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Interviews with artists, performers and community arts leaders. Subscribe:
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WDAV's Biscuits and Bach host, Rachel Stewart, talks with musicians, artists, chefs, foodies and others about everybody's favorite topic - food.Subscribe to a podcast of this series via iTunes using the button below or visit our subscribe page for other options.Subscribe
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Our series of reviews and reports from the nation’s premier Arts festival in Charleston, South Carolina. Discover performances and events at this year's festival, visit Spoleto Festival USA.Subscribe to a podcast of this series via iTunes using the button below or visit our subscribe page for other options.Subscribe
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WDAV invites artist and musicians to the John Clark performance studio to share their thoughts and talents.Subscribe to a podcast of this series via iTunes using the button below or visit our subscribe page for other options.Subscribe
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Join Alexander McCall, Themba Searles and Kali Blevins as they take you on a journey through different periods and styles of classical music. Along the way we’ll share interesting facts and expose you to a diverse range of pieces to increase your knowledge and appreciation of the different forms of classical music.Subscribe to a podcast of this series via iTunes using the button below or visit our subscribe page for other options.Subscribe
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Mandolinists and mandolin lovers will gather at Davidson College for a Mandolin Symposium, with public concerts and workshops. We talk to organizers Michael Orlando and Jonah Horton about their mandolin careers and symposium's events. We'll also hear from the director of Theatre Charlotte's new comedy, "The Play that Goes Wrong." Learn more about t…
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Middle C Jazz in uptown Charlotte was founded in 2019, right before the pandemic. It's now attracting top musicians - and crowds. On this Piedmont Arts podcast, we talk with founder Larry Farber about the club, the music and his role in bringing jazz to a wider audience in Charlotte. Learn more about Middle C Jazz…
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The Musical Offering by Johann Sebastian Bach was written in response to a challenge from Frederick the Great of Prussia to create six-voice fugue based on a theme written by the King himself. Bach Akademie Charlotte will perform Bach's famous gift to the monarch, as well as works by other members of the Bach family, in a concert at St. Mark's Luth…
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The Musical Offering by Johann Sebastian Bach was a response to a challenge from Frederick the Great of Prussia to create six-voice fugue based on a theme (supposedly) written by the King. Bach Akademie Charlotte will perform Bach's famous gift to the monarch, as well as works by other members of the Bach family, in a concert at St. Mark's Lutheran…
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Coming up on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (2025), the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture in Charlotte will host a day of events called "Designing the Future." A panel discussion will look at the late 1960s project in North Carolina's Warren County called "Soul City." On this Piedmont Arts, we talk with Charlotte native and Set…
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World renowned pianist Orion Weiss joins the Charlotte Symphony for concerts in January. He'll be the soloist for two very different works: Stravinsky's Concerto for Piano and Winds and Bach's Harpsichord Concerto No. 6 . On this Piedmont Arts he talks about how much he enjoys learning new Bach works.…
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World renowned pianist Orion Weiss joins the Charlotte Symphony for concerts in January. He'll be the soloist for two very different works: Stravinsky's Concerto for Piano and Winds and Bach's Harpsichord Concerto No. 6 . He's the guest on Biscuits and Bach and he talks about how much he enjoys learning new Bach works. Pictured: Orion Weiss by Lisa…
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On this Piedmont Arts podcast, we talk with Madeline Dierauf, an award-winning Appalachian fiddler and Davidson College student. She's a native of Brevard, North Carolina, who has been playing fiddle since she was eight. Hear more about her dual careers, her upcoming Rhodes Scholarship, and a bit of her music.…
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It's the 70th year for a Charlotte holiday tradition. Carolina Voices' Singing Christmas tree returns to Central Piedmont Community College's Halton Theater. On this Piedmont Arts podcast, host David Boraks talks with artistic and executive director Peter Leo about how Charlotte's is one of the oldest singing christmas trees in the country, and wha…
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Spirit and Soul Bakehouse is an Indigenous owned bakery started by pastry chef Travis Lipscomb. Lipscomb is not only an expert on French pastry, he's also well versed in Native Foodways. At Spirit and Soul he reinterprets European classics through the lens of Native Foodways. Tune in to hear how Lipscomb is using ingredients like corn and squash to…
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Kwame Ryan conducts his first concert as the Charlotte Symphony's Music Director this weekend at Belk Theatre in Charlotte. He and the orchestra, along with the Charlotte Master Chorale, will perform Johannes Brahms' beloved masterwork "A German Requiem." The composition has special significance for Ryan which is one of the reasons he wanted to put…
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As the Charlotte area grows, so does its cultural offerings. On this Piedmont Arts, we talk to representatives from two of the newer arts organizations in our area. The Cain Center for the Arts in Cornelius has a new exhibit called “Generations: Highlighting Indigenous Peoples, Cultures, and Artwork" which features creations by Catawba, Cherokee, L…
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A new exhibit at Charlotte's Mint Museum Uptown looks at the art and artists of the South in the first half of the 20th century. The show called "Southern/Modern" has more than 100 paintings and works on paper by artists from the region, or who worked here. On this episode of the Piedmont Arts podcast, we talk with curator Jonathan Stuhlman and tak…
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Have you ever wanted to go into space? A virtual reality experience at Blumenthal Arts' new Blume Studios takes you there. "Space Explorers: The Infinite" uses virtual reality goggles to make you feel like you're on the International Space Station. Find out more in this Piedmont Arts podcast, along with a report on the upcoming Halloween concert by…
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JazzArts Charlotte has been around for 15 years, promoting jazz through education and concerts with top performers from around the world. On this episode, CEO and co-founder Lonnie Davis talks about the group's origins and how it's growing a new generation of jazz performers and fans through education and concerts. Learn more about JazzArts Charlot…
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Charlotte is trying to put itself back on the map as a music city, with an annual conference called Confluence. This year's event is at AvidXchange Music Factory and music venues around the city. On this Piedmont Arts podcast, we'll hear from two of the organizers, Rick Thurmond and Liz Brigham, about what you'll see and hear. Learn more about the …
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The North Carolina Brass Band performs a free concert in Charlotte at First United Methodist Church. It's a night of brass band and pipe organ music featuring organist Evan Currie. On this Piedmont Arts podcast, we talk with music director Brian Meixner and cornest Bill Lawing. Plus, we talk with singer-songwriter and classically trained cellist Be…
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Museums across the Piedmont are hanging their fall shows. On this Piedmont Arts podcast, we have a preview that includes local and regional art at Charlotte's Mint Museum, Surrealism and African American artists at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, a Wizard of Oz-themed show at UNC Charlotte and more.…
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A new season of live music is starting for music groups and venues across the Piedmont. In this Piedmont Arts podcast, we have a few ideas as you plan your listening for the 2024-25 season. We preview what's coming from classical music groups like Bach Akademie Charlotte and 7th Street Concerts , monthly concerts from JazzArts Charlotte , and eclec…
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One of Bach's great musical achievements is his six cello suites. Most professional cellists will add them to their repertoire at some point in their career. We talk to Guy Fishman, principal cellist with Bach Akademie Charlotte, about his recital at Holy Comforter Church in Charlotte where he plays all six suites, a herculean feat. Guy tells us wh…
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A new season of theater is coming up across the region. This episode previews Broadway shows at The Blumenthal in Charlotte, children's shows at Children's Theater of Charlotte, and productions at professional and community theaters from Charlotte to Salisbury to Hickory. Pictured: Lin-Manuel Miranda in the title role of his musical "Hamilton"; By …
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Hosts Rachel Stewart and David Boraks preview the 2024 - 2025 opera season at companies around the region. Opera Carolina's James Meena talks about his company's season of classic operas, plus a special benefit concert with famed Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. Opera Carolina Piedmont Opera North Carolina Opera Greensboro Opera…
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If you live near Winston-Salem, Hickory, Salisbury, Rock Hill, Monroe, or, of course, Charlotte, you’ll be close to some great music this year. The orchestras in those communities have a variety of concerts planned with varied repertoire. There's Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, but also contemporary composers including a former Miss America who writes …
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The inaugural Carolina Youth Orchestra Summer Festival will take place at Davidson College in early August 2024. The three-day clinic is designed to help young musicians develop their musical skills under the tutelage of professional musicians and broaden their connections to our music community. The festival culminates in a free public concert at …
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On this Piedmont Arts podcast, we talk with Shante Williams, the new general director of Opera Carolina. Williams is a business owner and venture capitalist who has been on the Opera Carolina board for three years. She talks about the upcoming season, her passion for new operas, and about the group's future.…
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These days, the cello is one of the star instruments of the orchestra, but that hasn't always been the case. For the 2024 Charlotte Bach Festival, principal cello and Bach Akademie Charlotte artistic leader Guy Fishman has put together a program called "The Cello Ascending." He discusses how the program explores how the cello's role has evolved fro…
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Juneteenth marks the date on June 19, 1865, when news of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached the last remaining enslaved people in Texas. We talk with Davidson College historian Hilary Green about how Texas commemorations in the 19th century led to the declaration of a national holiday in 2021. We also get an overview of the Juneteenth ev…
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Bach Akademie Charlotte's concertmaster Aisslinn Nosky explains why Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" is the featured work in the opening concert of the 2024 Charlotte Bach Festival . She also talks about why she loves the work and looks forward to playing with with her Bach Akademie colleagues. Aisslinn will be both soloist and conductor for the perfor…
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Bach Akademie Charlotte’s 2024 Bach Festival returns to various locations around Charlotte and this year’s festival is called “Bach Akademie Charlotte Goes to Italy.” While it is indeed a Bach festival, it’s bookended by opening and closing concerts that focus on music from Italy, namely Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 . We …
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Trumpeter Rodney Marsalis is a member of the famous New Orleans musical family and the leader of the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass. We talk to Marsalis about his career and the group's upcoming concert at Gardner-Webb University. Learn more about the Summer in the Springs with the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass Concert Pictured: Th…
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The Salisbury Symphony has been looking for a new music director this season, and they will audition their final candidate at their concert called "Hope and Lifting." Daniel Wiley will conduct the orchestra in music of Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, and Omar Thomas. Wiley is currently assistant conductor with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Pops. …
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The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra is producing an immersive event called "Merge" that combines modern symphonic music with electronic dance music and synchronized visual projections. Resident Conductor Christopher James Lees talks about the symphony's foray into new territory and the collaboration that brought it to life. Learn more about the MERGE:…
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Mark and Maggie O’Connor kick off a national tour in support of their new album, Life after Life, at The Cain Center for the Arts in Cornelius, NC. Before that, they perform a few tracks for us and speak to Frank Dominguez about how the pandemic isolation allowed them to focus on songwriting, much of which forms the basis of the new release. Learn …
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Charlotteans Lorne Lassiter and Gary Ferraro helped found the former Mint Museum of Craft and Design in uptown. They've also donated dozens of pieces from their own collection. The exhibit "Craft Across Continents" features many of those works in glass, wood, ceramics, and textiles. On this edition of the Piedmont Arts podcast, we tour the exhibit …
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Kalena Bovell, a candidate for Salisbury Symphony Music Director, will lead the orchestra in a program called "Musical Inspirations." Bovell made her professional debut as the Chicago Sinfonietta's Assistant Conductor in 2015 and has led performances at the BBC Proms and the Kennedy Center. She also recently had her opera debut at Volcano Theatre w…
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The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) shared news that the organization has raised more than $40 million toward a goal of $50 million for its endowment. CSO President and CEO David Fisk discusses why having a significant endowment makes the orchestra stronger, and he provides details about the vital programs the endowment campaign will enable in t…
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Charlotte's nonprofit Blumenthal Arts hosts touring Broadway shows, symphony concerts and the ballet, among other things. But it's also branching out to other kinds of events, like the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit a couple of years ago. David Boraks talks with Blumenthal Arts CEO Tom Gabbard about another big immersive exhibit coming to Charlotte and…
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Each Spring the Charlotte Shout! Festival takes place in uptown Charlotte, and one important component of the festival is Charlotte StrEATs, which focuses on food. This week we talk to one of the producers of Charlotte StrEATs, Kristen Wile from Unpretentious Palate, a digital publication covering food and drink in our region. She gives us an overv…
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The Charlotte Shout! festival is produced by Charlotte Center City Partners and showcases Charlotte's creativity, innovation, diversity, and resilience. It includes music acts, art installations, community conversations, culinary events, and more. We talk to Rick Thurmond from Charlotte Center City Partners about the festival's importance to our cu…
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Traditionally, composers have written music with a group of musicians in mind, painstakingly transcribing or notating their ideas as sheet music. But these days, many work on a computer loaded with a digital library of instruments and sounds. That’s the case for the next generation of composers in training at Davidson College. We visit with music p…
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The Marriage of Figaro considered one of the greatest operas of all time, is billed as a comic opera but addresses serious themes such as tension between the social classes. Find out more about this masterpiece, and its important place in history by listening to a conversation with Dr. Scott MacLeod, associate professor of music and director of Hig…
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One Voice Chorus was founded in Charlotte in 1990 to bring together lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and LGBTQIA+ affirming people to celebrate their lives through song. Since that time the chorus has grown in membership from 25 to more than 90 singers. Executive Director Micah Deer fills us in on the organization's history, purpose, and progra…
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Thorgy Thor, a classically trained musician who first came to national prominence on the television series RuPaul’s Drag Race , is the guest on this episode of Piedmont Arts. After a recent appearance at Davidson College, she spoke to us about how she developed the concert program Thorgy and the Thorchestra which has been performed with orchestras …
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Members of the Bechtler Ensemble perform a program of music by the Armenian curate Komitas, a pioneer in the field of ethnomusicology. Ensemble director Tanja Bechtler also speaks about Komitas’ efforts to preserve Armenian culture in the face of genocide. Heard on the Episode: Joe Meyer, violin 1 Tatiana Karpova, violin 2 Vasily Gorkovoy, viola Ta…
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The Salisbury Symphony is auditioning candidates for music director. Michelle Di Russo, a candidate for the position, will conduct their "Enchanting Sounds" concert in Keppel Auditorium. She'll lead a program of music by Piazzola, Saint-Saens, and Rimsky-Korsakov. Di Russo is from Argentina, and currently the Associate Conductor in her second seaso…
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Each year, Charlotte Master Chorale presents a "Unity Concert" with the goal of building bridges in the community through the shared experience of choral music. This year's concert is called "Unity: Earth" and is Saturday, March 9 at 4pm at First United Methodist Church in Charlotte. The ensemble will perform the North Carolina premiere of Jake Run…
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One of the most extraordinary figures in American classical music is someone you may never have heard of. Mary Cardwell Dawson, born in 1894 in Madison, NC, was a musician, teacher, and founding director of the National Negro Opera Company, the longest-running, all-Black opera company which helped launch the careers of many singers. Now her story i…
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Alan Black, Principal Cello Emeritus of the Charlotte Symphony, joins Rachel to talk about Bach's Cello Suites and why he loves playing them. Alan and fellow cellist Grace Anderson will perform all six suites on WDAV's upcoming "Cellomania" Tour to Bach's region of Germany. Learn more about the Bach Cellomania Tour…
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Research suggests there are significant neurological and academic benefits to children who learn to play a musical instrument. However, most school systems wait until 6th grade to offer band or orchestra programs, and many kids simply do not have access to instrumental instruction until it's offered at school. Cornelius Youth Orchestras wants to ch…
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Burnt Reeds is a reed quintet of local professional instrumentalists. Their concert called "Homegrown Melodies" features newly commissioned works by local composers. It's a project that brings together not only composers but also music producers, local independent mixed media artists, and of course musicians -- from a variety of backgrounds. Three …
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