Spoleto and Piccolo Spoleto is an absolutely fantastic, magical event, the largest of its kind in the USA. Held each year in Charleston SC, this music/arts festival was started by Gian Carlo Menotti as a USA version of the Italian Spoleto.
Over the years it's evolved into a wonderful, multi-facted fine arts festival, hosted in a perfect setting for such an event in the historical, beautiful city of Charleston.
Today we are unpacking from our 4th trip to Spoleto Festival USA. It was Larry's ninth visit--he attended by himself before he met me. What a great city and an awesome festival! We heard music from classical to jazz, saw fine art, enjoyed delicious food, and did it all with our good friends Mike and Eydee Persson from Raleigh.
The concerts in Charleston's beautiful, acoustically compelling churches were outstanding. These spaces are visually inpsiring, and the sound is always superb in such lively acoustics. Other theaters, stages, and auditoriums in the city provide ample settings for this jam-packed 17 day event.
Some of the groups we heard this year during our three day visit included:
NEW TRINITY BAROQUE at 1st Scotts Presbyterian. An outstanding early ensemble string group. Their programs are always deeply inspiring and satisfying. http://www.newtrinitybaroque.org
ANTIOCH CHAMBER ENSEMBLE at St. Philips Episcopal. 12 voice vocal ensemble. They premiered a very fine work by Doug Helvering (Westminster Choir College Faculty). This group has premiered works by Eric Whitacre and many other of today's finest composers. Antioch Chamber Ensemble
GAIL ARCHER, organist, at Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul. Great program including Bach and Liszt. I thought at 10 a.m. on Memorial Day there might be only 40 people present, but the cathedral was packed.
ORATORIO SINGERS OF CHARLOTTE CHAMBER SINGERS at St. Philips Episcopal. This outstanding choir is a smaller group from the larger choir that serves as the official chorus of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. What a dynamic, awesome sound!
Oratorio Singers of Charlotte
RENNAISANCE SINGERS at Bethel UMC. Another outstanding choral group from Charlotte NC. Renaissance Singers
JAMES MADISON SINGERS at Bethel UMC. This was an especially poignant concert since it was the last one with their fine director, Dr. Patrick Walders, who has taken a position at San Diego State University. While we've been here in Harrisonburg, we've gotten to know Patrick and enjoyed many concerts and collaborations with him and his student musicians. Their program concluded with a new composition by JMU alum James Ballard, "Won't You Celebrate with Me," a stunningly beautiful setting of a poem by Lucille Clifton. Their encore, "Oh Shenandoah" had many of the singers in tears as they said goodbye to a beloved director. Me too, as I'll miss this dear and wonderful musician.
James Madison Choirs
KARRIN ALISON - Jazz at the Cistern, College of Charleston. This is a Saturday evening event Larry always wants to attend. Outside, surrounded by huge oaks with the hanging moss.Always a fine program under the stars.
KETIL Bjørnstad, Norwegian jazz pianist at Cathedral of St. Luke & St. Paul. Another packed house. We agreed his compositions sounded more like a fusion of Satie, Ravel, Chopin, and YES. Really fine playing. Classically trained, Miles Davis inspired.
BANK OF AMERICA CHAMBER MUSIC at Dock Street Theater, with the St. Lawrence String Quartet and others. This series is always eclectic, thrilling, and artistically so satisfying. My fav: Shostakovich Piano Quintet in G Minor. This series also features a composer-in-residence for the festival, so you get to hear new, interesting pieces in a variety of genres.
SPOLETO FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA at Grace Episcopal. Las Cuatro Estaniones Portenas (Four Seasons of Buenos Aires) by Astor Piazolla featured violinist Yun-Ting Lee. You like Piazolla too? Wow. The program concluded with Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings. This was the last program we heard, and a fitting piece to conclude our Spoleto visit for 2011.
We heard premieres of new works, heard some of today's outstanding performers, heard new rising stars, and just basked in such a celebration of life through music at a dozen concerts in three days. We didn't get to any modern dance, ballet, theater, musical, or the opera this year. There is just too much to choose from!
The ART in the PARK is another great component of the Festival, with 200 artists selected to display their works at Marion Square park. We have bought pieces there over the years. Charleston has many fine art galleries too, as well as unique shopping for those who like that.
Two phrases from the Genesis creation account kept coming to me: "And God made. . . and it was very good." and "Thus the heavens and earth were created in all their vast array." It's easy in our day to become cynical about the world and world events. A weekend like this reminded me so vividly of the beauty, goodness, and vastness of creativity that abounds in this world. I know these performers didn't arrive without their own stories of struggle to overcome and achieve, to create and share, nor does the beauty of a city like Charleston exist without many people rising to the challenge to enliven and enrich their community. When creativity and beauty abound like this, participating in it is renewing, affirming, energizing, and life changing. I always leave Spoleto feeling larger in my spirit, more hopeful, more generous and kind, with increased passion for my life roles as wife, mother, musician, and more.
We ended Monday with a drive over Charleston's beautiful new bridge to the Shem Creek area for a meal of fresh seafood at RED'S. Note: a lively place on Memorial Day evening :) Thanks Bob Hoffmeister for introducing us to that area.
If you love great music, opera, ballet, theater, art, architecture, history, consider Spoleto (international groups) and Piccolo Spoleto (regional groups) at the end of May yearly, beginning on Memorial Day weekend. If you do go, let us know so we can get together perhaps for lunch after a Dock Street chamber concert, or dinner at RED's. If you go as a performer, composer, or painter, do let us know so we can be sure to attend your event! And I'll be sure to let you know when one of my compositions make it's debut in that wonderful festival ;) !
Spoleto USA
Piccolo Spoleto
One should hear a little music,
read a little poetry
and see a fine picture
every day of their life,
in order that worldly cares
may not obliterate
the sense of the beautiful
which God has implanted
in the human soul."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832
Over the years it's evolved into a wonderful, multi-facted fine arts festival, hosted in a perfect setting for such an event in the historical, beautiful city of Charleston.
Today we are unpacking from our 4th trip to Spoleto Festival USA. It was Larry's ninth visit--he attended by himself before he met me. What a great city and an awesome festival! We heard music from classical to jazz, saw fine art, enjoyed delicious food, and did it all with our good friends Mike and Eydee Persson from Raleigh.
The concerts in Charleston's beautiful, acoustically compelling churches were outstanding. These spaces are visually inpsiring, and the sound is always superb in such lively acoustics. Other theaters, stages, and auditoriums in the city provide ample settings for this jam-packed 17 day event.
Some of the groups we heard this year during our three day visit included:
NEW TRINITY BAROQUE at 1st Scotts Presbyterian. An outstanding early ensemble string group. Their programs are always deeply inspiring and satisfying. http://www.newtrinitybaroque.org
ANTIOCH CHAMBER ENSEMBLE at St. Philips Episcopal. 12 voice vocal ensemble. They premiered a very fine work by Doug Helvering (Westminster Choir College Faculty). This group has premiered works by Eric Whitacre and many other of today's finest composers. Antioch Chamber Ensemble
GAIL ARCHER, organist, at Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul. Great program including Bach and Liszt. I thought at 10 a.m. on Memorial Day there might be only 40 people present, but the cathedral was packed.
ORATORIO SINGERS OF CHARLOTTE CHAMBER SINGERS at St. Philips Episcopal. This outstanding choir is a smaller group from the larger choir that serves as the official chorus of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. What a dynamic, awesome sound!
Oratorio Singers of Charlotte
RENNAISANCE SINGERS at Bethel UMC. Another outstanding choral group from Charlotte NC. Renaissance Singers
JAMES MADISON SINGERS at Bethel UMC. This was an especially poignant concert since it was the last one with their fine director, Dr. Patrick Walders, who has taken a position at San Diego State University. While we've been here in Harrisonburg, we've gotten to know Patrick and enjoyed many concerts and collaborations with him and his student musicians. Their program concluded with a new composition by JMU alum James Ballard, "Won't You Celebrate with Me," a stunningly beautiful setting of a poem by Lucille Clifton. Their encore, "Oh Shenandoah" had many of the singers in tears as they said goodbye to a beloved director. Me too, as I'll miss this dear and wonderful musician.
James Madison Choirs
KARRIN ALISON - Jazz at the Cistern, College of Charleston. This is a Saturday evening event Larry always wants to attend. Outside, surrounded by huge oaks with the hanging moss.Always a fine program under the stars.
KETIL Bjørnstad, Norwegian jazz pianist at Cathedral of St. Luke & St. Paul. Another packed house. We agreed his compositions sounded more like a fusion of Satie, Ravel, Chopin, and YES. Really fine playing. Classically trained, Miles Davis inspired.
BANK OF AMERICA CHAMBER MUSIC at Dock Street Theater, with the St. Lawrence String Quartet and others. This series is always eclectic, thrilling, and artistically so satisfying. My fav: Shostakovich Piano Quintet in G Minor. This series also features a composer-in-residence for the festival, so you get to hear new, interesting pieces in a variety of genres.
SPOLETO FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA at Grace Episcopal. Las Cuatro Estaniones Portenas (Four Seasons of Buenos Aires) by Astor Piazolla featured violinist Yun-Ting Lee. You like Piazolla too? Wow. The program concluded with Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings. This was the last program we heard, and a fitting piece to conclude our Spoleto visit for 2011.
We heard premieres of new works, heard some of today's outstanding performers, heard new rising stars, and just basked in such a celebration of life through music at a dozen concerts in three days. We didn't get to any modern dance, ballet, theater, musical, or the opera this year. There is just too much to choose from!
The ART in the PARK is another great component of the Festival, with 200 artists selected to display their works at Marion Square park. We have bought pieces there over the years. Charleston has many fine art galleries too, as well as unique shopping for those who like that.
Two phrases from the Genesis creation account kept coming to me: "And God made. . . and it was very good." and "Thus the heavens and earth were created in all their vast array." It's easy in our day to become cynical about the world and world events. A weekend like this reminded me so vividly of the beauty, goodness, and vastness of creativity that abounds in this world. I know these performers didn't arrive without their own stories of struggle to overcome and achieve, to create and share, nor does the beauty of a city like Charleston exist without many people rising to the challenge to enliven and enrich their community. When creativity and beauty abound like this, participating in it is renewing, affirming, energizing, and life changing. I always leave Spoleto feeling larger in my spirit, more hopeful, more generous and kind, with increased passion for my life roles as wife, mother, musician, and more.
We ended Monday with a drive over Charleston's beautiful new bridge to the Shem Creek area for a meal of fresh seafood at RED'S. Note: a lively place on Memorial Day evening :) Thanks Bob Hoffmeister for introducing us to that area.
If you love great music, opera, ballet, theater, art, architecture, history, consider Spoleto (international groups) and Piccolo Spoleto (regional groups) at the end of May yearly, beginning on Memorial Day weekend. If you do go, let us know so we can get together perhaps for lunch after a Dock Street chamber concert, or dinner at RED's. If you go as a performer, composer, or painter, do let us know so we can be sure to attend your event! And I'll be sure to let you know when one of my compositions make it's debut in that wonderful festival ;) !
Spoleto USA
Piccolo Spoleto
One should hear a little music,
read a little poetry
and see a fine picture
every day of their life,
in order that worldly cares
may not obliterate
the sense of the beautiful
which God has implanted
in the human soul."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832
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