Squonk Roadshow

Artsplosure is pleased to announce the lineup for its 34th annual namesake spring arts festival May 17-19 in and around Moore Square and on City Plaza in downtown Raleigh.

Celebrating fine visual art and live music since 1980, this year’s festival continues the tradition of presenting high quality and accessible art for free in the heart of the capital city. As one of the Southeast’s premier arts festivals, Artsplosure – The Raleigh Arts Festival attracts more than 80,000 people to downtown Raleigh during the third weekend of May each year.

The Artsplosure Art Market – one of the central elements of this annual celebration – showcases the talents of 170 juried independent visual artists and crafters, including North Carolina-based artists and artists from across the United States. Artwork by fine artists and craftspeople exhibiting in 10 different categories will be available for purchase, including painting, photography, pottery, jewelry, woodwork and more. Booths will line Blount, Martin, and Hargett Streets near Moore Square and City Market. The Art Market will be open Saturday, May 18 from 11:00am to 7:00pm and Sunday, May 19 from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

In addition to the visual arts, Artsplosure highlights superb performing artists, with an emphasis on jazz, blues and roots-inspired musicians. Artsplosure 2013 will feature more than a dozen music performances on two stages in Moore Square on Saturday and Sunday during the festival. Headlining the Main Stage in Moore Square at 8:00 Saturday evening will be BoDeans – a Milwaukee-based American roots rock band whose hit “Closer to Free” became the theme song for the television show Party of Five. The group released their eleventh studio album, American Made, in 2012.  Closing out the festival on Sunday afternoon at 5:30 will be a performance by The Wailers – the legendary groundbreaking reggae group founded by the late Bob Marley.

The Main Stage lineup also includes performances by blues guitar prodigy Quinn Sullivan; the African-inspired music of Toubab Krewe; Piedmont blues from Jon Shain; jazz saxophonist Jeanette Harris; soulful singer-songwriter Jesse Dee; and jazz/pop from Boston-based Lake Street Dive.

The North Carolina Stage will showcase up and coming young artists and performers with North Carolina roots. Taking the stage this year will be bluegrass band Holy Ghost Tent Revival; jazz/folk singer-songwriter Jeanne Jolly; Grammy-winner Barbara Bailey Hutchison; indie pop group Matrimony; acoustic string band Corn and the Colonels; gospel/pop group Hazelwood; and emerging singer-songwriter and pianist Dylan Linehan.

Artsplosure is happy to present the Raleigh debut of the GO Roadshow from Pittsburgh’s Squonk Opera with ten performances on City Plaza from Friday, May 17 through Sunday, May 19. According to Squonk Opera, their multi-disciplinary GO Roadshow is “a music and art-mobile – a 34-foot long monster truck retrofitted with truck-horn calliope, a wall made of rotors and a spinning grand piano that is played while it
wheels around!” GO Roadshow performances include a participatory musical mini-parade and opportunities for discussion with the performers following each show.

Other annual Artsplosure festival favorites return this year, including a giant sand sculpture by architect Ed Moore; the oversized chess set from Chessworks; the Artsplosure Student Art Exhibition, featuring works from more than 120 talented young artists from Wake County schools; and Kidsplosure, with interactive art activities and performances for children and families in Moore Square.

Howard and Lyn Satisky are serving as the Artsplosure 2013 Honorary Chairs, spearheading a fundraising campaign to support Artsplosure. Mr. Satisky is a Raleigh commercial real estate attorney, and the couple is a longtime supporter of the arts in Raleigh.

Artsplosure – The Raleigh Arts Festival is free to the public and is held rain or shine. Artsplosure is an independent nonprofit organization that has presented arts festivals in downtown Raleigh since 1980. For more information about this year’s spring arts festival, visit www.artsplosure.org.

Lyle Lovett to Headline Band Together May 4 Concert Charity Event

Convention-Defying Singer/Songwriter/Actor leads concert lineup to Benefit Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities

Raleigh, N.C., March 13, 2013 — Band Together NC, a Triangle-based organization that uses live music as a platform for social change, has announced that American country singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett will headline this year’s charity concert on May 4 at Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre, benefitting Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities.

A singer, composer and actor, Lyle Lovett has broadened the definition of American music in a career that spans 14 albums. Coupled with his gift for storytelling, the Texas-based musician fuses elements of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers. Lovett has appeared in 13 feature films, and on stage and television. Among his many accolades, besides the four Grammy Awards, he was given the Americana Music Association’s inaugural Trailblazer Award, and was recently named the Texas State Musician.

Lovett’s latest album, Release Me, mixes a smart collection of originals and songs written by some of his favorite songwriters that show not only the breadth of this Texas legend’s deep talents, but also the diversity of his influences, making him one of the most infectious and fascinating musicians in popular music.

Wilmington-based Mac and Juice Quartet, winner of Band Together’s Last Band Standing 2013, will open for the May 4 show. Additional acts and activities for 2013 will be announced as the event date approaches. Band Together’s 2012 concert event, headlined by iconic cosmic rockers the-B-52s, attracted nearly 4,000 attendees and raised more than $566,000 for Band Together’s 2012 nonprofit partner, Urban Ministries of Wake County.

Music as a Platform for Social Change

In 2011, Band Together NC’s Board of Directors announced the nonprofit recipient for 2013 would be Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities (TLC), a nonprofit organization offering educational, residential and family support services to children and adults with special needs. Proceeds raised at the 2013 event will go to expanding the services offered at TLC, allowing the organization to make a difference for the nearly 400 families it serves. For the May 4 concert, Band Together hopes to raise more than $850,000 for the Band Together partnership with Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities.

Through corporate and individual donations, Band Together NC has raised more than $2.1 million for local nonprofits since its inception in 2001. Major contributors include Cargill, S&A Cherokee, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Bank of America, Duke Realty Corporation, Lincoln Theatre, Synergy Commercial Advisors, RPG Solutions, Brand Fuel, Trisure, CapTrust, Prometheus, Hosted Solutions and Manning, Fulton & Skinner, PA. Sponsorships begin at the $500 level and are still available.

Tickets for the event range from $34.50 (in advance) for general seating to premium reserve seating for $69.50. VIP tickets are $150 and include exclusive access to catered food and beverage, premier viewing of the main stage, and a silent auction. Tickets will be on sale starting at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 15 through etix.com.

For more information about Band Together, visit www.bandtogethernc.org, become a fan on Facebook, join their LinkedIn group or follow @bandtogethernc on Twitter. To learn more about Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities, visit www.tammylynncenter.org.

About Band Together NC

Band Together NC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization composed of business and community leaders and volunteers from across the Triangle. Since its inception in 2001, the organization has donated nearly $2.1 million to philanthropic organizations through one mission: using live music as a platform for social change. Band Together’s annual concert event is organized and led by a team of more than 500 volunteers.

About Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities

Located on a nine-acre campus near North Carolina State University in Raleigh, the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities (TLCDD) offers educational, residential and family support services to children and adults with special needs. Founded in 1969, the center remains committed to providing the individuals it serves with the opportunity to maximize their abilities and potential in a loving, nurturing environment. TLCDD is owned by the Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation, Inc. and is independently operated by TLC Operations, Inc. Both corporations are under the parent company Tammy Lynn Center, Inc. All organizations are nonprofit entities 510(c)(3), and contributions are tax deductible. For more information, visit www.tammylynncenter.org.

All proceeds from the 2013 Band Together–Tammy Lynn Center partnership benefit Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation, Inc. to support the following programs and services of the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities: Community Residential, Respite Care, Early Childhood Intervention and non-Medicaid Day Services.

Up-and-coming British folk and alternative-country singer/songwriter Callaghan will perform Sunday in Raleigh’s Murphey School Auditorium (photo by Scott Lowden)

Burning Coal Theatre Company will bring drop-dead gorgeous 30-year-old British folk and alternative-country singer/songwriter Callaghan to Murphey School Auditorium for one performance only — at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 24th, as part of the Raleigh, NC-based theater’s fourth annual spring and summer MusiCoal Series, showcasing what Burning Coal calls “new music that is exhilarating, fresh, and unlike anything you’ve heard before!”

On Jan. 10, 1983, Georgina Callaghan was born into a musical family in Boston, Lincolnshire. Her official bio says, “… [She] was classically trained on flute from age 6, then gravitated toward singing and playing piano. By 14 she was writing songs, and started trekking to London to record with various producers. At 18 Callaghan relocated to London permanently to live with her sister (whose flat was so tiny, the singer slept under the kitchen table), while recording a number of independent EPs and playing all over the city, at spots like the Bedford, Regal Room, Royal National Theatre, and 100 Club….”

In its news release on the concert, Burning Coal Theatre Company adds:

“Callaghan’s debut album, ‘Life in Full Colour,’ was released on May 1, 2012. The release was the culmination of a journey which brought the singer-songwriter across the Atlantic from London to live and record in the USA.

“A long-time Shawn Mullins fan, Callaghan contacted the Atlanta singer-songwriter through MySpace; and after being knocked out by her music, he agreed to a rare collaboration. Callaghan left her London digs and boarded a plane headed for the American South: the experience was the inspiration for the opening track and first single from her album, ‘Best Year.’

“‘Life in Full Colour’ was tracked in and around Atlanta with Mullins both producing and playing on the record. Its 12 songs present Callaghan’s eclectic and dynamic style, combining shades of folk, country, rock, and pop into a seamless fusion of feeling and melody. Performing live, Callaghan plays piano and guitar and delivers a vocal which earns frequent comparisons with artists like Sarah McLachlan and Emmy Lou Harris. Her songs chronicle stories and moments from her own life and from others. You’ll enjoy thoughtful lyrics, haunting vocals, and catchy melodies which make you smile.

“Since making Georgia her home, Callaghan has been selling out shows at local venues; and in summer 2012 Insite Atlanta’s music edition labeled her ‘Atlanta’s hottest new act.’ She’s also performed across 25 states, including at the SXSW Festival in Austin[,TX].

“‘Life in Full Colour’ has been getting a great reaction. The Huffington Post describes the album as ‘joyful listening,’ while InLiveMusic says ‘Callaghan’s voice is stunning, clear and is perfect for the story telling of her songs.’

“For more information and a FREE download of Callaghan’s single, ‘Best Year,’ please visit http://callaghansongs.com/.”

To listen to a sampling of Callaghan’s songs, click http://callaghansongs.com/musicplayer.cfm.

BBC Radio 2 disc jockey Bob Harris “Callaghan is a wonderful artist. She is beautiful, warm and hugely talented. The reaction to her music on my radio programmes has been fantastic.”

“Life in Full Colour” producer Shawn Mullins adds, “The world needs more singer-songwriters like Callaghan. She truly shines through as the real deal. Her voice is original and pure and she is one of the greatest unsigned talents I’ve ever heard.”

Burning Coal Theatre Company presents CALLAGHAN, at 7 p.m. March 24 in Murphey School Auditorium, 224 Polk St., Raleigh, NC 27604.

TICKETS: $10 (available only at the door).

INFORMATION: 919-834-4001 or coalartisticdir@ncrrbiz.com.

SHOW: http://burningcoal.org/callaghan/.

VIDEO PREVIEW (by Steve Sherrick): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4FwQqvNyYo.

MUSICOAL SERIES: http://burningcoal.org/musicoal/.

PRESENTER: http://burningcoal.org/.

VENUE/DIRECTIONS: http://burningcoal.org/murphey-school-auditorium/.

OTHER LINKS:

Callaghan: http://www.callaghansongs.com/ (official website), https://www.facebook.com/callaghanmusic (her Facebook page), http://www.myspace.com/callaghanspage (her MySpace page), http://www.youtube.com/callaghansongs (her YouTube channel), and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgina_Callaghan (Wikipedia).

“Life in Full Colour”: http://www.callaghansongs.com/store.cfm (official web page) and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_In_Full_Colour_%28Callaghan_album%29 (Wikipedia) .

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Robert W. McDowell is editor and publisher of Triangle Review, a FREE weekly e-mail arts newsletter. This preview is reprinted with permission from Triangle Review.

To start your FREE subscription to this newsletter, e-mail RobertM748@aol.com and type SUBSCRIBE TR in the Subject: line.

To read all of Robert W. McDowell’s Triangle Theater Review previews and reviews online at Triangle Arts & Entertainment, click http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/author/robert-w-mcdowell/.

Raleigh, N.C. (March 3, 2013) — Last night, music fanspacked Lincoln Theatre to cheer on their favorite local bands at Band Together’s 3rd annual “Last Band Standing,” the most philanthropic music competition in the Triangle. In the end,Wilmington-based Mac and Juice Quartet came out the victor,scoring $1,500 in cash and a coveted spot in the line-up for Band Together’s spring concert event.

Band Together NC is a Triangle-area organization that uses live music as a platform for social change. This year’s “Last Band Standing,” a prelude to the spring Band Together main event,raised more than $7,000 to benefit Band Together’s 2013 nonprofit partner, Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities.

“This was a fantastic night – the biggest and best Last Band Standing yet,” said Matt Strickland, executive director of Band Together NC. “Big Fat Gap, Mac and Juice Quartet, The Beastand The Deluge each performed amazing sets, and we know the judges had a difficult time choosing our winner. In the end, we are so thrilled that Mac and Juice Quartet was voted the Last Band Standing, and we are looking forward to having them back again at the spring concert event. Band Together is proud to support the local music scene, and we know that the musicians are what make our events such a success.”

“Tonight was an honor to be among such great musicians – and be a part of something that is for such a great cause,” said Brian “Juice” Raynor, of Mac and Juice Quartet. “We cannot wait to play at the Spring main event. It’s a tremendous opportunity and a dream come true for our band. We intend to make the very most of it.”

The winning band was selected by a panel of four local judges:Chris Malarkey, of Lincoln Theatre; Taylor Travesari, Manager for Red Hat Amphitheater; Sara Waters, Coordinator for Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival; and Evan Frazer, Senior Director of Premium Seat Sales for Live Nation. In the event of a tie by the judges, the winner would have been determined through a combination of the audience vote and, new this year, an online voting contest hosted by Band Together’s media partner, NBC 17.

Band Together also wishes to thank the generous sponsors for the event: Bella Monica Restaurant, Capstrat, R.A. Jeffreys,Radio 96.1, Better Business Bureau of Eastern NC, Pool Professionals of the Carolinas, Lunsford & Strickland P.A.,StrikeIron and Capital Investment Companies. A special thank you was extended to Leadership Raleigh for their tremendous efforts as well as NBC 17, Band Together’s media partner.

Last year’s Band Together main event, headlined by iconic cosmic rockers the-B-52s, attracted more than 4,000 fans and raised more than $566,000 for Band Together’s 2012 nonprofit partner, Urban Ministries of Wake County. In the coming days, Band Together will announce the date and headline act for its 2013 show. This year, Band Together hopes to raise more than $850,000 for the Band Together partnership with Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities.

For more information about Band Together, visitwww.bandtogethernc.org, become a fan on Facebook, join theirLinkedIn group or follow @bandtogethernc on Twitter. To learn more about Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities, visit www.tammylynncenter.org.

###

About Band Together NC
Band Together NC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization composed of business and community leaders and volunteers from across the Triangle. Since its inception in 2001, the organization has donated nearly $2.1 million to philanthropic organizations through one mission: using live music as a platform for social change. Band Together’s annual concert event is organized and led by a team of more than 500 volunteers.

About Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities
Located on a nine-acre campus near North Carolina State University in Raleigh, the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities (TLCDD) offers educational, residential and family support services to children and adults with special needs. Founded in 1969, the center remains committed to providing the individuals it serves with the opportunity to maximize their abilities and potential in a loving, nurturing environment. TLCDD is owned by the Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation, Inc. and is independently operated by TLC Operations, Inc. Both corporations are under the parent company Tammy Lynn Center, Inc. All organizations are nonprofit entities 510(c)(3), and contributions are tax deductible. For more information, visit www.tammylynncenter.org.

All proceeds from the 2013 Band Together–Tammy Lynn Center partnership benefit Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation, Inc. to support the following programs and services of the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities:  Community Residential, Respite Care, Early Childhood Intervention and non-Medicaid Day Services.

h.i.p. = historically informed performance

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman announced today that the Mallarmé Chamber Players is one of 153 not-for-profit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Challenge America Fast-Track grant. The Mallarmé Chamber Players is recommended for a $10,000 grant to support the North Carolina HIP Music Festival, scheduled to take place from January 27, 2013 – February 3, 2013.

The Mallarmé Chamber Players, in collaboration with four other organizations and two university music departments, are teaming up to present a week-long festival of music performed on period instruments. The newly organized festival, the North Carolina H.I.P. Music Festival (H.I.P. = historically informed performance), will run from January 27, 2013, through February 3, 2013, and will feature performances and workshops by Aliénor (Durham), Baroque and Beyond (Chapel Hill), Ensemble Vermillian (Davidson and Berkeley, CA), Mallarmé Chamber Players (Durham), the Vivaldi Project (Washington, DC) and the music departments of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University. All events will take place at various venues in Chapel Hill and Durham.

To help support the festival, Mallarmé is receiving a Challenge America Fast-Track grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, which offers support primarily to small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations — those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics or disability. Projects include commissions, residencies, rehearsals, workshops, performances, exhibitions, publications, festivals and training programs. This year, the NEA will award 153 Challenge America Fast-Track grants totaling $1.53 million awarded to organizations in 41 states. Grants from the National Endowment for the Arts generate, on average, eight dollars from non-federal sources for each dollar awarded.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE AND HISTORY OF THE NORTH CAROLINA H.I.P. MUSIC FESTIVAL?
North Carolina is fortunate to be home to a wealth of talent of musicians who perform on period instruments. After several years of successful Historical Bach concerts, Mallarmé’s artistic director, Suzanne Rousso, starting talking to some of the musicians who performed in these concerts. The group, cellists Brent Wissick, Stephanie Vial and Barbara Krumdieck and harpsichordists Elaine Funaro and Beverly Biggs, hoped to develop a festival of music on period instruments with historically informed practices. With great enthusiasm the North Carolina H.I.P. Music Festival was born!

Mallarmé has taken the lead on this project, soliciting support and input from the other participating groups. Each ensemble is producing their own events independent of the others and taking on most of the associated expenses. However, we are collectively marketing and promoting the events as well as co-producing the educational activities.

OUR COLLECTIVE DESIRED OUTCOMES ARE THREE-FOLD:

• To collaborate with like-minded organizations to bring together our respective audiences while increasing awareness, interest and support for early music in the Triangle.
• To offer a unique musical experience to audiences by presenting a series of dynamic, historically informed performances at a high artistic level.
• To strengthen our relationships with schools and the community by offering memorable learning opportunities that blend music and history.

Over the course of the week, five concerts, two workshops, a master class an, informance and in-school events will be presented. Some of these events are free and open to the public and some have a single ticket admission price. However, anyone may opt to purchase a HIPSTER pass for $50, which allows admission to all performances, the master class, as an auditor at the workshops and special invitation to a HIPSTER reception and open rehearsal. Additionally, the NEA grant will allow the festival to give presentations in several Durham and Chapel Hill Schools and throughout the community, including a workshop at the Durham School for the Arts and a master class at UNC-CH with countertenor Michael Maniaci.

Twenty-three total musicians will be participating in activities including a concert by members of the UNC-CH faculty performing French baroque music “discovered” by Henri and Robert Casadesus in the early 20th century (in actuality, the works were written by them), a concert presented by Aliénor of contemporary and early harpsichord music and a performance by Ensemble Vermillian of German and Italian baroque music. The Vivaldi Project will present two performance workshops modeled on their successful Institute for Early Music on Modern Instruments held each summer in Washington, DC. The workshops are for modern string players interested in learning authentic, baroque playing techniques; one will be given for string teachers and another for professional players.

Countertenor Michael Maniaci will be featured as a guest artist on the January 27th Baroque and Beyond concert, the opening event of the festival. Ever since his 2007 Metropolitan Opera debut in Handel’s Giulio Cesare, Mr. Maniaci has been in high demand as one of the foremost countertenors in baroque opera. In addition to the concert performance, Mr. Maniaci will give a master class for vocal students at UNC-CH while he is in the area. Finally, the Mallarmé Chamber Players will present the closing concert of the festival with great German baroque string works including J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 and the Telemann Concerto for recorder and viola da gamba featuring Ensemble Vermillian’s France Blaker on the recorder and UNC’s Brent Wissick on gamba.

Individual tickets for individual events will be available at the door; in addition, tickets for the February 3rd Mallarmé concert can be purchased in advance through their website www.mallarmemusic.org or by calling 919/560-2788. Those who are interested in obtaining a HIPSTER pass to all events including the Maniaci master class, workshops and reception may do so through the Mallarmé website or any of the individual ensembles’ websites. Registration and additional information for either of the workshops can be found online at http://goo.gl/Jg22I.

Sunday, January 27, 2013 – February 3, 2013 |The North Carolina H.I.P. Music Festival
Various Locations in Chapel Hill and Durham, NC

ARTISTS
Vocalists – Michael Maniaci, countertenor and Jeanne Fischer, soprano
Baroque violin – Elizabeth Field, Peter Lekx, Richard Luby, Sangeeta Swamy, David Wilson
Baroque viola – Peter Lekx, Joey O’Donnell, Suzanne Rousso
Baroque cello – Barbara Krumdieck, Stephanie Vial, Brent Wissick

Viola d’amore – Hugh Partridge

Viola da gamba – Brent Wissick

Violone – Robbie Link

Harpsichord – Beverly Biggs, Elaine Funaro, John O’Brien

Piano – Randall Love

Recorder – Frances Blaker

Theorbo/lute/guitar – William Simms, Dan Smith

North Carolina HIP Music Festival Schedule of Events (does not include in-school events)

• Sunday, January 27, 2012 3:00 pm Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill | CONCERT – Baroque and Beyond

Italian and German baroque music | single tickets: $20

• Monday, January 28, 4:00 pm Person Hall, UNC-CH | MASTER CLASS – Michael Maniaci, countertenor HIPSTER event

• Tuesday, January 29, 8:00 pm Nelson Music Room, Duke East Campus, Durham | CONCERT – Aliénor

music of Poulenc, winners of the 2012 Aliénor composition contest played on harpsichord and piano |FREE

• Thursday, January 31, 7:30pm Person Recital Hall, UNC-CH, Chapel Hill | CONCERT – UNC Music Faculty

French Baroque, Both Old and New |FREE

• Friday, February 1, 12:00 noon Beyu Caffe | LISTENING LUNCH – Mallarmé Chamber Players
  FREE with purchase of food or drink

• Friday, February 1, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Person Hall, UNC-CH | WORKSHOP – The Vivaldi Project

Introduction to Baroque Performance Practice for string teachers
$40 participant / FREE for HIPSTER

• Friday, February 1, 8:00 pm St. Stephens Church, Durham | CONCERT – Ensemble Vermillian
  Musica Transalpina,works by favorite German and Italian composers of the Baroque Era, including Bach, Buxtehude, Caccini, Castello and Fontana |suggested donation at the door: $15

• Saturday, February 2, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon Hill Hall – UNC-CH | WORKSHOP – The Vivaldi Project

Introduction to Baroque Performance Practice for professional and advanced student
$40 participant / $15 auditor / FREE audit for HIPSTER

• Saturday, February 2, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm First Presbyterian Church, Durham | OPEN REHEARSAL Mallarmé Chamber Players | HIPSTER event

• Saturday, February 2, 7:30 pm Home of Elaine Funaro and Randall Love | RECEPTION
  HIPSTER event

• Sunday, February 3, 3:00 pm First Presbyterian Church, Durham | CONCERT – Mallarmé Chamber Players

Bach Is Back, with friends! J.S. Bach, Georg Muffat, G. F. Telemann and Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber

$18 in advance / $20 at the door / $5 for students with ID

Ticket info, artist bios and programs may be found at www.mallarmemusic.org

ABOUT THE ENSEMBLES
Aliénor promotes new music for the harpsichord through concerts, commissions and a competition. The “Aliénor Harpsichord Composition Competition” was started in 1980 under the aegis of the Southeastern Historical Keyboard Society (SEHKS). Aliénor is now an independent, 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Durham, NC, with harpsichordist Elaine Funaro as artistic director. Aliénor runs the quadrennial harpsichord composition competition, publishes winning compositions, and commission new works for the harpsichord. There have been seven competitions thus far, with over 500 new scores generated from composers around the world. The 2008 competition had 113 entries, with compositions coming from Australia, Japan, Argentina, Brazil, Israel, numerous European countries, and 23 states in America. www.harpsichord-now.org/index.html

Baroque and Beyond produces period-music concerts on historical instruments, featuring music of the baroque, classic and early romantic eras. A series of three concerts is offered each season (fall, winter, and early spring) at Chapel of the Cross in Chapel Hill. The Artistic Director is Beverly Biggs who performs on harpsichord and fortepiano. The series is presented by the Preservation Society of Chapel Hill. www.baroqueandbeyond.org

The Department of Aesthetics, Art & Music was established at Duke University in 1942. In 1960, the Department of Music was recognized as an independent department and Dr. Allen H. Bone was appointed the first Chair. The Mary Duke Biddle Music Building, completed in the 1970s, became the Department of Music’s permanent home. It also houses the Music Library and Duke University Musical Instrument Collections. Today, the Department of Music thrives as a presence that is felt throughout campus. With nine performing ensembles (Chamber Music, Chorale, Collegium Musicum, Djembe, New Music, Jazz, Opera Workshop, Symphony Orchestra and Wind Symphony) and hundreds of students enrolled in classes, the Department of Music pursues its mission to enrich the educational experience of all Duke students. http://music.duke.edu/about

Ensemble Vermillian was founded by sisters Barbara Blaker Krumdieck and Frances Blaker to explore the potential for color and texture possible in the virtuosic compositions for cello and recorder written in the seventeenth and eighteenth century. Based in Davidson, North Carolina, and Berkeley, California, the members of EV have traveled to meet, research, rehearse, and perform together since 2000. Having studied at conservatories in Denmark, the Netherlands, Ohio and Indiana, respectively, they use a blended approach to rearrange and reinterpret baroque music to create a sound that’s both resonant and relevant. magnatune.com/artists/vermillian
The Mallarmé Chamber Players are a flexible ensemble of professional musicians based in Durham, North Carolina, whose mission is to enrich the lives of their community through outstanding chamber music. The ensemble distinguishes itself by its innovative educational programs, its commitment to creative collaboration with other organizations, its creation of significant new work and its dedication to serve a diverse population.

Mallarmé is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, 501(c)3 organization; Suzanne Rousso is the ensemble’s artistic director. The 2012-13 concert season is made possible in part by grants from the Durham Arts Council’s Annual Fund, The North Carolina Arts Council and the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation. www.mallarmemusic.org

The Vivaldi Project is a premier period-instrument ensemble dedicated to presenting 17th- and 18th-century string repertoire. The name The Vivaldi Project refers not only to the group’s core repertoire―the extraordinary works of the virtuoso violinist and composer Antonio Vivaldi―but also the project of probing into the roots of Vivaldi’s distinctive musical style. The Vivaldi Project’s Institute for Early Music on Modern Instruments directed by violinist Elizabeth Field and cellist Stephanie Vial offers professional string players the opportunity to study baroque and classical performance practices using their own modern instruments. As active performers and teachers on both period and modern instruments, Field and Vial share a strong belief in the need to translate early music practices for today’s performers on today’s instruments. www.thevivaldiproject.org

Spread across three buildings in the heart of UNC’s beautiful Chapel Hill campus, the Department of Music offers a superb music education in the context of a top-tier research university. The faculty consists of more than 70 renowned performers, composers, and scholars whose expertise collectively covers continents, millennia, and the gamut of musical styles and scholarly methodologies. UNC’s more than twenty ensembles engage thousands of students annually; a world-class music library serves the needs of students, scholars and performers; and an active calendar of concerts, recitals and lectures enlivens the cultural life of the University and community. The concert, French Baroque both Old and New, has been organized by cellist and gambist Brent Wissick, the UNC-CH Zachary Taylor Smith Distinguished Professor in Music. http://music.unc.edu/

RALEIGH, N.C.—North Carolina Opera General Director Eric Mitchko announced the company’s 2012-2013 season today. The season will commemorate the bicentennial of two of opera’s greatest composers, Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi, both born in 1813. It will again include performances in both Raleigh and Chapel Hill, and will feature a mix of established stars and young talent on the rise. Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Timothy Myers will lead all performances in the coming season.

Productions will include a concert of Act I of Die Walküre along with other favorite selections from Wagner on Jan. 27, 2013 in Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh; one of Verdi’s most popular operas, Aida, May 3, 2013 in Memorial Hall in Chapel Hill and May 5, 2013 in the Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh; and the beloved classic, Così fan tutte by Mozart, October 3, 5 and 6, 2013 at the Fletcher Opera Theater in Raleigh. Season tickets are on sale now at www.ncopera.org or by calling (919) 792-3850.

Wagner

Jan. 27, 2013, 3 p.m.

Meymandi Concert Hall, Progress Energy Center, Raleigh

North Carolina Opera will open its 2012-2013 season in the Meymandi Concert Hall in Progress Energy Center in Raleigh, with selections from several of Wagner’s most popular operas, in honor of the bicentennial of the composer’s birth. The concert will include Act I of Die Walküre, in what is thought to be the first performance from Wagner’s Ring Cycle in the Triangle, as well as excerpts from Die Meistersinger, Tristan und Isolde, and other Wagner operas. The Wagner concert will bring internationally acclaimed talent to Raleigh, including tenor Jay Hunter Morris, who sings the famously difficult role of Siegfried in Wagner’s Ring Cycle with the Metropolitan Opera, and Elizabeth Bishop, who has sung leading Wagner roles at the Metropolitan Opera and San Francisco Opera, as Sieglinde.  Timothy Myers conducts.

Aida (semi-staged)

May 3, 2013, 8 p.m. Memorial Hall, Chapel Hill

May 5, 2013, 3 p.m. Meymandi Concert Hall, Progress Energy Center, Raleigh

In celebration of the bicentennial of Verdi’s birth, the second opera of North Carolina Opera’s 2012-2013 season will be Verdi’s biggest operatic work, Aida, a sensational tale of war, romance, and intrigue that spans the gates of Thebes and the banks of the Nile. In the Old Kingdom of Egypt, a military commander, the unrequited love of the Pharaoh’s daughter, falls for an Ethiopian slave, forging a deadly love triangle. Soprano Angela Brown, whose credits include the Metropolitan Opera, Paris Opera and Hamburg State Opera, will sing the role of Aida. The production will also feature tenor Issachah Savage, and Leann Sandel-Pantaleo, who starred in North Carolina Opera’s Carmen in the 2011-2012 season. Baritone Todd Thomas will make his company debut as Amonasro. This opera will be presented in semi-staged format, much like North Carolina Opera’s successful Il trovatore from last seas on. There will be one performance each in Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh and in Memorial Hall in Chapel Hill.

Così fan tutte

October 3, 5 and 6, 2013

Fletcher Opera Theater, Progress Energy Center, Raleigh

The season will close with Mozart’s popular masterpiece, Cosi fan tutte on Oct. 3, 5 and 6, 2013 in the Fletcher Opera Theater at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts.  The comical opera, subtitled “The School for Lovers,” finds two military officers in 18th Century Naples attempting to seduce each others’ fiancées in an outlandish test of fidelity. Scenes of faked suicide, feigned hallucination, and magnet therapy ensue, sung by a splendid young cast including Faith Sherman as Dorabella, Hailey  Clark as Despina, and  Tyler Nelson as Ferrando. Bass-baritone Jake Gardner joins the cast in role of Don Alfonso, a role he has sung at the Glyndebourne Festival.

North Carolina Opera Gala

November 10, 2012

Opera lovers are invited to gather at the Umstead Hotel in Cary on Nov. 10, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. for North Carolina Opera’s annual Gala, an evening of dining, dancing, auctions, and operatic serenades, and a Wall of Wine Raffle. Following dinner, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, Tim Myers, and General Director, Eric Mitchko, will lead a discussion on opera in the Lord Corporation Listening Lounge. Tickets are $250 per person at www.ncopera.org or by calling 919-792-3856. Space is limited. Black tie optional.

Tickets

Season tickets are on sale now at www.ncopera.org or by calling 919-792-3850. Prices for full season subscriptions go from $66 to $222.  Benefits to season ticket subscription holders include priority seating, hassle-free exchanges, and lower prices. Single tickets will go on sale in September.

Tickets to the Gala are available at www.ncopera.org or by calling 919-792-3856.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA OPERA

North Carolina Opera was formed in 2010 from the merger of Capital Opera Raleigh and The Opera Company of North Carolina. It is dedicated to presenting operatic performances at the highest level throughout the Triangle. We also have a robust education program that brings opera to schools across Wake County and surrounding counties. North Carolina Opera brings international level artists to Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, and also engages the best in local Triangle talent.

On June 30th the North Carolina Museum of Art celebrates the life of one of our state’s foremost artists, Arthel “Doc” Watson. The Museum staff had long planned to make this a special day. The evening concert by the legendary guitarist was to include many of the other musicians he had been associated with, and it was to be preceded by symposia examining his music and his influence. Nevertheless, when the featured artist died just a month before the show, the museum staff had some decisions to make. In their wisdom, they decided not only to “go on with the show”, but to expand the days activities even further.

The Museum of Art is to be congratulated for this. The leaders of this fine institution may have built its reputation with higher-brow, landmark expositions of Rembrandt and Monet, but, first and foremost, they are North Carolinians who understand the power of art. By proceeding despite the death of the featured artist from Deep Gap, they acknowledge the role that artists past and present play in our lives. They recognize genius when they see it; they understand legacy; and they are bold enough to stake a claim on behalf of our state.

In Doc Watson and Earl Scruggs, the Old North State has in fact lost two of our greatest musicians this spring. The similarities between the two men are striking and illustrative. Both men were born in rural western North Carolina, just 9 months and 75 miles apart, but ultimately traveled the world over before dying within two months of each other 89 years later. Both men lived long lives as celebrated musicians on the road but nevertheless found their greatest joy in long, loving marriages and wonderful children back home. Both men suffered the tragic loss of a son after each had grown to be musicians themselves and joined their Dad on stage. Both men briefly left music in their grief but, upon returning, seemed to find solace by lending a fatherly guiding hand to other musicians of their sons’ generation.

Both men completely redefined their instruments, and although these were “traditional” instruments, the very word “traditional” is misleading given the innovative techniques they developed to play them. And while they may have lived in the relative isolation of Deep Gap and Flint Hill, they had ears sensitive to influences from all over the world. One hears in their banjo and guitar licks, echo’s of everything from delta blues to Parisian jazz, making it clear that there was very little about these men that was really provincial despite the rural, humble circumstances of their birth.

Earl Scruggs

Both men said “yes” when a bunch of long-haired musicians from California called in 1971 to propose a recording project called “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”. This album brought their music to a new generation, but more importantly, it showed that people of good will could overcome great differences in age, appearance, and background to find common ground, musical and otherwise. These were turbulent and polarized times in our country, and not everyone “The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band” called said “yes”. But Doc and Earl did, and everything I know of these gentle men has convinced me that they knew full well that this undertaking was about more than just music.

Doc Watson

It was once said of Earl Scruggs, “before Earl, nobody played the banjo like that; after Earl, everybody played it like that.” This wasn’t far from the truth, though Earl himself would never make such a claim. Before Earl, the banjo was predominantly a rhythmic instrument, and often in fact a sort of comedic stage prop. After Earl, the instrument gained the respect it deserved as a noble instrument of African heritage but American birth. Right up until his death, he was an enthusiastic supporter of younger musicians like Bela Fleck who, in his innovative technique, musical breadth, and quiet manner, must have reminded Earl a little bit of himself as a young man.

Doc Watson had a similar impact with respect to the acoustic guitar. Doc’s flatpicking virtuosity, along with that of his younger contemporary Clarence White, transformed the guitar from a predominantly rhythm instrument to a featured lead instrument in bluegrass ensembles. This musical torch was then passed to great musicians like current North Carolina resident Tony Rice whose hot licks kept it burning brightly. Whether in a duet like Doc and Merle’s, a full five-piece bluegrass band, or a jam session of two dozen, every guitar player since Doc and Clarence has gotten the nod midway through the tune that means, “hey, you wanna take a lead break?”

Like Earl, Doc had traditional values but innovative tastes. The two men helped to establish a tradition of innovation, the very nature of which will ensure that each generation will continue talking to the next as part of a conversation that goes both ways. The festival Doc hosts every spring in memory of his son, has become the kickoff event for the summer festival season, and whether you’re subsequently off to Bass Mountain for bluegrass, Mount Airy for old-time, or Bonnaroo for roots-based jam-bands, you start your season with Doc and his friends at Merlefest in North Wilkesboro.

At memorial services for Doc and Earl, their influence on others was acknowledged, but there was actually very little emphasis on their musical virtuosity. In part, of course, this was because anyone present would have known about that already. But of course everyone present would have known something about the men behind the music too. Nevertheless, it became clear in these services that it was the character of the men, not just their musical talents that caused our heart-strings to resonate so readily in response to those on their banjo and guitar.

It is fitting that this celebration of Doc Watson occur in the capital city where he attended the Governor Morehead School for the Blind years before becoming famous. And it is fitting to share his memory along with that of Earl Scruggs who drove his young family in a mobile home to Raleigh when he had the WPTF gig for eight months in 1952. For both men represent in their music and their character the very best of our state, and, in this, both men were perfect embodiments of our fine state motto.

In 1893, the General Assembly gathered in Raleigh and selected the phrase “Esse Quam Videri” to grace The Great Seal of North Carolina. They felt so strongly about the centrality of its message that they decreed by legal statute that “no other words or other embellishments shall appear on the seal.” These Latin words mean “to be, rather than to seem”, and I’ve always appreciated the degree to which they describe the sort of humble, genuine, unembellished quality of our finest citizens.

And so it was with Doc and Earl. For years, a standard introduction at the Grand Ole Opry was for “Earl and his fancy banjo”. But it was the wonderful contrast between the flash and fire coming out of their instruments and the reserved, soft-spoken, non-fancy men behind them that made Doc and Earl so compelling.

In the music business, there are a lot of big egos and many who feed and flatter them. But as great musicians and modest men, both Doc and Earl were the genuine article, the real thing, and neither cared about the trappings that go along with seeming to be so. Barry Poss of Durham-born Sugar Hill Records recalls that it was often difficult in the studio to capture Doc’s virtuosity since his lack of pretension made him reluctant to “show-off” a hot lead in the presence of other players. As North Carolinians, we were comfortable having these accomplished but humble men represent not only our music but also our better natures as they traveled the globe.

It is common in conversations about music to say something like, “I love The Rolling Stones” or “Man, I love John Coltrane”. Indeed, I think I’m quoting myself here. But generally what we really mean by such statements is that we love the music of The Rolling Stones and John Coltrane. But when I say “I love Earl Scruggs” or “I love Doc Watson”, I really mean I love Earl Scruggs and I love Doc Watson. And that’s why I’ll be at the Museum of Art next Saturday. See ya’ there.

by David Tate

Doc Watson Symposium

Saturday, June 30 | 10:30 am
Museum Auditorium, East Building
10:30 am–noon and 1–4 pm
Admission free; ticket from Box Office required

Ciompi Quartet Presents, a three-part summer chamber music series, begins June 5

The Duke University Department of Music, Office of the Vice Provost for the Arts and Sarah P. Duke Gardens are pleased to announce the inauguration of Ciompi Quartet Presents, a three-part summer chamber music series in Duke Gardens curated and presented by members of the Ciompi Quartet.

Concerts will take place on three Tuesday evenings at 7:30 pm in Kirby Horton Hall in the Doris Duke Center at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Each concert will feature one or more members of the Ciompi Quartet joined by acclaimed guest artists.

“We hope these programs will satisfy a thirst for classical music during the hot days of summer,” says Ciompi violist Jonathan Bagg. “Each concert is strikingly different and features some of the best guest artists you’ll hear all year long, in repertoire ranging from Bach through Beethoven, Brahms and Shostakovich, to stunning contemporary works of Toru Takemitsu and John Tavener. We’re very excited to present these special concerts to our community of music lovers in Kirby Horton Hall, an intimate and acoustically fine venue.”

Tuesday, June 5

Violinist Eric Pritchard is joined by fellow Ciompi Quartet member Jonathan Bagg, viola, and NC Symphony principal cellist Bonnie Thron in Bach’s masterwork, the Goldberg Variations, an exciting, famously virtuosic transcription for string trio.

Tuesday, July 10

Jonathan Bagg presents “Dancing in the Wind,” a program for flute, viola, harp and soprano. John Taverner’s gorgeous To a Child Dancing in the Wind features soprano Ilana Davidson; Toru Takemitsu’s And Then I Knew T’was Wind and James Patterson’s Embracing the Wind, featuring Laura Gilbert, flute, and Stacey Shames, harp, complete this lovely summer’s eve.

Tuesday, August 14

Ciompi cellist Fred Raimi presents Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 and works by Beethoven and Brahms. Raimi is joined by UNC-Chapel Hill faculty members Richard Luby, violin, and Clara Yang, piano.

Please note we inaugurate this special series without Ciompi second violin Hsiao-mei Ku, who will be in China this summer with the Duke Engage program.

Individual tickets for each performance are $20 and will go on sale May 24. Subscription packages to all three concerts for $50 are currently on sale at the Duke University Box Office, 919-684-4444 or www.tickets.duke.edu. For more information, visit events.duke.edu/ciompipresents. Note: Parking is free in Duke Gardens parking lots after 5pm. Artists and program subject to change.

The Ciompi Quartet was founded at Duke University in 1965 by the renowned Italian violinist Giorgio Ciompi. All its members are professors at Duke and play a leading role in the cultural life of the university and community, in addition to traveling widely throughout the year for performances.

In a career that includes many hundreds of concerts and spans five continents, the Ciompi Quartet has developed a reputation for performances of real intelligence and musical sophistication, and for a warm, unified sound that is enhanced by each player’s strong individual voice. With a maturity and insight born of wide experience, the Ciompi Quartet projects the heart and soul of the music, in a repertoire that ranges from well-known masterpieces to works by today’s most communicative composers.

It is springtime and there is a presence in the room. There, lying sprawled under a lilac tree, I can see Nina Simone pouring her heart into a secret recipe – one that she hopes will transport her back to her lost lover. On Lilac Wine, Simone’s singing and hypnotic timbre is perhaps the most haunting rendition of James H. Shelton’s 1950 original composition. With gently pulsing chords and piano flourishes, her delicate, almost masculine vibrato pierces the air, thick with an audible haze. Infused with passion and tempered with melancholia, Lilac Wine could be a B-side from the New Testament’s Song of Songs (if the New Testament was crooned in a smoky jazz club in the concrete bowels of Paris). For more than a minute into the track I am drawn into Simone’s world by an attractive, unsettling quality as she sings how she surrendered to a ‘strange delight’ on a ‘cool damp night’, under a lilac tree. What has she given herself to? Perhaps she speaks of something in the room, whose presence seems to create a vast reverberation on the track. Simone transitions, lithe fingers forming major chords and the ballad ensues. The confused, almost hallucinatory lyrics remain the same as Simone spins, singing how her wine is ‘sweet and heady, like my love’. Then, as if the lyrics reflected her own personal battle with bipolar and the violent mood swings that made her such an astonishing and tragic figure, Simone utters, ‘listen to me, why is everything so hazy? Isn’t it he, or am I just going crazy, dear?’

In my decidedly non-rebellious youth, my father was always introducing me to weird music. And his choice of music was befitting of the eccentric, displaced Belgian lost in the southern United States that he was, and still is. One day, he introduced me to something so far beyond his typical King-Crimson-meets-Mott-the-Hoople-meets-Lord knows what aesthetic that I blurted something that was equally befitting of my aforementioned non-rebellious youth. ‘Holy Buckets of Glory,’ I think it was. My father turned up the decibels, and my ears opened to Jeff Buckley’s Grace (1994) for the first time as he ached out his own version of Lilac Wine. Buckley’s vibrato seemed impossible for a man, and that song in particular held me in a strange, pre-pubescent state of staring and mouth breathing. That last bit, I can assure you, can only be reflected upon many years after the fact. Having properly discovered Nina Simone since those days, when my dad was still carting me around to music shops in his embarrassing puke-green junk on wheels (my father lovingly called this automobile the ‘green bomber’), I now understand that Simone’s version of Lilac Wine is forever more potent than Buckley’s. Simone’s version is also infinitely more tortured.

Simone’s album Wild is the Wind (1966), on which Lilac Wine appears, comes more than 30 years before Buckley’s work. While Buckley’s Grace sandwiches Lilac Wine among other lovesick power ballads, his album is largely composed of originals. Listening to Wild is the Wind, however, is like listening to someone else’s work. In fact, the album’s eleven tracks is almost entirely the work of other artists, save for a traditional entitled, Black is the color of my true love’s hair, and Four Women, which is Simone’s only original track on the whole album. I get the impression that Simone clings to Lilac Wine, as if it is all she has. It is just such a pity that she did not write it. This small detail does not stop her from singing as if it is her own. With a sultry defiance she defends it with her beautiful bellows and tender piano chops.

It has recently occurred to me that Nina Simone’s nine year passing falls on the same day that I land at the Raleigh Durham International airport on April 21, 2012, after spending the longest year of my entire life as an aid worker in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There is something in Lilac Wine, and in Simone herself, that makes me search for parallels between my own life and hers. Born in Tryon in 1933, she became angered by the cutting racism she experienced in America during those years. Simone abandoned North Carolina and her country of birth for her musical migrations throughout Europe and parts of Africa. Later in letters to her brother, she scathingly referred to the US as the ‘United Snakes of America.’ Born and bred in North Carolina, I too left my home state in 2008 – though for wholly different reasons. I too have journeyed through countries in Europe and Africa, and the Caribbean. I am reminded that there is a part of me that thought I would never return for more than a few weeks at a time. I have spent the past 4 years in self-inflicted humanitarian exile, and now I think of myself as ‘reintegrating’ into a strange society that only existed in my memories until recently, as I swatted malarial mosquitoes in the clear-cut wastelands of Haiti and the jungles of central Africa. In many ways I feel like Simone. I am just stumbling out of a haze of my own. Somewhere behind the slight, warm crackle of the microphone and the echo in the pauses, in Lilac Wine I hear a homecoming anthem.

———————————

Born Eunice Kathleen Wymon in Tryon on February 21, 1933, Nina Simone is not just another native North Carolinian. She is the global godmother of jazz. Spanning a long career as one of the world’s most prolific artists, her dozens of studio and live albums have incorporated and shaped the genres of jazz, blues, R&B, gospel, folk and pop.

Three bands combined on Sunday, March 18th at Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh to mark 25 years of brass playing.  Several musicians present were among the founding members of the Triangle Brass Band (TBB) back in 1986. The Triangle Youth Brass Band (TYBB) and the Triangle Youth Brass Ensemble(TYBE) combined with the adult band to create a sound guest announcer David Ballantyne, of WCPE fame, quipped might “raise the roof” of the concert hall.

Each of the bands played alone for the first half. Charismatic guest soloist Jens Lendemann joined the adult brass band for an exhilarating world premier, and again for the world premier of his new blue trumpet. For the second half the three bands shared the stage for a huge and exciting sound.

Tony Granados is the director of the bands, and conducts TBB and TYBB. Jesse Rackley conducts TYBE. In addition, there were several guest conductors: Dr. David Reed, David Rockefeller, Michael Votta, Brian Doyle, and Robert Hunter.

The only thing disappointing about the concert last Sunday was the empty seats. These bands should be heard! Any lover of live classical music should plan to attend the next concert.  In fact, any lover of live music should attend the next concert! The youth bands will play music from Phantom Menace, Saving Private Ryan, and Gladiator, as well as Bohemian Rhapsody in Movie Mayhem on Friday, May 25th at Meymandi Concert Hall.

Next up for the youth bands is a tour. TYBB will head to Atlanta to play in the Atlanta Symphony Hall, and TYBE will head to Ohio to participate in the North American Brass Band Association Championships.

Listen to a sample of the concert from last week and check out the YouTube channel!

25th Anniversary concert Triangle Brass Bands. This performance is by the all the band in the Triangle Brass Band organization, Tony Granados conducting. Firebird by Igor Stravinsky

Find the bands on facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/TriangleBrassBand

https://www.facebook.com/TriangleYouthBrassBand

https://www.facebook.com/TriangleYouthBrassEnsemble

Promo picture for Steve Earle and the Dukes (and Duchesses) 2011 tour.

Towards the end of the second set of his extremely entertaining concert at the Durham Performing Arts Center last Saturday night, Steve Earle recalled that he’s played in this area quite a bit over the course of his career.

Earle spoke of what he called the “I-40 tours of the ‘70s”, performing at the Pier in Raleigh, and boasted that he’s “played all 3 Cat’s Cradles!”

This, of course, got a big response from the audience. Back in the first set, there was little talk as Earle opened with the first 4 songs off his new disc “I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive” (also the title of his new novel). As the show progressed, the man loosened up and told some priceless anecdotes – the best of which was about his son, Justin Townes Earle, hiding his gun from him back in the day for the introduction to “Devil’s Right Hand.”

With 2 sets, each over a dozen songs long, and 2 encores, Earle and the Dukes and Duchesses, brought a generous sampling of their brand of country/rock/folk/bluegrass. Earle played nearly every song off of his new album (“Lonely Are The Free” being the only holdout), and a nice mix of his hits, including a rousing version of “Copperhead Road” which kicked off the second set.

After a touching duet with his wife, country singer Allison Moorer, on “Days Aren’t Long Enough”, Earle left the stage for Moorer to sing a couple of her compositions (“The Broken Girl”, “Getting Somewhere”), and a beautiful cover of the Sam Cooke classic “A Change Is Gonna Come.”

In the second set, bassist Kevin Looney sang one of his own songs, and guitarist Chris Masterson and Eleanor Whitmore, (violin, fiddle, vocals) played the catchy “Crash Test” from one of their recordings as The Mastersons.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the great drum-work of Will Rigby, best known for the dB’s. Rigby has played with Earle since 1999 and it really shows.

Another highlight was when Earle, who appeared to switch up guitar, mandolin, and even bouzouki (which he warned to not call it that when going through airport security) on every song, brought out the guitar that belonged to his character Harley on the HBO show Treme: “This isn’t an old guitar, but it plays one on TV.”

The guitar has the phrase “This Machine Floats” painted on it, which he didn’t explain, but purists should know is a play on the statement on Woody Guthrie’s guitar: “This Machine Kills Fascists.”

The show would’ve been completely satisfying if it ended after the 3 song encore, but after the house lights came on then quickly dimmed, Earle and band came back out to play a passionate version of Bob Dylan’s “It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry.”

They then closed with one of Earle’s most rocking songs – “The Unrepentant” from his 1996 release “I Feel Alright.”

It was a night that surely delighted both purists and casual fans. Having never seen Earle live before, I can truly say that I am now a convert. Here’s hoping he’ll be coming to these parts for a long time.

Set 1: “Waitin’ On The Sky” / “Little Emperor” / “The Gulf Of Mexico” / “Molly-O” / “Every Part Of Me” / “Tom Ames’ Prayer” / “My Old Friend The Blues” / “Someday” / ”Guitar Town” / “Days Aren’t Long Enough” (duet w/Allison Moorer)/ “The Broken Girl” (sung by Allison Moorer) / “Getting Somewhere” (sung by Allison Moorer) / “A Change Is Gonna Come” (sung by Allison Moorer)

Set 2: “Copperhead Road” / “Ben McCulloch” / “Mystery Train Part II” / “The Galway Girl” / “The Mountain” / “Free Men” (sung by Kelley Looney) / “Meet Me In The Alleyway” / “God Is God” / “Heaven Or Hell” / “Crash Test” / “This City” / “Taneytown” / “Hardcore Troubadour” / “The Revolution Starts Now”

Encore 1: “I Am A Wanderer” / “Hillbilly Highway” / “Devil’s Right Hand”

Encore 2: “It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry” / “The Unrepentant”

Filmed and produced by Jim Torres

From the Album “Wood And Stone” on Sugar Hill Records

Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKeln5E6bBs&feature=player_detailpage

Free Download: http://soundcloud.com/dreamspider/10-stars-fell-on-alabama

Asheville, NC (August 29, 2011) — American roots traditionalist Tara Nevins’ new release ‘Wood and Stone’ showcases Nevins’ ever-evolving repertoire and was produced by Larry Campbell at the Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY. Featured guests on the album include Levon Helm, Jim Lauderdale, Allison Moorer, Teresa Williams, The Heartbeats, along with the core band of Larry Campbell, Justin Guip, and Byron Isaacs.

CMT writes, “With the wonderful fiddle groove and vividly written lyrics, Nevins gives a glimpse into her roots. Stepping out for a rare solo record (beyond her beloved band, Donna the Buffalo), she meshes her Cajun influences, unique voice, drums and steel guitars for an intriguing look at her heritage.”

One of the songs that stands out is Nevins’s version of the Jazz standard

“Stars Fell on Alabama.”

A few years ago, living in Huntsville, Alabama, Nevins was approached by director Jim Torres and was asked to adapt “Stars Fell On Alabama” for the movie he was then directing – “20 Years After” (an MTI Video). Torres states, “I was looking for a song that had romantic lyrics and a geographical reference to Alabama which is where the movie took place. I’ve always loved Ella Fitzgerald and Louie Armstrong’s version of the song, and the lyrics were perfect for the movie, but I needed something a little darker, almost melancholy to match the tone of the film. I met Tara through mutual friends on the film project and we talked. I loved her music, and the thought of adapting a Jazz standard intrigued her.”

Nevins used the original lyrics and rewrote the music in an Old Time Mountain Music style. She created the new melody for the lyrics and wrote a fiddle tune as the centerpiece of the instrumental sections. She then went up to Nashville and recorded the song with Gary Paczosa.

Nevins states, “when the movie came out I put the song up on MySpace. It was also put, with just an abstract picture, up on YouTube. Between the two, the song has had nearly 60,000 views and comments. I continually receive messages from folks who’ve seen “20 Years After” saying it was their favorite thing in the movie and where can they get a copy of my version of the song? I decided to put “Stars Fell On Alabama” on my new record because of that, and because I think it is beautiful and it fit perfectly with the rest of the record.”

Here it is, yet another version of this great Jazz standard – different from all the others with an Old Time Country sound. This version is of interest to anyone who knows the song, and has had a great response from those who have heard it. It’s reference to Alabama has alot of meaning for Nevins personally and this version has seemed to touch the hearts of many listeners living in Alabama.

It seemed like the perfect song from “Wood and Stone” to do a video of. Like Jim Torres says “We wanted the video to stand on its own, and let it support the music – just Tara and her fiddle and a beautiful song.”

Here is what the press is saying about “Stars Fell On Alabama”

“…….. even though I am familiar with at least two dozen other renditions of the song, it’s as though I heard it for the first time. It is stunning in its quietness.” – Amos Perrine, No Depression

“Stars Fell on Alabama” sounds like it fell from her heart and pen too, but Nevins has the capacity to take a well-known standard like this, change the melody, and perform it so ingenuously that it fits in seamlessly to the whole groove of the record.” – Acousticana Journal

“ … it’s a track sounds like it was from the O’Brother Where Art Thou? sessions…. the haunting “Stars Fell On Alabama,” where once again Nevins shows her prowess on the fiddle” – Chuck Dauphin, Music News Nashville:

“Three deftly picked covers include the standard “Stars Fell on Alabama” (from the film 20 Years After),….Nevins works some real magic here” – Hyperbolium

“……… a dynamite reading of “Stars Fell on Alabama,” - The Daily News

The music video for “Stars Fell on Alabama” was created by Director/Editor Jim Torres, Assistant Director Keith Sims, and Cinematographer Daniel Beard in July of 2011 in Huntsville, Alabama.

Tara Nevins will be playing a showcase as part of the Americana Music Conference and Awards Week in Nashville, TN on Saturday, October 15th at the Station Inn.

Visit www.TaraNevins.com for more information about the album, a gallery of images, videos, music, and lyrics.

Eight songs of various musical styles reflect themes from the new book.

cover art by Lauren Gallegos

The original music soundtrack that accompanies “The Mahogany Door,” a new fantasy-adventure book for young readers by J. Mark Boliek, is now available for downloading from iTunes, Napster, Amazon MP3, and a host of other online music sources.

“The Mahogany Door,” book one of The Bruinduer Narrative trilogy, is the story of three friends, separated by tragedy, who must come together again to journey back through the great Mahogany Door into the fantasy world of Bruinduer to correct a destiny they left unfulfilled years before.

Themes in the book are reflected in the eight-song CD, which range in style from rock and R&B, to country and one full orchestral arrangement. The titles are: “All Alone,” “Rear View Mirror,” “In the Afternoon,” “The Devil Can’t Help You Here,” “Here is My Anger, Here is My Pride,” “Kingsfold on Bruinduer,” “Goodbyes,” and “Five Years Ago”.

A musician as well as a writer, Boliek conceived of the CD soundtrack as a way to capture the moods and themes of the book in songs. He wrote or co-wrote all but two of the songs. Katie Basden, a new name in country music, wrote “Rear View Mirror” and has allowed him to use it on the CD.

“I was also happy that Katie agreed to sing the vocals for ‘Goodbyes,’” Boliek added.

Benjamin Young, Scott Jackson and Keith Wood, of the band Made By Saturdays, wrote “Five Years Ago.”

The process of creating the soundtrack was particularly special to Boliek because of the “closeness of friends and family” that it took to create the CD, he said. To honor that process, he is including the CD free of charge with signed copies of “The Mahogany Door” when orders are made through his website’s “Shop” at www.jmarkboliek.com/cart.

“It’s a pretty cool thing to put something together that you never thought you could, and it actually sounds pretty good,” he said with a smile.

He’s also been pleased with the reception the songs have received from young readers when he’s played them at school fairs and other events.

“At one event, a group of 12-year-old girls jumped up cheering after ‘In the Afternoon’,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting that!”

Boliek also includes the soundtrack in an enhanced eBook version of “The Mahogany Door” that is supported in applications for iPad, iPhone, and Kindle for iPad that will be available through Apple’s iBook store and Amazon soon.

All of the songs except “Five Years Ago” were mixed and produced by Triangle area veteran music engineer John Plymale (Squirrel Nut Zippers, Meat Puppets) of Overdub Lane Studios in Durham, NC.

“Five Years Ago” was mixed and produced by up and coming engineer, Paul Leavitt (All Time Low, Dangerous Summer, Circa Survive) of Valencia Studios in Baltimore, MD.

All songs were mastered by Brent Lambert at The Kitchen in Carrboro, NC.

The entire soundtrack can be heard on the website at www.jmarkboliek.com/the-music. For a complete list of where the songs can be downloaded, visit Boliek’s blog at www.jmarkboliek.com/blog.

For more information on The Mahogany Door; the 353-page soft cover fantasy-adventure book for young readers recently released by Split Rail Books of Durham, NC, visit. www.jmarkboliek.com and the author’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/JMarkBoliek.

About J. Mark Boliek:

J. Mark Boliek, the author of “The Mahogany Door” and the entire Bruinduer Narrative series, grew up in Eden and Durham, North Carolina. An avid writer and athlete, he received a football scholarship after high school but chose to join the Navy instead. He graduated from Concord University in Athens, WV, in 1997 and lived in Wilmington, NC, for a while, where he began to develop The Bruinduer Narrative, a fantasy-adventure series for young readers, as well as the soundtrack CD that accompanies “The Mahogany Door.” Mark and his wife Jill now live in Durham, NC, where they own and operate Split Rail Books and Split Rail Multimedia LLC. For more information on the author and “The Mahogany Door,” visit www.jmarkboliek.com and his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jmarkboliek.

Just a few short months ago, Danny Rosin, president and co-founder of Band Together, Jim Graves, steering member, and several other members of the 100% volunteer-operated program got together to try and find a new and interesting way of promoting local music and, most importantly, of raising funds for Alliance Medical Ministry, a faith-based organization that helps to secure healthcare for the working uninsured in the community. The result of this brainstorming session was the Last Band Standing event that took place at Lincoln Theatre on Friday, April 8. The event brought together several local bands, all interested in spreading the word about their music and about this worthwhile cause.

Fun, great music, and compassion for others were at the heart of this exciting and inspiring event. Four talented bands competed for the title of Last Band Standing and for the opportunity to perform at Band Together’s 2011 Main Concert Event on Saturday, May 7, which will be headlined by Third Eye Blind. Filthybird’s folksy sounds kicked off the evening followed by a punk-infused performance from Lonnie Walker. Crowd-pleasing rock from House of Fools and The Chris Hendricks Band also heated up the house, but in the end, only one band could take home the $3500 and the prestige of performing at the main concert event and Lonnie Walker emerged as the champion.

The performers were judged by Doug MacMillan, lead singer for The Connells; Corbie Hill, music writer for Independent Weekly; Pat Dickenson, co-owner of the Lincoln Theatre, Jon Rosin a Berkley College of Music grad, and most importantly, by the audience. Though it was a tough call, Lonnie Walker took home the big prize. Now, the band is busy gearing up for the big performance on May 7. For tickets to this event, which will feature music by Third Eye Blind, Dillon Fence and a hot late-night after party, visit http://www.BandTogetherNC.org.

Also be sure to check out exclusive videos from the Last Band Standing event at http://www.youtube.com/TriangleAE

"Amadeus" stars Michael Urie and Ray Dooley

The PlayMakers Repertory Company of Chapel Hill and the North Carolina Symphony of Raleigh will present a joint production of English playwright Peter Shaffer’s heavily fictionalized 1979 stage play, Amadeus, starring “Ugly Betty” actor Michael Urie as Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91) and PlayMakers mainstay and arguably the Triangle’s finest actor Ray Dooley as Mozart’s “friend” and rival, Italian composer Antonio Salieri (1750-1825), on Dec. 3-5 in Meymandi Concert Hall in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh, NC.

According to the North Carolina Symphony:

“Sir Peter Shaffer’s beloved play Amadeus is the foundation for a one-of-a-kind hybrid of music and theater that will receive its only three performances this December in Raleigh. Actors Ray Dooley and Michael Urie (‘Ugly Betty’) star in the first-ever collaboration between the North Carolina Symphony and PlayMakers Repertory Company, bringing music’s most famous prodigy to life on the concert hall stage.

“This unique collaboration between two of the Triangle’s premier arts organizations takes place at Meymandi Concert Hall in downtown Raleigh’s Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts ….

“With the full North Carolina Symphony, led by music director Grant Llewellyn on stage, Ray Dooley plays Austrian court composer Antonio Salieri, Mozart’s scheming musical rival, along with other PlayMakers favorites returning from the cast of the hit 2007-08 season production. Making a special appearance as the Emperor will be PlayMakers‘ own producing artistic director Joseph Haj, who is also directing the action. Television, film, and theater actor Michael Urie stars in the title role. This original adaptation includes full costuming, props, and all the key scenes from PlayMakers‘ staging of the Tony Award®-winning play.

“‘To collaborate with Grant Llewellyn and his extraordinary colleagues at the North Carolina Symphony is a rare gift, both for our organization and our community,’ says Haj. ‘I am thrilled to direct and act in a production with this company and to share the stage with Maestro Llewellyn.’

“‘We’re overjoyed to be working with PlayMakers on this innovative and inspiring project,’ adds Symphony vice president for artistic operations and general manager Scott Freck. ‘To work closely with Joseph Haj and the entire PlayMakers team for these past months has been an incredible privilege. By coming together to break new ground, our audience members will gain insight not otherwise possible in a single-discipline performance.”

“These concerts are the second entries in the Symphony’s ‘Composer Portraits’ series, which allows concertgoers the chance to go deeper than they ever have into the work of classical music vanguards. Audience members can also take home the limited edition Composer Portraits book and poster. Visit the Symphony’s ‘Explore the Score’ page (http://www.ncsymphony.org/explorethescore/) to learn about all the special packages available during this innovative program.

SECOND OPINION: Dec. 4th Durham, NC Independent Weekly review by Zach Smith (who awarded the show 4 of 5 stars): http://www.indyweek.com/artery/archives/2010/12/04/amadeus-at-meymandi-powerful-music-transcends-technical-issues; and Dec. 4th Raleigh, NC News & Observer review by Roy C. Dicks: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/12/04/843011/PlayMakers-nc-symphony-strike.html and Nov. 28th preview by Rebecca J. Ritzel: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/11/28/827869/PlayMakers-amadeus-comes-alive.html.

PlayMakers Repertory Company and the North Carolina Symphony present AMADEUS, starring Michael Urie and Ray Dooley, at 8 p.m. Dec. 3 and 4 and 3 p.m. Dec. 5 in Meymandi Concert Hall in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South St., Raleigh, North Carolina 27601.

TICKETS: $30-$45.

BOX OFFICE: North Carolina Symphony: 877/627-6724 or 919/733-2750. Ticketmaster: 800/745-3000, 919/834-4000, or http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/115204/804126. SHOW: http://playmakersrep.org/performances/event.aspx?id=98aa40bf-6e39-4a96-990f-b7b2fd47af24 and http://www.ncsymphony.org/events/index.cfm?view=details&viewref=calendar&detailid=806&eid=1319.

PRESENTERS: PlayMakers Repertory Company: http://www.playmakersrep.org/. North Carolina Symphony: http://www.ncsymphony.org/. VENUE: http://www.progressenergycenter.com/page.php?mode=privateview&pageID=23.

DIRECTIONS: http://www.progressenergycenter.com/page.php?mode=privateview&pageID=36.

PARKING: http://www.progressenergycenter.com/page.php?mode=privateview&pageID=37.

NOTE 1: At 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3rd, there will be a Meet-the-Artists pre-concert event in the West Pavilion lobby. Immediately following the concert, there will be a post-concert question-and-answer session in the orchestra level.

NOTE: 2: There will be pre-concert talks at 7 p.m. on Dec. 4 and 2 p.m. on Dec. 5th, both in the West Pavilion lobby, and post-concert Q&A sessions immediately following the concert in the orchestra level.

OTHER LINKS:

The Play: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadeus (Wikipedia).

The Playwright: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Shaffer (Wikipedia).

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Amadeus_Mozart (Wikipedia).

Antonio Salieri: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Salieri (Wikipedia).

Michael Urie: http://michaelurie.net/home/ (official website) and http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1235530/ (Internet Movie Database).

Ray Dooley: http://playmakersrep.org/aboutus/artist.aspx?id=8af68993-6769-49d2-a611-58e367e5526f (PlayMakers Repertory Company).

Grant Llewellyn: http://www.ncsymphony.org/about/index.cfm?subsec=people&peoplecat=staff (North Carolina Symphony).

Joseph Haj: http://www.playmakersrep.org/aboutus/artist.aspx?id=69bcb020-c4f9-4507-a976-dc964c388637 (PlayMakers Repertory Company).

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Robert W. McDowell is editor and publisher of Triangle Theater Review, a FREE weekly e-mail theatrical newsletter that provides more comprehensive, in-depth coverage of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill theater than all of the other news media combined. This review is reprinted with permission from Triangle Theater Review.

To start your FREE subscription to this newsletter, e-mail RobertM748@aol.com and type SUBSCRIBE TTR in the Subject: line.

To read all of Robert W. McDowell’s Triangle Theater Review previews and reviews online at Triangle Arts & Entertainment, click http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/author/robert-w-mcdowell/.

Broadway Series South will present the 2010-11 National Tour of Handel’s Messiah Rocks: A Joyful Noise, a groundbreaking musical event that blends classical music with classic rock and breathes new life into the perennially popular 1742 oratorio by celebrated German-British composer George Frideric Handel (1685-1759), at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20th, in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh, NC.

According to Broadway Series South:

“Handel’s Messiah Rocks: A Joyful Noise features stunning visual effects, thrilling songs, an orchestra, rock band, adult and children’s choirs, and soloists with some of the most powerful voices on stage. You’ll even hear some voices from the Triangle! The Raleigh presentation of [Handel's Messiah Rocks] will feature members from Raleigh’s Sanderson High School Choir.

“Performing on stage with the cast of [Handel's Messiah Rocks] will provide the Sanderson High School Choir with the opportunity to gain professional theater experience and discover what it’s like to be part of a nationally touring company. They will also have the opportunity to perform one of the newest interpretations of the most celebrated oratorio in the world, in front of their own family and friends.

“The New York Times describes [Handel's Messiah Rocks] and the reinterpretation of the most famous selection from the Oratorio ‘Hallelujah,’ by saying it, ‘… combines Handel and Sunset Strip-metal in one slick, efficient mash.’ …

“Having been performed annually for 240 years throughout the world the traditional composition has compelled its admirers to listen to and attend live performances many times throughout the year and now Handel’s Messiah Rocks can be enjoyed at home both on CD and DVD available on Sony Integrity Records. Some of the selections included are ‘Overture,’ ‘Comfort Ye,’ ‘He’ll Come in Glory,’ ‘He is Fire,’ Hallelujah,’ and more.

“Handel’s Messiah Rocks: A Joyful Noise was adapted by Jason Howland, and [the] libretto adapted by Dani Davis is based on the original oratorio by George Frideric Handel with libretto by Charles Jennens [1700-73]. It is produced by NETworks Presentations, LLC, and directed by Dani Davis.”

Broadway Series South presents HANDEL’S MESSIAH ROCKS: A JOYFUL NOISE at 7 p.m. Nov. 20 in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South St., Raleigh, North Carolina 27601.

TICKETS: $27-$57.

BOX OFFICE: Progress Energy Center Box Office: 919/831-6060 (information only). Ticketmaster: 800/745-3000, 919/834-4000, or http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/115203/1473111.

SHOW: http://broadwayseriessouth.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Calendar&file=listevent-bss2008&eid=10039.

VIDEO PREVIEW: http://www.handelsmessiahrocks.com/ (click Play Video).

PRESENTER: http://broadwayseriessouth.com/index.php.

VENUE: http://www.progressenergycenter.com/page.php?mode=privateview&pageID=21.

DIRECTIONS/PARKING: http://www.progressenergycenter.com/page.php?mode=privateview&pageID=37.

OTHER LINKS:

Handel’s Messiah Rocks: A Joyful Noise: http://www.handelsmessiahrocks.com/ and http://messiahrocks.com/ (official websites).

NETworks Presentations, LLC: http://www.networksontour.com/ (official website).

Sanderson High School Choir: http://sanderson.ryark.com/enter.htm (official website).

Messiah: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messiah_(Handel) (Wikipedia).

George Frideric Handel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Frideric_Handel (Wikipedia).

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Robert W. McDowell is editor and publisher of Triangle Theater Review, a FREE weekly e-mail theatrical newsletter that provides more comprehensive, in-depth coverage of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill theater than all of the other news media combined. This review is reprinted with permission from Triangle Theater Review.

To start your FREE subscription to this newsletter, e-mail RobertM748@aol.com and type SUBSCRIBE TTR in the Subject: line.

To read all of Robert W. McDowell’s Triangle Theater Review previews and reviews online at Triangle Arts & Entertainment, click http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/author/robert-w-mcdowell/.

Dick Spottswood's new book about NC-born banjo player Wade Mainer

North Carolina is known for its old-time stringband music and musicians, and Wade Mainer, a musician with a distinctive voice and precise two-finger banjo style, is a living legend in the stringband music community. Mainer and his band created a distinct sound that bridged the gap between old-time mountain music and bluegrass, and a new book about Mainer’s life was recently released by music scholar and Washington radio personality Dick Spottswood, who will talk about the book and have a signing at the tribute event at Wilson Library in Chapel Hill on September 21. This event is free and open to the public.

Born in 1907 in Buncombe County near Weaverville, North Carolina, Mainer became a popular recording and radio personality who influenced generations of great musicians, including Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley and Doc Watson. Spottswood’s book, Banjo on the Mountain – Wade Mainer’s First Hundred Years, tells the story of the man who made a career in country music playing the banjo a few years before Bill Monroe’s first album became a hit.

The musical tribute to Mainer will feature Big Medicine (Jim Collier, Bob Head, Kenny Jackson, Joe Newberry); The Happy Valley Pals (Gail Gillespie and Margaret Martin, Dwight Rogers and Wayne Martin); The Lonesome Prairie Dogs (Steve Terrill, Molly Stouten, and Alan Teichman); Andy Cahan; and Joseph DeCosimo; along with other area musicians playing songs from Mainer’s catalog, which spans nearly six decades. The event will also include a reception, discussion and a Q&A session with Spottswood.

Mainer began performing professionally in 1932 with Mainer’s Mountaineers, his brother’s band, and later continued with his own group, The Sons of the Mountaineers. His heyday was during the popularity of “hillbilly music” in the 1930s and 1940s. Between 1935 and 1941, various Mainer brother combinations recorded more than 165 songs for RCA Victor, making them some of the most heavily recorded country artists of that era. But Wade left music to work for General Motors in 1953, along with many Appalachians of his generation. Since then, he has recorded a few gospel albums, and, during the 1970s, with the renewal of interest in old-time music, and with some persuasion from fans who were familiar with his early recordings, Wade began to perform in public again, accompanied by his wife, Julia Mae, a guitarist and a fine traditional singer.

Wade’s music has always been noted for its traditional repertoire and for his distinctive melodic two-finger banjo picking style, which was a personal trademark. This style became the basis for the three-finger banjo styles developed by Snuffy Jenkins and Earl Scruggs. His music is an antecedent of modern bluegrass. In 1987, Wade was named a National Heritage Fellow by the National Endowment of the Arts.

In Spottswood’s book, Wade’s life is told through his personal reflections and the wealth of documents, memorabilia and photos he has preserved from his long career in music. Spottswood spent time with Wade and Julia in Michigan, where they opened their collection of treasured keepsakes for the book.

Banjo on The Mountain was released in both paper and ebook editions in August by the University Press of Mississippi.

The Southern Folklife Collection, The Old-Time Herald, PineCone-Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, and the North Carolina Folklife Institute, are co-sponsoring this event. More information is available at www.pinecone.org.

100 Miles From Memphis, Sheryl Crow’s latest album, is a conglomeration of pop, soul, funk, and even a little bit of island reggae. It takes on a ‘more diva and less rock’ persona than her earlier work. The grooves are accompanied by lots of “na na na”s and guest appearances by Keith Richards on the island vibe song Eye to Eye, Justin Timberlake on Sign Your Name, and Citizen Cope on Sideways. Her current sound she says, is “harking back to (her) influences of the 60s and 70s”. There are songs on this album that are clearly inspired by the artists such as the Jackson 5 and Al Green. Her tuned voice harbors a raspy afterthought that adds a unique sentiment to her R&B rhythms. It’s a bit of the old and a whole lotta Sheryl.

The name of the album is based on the distance she grew up from the mecca of music that is Memphis, TN. Her birthplace is not a musictropolis in its own right, and so she chose a name that represents a combination of her home in Kennett, MO and her inspiration stemming from Memphis. Before listening to the album, I expected to hear more of a nod to southern roots music, but ever since her album C’mon C’mon she has been riding on a style that is “easy-listening”, popular, playful, and she says, “true to herself”. Though her emotion sometimes neglects to ring true on her albums, her live performances have the potential to offer up her raw voice. I am hoping that she brings the funk this Sunday in a way that cannot be covered up by studio editing.

Though we cannot count on Keith Richards, Justin Timberlake, or Citizen Cope making an appearance this weekend, we can be excited for a fun upbeat soul performance by Crow thisSunday August 15^th 2010 at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. On her website, Crow says that “The last thing any of us wants to do is find themselves recreating the past”. This has been apparent in the evolution of her music ever since Soak Up the Sun. With a pop-soul style reminiscent of Motown, Sheryl Crow is moving forward with a sound that is sure to appeal. At her show this Sunday we can expect to hear all of her out-of-Memphis inspired new music as well as some of her classics like All I Wanna Do and If it Makes You Happy. Don’t be surprised if she throws in a Michael Jackson cover. Crow performed as a backup singer for Jackson before she hit it big with Tuesday Night Music Club.

California born singer-songwriter, Colbie Caillat will be opening the show.  Her pop/country style songs will set the mood well for Crow’s set. We can only hope for a duet.

For more information about Sheryl Crow’s tour, visit www.sherylcrow.com.

TIME: 6:30pm

DOORS OPEN: 5:30pm

SEATING:
Reserved, General Admission Lawn and Tables

TICKETS/PRICES: Ticketmaster
Reserved/Tables – $60.50; Lawn – $40.50; Day of Show increases to $46.00 for lawn tickets
Kids 2 and under free on the lawn.

For more information and direction to Koka Booth Amphitheatre www.boothamphitheatre.com

NOTAR had mentioned on his blog, http://notarforpresident.tumblr.com/ that he was spending some of his time on the tour van writing music. When asked what inspired him to write and whether or not he was incorporating his touring experience into his lyrics, he responded,” I try to write all the time. I’m always inspired to write, but sometimes it doesn’t really work out that way. I can be inspired and then the words won’t come together, the mood switches, or something out of my control happens and leads me off track. I just figure that if I’m going to be on these long car rides, I might as well put in double the work. Everything I come into contact with…traveling, life, experience, these are all things I try to incorporate into my music, because they’re real, not synthetic.”

NOTAR’s sound is definitely anything but false. Drawing from all kinds of musical inspiration, he has managed to create a unique blend of soul, hip hop, and lyrical styling that is far from ordinary. He credits such diverse musicians as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, and Leroy Justice as inspiring him. “The other day, I was listening to Holland Oates, and Adam [Duritz] was like ‘Dude, are you a rapper, man,’ and I said, “I can draw from anything,” NOTAR relates. He went on to say, “I appreciate all kinds of music. Music is really just a feeling. A lot of it is mathematical, but I try not to be consumed with that part of it. I would rather listen to a guy like Miles Davis or any classic musician, to the kind of music that paints a picture on a wall, like a mural, than anything.”

NOTAR did a lot of experimentation with different kinds of music before cultivating his own sound. He is a theoretically trained musician, but he also spent some time after college playing in an experimental band called Duck Sauce. The band enjoyed some local success for awhile, before the members moved on to other pursuits. NOTAR mentioned that he recently ran into former Duck Sauce bass player, Ryan Bash, who he credits as “one of the best people I’ve ever known.” “For Ryan to see me at this level in my career was really inspirational for him, and he was always an inspiration to me.” While he has lost touch with most of the other members, NOTAR notes that all of them are still involved with music in some capacity. “If you’re real with [music], it sticks,” he said.

This is something that NOTAR himself knows all too well. He grew up watching his dad perform and drawing inspiration and guidance from him. NOTAR spent some time talking about his late father and his “nonny” (grandmother) as well. “I definitely draw from my father’s musical background. His death was a hard blow as a young boy, but I know that he’d be really proud of me and the fact that I’ve attained this level of success. I’ve just kept working through all of these hardships, and that’s something my father taught me. He was a hardworker. His mom, my nonny, is still alive, and she’s really proud too.” “His mom, my nonny, is still alive, and she’s really proud too.” When asked if his nonny had been to one of his shows yet, NOTAR said that he’s going to try and get her to come out when he plays in Atlanta. “She makes one hell of an eggplant,” he laughed.

NOTAR is definitely enjoying his time on the road and meeting his fans. He called the entire experience “humbling,” and said that he was having a “blast.” He also related his first crazy encounter with a female fan, “She pulled out her right breast and asked me to sign it. I signed it in the upper region. I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries. I’m a gentleman.” Breast signing and crazy fan encounters aside, NOTAR definitely seems to be keeping his head about him and focusing on what’s most important to him: his music. Once the tour is complete and his EP has been released, he hopes to start a college tour in the fall and to continuing writing his own music. “I think if I just climb slowly and steadily up this mountain that I’m on, good things will happen,” NOTAR said.

Tickets for future shows and more information about the tour can be purchased by visiting http://www.countingcrows.com

Doc Watson & David Holt kick off the 2010-2011 Down Home Series with their Hills of Home program.

What happens when traditional music meets modern culture? That’s what PineCone hopes to show you in the 2010-2011 Down Home Concert Series. It’s an entire season of music that demonstrates North Carolina ‘s musical history and how it adapts to today’s influences.

From Western North Carolina favorites Doc Watson with David Holt and Richard Watson to modern bluegrass all-stars Daily & Vincent to the Hawaiian ukulele of Jake Shimabukuro and the Irish rock of The Chieftains, this year’s artists take the audience on an extraordinary musical journey that extends from the Hawaiian Islands around to Ireland, but always comes full-circle to the foothills that we call home.

The Chieftains, recognized as Ireland's Musical Ambassadors, have been bringing traditional Irish music to the world's attention for more than 40 years.

PineCone is honored this year to partner with Broadway Series South to present The Chieftains in MemorialAuditorium on March 13 to close out the Down Home Concert Series, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day! In their 40 years together, these Grammy award winning musicians have continuously made the musical traditions of Ireland relevant and appealing around the world.

Other highlights of the series include:

November 12: North Carolina’s own Doc Watson returns to Raleigh with longtime friend and collaborator David Holt and his own grandson, Richard Watson, to share songs and stories of the mountains in Hills of Home. (sponsored by McCullers & Whitaker and Collegiate Capital Management)

January 7: A rare opportunity to see two musical virtuosos, Tim O’Brien & Bryan Sutton, perform as a duo.

January 26: Modern-day bluegrass all-stars Daily & Vincent return to Raleigh with an expanded repertoire that honors the original sound of bluegrass while pushing it in new directions.

Hawaiian ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro brings his unique sound back to Raleigh.

February 12: Jake Shimabukuro graces Fletcher Theater with his exciting, innovative ukulele playing and compositions.

February 17: Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Sam Bush will share some classic bluegrass numbers and his own trademark sound, while Alaska-based Bearfoot returns to the PineCone stage with their signature harmonies and inventive, bluegrass-infused music.

March 13: Paddy Moloney, THE CHIEFTAINS, and special guests close out the Down Home Concert Series in Memorial Auditorium just in time for St. Patrick’s Day! In their 40 years together, these six-time Grammy award winning musicians have continuously made the musical traditions of Ireland relevant and appealing around the world. (sponsored by Collegiate Capital Management)

Tickets go on sale on August 9. PineCone members can take advantage of a week-long pre-sale beginning on August 2. Learn how to become a member, or get more details on each performance on PineCone’s website, www.pinecone.org.

For more than 25 years, PineCone, the largest, most active folk performing arts organization in North Carolina, has offered a wide assortment of music programs to the Triangle community. While the majority of PineCone’s annual programs focus expressly on the music and musicians of the Piedmont region, the Down Home Concert Series showcases artists from around the state, nation, and globe whose music finds connection and expression here. PineCone is a resident company at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. PineCone members can begin reserving tickets for the 2010-2011 Down Home Series on August 2, and it’s easy to join – online, by phone or by mail. Visit www.pinecone.org or call the office at 919-664-8302 for complete details. The Irregardless Cafe and Boom! Magazine are in-kind sponsors of this year’s Down Home Concert Series.

Reaching the $8 million threshold means that the organization has qualified for the full $1.5 million challenge grant appropriated as a part of the state legislature’s 2009-10 budget. In combination with significant expense reductions that shrunk the organization’s budget from an original plan of $14.1 million to $11.6 million, the Symphony has successfully reduced its total debt by nearly $1 million compared to one year ago. The Symphony’s fiscal year ended on June 30.

“We are delighted to celebrate this milestone with all of our supporters,” says North Carolina Symphony President and CEO David Chambless Worters. “In helping us meet this $8 million challenge, they have proven how much the people, communities and businesses of North Carolina value the Symphony’s place in their state’s cultural life.”

During the Symphony’s 2009-10 season, contributed income from individual gifts and corporate sponsorships increased from $2.34 million in 2008-09 to $3.15 million. Included in the $3.15 million raised in 2009-10 is the $147,000 in total income from the Branford Marsalis benefit concert evening.

The achievement comes as the Symphony prepares for its 2010-11 concert season. Highlights include guest performances by global piano superstar Lang Lang and audience favorites Pink Martini, Cirque de la Symphonie and Marvin Hamlisch. The orchestra is also entering into its first-ever collaboration with the PlayMakers Repertory Company for a new hybrid production of Sir Peter Shaffer’s play Amadeus with live music.

Along with concerts held in the Symphony’s home venue, downtown Raleigh’s Meymandi Concert Hall, the orchestra will perform regular series in Chapel Hill, Fayetteville, New Bern, Southern Pines and Wilmington, as well as single events and educational concerts throughout the state.

For complete information, visit the North Carolina Symphony Web site at www.ncsymphony.org or call 919.733.2750 or toll free 877.627.6724.

Triangle Youth Philharmonic

In order to take a successful audition, you must understand what your adjudicators are looking for. Whether it’s a Youth Orchestra or a professional audition, the requirements are the same. You are judged on your intonation, rhythm and tempo, sound, dynamics and nuance. You must be prepared. You must make the required material yours. Yes, memorize it! (Playing by memory is not required at most auditions. But, if you want to be successful, memorize your audition.)

How to practice: If you don’t have a metronome, get one. This is required to successfully prepare for an audition. Start by practicing the required material with your metronome set so slowly that you cannot make a mistake. Make certain that each note is in tune and that all the rhythms are precise. Then speed up a little each day, just a little at a time and don’t forget to use that metronome.

Scales: Scales are fundamental and their importance cannot be stressed enough! Use the scales to develop your intonation, rhythm and tone production. But, the most important thing is to practice scales everyday, not just before the audition.

Solo: Memorize it. (Not usually required, highly recommended) Make it yours so you can make it a musical gift to the adjudicators. Believe me, they love to hear you make music. Do not distort the rhythm! Being flamboyant is not good or “exciting” music making, especially in an audition. The adjudicator must know where every beat is. It must be in tune, have precise rhythms, with dynamics and nuance. Try singing your solo while you clap your hands on the beats, this will help you know what to do with it musically.

Excerpts: Excerpts of music you may play in the ensemble you are auditioning for are usually required and available before you audition. Listen to a recording of the composition, if possible. Understand what the composer is trying to convey emotionally. Make certain each note is in tune and that the rhythms line up with the beat and are accurate, use that metronome!

Sight-reading:Do a little sight-reading at the end of every practice session. Pick something easy and use the metronome to check yourself. One of the best ways to improve your sight-reading is to play a little easy chamber music with your friends at least once a week.

Practice taking your audition: Once you feel you have learned the material, you need to play your audition for as many people as possible. Play your audition for members of your family, your friends, your dog, cat, even play it to the trees outside. Just as in the real audition, do not stop! Play a scale, your solo, the excerpts and eight measures of sight-reading without stopping to repeat what didn’t go well. Make a mental note of what you need to improve. Ask for helpful suggestions from all who will listen to your mock audition. Then go work on the spots that need improvement.

A successful audition: is when you have put in the time to do your very best. On any given day there is always the possibility that someone may play a “better” audition. After all, you are a human being and none of us are always perfect. Be prepared and do the best you can on the day of your audition, learn from the experience and use that knowledge to improve your playing. Don’t worry about your placement or your score; don’t make excuses. There is always another day, another audition. And isn’t the most important thing making music anyway?

About Hugh Partridge

Artistic Director, Philharmonic Association Conductor, Triangle Youth Philharmonic

Hugh Partridge brings a unique combination of experience and talents to the Philharmonic Association and the Triangle Youth Philharmonic. Upon graduation from Indiana University, he won the position of Principal Violist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and joined the faculty of Butler University. His appointment as Professor of Viola and Chamber Music at Wichita State University brought new opportunities to work closely with aspiring young musicians. Along with his duties at the university, which included developing a large viola class, he created the internationally recognized Viola Collective and worked closely with the Wichita Symphony and its highly successful youth orchestra program. Coming to North Carolina to fill the position of Principal Violist with the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, Hugh brought his professional experience and love of working with young people to the Symphony’s already acclaimed educational program. His teaching on the college level has continued as a faculty member of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For over 25 years he has conducted Youth Orchestras in this area and has served as Artistic Director of the Philharmonic Association and conductor of the Triangle Youth Philharmonic since its inception in 1988. In 2003, Hugh Partridge was the recipient of the Raleigh Medal of Arts in recognition of his “extraordinary achievement in the Arts”. In 2005 he was the recipient of the Maxine Swalin Outstanding Music Educator Award, presented by the North Carolina Symphony.

Michael Franti and Spearhead swoons crowd. Photos courtesy of Richard Cox. Click this photo for more scenes of the BandTogether event and to view more of Richard's works.

Holy Ghost Tent Revival

The tickets for the Michael Franti & Spearhead event, sponsored by Band Together for StepUP Ministry and held at Lincoln Theatre, stated that the show would go on “rain or shine,” and they made good on that promise. The opening band, The Old Ceremony (http://www.theoldceremony.com), was barely onstage for a full ten minutes before the rain clouds let loose. This, however, did not seem to dampen the spirits of music enthusiasts who stood, huddled under umbrellas or dressed in ponchos, listening to the band rock out. The Old Ceremony put on an awesome show and maintained great energy. Band member Matt Brandau said, “It was so awesome to see people stick it out in the rain. We really appreciate that, and the music is for a really good cause tonight.” Singer Django Haskins agreed and said, “We love playing outdoor shows – rain or shine – and we’re so grateful for the opportunity to share our music and support Band Together and StepUP Ministry.”

Band Together (http://www.bandtogethernc.org) put together the event to benefit StepUP Ministry and raised an amazing $350,000 for the organization. In fact, since 2001, Band Together has given over one million dollars to local charities, making it one of the most viable resources in the community. Likewise, StepUP Ministry(http://www.step-up.us) is an important organization that works to promote complete self-sufficiency with its Jobs and Life Skills programs. Graduates of the program were on hand to speak to others about the ways in which it had changed their lives.  Robert Battle, the program director for StepUP and a released 12.5 year ex-offender and 2004 graduate of the Jobs program, shared his incredible story. Battle said, “StepUP is where hope and faith intersect; I’m thankful that I crossed through the intersection and now have the opportunity to guide people on their journey to self-sufficiency. With the support of Band Together, we have a great opportunity to have a larger impact in the community by empowering more people who are ready and willing to make positive life changes.”   The headliner of the show, Michael Franti, was extremely complimentary of both causes and took time to visit with volunteers from each program before the show. He also reached out to Battle and made an effort to spend time with him after hearing his truly amazing story.

Spirits were high throughout the event, with everyone seeming to understand that this show was about much more than just the music. Indoors, members of the AcroEntertainment group gave a fun and interactive performance before welcoming American Idol finalist, Anoop Desai. Desai, sporting a bow tie, was extremely talented and personable and even took the time to pose with fans (on-stage) and dance with a few swooning girls. Shortly thereafter, the rain relented and band One EskimO took the outdoor stage. Other events were also going on around the music as well. As part of the local arts scene, Clark Hipolito did a live painting on an electric guitar. Franti was so thrilled with Hipolito’s work that he gave his guitar to him to paint after the show. Hipolito made the trip to Asheville to return it to him the next day.

Anoop Desai

After a few announcements and some more heartwarming stories from those who had benefitted from StepUP Minstry, Michael Franti & Spearhead came front and center. The show was so full of energy that by the time the rain started up again, nobody seemed to notice. Franti ran into the crowd several times, danced with fans, pulled members of AcroEntertainment onstage with him, and made sure to let it be known that his message was all about love and tolerance. Radio personality Richard Brown, of the Richard Brown Show, was in attendance, and though he admitted he’d been dragged out by his wife (a big fan of Franti), he said he had an “amazing time.” Erin Conigliaro of http://www.erinedesign.com was also at the show and said, “Franti was really fantastic. The crowd was great too; we didn’t let the rain bother us one bit.”

Pictured above: Michael Franti dances the night away with Triangle Arts and Entertainment reporter Susie Potter.

Die-hard fans of Michael Franti & Spearhead could not gush enough. Angela Barakat, who drove all the way from Sanford, West Virginia, has been going to see Franti perform for eight years and said, “His music really changed my life.” The two hours of fun, dancing, and amazing melodies passed by all too quickly, but the party continued inside with a performance from Holy Ghost Tent Revival, which Franti attended. He also took the time to visit with fans and pose for photographs.

At the end of the night, the crowd was looking slightly damp but happy. The positivity, wonderful planning, and incredibly energized performances seemed to have rubbed off on everyone in attendance, making this event one that the city of Raleigh won’t soon forget. Band Together chairman, Trey Caudle, said, “In spite of two rain showers, we hosted our most successful event to date. We had an amazing team of volunteers, we raised a staggering amount of money, and in-kind donations totaled more than $88,000. Franti and his crew embraced the inclement weather along with 2,500 attendees from as far away as Illinois and Michigan. “

Bluegrass Jam Moves to Six String Cafe
Every second & fourth Monday, 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.
1040 Buck Jones Rd, Raleigh, NC

Dave Hedrick

Bluegrass pickers and singers frequently jam together across the country, and Raleigh is no exception. A longstanding bluegrass jam group in the area found a new home in January when they met for the first time in the newly re-opened Six String Cafe and Music Hall. Many changes have happened recently for this Bluegrass Jam. In addition to its new location, it meets on a different night than it used to, and its leaders are also relatively new as hosts, though both have been regular attendees at the jam.

Due to the Six String’s schedule, which will include an open mic on Tuesday nights and a bluegrass performer on most Wednesday nights, the jam is now held the second and fourth Monday of every month (it used to meet on Tuesdays).

The jam’s format remains unchanged – it is still gather-round-the-circle style, and anyone from beginners to advanced players are welcome, and listeners, too! So update your calendars and come on by for some pickin’ and singin’! For more information on this jam, e-mail Doug Pratt at dpratt14[at]nc.rr.com or Dave Hedrick at stringsof9[at]hotmail.com.

Back in October, former leader David Cauthorn, who had led the bluegrass jam since its inception in 2006, turned over the reins of leadership to Pratt and Hedrick, both regular attendees of the jam.

Doug Pratt

Pratt was born in Charlotte, graduated from Davidson (1966), and earned a Ph.D. in zoology specializing in birds at Louisiana State University. He lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for 35 years, then moved back to North Carolina to take his current job as Research Curator of Birds at the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. When he’s not working at his day job or playing music, he sidelines as a bird illustrator, and he writes and illustrates books and research papers about birds.

When he was in third grade, Pratt received a ukulele and started learning to play. He got a guitar in sixth grade, learned to play autoharp from his grandmother, and picked up the dobro while he was in college.

Pratt won the International Autoharp Championship at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, KS, in 2006. He also earned first place in autoharp contests at Fiddler’s Grove (2009) and Happy Valley Festival (2008), and he placed in several others. He has plans to put out a CD later this year.

He has been a bluegrass fan from an early age, when he used to see Flatt & Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys on their Saturday afternoon TV show in the ’50s. That show was where he first saw Maybelle Carter playing autoharp “Appalachian style.”

“In those days, there were no ‘bluegrass police,’ and several groups had autoharps (Stonemans, etc), but today I play mostly dobro in the bluegrass jam,” Pratt says. “I used to play and sing with my sister, and still do when I can (she now lives near Elizabeth City), and in the church choir and high school chorus, so I have been singing tenor harmony for a long time.”

Pratt has played all kinds of acoustic music, from old time to light jazz, over the years. He also played semi-professionally for five years with singer-songwriter Jerad Perck in Baton Rouge before moving back to North Carolina. He’s a regular patron at several local festivals, including Galax and Fiddler’s Grove, and the Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering in Newport, PA, every June.

Like Pratt, Raleigh native David Hedrick began his musical explorations with a ukulele in the third grade. In fifth grade he switched to the baritone ukulele and began to entertain with it, particularly at Friday afternoon parties at his school.

Hedrick performed with various bands from seventh grade through college, playing tenor banjo and singing. During his college days in the ’50s, he gained what he considered his first exposure to folk music; he formed one folk band, then was invited to join another, called Legends, whose members still perform together every so often for fundraisers and various other events. Today, he is also the lead singer for the Clear Run bluegrass band.

As small as the folk music scene was at the time, Hedrick met and became friends with the Kingston Trio, hanging out with them before their gigs, going to their shows, and partying with them after the concerts.

In 1964, Hedrick learned about festivals like Union Grove and Galax by spending time at Raleigh’s old Sidetrack coffee house. He heard bluegrass and old-time musicians, and to this day he still attends a few festivals each year.

Though he did a lot of listening in those days, he didn’t pick up the bluegrass style of music himself until about 10 years ago at a jam session that was run in Raleigh by George Williamson. Hedrick tries to keep up with singing a wide range of music, but he has a particular soft spot for being around acoustic music.

“Having the music around you is one of the greatest things in the world; THE greatest is having acoustic instruments surrounding you. It doesn’t get any better than that,” Hedrick says. “Knowing you can go pretty much anywhere in the country and be able to play in jam sessions…that’s what makes bluegrass so great.” John Fried – bass player

The much anticipated and awaited U2 360 Tour came to Raleigh this weekend and rocked the Triangle.  Under a beautiful full moon and starlit sky, the band played all their major hits including new and old – Get On Your Boots, Mysterious Ways, Beautiful Day, Magnificent, New Year’s Day, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, Vertigo, I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight and Sunday Bloody Sunday.   For an outdoor stadium show, the sound was perfect, and U2 gave the concertgoers an extreme show.

Only a band with the giant reputation of U2 could pull off a concert and not be upstaged by the stage — a 164-foot tall spaceship with showy lights and a 360 video wall that was used to communicate visuals creating a spectrum of emotions fitting with each song — the band during their most playful moments, beautiful colorful abstract images, violence and blood in the streets of Iran, and the strong words of Bishop Desmond Tutu.    The stage was spectacular—and in the words of Bono, “created intimacy on a grand scale.”

"Walk On" dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi

What separated U2’s concert from any other you might have ever seen is Bono’s dedication to human dignity and rights.   He dedicated “Walk On” to Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically-elected leader of Burma who was overthrown by the military and has been under arrest for almost 20 years.

Bono is surely one of the greatest musicians and social activists of our time.   He does so much more than sing great rock tunes and put on a great show, he feels a deep responsibility to use his talents to raise awareness of global challenges and mobilize people to respond out of concern and love.

Amazing Grace

Whether it’s rooted in religious teachings, or just a more highly developed social conscience than most, Bono’s mission is simple – he uses his celebrity, fame, and music to raise awareness of how life is for others around the globe.   Born of Irish-Catholic traditions, Bono takes on the role of leader in teaching us about poverty, injustice, oppression and hate – and reminding us that God demands we do something about it.  U2’s performance had many religious undertones.  Bono delivered a beautiful acoustical rendition of Amazing Grace, and a cross topped the extravagant stage setup.

Overall, U2 delivered a beautiful evening to everyone at the show.   Not only was the use of the concert to deliver a strong social message uncommon, it was one of the rare rock concerts free of foul language and alcohol, giving everyone there an uplifting experience they will never forget.  Hopefully Bono inspired a few there to take the challenge and help change the world one community at a time.

As their hit “Get on Your Boots,” goes….

“Here’s what we gotta be: love & community

Laughter is eternity if joy is real

Triangle Youth Philharmonic

The Philharmonic Association has been a valuable asset to the Triangle’s young people for over twenty years. This group helps to foster and nurture the love of great music in young musicians by sponsoring five musical ensembles: three full symphony orchestras, a jazz ensemble, and a newly formed string orchestra. The groups include young musicians of varying skill level who benefit from studying and performing classical music.

Hugh Partridge, the organization’s artistic director and a former principal violist with the North Carolina Symphony, spoke of the many opportunities this group provides the Triangle’s young people: “I think these students learn lifelong lessons from being involved in a performing ensemble. They are part of a team, a team that plays great music, and that’s so important because music has the power to stir our emotions more than any other art. This is an opportunity that isn’t offered anywhere else in our community,” Partridge said that in his twenty years with the Philharmonic Association, he has witnessed many young people go on to do all kinds of wonderful things. “Some are playing in major orchestras. Others have teaching positions. Some are doctors and lawyers, but I think all of them can attribute a good deal of their success to the many skills they learned playing music.”

The Philharmonic Association has grown significantly since its humble beginning in early 1988 when 35 young musicians formed an orchestra and invited Partridge to be their conductor. By the mid 90’s, there was so much interest in the program that a second orchestra was formed, and the growth just continued from there. To date, it has given approximately 1500 aspiring public school aged musicians an opportunity to perform over 500 of the world’s greatest classical works and currently serves over 300 young people in the Triangle each year.

With all this growth the Association has set their sights on one day being able to open a Center for Youth Music and accommodate even more of the Triangle’s young musicians. Currently, the Association meets and practices in the public schools. Though the schools make a great effort to accommodate the Association, they have gradually become able to do less and less. “The problem is that we’ve grown so much and so has our need for rehearsal space and room for sectionals with North Carolina Symphony musicians and small ensembles. The schools have been very generous, but as these problems of space continue, my concern is we won’t have as much ability to serve as we have in the past. We’d have to cut back when we need to expand,” Partridge said. He feels that a dedicated rehearsal facility would provide the organization with much needed space and also allow them to fill other niches in the arts that aren’t going to be available elsewhere.

Youth Music Center, concept elevation

“A Center for Youth Music can be built many different ways – it can come from small donations, but usually what happens is that you find someone who has the ability to put up a large sum of money that we could try and match. Right now, we’re in the stage of trying to identify someone who could help and get the campaign really started. That’s when the five and ten dollar donations that people are giving is going to become very important. We have had so many parents and volunteers give significant amounts of money to the building fund, but we need that one donor to come along and really believe in this project.”

Partridge also noted that he performed in a youth orchestra throughout his childhood and that almost every professional orchestral player performed in a youth orchestra at some point. Obviously, the Philharmonic Association is meeting an important need in the Triangle, and one can only hope that they will be able to continue doing so.

For more information on the Philharmonic Association or to make a contribution to the building fund, please visit http://philharmonic-association.org/ or call 919-645-8434.