Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Celebrate Earth Day with Hendo Earth Fest
The City of Hendersonville Environmental Sustainability Board encourages you to mark your calendars for April 22nd! The first-ever Hendo Earth Fest is taking place in downtown Hendersonville on Earth Day from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Local organizations and environmental champions will educate, entertain, and raise awareness of the need to protect our planet for future generations.
The festival is sponsored by the Hendersonville Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB) in association with the Blue Ridge EV Club, Team ECCO, Conserving Carolina, Mountain True, Caregivers of Mother Earth, and Earth Caring Ministry of Trinity Presbyterian Church.
What: Hendo Earth Fest
When: Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Where: Main Street between 4th and 6th Avenues and 5th Avenue between N. Wall Street and King Street
The ESB has coordinated exhibits that educate and inform residents and visitors about our natural environment in a fun, festive atmosphere.
The Aquarium and Shark Lab by Team ECCO exhibits located on the 500 block of Main Street will focus on education, enrichment, and exploration of the ocean world.
The ESB exhibits located on the 400 block will provide hands-on activities and demonstrations designed to educate, renew and expand action to protect our Western North Carolina environment and natural resources.
The Blue Ridge EV Club vehicles and exhibits on Fifth Avenue will highlight electric transportation and systems. 2023 is the year of the Electric Vehicle!
Come join your friends and neighbors to celebrate Earth Day at the very first Hendo Earth Fest!
Join the Western North Carolina Historical Association on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22 at 10am for our first in-person event of the year! We invite you to join us in person at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNCA. This hybrid event also airs via Zoom if you cannot attend. It will be recorded and available for later viewing.
Western North Carolina has a human history dating at least 10,000 years, and every generation has interacted with or shaped the mountainous landscape in some way. Many of the interactions have been harmonious, while at other times, humans have altered or damaged the land. As a result, several individuals and organizations have also fervently worked to conserve or protect the resources and revered places in this area we call home. It is impossible to discuss all of these trends and events in one program, but we are proud to present an (incomplete) environmental history of WNC with a great lineup of knowledgeable experts and stewards.
Viewing: In-Person attendees will receive a confirmation email and all attendees will receive a Zoom link with which to view the program. The recording will be available on our website.
Join the Asheville Museum of History on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22 at 10am for our first in-person event of the year! We invite you to join us in person at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNCA. This hybrid event also airs via Zoom if you cannot attend. It will be recorded and available for later viewing.
Western North Carolina has a human history dating at least 10,000 years, and every generation has interacted with or shaped the mountainous landscape in some way. Many of the interactions have been harmonious, while at other times, humans have altered or damaged the land. As a result, several individuals and organizations have also fervently worked to conserve or protect the resources and revered places in this area we call home. It is impossible to discuss all of these trends and events in one program, but we are proud to present an (incomplete) environmental history of WNC with a great lineup of knowledgeable experts and stewards.
Tickets: $5 for AMoH/OLLI members/ $10 for General Admission. We also have no-cost, community-funded tickets available. We want our events to be accessible to as many people as possible. If you are able please consider making a donation along with your ticket purchase. These donations are placed in our Community Fund, which allows us to offer tickets at no cost to those who would not be able to attend otherwise.
Viewing: In-Person attendees will receive a confirmation email and all attendees will receive a Zoom link with which to view the program. The recording will be available on our website.
About the Speakers:
John Ross is the author of more than a dozen books focusing on environmental history, including Through The Mountains: The French Broad River and Time.
Ross’ presentation will discuss the French Broad region and some of its specific environmental challenges and successes.
Donald Edward Davis, PhD., is an independent scholar and environmental historian. He has authored or edited seven books, including The American Chestnut: An Environmental History and Where There Are Mountains: An Environmental History of the Southern Appalachians.
Davis’ presentation is entitled Mountains of Resilience: Revisioning Environmental History in the Southern Appalachians.
Danny Bernstein is a hike leader for the Carolina Mountain Club, Friends of the Smokies, and the Asheville Camino group. She’s written several outdoor books including DuPont Forest: A History.
Bernstein will present the history of the Carolina Mountain Club.
Explore Biltmore House with an Audio Guide that introduces you to the Vanderbilt family and their magnificent home’s history, architecture, and collections of fine art and furnishings.
PLUS: Immersive, multi-sensory Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition created by Grande Experiences
PLUS: FREE next-day access to Biltmore’s Gardens and Grounds
This visit includes access to:
- Italian Renaissance Alive at Amherst at Deerpark®
- 8,000 Acres of Gardens and Grounds for two consecutive days
- Antler Hill Village & Winery
- Complimentary Wine Tastings at the Winery
- Tastings require a Day-of-Visit Reservation, which can be made by:
- Scanning the QR Code found in your Estate Guide
- Visiting any Guest Services location
- Complimentary parking
Art Exhibition: Italian Renaissance Alive
This fascinating experience takes you on a spellbinding tour of Italy, fully immersing you in the beauty and brilliance of iconic masterworks from the greatest artistic period in history
Learn Asheville’s history, discover hidden gems, and laugh at LaZoom’s quirky sense of adventure.
- Guided comedy tour bus of historical Asheville
- 90-Minutes – tours run daily
- 15-minute break at Green Man Brewing
- $39 per person (ages 13+ only)
Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth—a family-friendly festival of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement!
Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire is an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors. All of these “makers” come to Maker Faire to show what they have made and to share what they have learned. With an emphasis on interactive, hands-on exhibits, people of all ages will leave inspired to make something of their own!
Lynn Jenkins will be demonstrating wheel-throwing, as well as some carving and burnishing which change the surface of the pots. She will also explain how she fires her pots in a raku kiln (she’ll have photos, but the firing is not part of the demo) to achieve different results on both glazed and unglazed pots. Lynn will be in the lobby of the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Visitors are encouraged to watch and ask questions while the demonstrators work and talk about their creative process! Call ahead for the latest updates: 828-298-7928.
Presenters: Alison Sage, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers
Who doesn’t enjoy watching birds flock back into the garden once spring returns, or when summer is in full bloom, or as the fall harvest rolls in, or even in winter when birds scurry up and down trees in search of bug? This talk will cover ways to convert your garden into a year round bird paradise. Easy ways to provide for bird necessities: habitat, food, safety, and water will be discussed. Also, a gentle walk around the grounds of the Extension Center will highlight some of what the Master Gardeners do to encourage a safe habitat for birds.
Wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately as part of this presentation will be held outside, weather permitting.
The Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands is held twice every year (July & October) in downtown Asheville, North Carolina at Harrah’s Cherokee Center. It brings together hundreds of makers in what has become a key event for craft. These events are unique in that they offer attendees the opportunity to connect with the artists by purchasing directly from them. In an age of mass production and global imports, the connection to fine American craft and the individual maker is often lost but more significant than ever.
Hosted in downtown Asheville at Harrah’s Cherokee Center, artisans will fill both the concourse and arena levels of the venue, exhibiting a variety of craft ranging from contemporary to traditional in works of clay, wood, metal, glass, fiber, natural materials, paper, leather, mixed media, and jewelry. Join us for this unique shopping experience and enjoy live music and craft demonstrations during your visit. $10 tickets are available for individual days, online or at the door. Children under 12 are free.
Parking
The streets of Asheville will be bustling and parking can sometimes be problematic. In addition to Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville’s parking garage below the building, the Asheville Chamber of Commerce parking lot is available (an 8-minute walk to the Craft Fair). For street parking, please utilize Asheville’s parking app for a real-time display of open parking spaces downtown. Asheville Parking App
On Saturday & Sunday, the following school parking lots will be empty for you to use:
Asheville Middle, Isaac Dickson, Montford North Star
TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community.
The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am.
No RSVP needed, just drop by!
Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.
Robert Rauschenberg, Autobiography, 1968
In the late 70s, Bradley Jeffries had a chance meeting with Robert Rauschenberg outside his home on Captiva Island, and they bonded immediately. Bradley was hired to be the artist’s business and life manager. Her employment with him for over 30 years, until his death in 2008, involved many roles on the Board of Directors of Change, Inc and The Rauschenberg Foundation. Bradley’s travels with Rauschenberg took her on incredible adventures all over the world and exposed her to extraordinary opportunities. Throughout their friendship and work together, Rauschenberg gifted Bradley with many of his original artworks.
The family and friends of Bradley Jeffries will use her expansive and never previously exhibited Rauschenberg collection as a means of memorializing Bradley through this traveling exhibition. “Rauschenberg: A Gift in Your Pocket” opens on April 25, 2022 at the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Florida Southwestern State College in Ft. Myers for display throughout the summer. After which her collection will travel to The University of Kentucky Art Museum followed by its culminating exhibition at BMCM+AC.
Once her collection of Rauschenberg’s artwork completes its planned memorial exhibitions, pieces will be donated to each of the involved institutions in an ongoing memorial to Bradley and her legacy of promoting the arts and artists.
Curated by Jade Dellinger, Director of the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Florida Southwestern State College.
Get ready to celebrate the many benefits of hemp at the Asheville Hemp Fest, returning to Pack Square Park from April 20th to April 22nd, 2023! Hosted by TheMariFairy, the festival is a three-day extravaganza of education, entertainment, and community engagement.
Asheville is known for its vibrant hemp industry, and the Asheville Hemp Fest is the perfect opportunity to learn more about this amazing plant. Attendees can expect to explore vendor booths showcasing a wide range of local businesses and hemp products, including natural remedies for health and wellness. Live music performances from talented local and regional artists is scheduled for all three days including performances from The Snozzberries, Fractured Frames, Granola Funk Express, and Rah Digga, as well as delicious options from the food trucks on site.
But that’s not all! The festival will also feature workshops and seminars led by Ed Rosenthal, where attendees can learn about the latest developments in the hemp industry, and more. And of course, the festival is open to all ages and is an alcohol-free event, so everyone can join in on the fun.
“We’re thrilled to bring back the Asheville Hemp Fest for another year of celebration and education,” said Festival Director Beau Ballard. “Hemp is an incredible plant with so many benefits, and we want to provide a platform for people to learn more about it and connect with like-minded individuals in our community.”
If you’re interested in reserving a vendor booth, email Kitty Savage at [email protected] for availability. Tickets for the festival are on sale now and can be purchased on the ticket co at theticketing.co/e/ashevillehempfest. Given the expected large turnout, it’s recommended to purchase tickets in advance.
For more information, visit the Asheville Hemp Fest website at www.ashevillehempfest.com or follow them on social media. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Beau Ballard at [email protected] or call (828)-989-9581.
Don’t miss out on the Asheville Hemp Fest – it’s going to be a blast!
Kids’ Comedy Tour: Wildly funny, this educational and entertaining tour features the perfect blend of Asheville’s history and kid-centric comedy. Geared specifically toward the 5–12 year old crowd, you’ll explore the town with our famously outlandish tour guides leading the way.
- Perfect for birthday parties
- Makes for memorable school field trips
- Tickets are $27 per person
- Beverages available for purchase at the LaZoom Room
- Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue
An enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Luzene Hill advocates for Indigenous sovereignty—linguistically, culturally, and individually. Revelate builds upon Hill’s investigation of pre-contact cultures. This has led Hill to incorporate the idea of Ollin, the Nahuatl word for the natural rhythms of the universe, in Aztec cosmology in her work. Before Europeans arrived in North America, Indigenous societies were predominantly matrilineal. Women were considered sacred, involved in the decision-making process, and thrived within communities holding a worldview based on equilibrium.
Ollin emphasizes that we are in constant state of motion and discovery. Adopted as an educational framework, particularly in social justice and ethnic studies, Ollin guides individuals through a process of reflection, action, reconciliation, and transformation. This exhibition combines Hill’s use of mylar safety blankets alongside recent drawings. Capes constructed of mylar burst with energy and rustle with subtle sound, the shining material a signifier of care, awareness, displacement, and presence. Though Hill works primarily in sculpture, drawing has increasingly become an essential part of her practice as she seeks to communicate themes of feminine and Indigenous power across her entire body of work. The energy within her drawings extends to the bursts of light reflecting from her capes or the accumulation of materials in other installation works.
Luzene Hill was born in Atlanta, GA, in 1946. She received her bachelor of fine art and master of fine art from Western Carolina University. She lives and works on the Qualla Boundary, Cherokee, NC.
Natural Collector is organized by the Asheville Art Museum. IMAGE: Christian Burchard, Untitled (nesting bowls), 1998, madrone burl, various from 6 × 6 × 6 to ⅜ × ⅜ × ⅜ inches. Gift of Fleur S. Bresler, 2021.76.01.
Natural Collector | Gifts of Fleur S. Bresler features around 15 artworks from the collection of Fleur S. Bresler, which include important examples of modern and contemporary American craft including wood and fiber art, as well as glass and ceramics. These works that were generously donated by contemporary craft collector Bresler to the Asheville Art Museum over the years reflect her strong interest in wood-based art and themes of nature. According to Associate Curator Whitney Richardson, “This exhibition highlights artworks that consider the natural element from which they were created or replicate known flora and fauna in unexpected materials. The selection of objects displayed illustrates how Bresler’s eye for collecting craft not only draws attention to nature and artists’ interest in it, but also accentuates her role as a natural collector with an intuitive ability to identify themes and ideas that speak to one another.”
This exhibition presents work from the Collection representing the first generation of American wood turners like Rude Osolnik and Ed Moulthrop, as well as those that came after and learned from them, such as Philip Moulthrop, John Jordan, and local Western North Carolina (WNC) artist Stoney Lamar. Other WNC-based artists in Natural Collector include Anne Lemanski, whose paper sculpture of a snake captures the viewer’s imagination, and Michael Sherrill’s multimedia work that tricks the eye with its similarity to true-to-life berries. Also represented are beadwork and sculpture by Joyce J. Scott and Jack and Linda Fifield.
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Paul Wong, Carbon, silver and gold, 2016, pigmented linen and cotton pulp, publisher: Dieu Donné, New York, edition 3/25, 18 × 11 inches. Gift of Dieu Donné, New York, 2022.27.06. © Paul Wong. |
On View March 8 through July 24, 2023
The Van Winkle Law Firm Gallery • Level 1
Paper is an essential part of the art-making process for many artists, serving as the base for drawing, painting, printmaking, and other forms of art. As a substrate, paper can vary in weight, absorbency, color, size, and other aspects. Since industrialization, paper has primarily been produced through mechanical means that allow for consistency and affordability.
What happens, then, when an artist chooses to return to the foundations of paper, wherein it is made by hand using pulps, fibers, and dyes that reflect the human element through variations, inconsistencies, flaws, and surprises? Certain artists have sought out these qualities and embraced them, making paper not just a support on which to work, but fully a medium in and of itself.
Pulp Potential: Works in Handmade Paper is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Hilary Schroeder, former assistant curator, with assistance from Alexis Meldrum, curatorial assistant. Special thanks to Dieu Donné, New York, NY.
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Included with admission
Back by popular demand, The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad exhibition offers guests:
- An opportunity to view rarely-seen treasures from the Biltmore collection
- A first-hand look at the Vanderbilts’ lifestyle
- Deeper insights into George, Edith, and Cornelia’s personalities, both at home and on their extensive travels
Access to exhibitions at The Biltmore Legacy is included with Biltmore daytime admission.
In the past 50 years in the United States and beyond, artists have sought to break down social and political hierarchies that include issues of identity, gender, power, race, authority, and authenticity. Unsurprisingly, these decades generated a reconsideration of the idea of pattern and decoration as a third option to figuration and abstraction in art. From 1972 to 1985, artists in the Pattern and Decoration movement worked to expand the visual vocabulary of contemporary art to include ethnically and culturally diverse options that eradicated the barriers between fine art and craft and questioned the dominant minimalist aesthetic. These artists did so by incorporating opulence and bold intricacies garnered from such wide-ranging inspirations as United States quilt-making and Islamic architecture.
Too Much Is Just Right: The Legacy of Pattern and Decoration features more than 70 artworks in an array of media from both the original time frame of the Pattern and Decoration movement, as well as contemporary artworks created between 1985 and the present. The artworks in this exhibition demonstrate the vibrant and varied approaches to pattern and decoration in art. Artworks from the 21st century elucidate contemporary perspectives on the employment of pattern to inform visual vocabularies and investigations of diverse themes in the present day.
Artworks drawn from the Asheville Art Museum’s Collection join select major loans and feature Pattern and Decoration artists Valerie Jaudon, Joyce Kozloff, Robert Kushner, and Miriam Schapiro, as well as Anni Albers, Elizabeth Alexander, Sanford Biggers, Tawny Chatmon, Margaret Curtis, Mary Engel, Cathy Fussell, Samantha Hennekke, John Himmelfarb, Anne Lemanski, Rashaad Newsome, Peter Olson, Don Reitz, Sarah Sense, Billie Ruth Sudduth, Mickalene Thomas, Shoku Teruyama, Anna Valdez, Kehinde Wiley, and more.
This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and guest curated by Marilyn Laufer & Tom Butler.
During this weekend art experience, we will explore how to use natural dyes to create a limitless array of colors, hues, and values on fabric. Using natural indigo, madder, and weld, we will create an entire rainbow of colors!
We will dye both silk and cotton fibers and you will discover how to mordant (prepare) these different fibers for dyeing. You are welcome to bring in your own small natural fiber items to dye.
In this two-day course, you will create a color wheel using natural indigo, madder, and weld. You’ll learn to create resists on fabric using wooden shapes and shibori techniques and use pH to shift colors. Learn to measure out and start a dye pot based on the weight of fiber. This Adult Studio is supportive programming for our exhibition Pulp Potential: Works in Handmade Paper.
Reserve your spot soon; there’s only capacity for 12 participants per class.
In this weekend, we will explore how using natural dyes we can create limitless different colors, hues, and values on fabric. Using natural indigo, madder, and weld, we can create an entire rainbow of colors! We will dye both silk and cotton fibers and you will learn how to prepare these different types of fibers for dyeing. You are welcome to bring in your own small natural fiber items to dye.
Learn to mordant (prepare) natural fibers for dyeing. Create a color wheel using these 3 natural dyes. Learn to create resists on fabric using wooden shapes and shibori techniques. Use pH to shift colors. Learn to measure out and start a dye pot based on weight of fiber.
Reserve your spot soon; there’s only capacity for 12 per class. Pre-registration is required.
French Broad River Park: Go to the parking lot off of Riverview Drive, which is off of Amboy Rd. Find the cobalt blue canopy tent!
We will be as close to as directly across the parking lot as we can, near the water, with the tent (go past the bathrooms and head to the water). So, you should be able to find us pretty easily if it’s your first time).
We’ll enjoy meditations/visualizations, psychic ability empowerment, chakra activations, and lively discussions about how we can participate in the evolution of the new earth… a world where truth and the ethos of love (e.g.: Law of One) are the guiding forces.
All who are interested in spiritual growth and evolution and getting to know others who are “on their wavelength” are welcome.
NOTE: Bring a chair, pillow, or towel to sit on, an open mind, and energies of love, receptivity, and curiosity.
We look forward to meeting you!
Join a certified forest therapy guide for a relaxing 2.5-hour stroll through the forest on the peaceful Arboretum grounds. Through a series of invitations, you’ll have the opportunity to be present in the moment, deepening your connection with nature and community, and enjoying the many gifts nature has to offer. Your guide will share mindfulness practices designed to connect you more deeply to your inner landscapes, as well as the world around you. Inspired by Shinrin-Yoku, the Japanese art of immersing oneself in a forest environment, a forest bathing walk invites you to spend time in nature in a way that invites healing for ourselves, our fraught ecosystems, and our community. It is true nature therapy!
- Special, discounted rate of $45/person (includes parking!)
- Occurs on select dates each month
- Max group size is 15 for a more intimate experience
Hit the trails and learn more about The North Carolina Arboretum’s botanically diverse forest with a guided trail walk! April through October, this free hiking program is led by trained volunteer guides who take small groups of participants along woodland trails and through a variety of forest types. Depending on the season and each guide’s area of expertise, topics of discussion may include wildflowers, plant and tree identification, natural history and more.
Guided trail walks are limited to 15 people, including the guide, and are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age. Groups depart from the Baker Visitor Center Lobby on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m..
Walks last 1.5 – 2.5 hours, are approximately one to two miles in length. As this program is held rain or shine, all participants should dress appropriately for the weather.
There is no pre-registration; walks are first-come first served and sign up sheets are located in the Baker Visitors Center.
Walks are FREE; however, donations to The North Carolina Arboretum Society are appreciated. Regular parking fees apply. Arboretum Society Members always park free.
Know Before You Go
- Guided Trail Walks are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age.
- Guided Trail Walks are rain or shine and all participants should be dressed comfortably and for the weather.
- Hikes cover 1-2 miles and last 1.5-2 hours.
- Well-behaved leashed pets are welcome to accompany their owners. In the rare case that a pet is disruptive or negatively impacts the experience, the pet and its owner may be asked to excuse themselves from the guided walk.
- COVID-19 Safety: In order to hear the guide and fully participate in the trail walk, participants will be in close proximity to one another for extended periods of time. While face coverings are not required, participants should use their best judgement to keep themselves and others safe while enjoying the trails. Individuals who are experiencing flu-like symptoms or suspect they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should not participate.
- At this time, no more than 6 spaces may be filled by a single family/group through pre-registration for any one Guided Trail Walk. If additional spaces are available on the day of the Walk, additional members of the family/group may participate. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to welcoming larger groups in the future.
Workshop meets for 3 hours on 2 consecutive Saturdays: April 22nd & 29th, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
$145, all supplies and materials included
A hands on exploration of cold wax medium techniques and its numerous applications for your mark making tool box and art making practice.
This cold wax workshop is for both those who are new to cold wax, as well as those who want to further explore the versatility of this popular medium. Cold wax may be used as a stand-alone medium in collage or mixed media, but is most frequently mixed with oil paints & other pigmented media. Incorporating cold wax medium into oil paint is also a great way to enhance your understanding of color theory, pigment and the lightfast (opacity & transparency) qualities of paint.
We will also discuss traditional and non-traditional tools for application, substrates and surfaces, studio safety and drying agents. Come see how to make this medium work for you in your own art practice, or just to try something new!
Email [email protected] for more extensive details and registration. All attendees will receive a printed summary of the class – including materials/techniques/topics covered.
Alicia Ward, Director of the Peabody String program in Baltimore, Md
Dr. Daniel Weiser , Concert Pianist and Founding Director of AmiciMusic
Great works for cello and piano by Russian composers
Works By: BALAKIREV, SHOSTAKOVICH, AND RACHMANINOFF
Join us for a powerful and passionate program of Russian music with a wonderful cellist named Alicia Ward who directs the Peabody Prep String program in Baltimore and has performed around the world. We will perform the amazing Rachmaninoff Cello Sonata, filled with some of the most incredible melodies in all of the literature as well as some truly virtuosic writing and over the top emotion. Also included is the Shostakovich Cello Sonata from 1934 that brings us to Soviet Russia under Stalin and some incredible contrasts in styles and idioms from a long bleak winter to an exciting peasant dance to some of his most romantic writing as well, having just fallen in love. Finally, we perform an early work by Balakirev, one of the Russian Five, who helped create the new idea of Russian Nationalist composers.
Cellist Alicia Ward made her orchestral debut as a featured soloist at the age of twelve, and has since performed throughout the United States and abroad as chamber musician, recitalist and soloist. She has most recently performed as recitalist at Strathmore, the Kennedy Center, the Music on the Lake Series of Lake Barcroft, as well as several of the embassies of Washington, DC. Ward was chosen as an Artist in Residence at Strathmore for the 2010-2011 season, at which time her debut CD Tableaux was released.
She has been a soloist with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of St. John, the American Youth Philharmonic and the Peninsula Youth Orchestra. Ward has been a top prize-winner of several competitions throughout the United States including the grand prize at the Music Teacher National Association Young Artists Competition held in Denver, and second place with her piano trio at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. As an active chamber musician, she has performed at the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival, the Menuhin Chamber Music Seminar in San Francisco, the International Music Academy in the Czech Republic, Jordan Hall, Strathmore and the Kennedy Center. In 2005, Ward was one of twelve cellists selected to perform at the International Piatigorsky Seminar for Cellists held at the University of Southern California.
She has also been invited to attend the Banff International Cello Master Classes and the Young Artists Program of the National Arts Centre, under the direction of Pinchas Zukerman. Ward began studying cello in San Francisco with Barbara Wampner. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from the Peabody Conervatory as the recipient of the Steven Kates Memorial Scholarship where she studied with David Hardy. Ward received her Master of Music degree from the New England Conservatory as the recipient of the Natica Righter Williams Scholarship, under the tutelage of Laurence Lesser. Her other principal teachers include Sandy Walsh Wilson of the Alexander String Quartet, Tanya Carey, and Hans Jorgen Jensen.
From the songbook of Johnny Cash comes this unique musical about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, and the healing power of home and family. More than two dozen classic hits including “I Walk The Line,” “A Boy Named Sue,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and, of course, “Ring of Fire.” Performed by a multi-talented cast, Ring of Fire paints a musical portrait of ‘The Man in Black’ that promises to be a foot-stompin’, crowd-pleasin’ salute to a unique musical legend!
From the songbook of Johnny Cash comes this unique musical about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, and the healing power of home and family. More than two dozen classic hits including “I Walk the Line,” “A Boy Named Sue,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and, of course, “Ring of Fire.” Performed by a multi-talented cast.
Director Ben Hope adds “Having spent many years working on various productions of Ring of Fire (this production will be my personal 10th!), The most extraordinary thing I keep finding about Mr. Cash is how unanimously loved he is, even now, 20 years since his death. No other project seems to attract such a varied and enthusiastic crowd as the music of Johnny Cash. I think it’s because he wrote for the ordinary. His words and music are authentic and simple, and he speaks plainly about things we all connect with. He was fallible, with personal demons and shortcomings. He makes us feel like our own imperfections are normal and mundane, and he teaches us that there’s beauty and hope, even in despair. I love Johnny Cash, and I know Flat Rock audiences are going to love Ring of Fire’.”
Don’t miss this inspiring story, all the great music, and an evening of iconic Johnny Cash!
Ring of Fire is presented by WHKP and Carolina Ace Hardware. Flat Rock Playhouse’s 2023 Season is supported by Charlotte & Bob Otto, Optimum, WHKP, and WTZQ as well as the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. www.NCArts.org
For a complete lineup with show descriptions and to purchase tickets, visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org.
Come join the Swannanoa Library Anime Club at our first meeting: Saturday, March 25th at 2:00 pm! We’ll meet the 4th Saturday of every month to watch anime, discuss manga, create crafts, and even try some fun snacks!