Piedmont Arts

Since 2010, Charlotte has hosted a unique film festival with a very important mission. The Joedance Film Festival exists to raise funds and awareness for research into rare pediatric cancers, and focuses on the work of North Carolina filmmakers. Diane Restaino tells us why her family devised a film festival as way to raise funds for this cause, and the inspiration provided by the festival’s namesake, her son Joe. Learn more about the JoeDance Festival Pictured: Joe Restaino from joedance.org

Guest Gil Morgenstern is violinist and director of the Broyhill Chamber Ensemble, which is featured every year in the chamber music series that launched the Appalachian Summer Festival 34 years ago. He speaks with WDAV about his cross- disciplinary approach to programming the concerts, and about the highlights of the chamber series this season. Learn more about An Appalachian Summer Festival Pictured: Gil Morgenstern; photo by Natasha Patel

Bach Akademie Charlotte aims to be the premier voice for Bach and Baroque music in the Charlotte region, specializing in the historically informed performances with a focus on the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. They’re presenting their inaugural Bach Festival in June 2018. Artistic Director Scott Allen Jarrett and Artistic Administrator Margaret Carpenter Haigh visit WDAV to talk about why they’re doing a Bach Festival in their first year of existence, the value such a festival can bring to the community and the performances and performers you can expect to hear. Learn more about the Charlotte Bach Festival

The Spoleto Festival USA is one of the leading arts festivals in the country, and a highlight of the cultural scene in the Carolinas. Festival director Nigel Redden speaks with WDAV about how the festival makes the city of Charleston “come alive” for seventeen days each year with “an embarrassment of artistic riches.” He also recommends some of the events this season that are of particular interest to classical music lovers. Learn more about this year's Spoleto Festival USA

Charlotte Symphony Music Director Christopher Warren-Green has become the “go-to” conductor for British royal weddings. The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Saturday, May 19 marks his third time on the podium leading the orchestra for royal nuptials. (Previously, he conducted at the ceremonies for Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles and for Prince William and Kate Middleton.) Although he’s now a royal ceremony veteran, Warren-Green shares with WDAV a few of his (minor) worries for what could go wrong. He also gives some hints about the music for the ceremony. And he gives insights on being a musical liaison to the royal family, including his 35+ year association with Prince Charles.

The Queen City’s venerable opera company is departing from its familiar repertory to present something timely and powerful – a rhythm & blues opera called I Dream . James Meena, general director and principal conductor of Opera Carolina, talk about his aspirations for this new work, and composer Douglas Tappin speaks about how his musical hybrid is ideal for telling the story of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Learn more about Opera Carolina's performance of I Dream James Meena Douglas Tappin  

As the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) wraps up its latest Classical Series, there will be a rare opportunity to hear a Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra written by contemporary composer Mark Petering. We speak with Mark about his work "Lament" from Concerto for Tuba, and some of his earlier work – including a composition for orchestra and locomotive. We also speak with soloist Aubrey Foard, the CSO’s Principal “Tubist,” about playing Petering’s work for the first time, his musical origins and the challenges of the work. Learn more about the Charlotte Symphony Mozart's Jupiter program. Mark Petering Aubrey Foard   View Mark Petering's Train and Tower for orchestra and locomotive .

On this edition two guests speak about the End-of-Year Masterworks Performance by the Choral Arts Society of Davidson. The concert features the latest work by prolific composer Dan Forrest. It’s called Jubilate Deo, and uses texts in several languages including Latin, Mandarin and Zulu. The composer speaks about the inspiration for this new piece, as well as “the supremacy of the human voice,” and Choral Arts Society director Christopher Gilliam tells us how the ensemble works to give audiences unique artistic experiences. Learn more about the End-of-Year Masterworks Performance: Jubilate Deo by Dan Forrest . Dan Forrest Christopher Gilliam

Conductor John Gordon Ross of the Western Piedmont Symphony bids farewell to the podium after twenty-seven years. He spoke with WDAV about his plans for retirement, how the orchestra has changed over the years, and what he’s enjoyed about living in Hickory. Gordon's farewell concert will be held at Lenoir Rhine University in Hickory. The concert features Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 , with the Hickory Choral Society, Lenoir Rhyne A Capella Choir, and Catawba Valley Community College Chamber Singers. Learn more about the concert at the Western Piedmont Symphony website .

New Yorker cartoonist Matthew Diffee speaks with WDAV about his exhibit “One Man Group Show” at the Hickory Museum of Art. He talks about his training in fine art, and about how standup comedy led him to drawing cartoons. Pictured: Matthew Diffie self-portrait/ matthewdiffee.com Learn more about the One Man Group Show