The story of Giselle is one of young love and betrayal; of a philandering Count Albrecht and a trusting peasant girl, Giselle.

The Story – Act I

Despite having a weak heart, Giselle loves to dance and her beauty enchants Count Albrecht. On the day of the village festival, Albrecht disguises himself as a peasant. Unaware of his noble birth, Giselle first resists Albrecht’s advances but ultimately succumbs to his romantic persistence. She trusts his pledge of eternal love, and she too falls in love. The arrival of a hunting party in the villages includes the Duke of Courland and his daughter Bathilde, to whom Albrecht is already engaged. Hilarion, a gamekeeper in love with Giselle, discovers Albrecht’s true identity and reveals his lie to Giselle. Learning of this deceit, Giselle loses her mind, and the first act ends with her untimely death.

The Story – Act 2

Act II is set deep in the forest where Giselle was buried and has become a wili. The wilis are ghostly apparitions – girls who have died betrayed by their faithless lovers on the eve of their weddings. Mourning at Giselle’s grave, Hilarion tragically encounters Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis, and her maidens, who haunt the forest, luring those who pass by to dance with them until they die, which he does. Full of remorse, Albrecht also comes to Giselle’s grave. Myrtha commands Giselle to come from her grave and entice Albrecht to join her in dance. Giselle dances with Albrecht through the night. And although she was betrayed by Albrecht, she helps him to stay alive until the dawn when the wilis lose their power and cannot destroy him. At dawn, Giselle disappears into her grave, and Albrecht’s life is spared by Giselle’s love.

CREDITS

Choreography Marius Petipa, Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot

Staging Vlada Kysselova

Music Adolphe Adam

Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session 

Sundays

1 till who knows when?

Traditional Irish music is kept alive at Jack of the Wood with our unplugged Sunday session.

Jack of the Wood

95 Patton ave

Asheville, NC 28801

(828) 252.5445

http://www.jackofthewood.com/

Over the past decade, The String Cheese Incident has emerged as one of America’s most significant independent bands. Born in 1993 in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, SCI has since released 10 albums, 5 DVDs and countless live recordings from their relentless tour schedule. Their 20 year history is packed full of surreal experiences, epic moments, groundbreaking involvement and huge accomplishments. They have been recognized for their commitment to musical creativity and integrity, for their community spirit, philanthropic endeavors, and for their innovative approach to the business of music.

When The String Cheese Incident’s growth first started gaining momentum over a decade ago, when the internet was just beginning to take hold and the major-label business model was failing, the band decided to make music on their own terms.

Since then, The String Cheese Incident has gone on to carve out a completely different approach to the business of music; they are truly pioneers of a new way of “making a band.”  With the World Wide Web as their tool, SCI was among the first artists to disseminate information via the internet, such as tour dates, release information, and other news, to their growing fan base.  Rather than doing business on such terms as “the bottom line,” The String Cheese Incident put their music and their fans first, opening companies of their own, including a ticketing company, a merchandise company and a fan travel agency, to best serve their community. The band’s record label, SCI Fidelity Records, has always operated under the same ideals. Even early on, SCI Fidelity embraced downloadable music and file sharing, delivering SCI’s “On the Road” series, where every show the band plays is made available for download on the internet.  Whether they realized it at the time or not, The String Cheese Incident was inventing grassroots band development.  Today, literally hundreds of bands are using some version of this same approach to building a band.

The String Cheese Incident’s commitment goes well beyond their immediate community, and even beyond the music community as a whole. Early on, the band took a serious interest in giving back to the communities that they visited, and they were among the first performers to encourage “Green” shows and tours.  SCI’s support has helped give rise to such not-for-profit organizations as Conscious Alliance, Rock the Earth, and Head Count. In 2002, when the band’s right to sell tickets to their own shows became threatened by ticketing giant Ticketmaster, the band stood strong for the independent music community and filed a lawsuit against the company.  All the while, The String Cheese Incident has stayed committed to music as a creative endeavor, not just in their recordings but also in their live performances.  The list of SCI’s special guests and collaborators is long and diverse. Their annual events such as Horning’s Hideout, and holiday shows such as New Year’s and Halloween, have helped redefine the concert experience and has garnered the band a reputation as live music vibe innovators.

Quite possibly the best songwriter of her generation, Karla Bonoff is famous for the songs she wrote for Linda Ronstadt, but her versions are even better!” – Bob Lefsetz

“Her voice is perfection. She conjures memories with both spoken words and songs.” – NPR

Karla Bonoff has been described as one of the finest singer/songwriters of her generation. That description is not byperbole.

Bonoff has enjoyed critical acclaim, commercial success, enduring popularity and the unwavering respect of her peers. Karla has seen her songs become hits for Bonnie Raitt, Wynonna Judd and Linda Ronstadt. Many of Bonoff’s ballads are classics.

Karla has continued to tour extensively, playing sold-out shows around the world. Hearing Karla’s moving vocals on her rich, expressive songs is like standing beneath a sparkling waterfall-refreshing, exhilarating, restorative. Experiencing them live can be transformative.

In 2019, Karla released her first new album in over a decade, Carry Me Home, a 16-song set featuring brand new recordings of Karla’s classics along with new songs by Karla, Kenny Edwards and a cover of a vintage Jackson Browne tune, “Something Fine,” which Karla performed on the 2015 compilation, Looking Into You: A Tribute To Jackson Browne. She was featured in the acclaimed Linda Ronstadt documentary The Sound Of My Voice, highlighting her friendship with Linda and as the writer of several of her biggest songs, including GRAMMY Winner “All My Life.” Bob Lefsetz, a longtime fan, interviewed her for his popular podcast and dug deep into her history as a pioneer of the Souther California singer/songwriter scene.

Fans and critics agree that Bonoff’s songs are timeless as are her recordings. Many prefer her versions live with instrumentation that is clean and spare, giving Bonoff’s voice room to work its emotional magic.

Volunteer at TFAC events this spring! Email Sharol at [email protected] or call 828-859-8322 T-F 10AM – 4PM Ushers & Bartenders needed for the following events. EVENTS April 16:      Livingston Taylor concert on main stage April 21-24: Enchanted April community theater on stage April 28:      Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 8:         Ranky Tanky concert on main stage May 5:         Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 12:       Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 19:       Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 26:       Amphitheater concert (outdoors)

Intro to Guitar with Melissa McKinney – Students will receive a solid foundation in beginner rhythm guitar for vocalists. Chords, Rhythm patterns, and basic theory will be introduced while learning songs with an uplifting message. Students will also learn to play the song that the Songwriting Class will be writing and will record it in the One Mic Studio.

Tuesdays from 4pm-5pm at LEAF Global Experience (19 Eagle St, Asheville, NC, 28801)

*Dates/times subject to change – interested in attending this class but unsure if it works with your schedule, or if it suits your student’s skill level? Reach out to us at [email protected]! We are always looking to adapt and expand our class schedules to accommodate new students!

Intro to Ukulele with Melissa McKinney – Students will receive a solid foundation in beginner Ukulele skills for vocalists. Chords, Rhythm patterns, and basic theory will be introduced through songs with an uplifting message. Students will also learn to play the song that the Songwriting Class will be writing and get to record it in the One Mic Studio.

*Dates/times subject to change – interested in attending this class but unsure if it works with your schedule, or if it suits your student’s skill level? Reach out to us at [email protected]! We are always looking to adapt and expand our class schedules to accommodate new students!

Christopher Lees, conductor

Melinda Rodriguez, vocalist

Featuring GCYO’s Prelude, Intermezzo, Sinfonia, and Wind Symphony showing off what they have learned this year!

A modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring.

Jesus Christ Superstar is an iconic musical phenomenon with a world-wide fan base. In celebration of its 50^th Anniversary, a new mesmerizing production comes to North America. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) and award-winning choreographer Drew McOnie (King Kong, Strictly Ballroom), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring.

Featuring award-winning music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, Jesus Christ Superstar is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him’, ‘Gethsemane’ and ‘Superstar’.

Official Website

Good Morning are rulebreakers. Not in a sexy, flamboyant way – more in a casual, resigned kind of way. Accidental and incidental rulebreakers. The creation and release of their sixth album, Barnyard, is the result of a process of patient refinement and the breaking of a couple of self-imposed rules. Thoughtful, catchy, idiosyncratic, and nearly twice the average length of their back catalogue, it’s all the things one might love about Good Morning, this time around presented with the fat trimmed and the edges sharpened. Recorded at Wilco’s famed studio The Loft, for the first time in a long time the record was made with the help of an outside engineer and will see an international release on a record label not operated by a friend, but instead, Polyvinyl, joining the likes of Alvvays, Julia Jacklin, STRFKR, Kero Kero Bonito and more. A milestone in the history of the band it’s also their most meditative record, thoughtful and careful in its evocations. Not too little and not too much, it’s just right – just Good Morning.

“to say it’s their best work to date isn’t doing it justice” (4.5 / 5 Stars) – Rolling Stone Australia

“The prolific Melbourne duo level up on new album ‘Barnyard’”– NME Australia

“Good Morning are at their best when pushing their own boundaries and building subtle layers to support their surprisingly punchy rock missives”– All Music

“The album, which leans into stylized guitars and mellow, sticky vocals, is a success. It’s the kind of album you can put on in your car and drive along the ribbon highway as you contemplate your small place in this giant universe” – American Songwriter

“Good Morning have crafted a fun and vibrant record that doesn’t outstay it’s welcome but rewards repeated listens” – Clash

“a rare and particular loveliness: raw yet considered, with an accessible intimacy” – Fader

“The Australians are coming out in full force.” – Paste Magazine

PACKS

PACKS make music that’s like leafing through a diary entry of a time without visible movement, a subtle beauty that appears only when paying close attention. Initially a solo songwriting project of Link’s, whose keen lyricisms are a standout among her peers, the band is also comprised of Shane Hooper (drums), Noah O’Neil (bass), and Dexter Nash (lead guitar). Anchored by Link’s voice, which brings such an easy charm to her songs that it’s easy to miss her keen ear for acrobatic vocal lines, together they turn Link’s melodically adventurous and introspective songs into the purest and brightest kind of indie rock. The band’s debut is a collection of songs that marry the loose but incisive jangle of early Pavement with the barbed sweetness of Sebadoh and the wide-eyed wonder of the first Shins LP.

Take the Cake is an enchanting record with a transportive quality. The songs communicate Link’s perspective acutely, with details that stand out in their specificity yet feel naturally at ease with melody and a loose charm that make the album feel timeless, like one that could have emerged from any of a number of golden ages of indie rock. PACKS’ songs have a way of creeping up on you, and showing new depth with each listen. Be it a subtle harmony, a zig-zagging melodic turn, or Link’s lyrics, which wring a commandeering poetry out of every-day building-blocks as she navigates the growing pains that linger beyond adolescence. Call it world-building on a miniature scale: a more apt way to describe it would be a careful collaging, making sense of catastrophic loss and tiny signposts that point to something greater than the sum of its parts.

Now based between Toronto and Montreal, the band is working towards their anticipated second record and are playing SXSW with more new material on the way.

Volunteer at TFAC events this spring! Email Sharol at [email protected] or call 828-859-8322 T-F 10AM – 4PM Ushers & Bartenders needed for the following events. EVENTS April 16:      Livingston Taylor concert on main stage April 21-24: Enchanted April community theater on stage April 28:      Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 8:         Ranky Tanky concert on main stage May 5:         Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 12:       Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 19:       Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 26:       Amphitheater concert (outdoors)

Option 1:  Classic Rock for acoustic guitar

Join beloved Polk County musician Woody Cowan and learn YOUR favorite tunes.  In this setting, the students pick the songs, and Woody leads the teaching.  This friendly class is full of peer-to-peer encouragement and collaboration.  Artists covered included Janis Joplin, Neil Young, Old Crow Medicine Show, & Grateful Dead.  Whether you know a lot of chords or just a couple, this class will move you forward musically while taking you back through the best era of radio-played folk music.

Option 2: Beginner/Intermediate Folk Jam

World-class musician Gaye Johnson leads this class, gently raising your comfort level to play freely in a group setting.  Rooted in traditional folk music, aspiring mandolin, and guitar students will join together to gain more comfort and self-assurance in a group setting, while also diving into rhythm techniques and ornamentations.

Option 3: Intermediate/ advanced band

Bob and Amy Buckingham guide adults on all instruments (guitar, clawhammer banjo, fiddle, mandolin, ukulele, & bass).  Several songs are picked by the group at the start of the semester, and over the 10 week semester, the musicality and “setlist” grow exponentially.  Adults love this format for
guided jamming.

Wednesday 

 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

All beginning students receive 45 minutes of group instruction and 45 minutes of singing/storytelling.

Group song & story:  Gaye Johnson (known for having the sweetest voice in the region) gives students the strong foundation they need for learning an instrument.  To learn music most effectively, students must know the songs before they play them on an instrument – then the learning becomes intuitive.  This fun class equips students with the classic songs and stories of the region and helps launch their musical abilities.

Instrument options:

Age ranges are suggestions.  Please email Julie if your child is outside the age range for the class they wish to take.

Option 1: Beginning ukulele, ages 6-8

Option 2:  Instrument Survey, ages 8-14

Continuing from last semester, this instrument survey class will focus on clawhammer banjo, plus one additional instrument to be chosen by the students.

Option 3:  Beginning guitar, ages 8-14

Option 4: Beginner mandolin ages 8-14

Option 5: Beginner fiddle ages 8-14

*Please be sure to select the student’s 1st and 2nc\d instrument choices when registering.

Wednesdays 

4:30 pm-6:00pm

All students with some experience under their belt will take an intermediate or advanced group instrument class, and a band class.

• 4:30-5:15 

Jam Band: Phil Jenkins & Carson Moore help young musicians find their voice in a band environment.

• 5:15 – 6:00

Option 1: Intermediate Guitar

Option 2: Intermediate Fiddle

Option 3: Intermediate Mandolin

Option 4: Three-finger banjo- all levels

Clover Pickers: 4:00- 6:00

PacJAM’s house band gets rigorous coaching this semester from Emily Wait and special guest coaches.  Clover Pickers will spend 5 weeks of the semester practicing their teaching skills from 4-4:45 weekly, and 5 weeks working on choosing and arranging songs for Clover Picker performance.  Band rehearsal and coaching last from 4:45-6 for all 10 weeks.  Clover Pickers band is by invitation and the commitment requires extra rehearsals as determined by the group.

While participating in the Lights program, students can develop their songwriting, performing, and musicianship skills while exploring music from around the world. They will have extensive performance opportunities with a focus on music that inspires, uplifts, and spreads a music of unity and hope. Students will record their music in the One Mic studio and learn about the music industry and explore topics such as audio engineering, stage presence, graphic design, videography, website development and more while learning to use their music to be a force for change. Advanced students will have the opportunity to work towards touring locally and regionally with the Lights concert tour. They will also have the opportunity to regularly interact with and learn from LEAF resident artists. Students will be exposed to music from a diverse range of genres and cultures. Students will have the opportunity to see how music connects us on a deep level and how it can create joy, bring people together, and instigate change. LEAF lights will lift young leaders and give them a platform to make a difference in the lives of others.

Wednesdays at 5pm (Junior Group) & 6pm (Senior Group) at LEAF Global Experience (19 Eagle St, Asheville, NC, 28801)

Dates/times subject to change – interested in attending this class but unsure if it works with your schedule, or if it suits your student’s skill level? Reach out to us at [email protected]! We are always looking to adapt and expand our class schedules to accommodate new students!

Local music traditions may be old, but they’re far from gone.  Students 6 – 16 years old are wrapping up another
season of learning to play music by ear, all through traditional songs of the Appalachian region.
For nine years, Tryon Fine Arts Center’s (TFAC) Pacolet Junior Appalachian Musicians (PacJAM) has been the
only group string-music program in Polk County.   “PacJAM’s success is seen in the accomplishments of our
oldest students,” Program Director Julie Moore explains.  “Those in our two student bands – youth who have
been with PacJAM nearly from the start – have evolved into mature, sought-after musicians.  And our newer
students are inspired by seeing how much can be learned – with time and practice – through our program.”
PacJAM pairs the regions’ finest Old Time and Bluegrass musicians with eager students to learn two styles of
banjo, guitar, mandolin, ukulele, and fiddle.  Context is added with singing, and “jam” classes, where youth
learn what it feels like to be in a band.

Jordan Tice is a singer/songwriter who combines witty musings on life, relationships, and time with deft finger-picking acoustic guitar skills. On his 5th record, Motivational Speakeasy, he breaks it down to just his voice and acoustic guitar for a collection of music that is while deeply informed by the rich history of American folk music, forward-thinking and modern in its conceit. Produced by Kenneth Pattengale (of The Milk Carton Kids), Motivational Speakeasy contains evidence of a variety of influences. From the classic Mississippi John Hurt style melodic blues of “Matter of Time” and “Goin on Down”, to the dissonant Tom Waits-like shuffle of “Creation’s Done” to the philosophical early Dylanesque chatter of “Walkin'” and “Where I’m At”, Tice spins his influences into a variety of highly personal, well-crafted songs. In addition, the album contains 3 instrumental tracks where Tice showcases his narrative guitar-playing and composing with performances that range from British Isles

A modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring.

Jesus Christ Superstar is an iconic musical phenomenon with a world-wide fan base. In celebration of its 50^th Anniversary, a new mesmerizing production comes to North America. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) and award-winning choreographer Drew McOnie (King Kong, Strictly Ballroom), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring.

Featuring award-winning music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, Jesus Christ Superstar is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him’, ‘Gethsemane’ and ‘Superstar’.

Official Website

Debuting in the U.S. in 2012, We Banjo 3 has since emerged as fast-rising touring darlings in the country that two of the members now call home. The Galway, Ireland, and Nashville-based quartet––comprised of two sets of brothers, Enda & Fergal Scahill and Martin & David Howley––continually push musical boundaries while maintaining an unwavering devotion to the essential audience experience. WB3 seamlessly converge the shared and varied traditions of Americana, Bluegrass, and Celtic music with pop-sensible songcraft to create a truly unique and gratifying signature sound. Brilliantly commanded instruments––banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and percussion––effortlessly elevate lead singer David Howley’s propulsive voice. Live on stage, their songs carry the listener along until, at the perfect moment, the band crescendos into catchy choruses with pitch perfect harmonies. We Banjo 3 deliver their music with such palpable rapport, stunning precision, and infectious energy, it’s impossible to pigeonhole what kind of listener might suddenly consider themselves a WB3 fan. With recent stunning performances at such broad ranging festivals Merlefest, BottleRock, Summercamp, ROMP, Wintergrass and others, enthusiasts of almost every genre of music are taking notice.

Actor/comedian and musician Steve Martin says of the band, “We Banjo 3…are making waves…here in America. They are playing the banjo in a style that I didn’t even know could be played like that.” Northwest Cultural Blog said, “There are few adjectives left to describe the authenticity and the electrifying experience you get when you first see/hear We Banjo 3 live on stage…It’s the incorporation of each and every one ofits members, their individual charisma, their energy, their passion and their very soul, that makes them one of the greatest live musical acts the world has to offer today.”

We Banjo 3 released their 6th CD, Roots To Rise Live, in July of 2019 in conjunction of the band’s summer and fall 2019 U.S. tours. Recorded at The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the CD features a mix of original material, traditional compositions, select cover songs, and two previously unreleased tunes. The CD debuted at the beginning of August at # 1 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums Chart spending 4 weeks in the peak position. The band’s 2018 studio recording, Haven, spent 3 weeks at # 1 on that chart, marking the first time an Irish band held the # 1 position on this chart. When Haven re-entered the chart at # 5 in August 2019, joining Roots To Rise Live at the #1 position, WB3 made history again as the only Irish band to hold two top-5 chart positions simultaneously. Of Roots To Rise Live, Songlines Magazine reviewed “…this album by Celtgrass pioneers We Banjo 3 scorches its way through a rollercoaster set colliding their native Galway heritage with liberal helpings of blistering bluegrass and a telling nod to pop music.”

We Banjo 3 is committed to giving back to the community, and raising awareness around the issue of mental health is a cause that is dear to their hearts. Toward this effort, We Banjo 3 donate $2.00 for every t-shirt and CD sold on their U.S. tours to organizations that work to provide mental health resources. In 2019, WB3 raised $7500.00 for Mental Health America, the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and to promoting the mental health of all Americans. For 2020, We Banjo 3 is pleased to partner with start-up not-for-profit Backline. Backline works to support the mental health of music industry professionals and their families by providing streamlined access to mental health and wellness services and educational resources specific to the work and lifestyle of the music industry community. For more information on Backline, visit www.backline.care.

RESCHEDULED FROM NOVEMBER 14, 2021. All previously purchased tickets will be honored at the rescheduled date. Please email [email protected] if you have any questions. Deadline to request a refund is November 4, 2021

Nashville-based, Oregon-born Mat Kearney is back with his new studio album January Flower. Written between an isolated retreat in Joshua Tree and his home studio, January Flower sees Kearney in his rawest form, distilling the songwriting process and rediscovering the joy of making music. Over his career, Kearney has released five studio LPs, claimed the #1 spot on iTunes, topped multiple Billboard charts, made four entries into the Hot 100, amassed over 2.5 BILLION global streams. Kearney, a Multi-Platinum songwriter and producer, has performed live on TODAY Show, Ellen, The Tonight Show, Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel Live! and has garnered raves from USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, People, Billboard, PARADE and Marie Claire. He also has an incredible touring history, sharing the road with everyone from John Mayer to NEEDTOBREATHE.

mattkearney.com

Dates: July 11 – 16, 2022
Application: Available now through MyBMC
Cost: A $600 fee covers all housing, meals, classes, materials, and concert tickets. Spots are limited and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please note: Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for all students, faculty, and summer staff for the 2022 season. Please see our FAQ page for more information.

Program Summary

Brevard Music Center (BMC) presents The Brevard Project: Reimagining the Future of Orchestral Programming, a six-day intensive seminar and think-tank on orchestral programming intended for professionals and influencers in the orchestral field. Presented by Brevard Music Center in partnership with Bard College, the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University, the Chicago Sinfonietta, the South Dakota Symphony, the University of Michigan School of Music, and Project Director Joseph Horowitz, The Brevard Project takes place July 11-16, 2022. The central goals of The Brevard Project are to re-evaluate the artistic mission of the American orchestra and to share the skills needed to curate a more comprehensive, more inclusive American orchestral repertoire.

Curriculum

The Brevard Project: Reimagining the Future of Orchestral Programing complements Brevard Music Center’s week-long “Dvořák’s Prophecy” festival from July 11-16 and is inspired by Joseph Horowitz’s acclaimed new book Dvořák’s Prophecy and the Vexed Fate of Black Classical Music. Part think-tank, part seminar, this inaugural Project gathering equips practitioners and scholars alike to begin to answer questions about the dense nexus of culture and race, of historical, political, and moral reckonings surrounding the story of American orchestral music. The central goals of this program are to re-evaluate the artistic mission of the American orchestra and to share the skills needed to curate a more comprehensive, more inclusive American orchestral repertoire. The Brevard Project is designed for conductors, artistic administrators, executive directors, community engagement specialists, conservatory students, and engaged orchestra Board members.

Moving forward requires a fresh and closer look at our musical past – and to the lagging formation of an American symphonic canon. A new narrative of American classical music will be proposed that explores timely and topical issues that impact present and future orchestral programming. Why did our repertoire remain so stubbornly Eurocentric? What can we learn from this history? What can be mined from the treasure trove of long-hidden indigenous and Black music that can help to pave the future?

Classroom sessions will be highly interactive, drawing upon first-hand accounts of humanities-infused approaches to programming and community engagement. Topics of exploration include creating a “new paradigm” for American orchestral repertoire, rethinking the concert experience, and redefining the role of the music director. Participants will be challenged to envision programming and organizational initiatives to promote symphonic events grounded in the American experience, past and present.

The Faculty

A remarkable faculty has been assembled for this groundbreaking exercise.
*virtual participant

Joseph Horowitz, Project Director
Leon Botstein, President, Bard College; Music Director, American Symphony; Founder, Bard Festival and The Orchestra Now
Lorenzo Candelaria, Dean, Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University
Mark Clague, Music Historian, University of Michigan
JoAnn Falletta*, Music Director, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Christopher Gibbs*, Music Historian, Bard Conservatory; Artistic Co-Director, Bard Festival
Delta David Gier, Music Director, South Dakota Symphony
Blake-Anthony Johnson, CEO, Chicago Sinfonietta
Keith Lockhart*, Artistic Director, Brevard Music Center
Douglas McLennan, Founder/Editor, ArtsJournal
Jason Posnock, Chief Artistic Officer, Brevard Music Center
Jesse Rosen, Former CEO, League of American Orchestras
Larry Tamburri, CEO, Newark School of the Arts (former CEO, Pittsburgh and New Jersey Symphonies)

The Performers

Lara Downes, Pianist, producer, arts advocate
Sidney Outlaw, Baritone/pedagogue, Ithaca College
George Shirley, Tenor/pedagogue, University of Michigan

Enrollment Information

Conductors, artistic administrators, executive directors, community engagement specialists, conservatory students, and Board members are all encouraged to apply for The Brevard Project.

Capacity is limited. A $600 fee covers all housing, meals, classes, materials, and concert tickets for the week. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Apply now through MyBMC.

Volunteer at TFAC events this spring! Email Sharol at [email protected] or call 828-859-8322 T-F 10AM – 4PM Ushers & Bartenders needed for the following events. EVENTS April 16:      Livingston Taylor concert on main stage April 21-24: Enchanted April community theater on stage April 28:      Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 8:         Ranky Tanky concert on main stage May 5:         Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 12:       Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 19:       Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 26:       Amphitheater concert (outdoors)

Queer Music Exploration with Kayla Lynn – Students will explore guitar, bass, drums, singing and piano with a focus on learning music by artists from the LGBTQ+ community. Students will have the chance to interact with their peers and share their experiences through music