For three years, he was the harpsichordist of Musica Antiqua Köln, with which he toured and recorded extensively.

Staier performs throughout Europe, the United States and Japan with orchestras such as Concerto Köln, Freiburger Barockorchester, the Akademie für alte Musik Berlin and the Orchestre des Champs-Elysées Paris. Staier has made several recordings of works from the Baroque through early Romantic eras, and his solo work is often broadcast on the BBC.