Piedmont Arts

International celebrated soloist Horacio Gutierrez talks about his performance with the Eastern Festival Orchestra at the grand finale of the Eastern Music Festival at Guilford College in Greensboro, NC. The concert includes Richard Strauss’ An Alpine Symphony, as well as the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 .

After a concert season during which five conductors vied for the position of Music Director, the Winston-Salem Symphony announced its new leader . Timothy Redmond, the final candidate to take the podium during the “tryout” season, will lead the orchestra for the first time as the symphony’s new Music Director for the season opening concert in late October 2019. Pictured: Timothy Redmond

The Carolinas boast more than their share of summer arts festivals, but few can claim the variety of An Appalachian Summer Festival in Boone. Allison West with the Office of Arts and Cultural Programs at Appalachian State University speaks about the festival.

Bach Akademie Charlotte – an organization devoted to historically informed performances of music by Bach and other Baroque composers – received resounding enthusiasm and acclaim for its inaugural Bach Festival in the Summer of 2018. Artistic Director Scott Allen Jarrett explains why he thinks the Bach Akademie and the Festival have been so successful. Learn more about the Bach Festival

Pianist Rick Bean and VOX conductor David Tang talk about their collaborative concert Pass Me the Jazz . The concert pays tribute to North Carolina-born jazz legends such as John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, and Charlotte’s own Loonis McGlohan. Learn more about Pass Me the Jazz

Caritas director Cathy Youngblood talks about “Sing Out for Children,” a concert to benefit the Council for Children’s Rights. The program also features the Rick Bean Jazz Ensemble and the Charlotte Children’s Choir. Youngblood previews the concert program and tells us about the chorus’ unique mission.

For more than two decades, the Choir School at St. Peter’s has been enriching young lives through rigorous music education and performances. The school’s artistic director Elizabeth Lenti speaks about their Spring concert concert program, and the value a music education has beyond performance.

Arts Plus is a venerable Charlotte cultural institution that celebrates its 50 th anniversary in 2019. Founded as Community School of the Arts, the organization recently received a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts. The director of Arts Plus, Devlin McNeil, speaks about the Chroma Festival – a celebration of music and art through color, and why the organization changed its name. Learn more about Arts+ and the Chroma Festival

Clarinetist Richard Spece of the ensemble Mannheim Rocket talks about their performance as part of the Music at St. Alban’s series, which includes a program of Mozart and Beethoven played on period instruments. Learn more about Mannheim Rocket at the Music at St. Alban’s

Charlotte BOOM returns to the Plaza Midwood neighborhood of the Queen City for three days of art, performance and the unexpected. The event offers a variety of performances, including dance, spoken word, performance art, comedy, theater and music of all kinds. Manoj Kesavan, the festival’s founder and director, talks about how the event is designed to bring together creators and citizens from different communities. Learn more about the BOOM festival Pictured: Manoj Kesavan; photo by Jeff-Cravotta.