Charlotte Symphony rolls out new mobile stage for free neighborhood concerts
Editor’s Note: This story was updated April 18 following the unveiling.
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra is taking its music to the streets of Charlotte with free concerts in various neighborhoods thanks to a new set of wheels.
Starting this month, the CSO Roadshow will hold 10 performances from a 40-foot stage trailer on wheels, the symphony announced Thursday. The customized trailer will hold up to 30 musicians.
It lets orchestra musicians “meet people where they are, break down barriers, celebrate the work of local artists and performers, and make live orchestral music accessible to individuals who may not typically attend concerts at our traditional venues,” Charlotte Symphony CEO David Fisk said in a statement.
The mobile stage will move throughout different neighborhoods that are “corridors of opportunity.” There are six under-invested areas in Charlotte, which are designated by the city as corridors of opportunity.
The mobile performances increase accessibility to the arts and eliminate barriers to enjoying music, arts and culture in the area, Charlotte City Manager Marcus Jones said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, April 18, at The West Complex on West Trade Street.
“The mobile stage will be a bridge in building connections between the arts and our community,” Jones said.
Construction of the mobile stage is partially funded by $200,000 of American Rescue Plan money contributed by the city of Charlotte. Other funding sources includes a grant from the Philip L. Van Every Foundation.
Fisk did not provide the total price of the mobile stage for “commercial competition” reasons, but told The Charlotte Observer it’s less than $500,000.
“This can appear in any neighborhood and take less than90 minutes to get ready,” Fisk said.
CSO Roadshow will not only perform in the neighborhoods but collaborate with communities as well. For example, local singers and poets could perform from the stage with the orchestra.
“We want this to be an event that we can bring the music to the party,” Fisk said. “We hope it reinforces the value of music education and encourages kids to pick up an instrument because of the exposure.”
The CSO, Fisk said, is associated with classical music played uptown in a traditional theater venue, even though the orchestra also plays in local breweries, churches and other venues.
“We do a vast array of music. What we want to do is attract a bigger audience,” Fisk said. “A free neighborhood concert is definitely ‘up close and personal’ ”
CSO goes on the road
The concerts will be held in parks and plazas and along streets starting in the spring.
The scheduled dates for the 2024 shows are:
▪ April 28 at the Latin American Coalition, 4938 Central Ave.
▪ May 5 at Mayfield Memorial Baptist Church, 700 W. Sugar Creek Road
▪ June 21 at Ophelia Garmon-Brown Community Center, 2647 Freedom Drive
Another six performances will be held next fall. Details will be announced this summer.
Each concert program will be tailored to specific audiences through symphony and community collaboration.
‘We can play anything and we do,” Fisk said. That includes classical orchestral pieces to movie scores It could also include commissioning music to work with neighborhood artists, Fisk added.
About the mobile stage
The mobile stage will be custom-designed and fabricated by Cornelius-based Hirschfeld Marketing Solutions.
The three-sided, covered trailer features a foldout stage for 25 to 30 musicians with theatrical lighting, acoustic wall paneling and sound-reflective flooring, plus an iPad-controlled audio system. It can be pulled by a pickup truck.
“This makes a lot of sense to go into any neighborhood and it’s easy to appear in a parking lot,” Fisk said.
The symphony collaborated with Charlotte Is Creative to choose a Mecklenburg-based artist to design the wrap for the mobile stage. Rosalia Torres-Weiner was chosen to design the artwork for the wrap, and named it “Road to Joy” a pun on “Ode to Joy”
When not in use, Fisk said, the mobile stage will be available for rent by other local arts and cultural groups. Those details have not been finalized. Fisk said it would be appropriate for other nonprofits, music and theater groups, and even weddings.
About the Charlotte Symphony
The orchestra was founded in 1932 and is the oldest operating symphony orchestra in the Carolinas.
The symphony employs 65 professional full-time orchestra musicians, has three youth orchestras and offers educational support in the community.
In December, the orchestra announced it had found its next music director in Kwamé Ryan, the first person of color ever to lead the organization.
This story was originally published November 2, 2023 at 10:00 AM.