Piedmont Arts

In the summer of 1965, a theater arts major from Carnegie Mellon University named Constance Welsh put on the first show by the new Davidson Community Players. Sixty-one years later, the theater company is still going strong and getting stronger. DCP’s executive director Steve Kaliski is on this episode of Piedmont Arts to talk about the productions of Evita, Million Dollar Quartet, and more. Then, soprano Karen Slack speaks about her concert, African Queens, which Piedmont Opera is presenting this month in Winston-Salem. Plus FanFare with even more events and activities across our region.

Davidson Community Players marks 61 years since its 1965 debut as Steve Kaliski previews Evita, Million Dollar Quartet and more. Soprano Karen Slack discusses African Queens with Piedmont Opera in Winston-Salem, plus FanFare events.

Summer Shakespeare productions are a long-standing tradition in the U.S., and now the Triad has a theater company dedicated to bringing the Bard’s plays to North Carolina Audiences. Piedmont Shakespeare Company is in its second season with performances of “Much Ado About Nothing” taking place in venues from Winston-Salem to Burlington. On this Piedmont Arts episode, executive director David McGraw talks about the importance of Shakespeare in the modern day and the beauty of summer Shakespeare.

Piedmont Shakespeare Company executive director David McGraw discusses the power of Shakespeare today and the magic of summer productions as the troupe tours Much Ado About Nothing across the Triad, from Winston-Salem to Burlington.

By many accounts, he was an unsavory character, but Caravaggio was also a revolutionary and influential painter of the late 16th century in Rome, Naples, and Sicily. A new exhibition of Caravaggio’s paintings and others by leading Baroque masters has opened at the Mint Museum in Uptown Charlotte. Hear more about it from exhibition curator and Mint President & CEO Todd Herman on this episode of Piedmont Arts. Plus, we have a report from the Spoleto USA Festival in Charleston, SC, and the latest edition of FanFare to help you plan more early-summer fun.

Revolutionary yet notorious Baroque painter Caravaggio takes center stage in a new Mint Museum exhibition in Uptown Charlotte. Curator and CEO Todd Herman joins Piedmont Arts, plus reports from Spoleto USA and FanFare summer picks.

What's Bach's connection to French composers, both baroque and modern? How did Bach influence Brahms? What's Handel's other great religious oratorio besides Messiah? The 2026 Charlotte Bach Festival offers concerts and experiences that help audiences explore those questions and learn about Bach's singular place in the history of music. On this episode, we take an in depth look at the festival with Bach Charlotte executive director Garrett Murphy.

Explore the 2026 Charlotte Bach Festival with Bach Charlotte executive director Garrett Murphy. Hear Bach’s links to French composers, his influence on Brahms, and Handel’s major oratorio beyond Messiah, plus concerts and experiences in Charlotte.

Pianist Phillip Bush grew up in Charlotte and has had a successful career across the country as a soloist, chamber musician, and university professor. He’s the next WDAV Small Batch concert at Free Range Brewing as part of the Steinway at Free Range series. On this edition of the Piedmont Arts podcast, he talks about his music education in Charlotte as well as his love of contemporary music.

On this edition of the Piedmont Arts podcast, pianist Phillip Bush talks about his music education in Charlotte as well as his love of contemporary music.