In 1984, John Tosco began hosting music parties as informal gatherings in his home. Over the years, these Tosco Music Parties, as they are known, have grown into popular community concerts where nationally recognized acts share the stage with undiscovered artists. The Tosco Music organization is presenting FabFest: Charlotte's Beatles Festival which will celebrate all things Beatles. Founder John Tosco talks about the festival as well as how his organization is helping support Charlotte's burgeoning music scene. Learn more about FabFest: Charlotte's Beatles Festival
For 61 years, the nationally recognized Eastern Music Festival (EMF) in Greensboro has been providing first rate educational opportunities to hundreds of young musicians from across the country and around the world. The festival also includes top notch performances featuring faculty, students, and internationally renowned soloists. Conductor Gerard Schwarz, who is the Eastern Music Festival music director, talks about this year's festival, the educational opportunities it provides young musicians, and the Adolphus Hailstork work the EMF Orchestra will premiere. He also talks about why he keeps coming back to Greensboro year after year. Learn more about the Eastern Music Festival Pictured: Gerard Schwarz; photo by Ben VanHouten
WDAV and the Fair Play Music Equity Alliance launch the second season of NoteWorthy virtual concerts with the experimental electro-pop group Bravo Pueblo collaborating with classical cellist Marlene Ballena and Kania Mills playing clarinet and saxophone. Siblings Claudio and Liza Ortiz of Bravo Pueblo describe the regenerative effect of their Latin rhythms combined with empowering Spanish language lyrics. Learn more about the event, here .
The talents of Charlotte composers and musicians will be on display at Carnegie Hall in New York City. James Kevin Gray and Rick Bean have written a Jazz Mass that will be performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City by many musicians and singers from the Charlotte area including renowned vocalist Dawn Anthony. Gray, Bean, Anthony, and conductor Sonja Sepulveda talk about the origins of the Jazz Mass , what it means for the Charlotte music community to have this work performed in New York, and how this work brings people from different backgrounds together. Pictured: Carnegie Hall by Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA - Carnegie Hall, CC BY 2.0 .
The Schiele Museum in Gastonia will open a brand-new exhibit called "Carolina 'Cue" which tells the story of the Carolinas most famous food tradition. The exhibit explores the history, culture, and science around this culinary institution. Tony Pasour, Head of Interpretation at the Schiele, talks about creating the exhibit and some of the barbecue traditions of Gaston County and the Southern Piedmont. Learn more about the "Carolina 'Que" exhibit Photo by Katerina Jerabkova on Unsplash
After a two-year hiatus, the Charlotte Bach Festival is back. The festival promises concerts of Bach masterworks, recitals, and several educational experiences which are central to the festival’s mission. Festival artistic director Scott Allen Jarrett talks about the festival generally and shares information about some exciting new additions this year including the inaugural appearance of the Bach Akademie Orchestra. Learn more about the Charlotte Bach Festival
Caritas A Cappella Ensemble will perform the premiere of North Carolina composer Dan Locklair's "Sing to the World: A Choral Celebration of Music." Caritas commissioned Locklair's new work in 2019, but because of the pandemic, they have not been able to hold the premiere until now. Caritas’ artistic director Cathy Youngblood and Dan Locklair talk about how they worked together to create this new work and what a composer must consider when writing music for the human voice. Learn more about the "Sing to the World: A Choral Celebration of Music" premiere
For several decades Israeli luthier Amnon Weinstein has been lovingly restoring violins with Holocaust histories, preserving their stories and those of their owners. These violins are known as the Violins of Hope, and they will be featured in concerts at the Stan Greenspon Center at UNC-Charlotte (UNCC). A new work written specifically for these instruments, "Intonations: Songs from the Violins of Hope," by renowned composer Jake Heggie will receive its East Coast premiere at these concerts. The music is based on stories from UNCC professor Heggie and Grymes' book "Violins of Hope: Instruments of Hope and Liberation in Mankind's Darkest Hour." Heggie and Grymes talk about the importance of capturing these histories in word and music for future generations.
Karen Kamensek is the guest conductor for Charlotte Symphony (CSO) and leads a program with Sibelius' Symphony No. 2 and Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1 featuring CSO concertmaster Calin Lupanu. Kamensek is in demand around the world as a guest conductor for both opera productions and symphonic concerts. Her recording of Philip Glass's Akhnaten with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus recently won the Grammy for Best Opera Recording. She talks about what she's learned from Philip Glass, what it's like to work with a brand-new orchestra, and how conducting operas and concerts are different. Pictured: Conductor Karen Kamensek by Denise Biffar.
After 35 years, Alan Black is retiring as principal cello of the Charlotte Symphony. Before he transitions to his new role as cello section player, he’ll be in the spotlight at the Charlotte Symphony’s “Music and Healing” concert at Queens University. He’ll be the soloist for the premiere of a work written for him by South Carolina composer Leonard Mark Lewis called “I Will Wade Out.” Black talks about his collaboration with Lewis. And he reflects on his long career in Charlotte explaining why this is a good time for him to pass the baton to new leadership in the cello section.