Impress your friends at your next cocktail party with these 5 things you should know about our symphony
So, we know you might think the Symphony is your go-to for an upscale, cultured night out. (You’re right that it makes for a great date night!) But the Charlotte Symphony is about much more than weekend concerts at the Belk Theater. Here are five things you might not know about our city’s Symphony that will win you big arts and culture points at your next cocktail party or networking event:
- The Charlotte Symphony is integral to the city’s arts economy.
The orchestra employs 62 full-time musicians, making it the largest arts employer in the region.
2. The Symphony is all over town, all year long.
Charlotte Symphony musicians work all over the city – not just on the Belk Theater stage. You may have heard them playing in local venues like the Evening Muse or even in your church. Ever been to the ballet or the opera? Yup, that was the Symphony playing from the pit below the stage.
3. The Symphony is dedicated to providing educational opportunities to young musicians of all backgrounds.
The Symphony reaches over 25,000 individuals each year through a wide array of education programs. For example — the Winterfield Youth Orchestra, a free after-school instrumental music program, currently serves around 80 students.
4. Music Director Christopher Warren-Green often invites young talent to be featured soloists at concerts.
CWG (insider lingo – take note so you can effortlessly drop those initials in conversation) always has his ear out for up-and-coming musicians in the classical world. In this past Classics season, five of the eight featured instrumental soloists were under the age of 30.
5. Classical music is being composed and premiered in Charlotte.
As part of next year’s Classics series, the Charlotte Symphony will present the world premiere of local composer Leonard Mark Lewis’ Concerto for Percussion, Evolution. The piece will feature Principal Timpanist Leonardo Soto.
Catch the Symphony in their final KnightSounds concert of the season on May 20 and 21. The program, Romeo and Juliet, begins at 7:30 p.m. on both nights at the Knight Theater. Tickets are $29 and include a free drink. Spectators can also enjoy the show at the free plazacast — bring a chair or blanket and watch outside at the Levine Center for the Arts plaza. Knight Theater bars will be open on the plaza.
This story was originally published May 11, 2016 at 8:17 AM.