5 Free Things to Do at Duke in November 2024

Musical performances and Duke Centennial events are on the docket for the coming month

A collage of photos includes a picture of Duke Chapel, a musical quartet standing on the steps of a building, a chorus group standing in performance robes, an event listing for Entrepreneurs at Duke and two men examining a product on a table at an exhibition.,
Among the free events at Duke in November 2024 are a vocal ensemble, Jazz Vespers and an Entrepreneurship at Duke event.

As the calendar turns toward the holiday season, Duke offers an array of musical, networking and instructional activities in November for staff and faculty to participate in for no cost.

Each month during the academic year, the Working@Duke editorial team searches the Duke Event Calendar and elsewhere for five free things to do at Duke. Check back during the first week of December for the next installment of events.

Nov. 7 – Tenebrae

Two days after Election Day, Duke Arts hosts British vocal ensemble Tenebrae at the Duke Chapel from 7:30-8:30 p.m. for “a moment of healing through music.” The event is free for Duke students, faculty and staff, and $5 add-on tickets are available for children accompanied by an adult. Single tickets are $10 for the public.

Tenebrae is known for its interpretation of choral works spanning five centuries. It was formed in 2001 by former The King’s Singers’ Nigel Short and has established a reputation for theatrical programming and performances in sacred and secular spaces.

Nov. 9 ­ – Ciompi Quartet: Vienna to L.A.

Ciompi Quartet will perform a program of works connected by time and place celebrating the 150th anniversary of composer Arnold Schoenberg birth at 7:30 p.m. at Baldwin Auditorium. Mozart’s Vienna produced Quartets like No. 22 in B-flat major, K.589 will begin the program. Pieces by Erich Korngold and Schoenberg, both raised in Vienna, complete the scheduled performance.

Nov. 13 ­ – Entrepreneurship at Duke: Our Past, Present & Future

Hear distinguished Duke alumni talk about their entrepreneurial journeys and how they have changed the world for the better at this Fuqua School of Business event from 6-8 p.m. in the Geneen Auditorium that includes a panel discussion, student pitches and a reception. Duke University President Vincent Price will provide opening remarks. Registration is requested.

Aerial of Duke chapel

Nov. 14 ­ – Jazz Vespers: A Service of Thanksgiving

Jazz Vespers has become a well-loved tradition at Duke Chapel over the past 10 years. The 7 p.m. service combines the ancient Christian tradition of evening vespers with Black sacred music, including jazz, gospel and spirituals. Duke Chapel ministers lead the service, which includes “jazz prayer stations” with various forms of prayer. Duke’s Vice Provost in the Arts, John Brown, and his “Little” Big Band lead the music.

Nov. 20 – Invented at Duke 2024

The sixth annual event showcasing Duke inventors and inventions hosted by the Duke Office for Translation & Commercialization will be at Penn Pavilion from 4:30-7 p.m. and feature a special invited speaker, FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf. Califf is a founding director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute, and completed his undergraduate, medical degrees and his cardiology fellowship at Duke University. The event will feature inventors with booths, drinks and hors d’oeurvres. Registration is requested.

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