The season kicks off on Monday, Aug. 27, with a free outdoor performance from a high-energy group that National Public Radio called “one of the best party bands around.” The spirited musicians of Red Baraat blend the North Indian rhythms of Bhangra music with the sounds of funk, go-go, Latin and New Orleans jazz. Led by percussionist Sunny Jain, Red Baraat’s exhilarating music and energy provide a festive launch to CES’ new season. Comprised of dhol (a double-sided, barrel-shaped North Indian drum slung over one shoulder), drum set, percussion, sousaphone and five horns, Red Baraat’s rousing free performance begins at 7:30 p.m. on FSU’s Clock Tower Quad beside the Lane University Center. Preceding the performance, at 6 p.m., the artists will present an interactive session about Bhangra and a celebratory festival of Indian- inspired culture.

Grammy-winning artist Kathy Mattea returns to Western Maryland to perform as part of the City of Frostburg’s Bicentennial Celebration. Her latest project, “Calling Me Home,” celebrates the folk music and culture of Appalachia. Mattea’s passionate alto vocals helped her collect 15 consecutive top-10 hits and four number-one singles on the country charts. For “Calling Me Home,” she performs the traditional songs of bravery, pride and grief that speak of life in the world’s oldest mountains. The 7:30 p.m. performance on Saturday, Sept. 15, takes place in the Cordts Physical Education Center’s Main Arena.

This year’s annual Family Weekend celebration is highlighted by two performances from four memorable finalists who appeared on the popular program, “American Idol.” “American Stars in Concert Celebrates Motown” features vocalists Anwar Robinson, Alexis Grace, Michael Sarver and Lil Rounds. The concert includes songs from some of the greatest performers to emerge from Hitsville, U.S.A., including Smokey Robinson, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5, and The Temptations. Performances are at 5 and 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22, in the Alice R. Manicur Assembly Hall in the Lane University Center.

In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of one of the worst tragedies of the 20th century, the sweeping production of “Titanic the Musical” is presented in two riveting performances on Sunday, Sept. 30, at 3 and 7:30 p.m. in the Drama Theatre in the Performing Arts Center. “Titanic,” which won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, follows the ship’s passengers, officers and crew as they meet their fate in the icy waters of the North Atlantic.

CES presents the Theatreworks USA production of “Imogene’s Antlers and Other Storybooks” as part of the Arts for the School Day program on Tuesday, Oct. 9, and Wednesday, Oct. 10. Regional elementary school children will travel to the University to attend one of five school-day matinees. A limited number of public tickets are available for the 4:30 p.m. performance on Oct. 9 in the Pealer Recital Hall of the Performing Arts Center.

The always-outstanding Maryland Symphony Orchestra returns to FSU for a performance of classical works on Friday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m. in the Pealer Recital Hall, Performing Arts Center. Led by masterful musical director Elizabeth Schulze, the orchestra presents a program of notable last works from composers Joseph Haydn, Jean Sibelius and Edward Elgar. Cellist Zuill Bailey joins the orchestra as a soloist in Elgar’s “Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85.”

An October visit from The Capitol Steps serves as an entertaining prelude to the 2012 presidential election. The comedy troupe from Washington, D.C., created in 1981 by a group of Senate staffers, offers bipartisan laughs in a satirical send-up to the current political scene. The comedians appear at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 24, in the Pealer Recital Hall, Performing Arts Center.

LIVE! at StarScape presents Grammy winner and blues legend John Hammond on Saturday, Nov. 10, at 8 p.m. in Windsor Hall at the Cumberland Town Centre. Hammond, who was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2011, offers a solo performance on guitar and harmonica that reveals why musical legends such as Tom Waits and T- Bone Burnett consider him a master and a virtuoso. Find out why Billboard magazine declared, “… like bourbon, his voice only gets more seductively potent with age.”

Next, celebrate the holiday season with a heartwarming performance from the Von Trapp family. These grandchildren of Captain Von Trapp continue the musical traditions of their famous family, who were portrayed in the timeless movie, “The Sound of Music.” These young siblings perform holiday favorites, as well as selections from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical that turned Von Trapp into a household name. The performance occurs Thursday, Nov. 29, at 7:30 p.m. in the Pealer Recital Hall, Performing Arts Center.

Iconic comedian and actress Sandra Bernhard will present her musical cabaret performance on Thursday, Feb. 28, at 7:30 p.m. and Friday, March 1, at 8 p.m. in Lane Manicur Hall. Described by the New York Times as “a living, breathing bonfire,” Bernhard’s provocative cabaret performance encompasses all the boldness and vitality that have made her legendary in the entertainment world.

The Lula Washington Dance Theatre performs on Wednesday, March 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Drama Theatre of the Performing Arts Center. The Los Angeles-based company is led by the charismatic and inspiring dancer and choreographer, Lula Washington, and fuses modern, ballet and hip-hop techniques for a signature style and quality that the New York Times called “boisterous and refreshing.”

“MatheMagic!” with magician and educator Bradley Fields is presented as part of CES’ Arts for the School Day program on Monday, April 15, and Tuesday, April 16. The performance uses magic and illusion to turn students on to the history, power and beauty of the language of math. Regional elementary and middle school students will come to the University for one of four school-day matinees. A limited number of public tickets are available for the 4:30 p.m. performance on April 15 in Lane Manicur Hall.

LIVE! at StarScape presents Luciana Souza and Romero Lubambo: Brazilian Duos on Saturday, April 20, at 8 p.m. in Lane Manicur Hall. Hailing from Sao Paolo, Brazil, Grammy-winning jazz vocalist Souza is one of the leading singers and interpreters in the Latin jazz genre. Entertainment Weekly says, “her voice traces a landscape of emotion that knows no boundaries.” Fellow Brazilian, the skilled guitarist Lubambo was praised by Jazziz magazine as perhaps being “the best practitioner of his craft in the world today.” Together, they create an outstanding musical experience for their audience, and the Los Angeles Times praised their show for its “inspired excellence [and] utter musical involvement … a must-hear musical destination.”

The season ends with the enchantment of Broadway, when “Three Phantoms in Concert” is presented in the Pealer Recital Hall, Performing Arts Center. Leading Broadway actors Gary Mauer, Craig Schulman and Ciarán Sheehan present solos, duets and trios from the male repertoire of American musical theatre, including selections from “Les Misérables,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “West Side Story.” The concert on Friday, April 26, begins at 8 p.m.

Tickets, including ticket packages and discounts, are available for all CES performances: A Build Your Own Series package for those planning to attend several events throughout the year; Corporate Nights offering group pricing, priority seating and personalized service; and Group Sales with special rates for purchases of 15 or more tickets for a single performance. Tickets may be ordered by calling 1-866- 849-9237 or 301-687-3137 or by visiting http://ces.frostburg.edu.

The Cultural Events Series is sponsored in part by the Allegany Arts Council with funds from the Maryland State Arts Council, and is supported by a grant from MSAC, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. An agency of the Department of Business and Economic Development, MSAC provides financial support and technical assistance to nonprofit organizations, units of government, colleges and universities for arts activities.

Situated in the mountains of Allegany County, Frostburg State University is one of the 12 institutions of the University System of Maryland. FSU is a comprehensive, residential regional university and serves as an educational and cultural center for Western Maryland. For more information, visit www.frostburg.edu or facebook.com/frostburgstateuniversity.