Citron Gallery presents an art exhibition that harmoniously weaves together the distinctive styles of two artists, each navigating the delicate balance between spontaneity and control in their unique mediums. In this captivating showcase, the ethereal paintings of fabric and mixed media artist, Lauren Betty, and the textured wonders of oil, cold wax, and mixed media by Rand Kramer converge to create an immersive experience.

Lauren transforms delicate fabrics into ethereal paintings that seem to defy gravity. Using spontaneous gestures, she allows the fabric to take on a life of its own, capturing the fluidity of emotions in each piece. The work emerges as she delicately arranges and manipulates the fabric, creating an otherworldly tapestry that invites viewers to explore the boundaries between reality and the sublime.

Rand’s controlled technique involves layering and scraping, building up a rich textures that exude both depth and mystery. This deliberate process reflects an artful balance between spontaneity and control, inviting viewers to witness the evolution of his creations.

This will also be Mosaic Realty’s 2nd annual Art Walk & Benefit night! We are one of the 14 participating galleries on the Art Walk. This free community fundraiser, open to the public, will be hosted by Mosaic Realty, and each gallery highlights a different local nonprofit. Our gallery will be supporting the work of Blue Ridge Orchestra. There will be the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets to win exciting prizes, with all raffle basket proceeds going to the highlighted organization.

Buy the whole series for one processing fee and taxes! Individual tickets also available on the website, at the box office or you can buy them at the door on the day of the show.

Beer, wine and beverages will be available. We are finalizing Food Trucks for each event so you can come to the show, catch a bite to eat for dinner, and enjoy the music, as well as the stunning beauty of the amphitheater at sunset and under the lights! It’s no wonder we pack it in on Thursdays in May!

Season Pass is $45 (plus fees + taxes), or you can purchase individual tickets in advance for $10 (plus fees + taxes) or $12 at the door on the day of show.

May 2     David Childers & The Serpents

May 9     The Krickets

May 16    Dirty Blanket

May 23    Ever More Nest

May 30    Alice Wallace Band

Get The Led Out is coming to the Outdoor Stage at Salvage Station on Thursday, May 2nd, 2024! Doors open at 6PM and the music starts at 7:30PM. This is a General Admission, all-ages show! This is a LARGE EVENT, so please read our FAQs to learn more about parking options and our shuttle service.

Root Down will be serving their delicious twist on Southern Soul Food and we’ll have our full bar open for you to enjoy!

Annie in the Water’s Americana Indie Rock found its roots in acoustic guitars without limits. Over time, their songwriting and ability to traverse across multiple genres offers the listener experiences in rock, funk, reggae, hip hop, soul, dancebeat and jam with pleasurable melodies led by guitars and synthesizers overtop a ground-shaking rhythm section.

Because not one show is the same, experiencing the music of Annie in the Water live can be compared to paddling with a river. At times you may find yourself in the calm of the flow while at other times you may be deep in the rapids while the music churns and grows in energy. With the ebbs and flows you’re reminded of the constant that you are a part of something greater than yourself, working together with the forces around you and caught in the midst of a beautiful moment in time.

Comprised of members

Brad Hester (Lead Vocals/Rhythm)

Michael Lashomb (Lead Guitar/Vocals), Josh West (Drums/Vocals),

Chris Meier (Bass/Vocals),

Matt Richards (Keys/Vocals)

and Brock Kuca (Percussion/Vocals), each performance is another adventure; exhilarating and everlasting.

https://www.annieinthewater.com/

Sigal Music Museum’s current special exhibition, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred, highlights items from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, which hails from all over the world. Showing November 2023 – May 2024, Worlds Apart uses a diverse range of historical instruments, objects, and visuals to bring together musical narratives from seemingly disparate parts of the globe.

 

Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred aims to increase public access to historical instruments from around the world and improve visitors’ understanding of musical traditions at the global level. Expanding beyond the typical parameters of the Western musical canon, Worlds Apart seeks to expose audiences to musical instruments and customs that are often overlooked or exotified. The instruments and other exhibit materials will offer visitors new perspectives on global music and a chance to consider how music is used for prayer and leisure in cultures around the world. By celebrating these stories, the museum intends to further its mission to collect and preserve historical musical instruments, objects, and information, which engage and enrich people of all ages through exhibits, performances, and experiential programs.

 

Displaying various objects from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred focuses on international musical instruments and cultures, celebrating rites and traditions with ancient histories and contemporary legacies. Frank Edwinn, a successful basso in the mid-20th century, studied and toured internationally, eventually settling in North Carolina, where he taught music at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Throughout his life, he purchased various objects from around the world, aiming to expose students, and himself, to the wide and wonderful world of musical instruments. This impressive collection occupies a unique position for educating audiences unfamiliar with the vast scope of global music.

And, UNCA’s Ramsey Library Special Collections is now processing the Edwinn’s papers and a few recordings that will be accessible next semester!

Plan to collaborate with other musicians at Sideways Farm & Brewery in Etowah. Bring your instruments and voices and enjoy making music and networking with other artists, while enjoying the beautiful scenery. Food truck is on site and beverages available for purchase from Sideways (small
batch craft beers, hard jun, ciders, wine, and non alcoholic drinks). Family, fans, friends, and leashed dogs are all welcome!
During winter months enjoy playing under the covered, sheltered, heated porch! And during the summer months enjoy
collaborating in the fields, on the stage, or under the patio

The prolific and chart-topping CCM group Casting Crowns has achieved sales milestones with more than 13 million albums sold. Additionally, they have received numerous RIAA certifications: one RIAA 2x multi-Platinum® album, five RIAA Platinum albums, two RIAA Platinum DVDs, seven RIAA Gold® albums, four Gold DVDs, seven RIAA Platinum singles, and 15 RIAA Gold digital singles. The group has had 15 career No. 1 radio singles, as well as more than 3.6 billion streams life to date. Casting Crowns has also been honored with four American Music Awards (out of seven total nominations), a GRAMMY Award® for their 2005 album Lifesong, and eight additional GRAMMY Award nominations. In addition, the group has garnered 18 GMA Dove Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, and 13 total Billboard Music Award nominations. For more information, visit CastingCrowns.com.

Immerse yourself in the extraordinary world of Matilda: The Musical, a delightfully imaginative adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s book. This Tony Award-winning musical weaves the story of Matilda, a young girl with a sharp wit, unbounded imagination, and psychokinetic powers. Despite the indifference of her shallow parents and the tyranny of the oppressive headmistress Miss Trunchbull, Matilda discovers the strength within herself to change her story. Infused with dark humor, whimsical storytelling, and dazzling performances, Matilda: The Musical is a testament to the power of imagination, resilience, and the transformative magic of learning. A must-see for audiences of all ages who love heartwarming tales of triumph against all odds.

A talkback with the cast & crew of Matilda: The Musical will be held following the performances on April 14th and 21st.

While White Horse Black Mountain is under construction, we will present several shows at other locations in our community. This event will take place at Kittredge Theatre on the campus of Warren Wilson College. We are thrilled to bring two great American songwriters to our audience.

John McCutcheon has emerged as one of our most respected and loved folksingers. As an instrumentalist, he is a master of a dozen different traditional instruments, most notably the rare and beautiful hammer dulcimer. His songwriting has been hailed by critics and singers around the globe. His thirty recordings have garnered every imaginable honor including seven Grammy nominations. He has produced over twenty albums of other artists, from traditional fiddlers to contemporary singer-songwriters to educational and documentary works. His books and instructional materials have introduced budding players to the joys of their own musicality. And his commitment to grassroots political organizations has put him on the front lines of many of the issues important to communities and workers.

www.folkmusic.com

In describing Tom Paxton’s influence on his fellow musicians, Pete Seeger has said: “Tom’s songs have a way of sneaking up on you. You find yourself humming them, whistling them, and singing a verse to a friend. Like the songs of Woody Guthrie, they’re becoming part of America.” Pete goes on: “In a small village near Calcutta, in 1998, a villager who could not speak English sang me What Did You Learn In School Today? in Bengali! Tom Paxton’s songs are reaching around the world more than he is, or any of us could have realized. Keep on, Tom!”

www.tompaxton.com

Listeners might be confounded by Mike Green’s philosophy of life as they listen to his songs. They’ll hear a palpable tension between tenderness and irony, profundity and slapstick, aching beauty and emotional intensity. Mike is also a veteran booking agent, having represented John McCutcheon for nearly 20 years, and represented Tom Paxton for many years before that.

mikegreensongwriter.com

Denver-based producer Manic Focus is an artist of many talents. As a magician, he uses sleight of hand to pull objects out of thin air. As an electronic artist, he executes similarly impossible sonic acts with his vibrant, genre-defying music. But his strengths lie not only in the musical and magical: what also makes Manic Focus stand apart is his mental triumphs.

Manic Focus’ unique style – defined by a hybrid of electronic, funk, soul, and hip-hop – has helped the producer cultivate a fervent fanbase captivated by his immersive studio trickery and vibrant creative spirit – a combination that has led him to performances at festivals such as Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Hulaween, North Coast Music Festival, High Sierra Music Festival, Camp Bisco, Wakaan Festival, Summer Camp Music Festival, and multiple opening slots at Red Rocks in support of Zhu, Emancipator, Pretty Lights, and more.

Now, Manic Focus releases his 7th studio album, Never Not Blue, a new full-length project that showcases the producer’s vast growth as a multi-genre artist, including songs with the blues-infected electronic style of his earlier work as well as a wide range of modern bass music influences. Having consistently evolved over the past decade, fleshing out his sound to incorporate new approaches to genre, songwriting, and composition, Manic Focus’ new album is an amalgamation of the various styles and sounds he’s explored over the years. In many ways, Never Not Blue is a career retrospective – a look back at where Manic Focus began, and just how far he’s come.

Mark Farina has solidified himself in the world of Dance Music as a trailblazing DJ, Producer, tastemaker and bona fide House Music icon. After 3 decades crisscrossing the globe, he shows no signs of slowing down remaining innovative, humble, and firmly rooted in the underground.

“I look at my job as a ‘modern day traveling minstrel’ bringing new music to as many places as I can and exposing audiences to obscure records that otherwise might go hidden.”

As an early House Music pioneer in the late 80’s, Farina’s history includes an impressive long standing residency at Smart Bar Chicago and a job at the legendary Gramaphone Records. In the 90s, Mark pushed musical boundaries and blended genres to create “Mushroom Jazz”. Eventually, Mark made San Francisco his home as his signature sound created a strong demand for his DJ sets. The Bay Area proved to be a perfect match for Mark’s musical vision and he released a string of major mix compilations including his Mushroom Jazz series. With a tireless passion for playing extended sets, B2B shows with fellow House Music icons, or playing both of his signature styles on 2 stages on the same night, Farina continues to entertain his incredible fans all over the globe with over 100 shows per year.

Currently, Farina is the head honcho at his record label, Great Lakes Audio Recordings. Next up in 2018 are residencies at House of Yes (NY), Grasshopper Underground (MI), and Site 1A (MKE).

Sigal Music Museum’s current special exhibition, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred, highlights items from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, which hails from all over the world. Showing November 2023 – May 2024, Worlds Apart uses a diverse range of historical instruments, objects, and visuals to bring together musical narratives from seemingly disparate parts of the globe.

 

Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred aims to increase public access to historical instruments from around the world and improve visitors’ understanding of musical traditions at the global level. Expanding beyond the typical parameters of the Western musical canon, Worlds Apart seeks to expose audiences to musical instruments and customs that are often overlooked or exotified. The instruments and other exhibit materials will offer visitors new perspectives on global music and a chance to consider how music is used for prayer and leisure in cultures around the world. By celebrating these stories, the museum intends to further its mission to collect and preserve historical musical instruments, objects, and information, which engage and enrich people of all ages through exhibits, performances, and experiential programs.

 

Displaying various objects from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred focuses on international musical instruments and cultures, celebrating rites and traditions with ancient histories and contemporary legacies. Frank Edwinn, a successful basso in the mid-20th century, studied and toured internationally, eventually settling in North Carolina, where he taught music at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Throughout his life, he purchased various objects from around the world, aiming to expose students, and himself, to the wide and wonderful world of musical instruments. This impressive collection occupies a unique position for educating audiences unfamiliar with the vast scope of global music.

And, UNCA’s Ramsey Library Special Collections is now processing the Edwinn’s papers and a few recordings that will be accessible next semester!

Visit LEAF Global Arts every Saturday for an in-house cultural exchange with Adama Dembele. Experience the Ivory Coast with our Culture Keeper from the House of Djembe.

Immerse yourself in the extraordinary world of Matilda: The Musical, a delightfully imaginative adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s book. This Tony Award-winning musical weaves the story of Matilda, a young girl with a sharp wit, unbounded imagination, and psychokinetic powers. Despite the indifference of her shallow parents and the tyranny of the oppressive headmistress Miss Trunchbull, Matilda discovers the strength within herself to change her story. Infused with dark humor, whimsical storytelling, and dazzling performances, Matilda: The Musical is a testament to the power of imagination, resilience, and the transformative magic of learning. A must-see for audiences of all ages who love heartwarming tales of triumph against all odds.

A talkback with the cast & crew of Matilda: The Musical will be held following the performances on April 14th and 21st.

Even among the pantheon of music’s finest artists, Del McCoury stands alone . From the
nascent sound of bluegrass that charmed hardscrabble hillbilly honkytonks, rural schoolhouse
stages, and the crowning glory of the Grand Ole Opry to the present-day culture-buzz of viral
videos and digital streams, Del is the living link . On primetime and late-night television talk
shows, there is Del. From headlining sold-out concerts to music festivals of all genres, including
one carrying his namesake, there is Del. Where audiences number in the tens of thousands,
and admirers as diverse as country-rock icon Steve Earle and jamband royalty Phish count as
two among hundreds, there is Del.

Emerging from humble beginnings in York County, PA nearly eighty years ago, Del was
not the likeliest of candidates for legendary status. As a teen, he was captivated by the banjo
playing of one of its masters, Earl Scruggs, and decided he’d be a banjo picker, too. The
Baltimore/Washington, D.C. bar scene of the early 1960s was lively and rough. Del caught a
break. More than a break, really. It was an opportunity of a lifetime; joining Bill Monroe’s Blue
Grass Boys in early 1963. Considered the Father of Bluegrass, Monroe transformed McCoury,
moving him from the banjo to guitar, anointing him lead singer, and providing him with a
priceless trove of bluegrass tutelage direct from the source.

Countless hours of recording sessions and miles of tireless touring dotted the decades.
Del carried on, and carried with him the hallowed traditions of the form and its dedicated
following. The passing years became certificates of authenticity . So, in the sea of grunge and
R&B that dominated the music scene of the mid-1990s, it was special, perhaps even startling, to
see: There was Del.

Now helming the Del McCoury Band, with sons Ronnie and Rob, the ensemble did and
continues to represent in a larger, growing musical community a peerless torchbearer for the
entire sweep and scope of bluegrass history . Those many years, not to mention a good-natured
willingness to stay alert to the latest sounds and opportunities around him, earned McCoury a
whole new generation of fans, including some in unlikely places.

“I’m just doing what’s natural,” says Del. “When young musicians ask me what they
should do I always tell them, ‘You do whatever’s inside of you. Do what you do best.’”
No surprise that contemporary, bluegrass-bred stars sang his praises; marquee names
like Vince Gill and Alison Krauss (who first met Del at a bluegrass festival when she subbed for
his missing fiddler). Yet, here too was rocker Earle recording and touring with the group. Here
was Phish jamming onstage with the boys. Here was the band on TV, or headlining rock clubs
and college campuses; the can’t-miss appearances at country and jazz festivals. There was
Del.

“We don’t have a setlist,” says Del. “We try and work in the new songs, but a lot of times
it’s just requests from the audience. It’s more interesting for the band, for me, and for the
audience because nobody knows what’s coming next.”

Almost unimaginable, McCoury’s sixth decade in a half-century of bluegrass bliss brings new
triumphs, new collaborations, and new music. With but a single change in membership in twenty
seven years The Del McCoury Band shows unprecedented stability as well as garnering the
respect and admiration of the industry for its unmistakable work: nine IBMA Entertainer of the
Year trophies; in 2003, Del’s awarded membership in the cast of the legendary Grand Ole Opry;
the band’s first Best Bluegrass Album Grammy award, in ’05, followed by a second Grammy win
in 2014, (not to mention double-digit nominations).

“I know (having the same band) helped with my success. It keeps your sound constant,”
says Del. “We really enjoy what we’re doing.”

The group traveled with the groundbreaking post- O Brother “Down From The Mountain”
tour, and performed with Gill, recording on his Grammy-winning These Days , as well as country
sensation Dierks Bentley. In addition to becoming something of a regular at the wildly popular
Bonnaroo Music Festival, they’ve also curated and expanded Del’s annual namesake festival.
One of the premier string-band events in the country, the multi-day, multi-stage DelFest
showcases the new lions of the genre such as Greensky Bluegrass, The Infamous
Stringdusters, and Old Crow Medicine Show, and legends like Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, and
Bobby Osborne, plus a diversity of artists like Phish frontman Trey Anastasio and blues-rock
veterans Gov’t Mule to Americana darlings The Wood Brothers and Rhiannon Giddens.
“DelFest is a great accomplishment,” says Del. “I never thought it would be as successful
as it is. And, when Sony Music came calling, post-Hurricane Katrina, proposing a collaboration
with New Orleans’ revered Preservation Hall Jazz Band, there was Del. If there was ever a
collection of recordings confirming McCoury’s wide-ranging impact and spirit of musical
comradery, it would be American Legacies . A wonderfully fulfilling cross-section of traditional
bluegrass and the Dixieland pomp of New Orleans, the album typified the Del McCoury Band’s
evolution from bluegrass vanguard to an American treasure.

“All music is related. Bill Monroe went to New Orleans and listened to jazz players. Earl
Scruggs- some of the tunes he recorded were from New Orleans,” says Del. “It all fits together if
you’re willing to be open-minded.”

And like any genuine treasure, the gifts keep coming. On their latest release, Del
McCoury Still Sings Bluegrass – a title that echoes his 1968 debut on Arhoolie Records, Del
McCoury Sings Bluegrass – Del and the boys bring home another stellar collection of traditional
bluegrass music. With 14 songs brimming with hot licks, classic songcraft, even some
boundary-stretching electric guitar, and once again, Del’s matchless vocal delivery, the Del
McCoury Band moves up the gold bar standard of bluegrass yet another notch. “What I like in a
record is variety of moods, of tempos,” Del says. “I consider myself traditional at heart, but I

don’t have any boundaries. I’m just a guy that likes to sing and play music. Whatever strikes me
to do I’ll do it. Without wrecking things.”
One listen and it’s clear as crystal. There is Del.

Experience the magic of a galaxy far, far away at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Saturday, May 4th, 2024. The Greenville Symphony Orchestra presents “Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert.” Enjoy the iconic film with a live performance by GSO of John Williams’ Oscar®-winning score. Feel the force as the orchestra delivers an unforgettable family-friendly event.

Tickets go on sale Tuesday, January 16 at 10:00 am and can be purchased online at BSWArena.com. Don’t miss this chance to be part of Star Wars like never before. May the force be with you!

Link: https://www.bonsecoursarena.com/events/detail/starwars-greenvilesymphonyorchestra-greenville

The Greenville Symphony Orchestra will present Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert featuring a screening of the complete film with composer John Williams’ iconic Oscar®-winning score performed live to the film. The concert will be led by conductor Thiago Tiberio on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, January 16 at 10:00 a.m. ET, and start at $29.50, taxes and fees not included. Tickets can be purchased online at BSWArena.com or ticketmaster.com.

Since the release of this first Star Wars movie over 45 years ago, the Star Wars saga has had a seismic impact on both cinema and culture, inspiring audiences around the world with its mythic storytelling, captivating characters, groundbreaking special effects and iconic musical scores composed by Williams. Fans will experience the scope and grandeur of this beloved film in a live symphonic concert experience.

Legendary composer Williams is well known for scoring all nine of the Star Wars saga films, beginning with 1977’s Star Wars: A New Hope for which he earned an Academy Award® for Best Original Score. His scores for The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker were each nominated for Best Original Score.

The presentation is licensed by Disney Concerts.

About Disney Concerts:

Disney Concerts is the concert production and licensing division of Disney Music Group, the music arm of The Walt Disney Company. Disney Concerts produces concerts and tours, and licenses Disney music and visual content to symphony orchestras, choruses and presenters on a worldwide basis. Disney Concerts’ concert packages include a variety of formats, such as “live to picture” film concerts, and themed instrumental and vocal compilation concerts that range from instrumental-only symphonic performances to multimedia productions featuring live vocalists and choirs. Featuring concerts from the largest movie franchises in the world – from Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Pixar and 20th Century Studios – current titles include the Star Wars Film Concert Series, Toy Story, Aladdin, Disney Princess – The Concert, Coco, The Lion King, Up, Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Muppet Christmas Carol.

About the Greenville Symphony: THE GREENVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA is recognized as one of the finest professional orchestras in the southeastern U.S., and through a diverse mix of concert performances, educational programming, and community engagements reaches more than 50,000 individuals throughout the Upstate each year.

The Symphony has announced its ground-breaking 76th season in 2023-2024. Beginning with the season opener, September 9 & 10, the GSO will be led by 6 different finalists vying for the title of Music Director of the Greenville Symphony. Each MD candidate has curated a special program combining traditional and modern repertoire with blockbuster soloists. The orchestra’s unique offerings also include four signature programs conducted by Greenville musical giants, and Holiday at Peace, a 30+ year tradition featuring local and national celebrities.

For over two decades The Walker Family Band has delighted audiences throughout the Southeast with a distinctive take on traditional styles, performing Irish dance music and American old time music with a forward reaching attitude. We especially enjoy sharing original tunes, which grow naturally from these basic roots and from our thorough training and experience in classical music and jazz. Now living in the Asheville area, we are looking forward to performing for our new, and old friends here in these beautiful mountains! The Walker Family Band creates a confluence of sound with an end game plan; a fresh connection with each audience. True to Irish and American tradition, we share our experience and knowledge by conducting multi-instrumental workshops and by hosting an annual summer camp. The Walker Family Band Music Camp is attended by families and students from coast to coast.

Visit here to learn more: https://thewalkerfamilyband.com/

Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime. Seating is general admission. Online ticket sales end 1 hour prior to showtime. There may still be tickets available in the office after online sales have ended. Call the office for more information – 828.669.0930.

A mother. A daughter. 3 possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget!

Set on a Greek island paradise where the sun always shines, a tale of love, friendship, and identity is beautifully told through the timeless hits of ABBA. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the father she’s never known brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited decades ago.

For nearly 25 years, people all around the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story, and the music that make MAMMA MIA! the ultimate feel-good show.

Official Website

Les Hicken, conductor
Erik Franklin, clarinet
Richard Strauss: Serenade for 13 wind instruments
Robert Kurka: The Good Soldier Schweik
Erik Franklin: Solo Clarinet (Premiere)
Igo Stravinsky: Symphonies of Wind Instruments
Kurt Weill: Little Three-Penny-Opera for Symphonic Winds

Richard Strauss was the son of an extraordinary horn player. Even the notoriously cranky composer Richard Wagner was quoted as saying “when he plays his horn, one cannot stay cross with him.” Did Richard’s dad influence his Serenade in E-flat? Probably. Either way, you can’t miss this chance to hear clarinet soloist Erik Franklin and the outstanding winds of the Greenville Symphony in a program that features just them. It’s a rare and wonderful opportunity to focus on the instruments of the orchestra powered by breath alone.

Erik Franklin, a Furman graduate and prominent American clarinetist is a former student of Les Hicken, and has written a new work which will be premiered on this program. South Carolina history is happening here.

Leslie Hicken, Conductor

Leslie W. Hicken, Professor Emeritus and the Charles E. Daniel Professor of Music, taught on the faculty of Furman University from the fall of 1993 until his retirement in 2019. Within the music department, his responsibilities included the directorship of the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble; professor of music education and instrumental conducting; and Assistant Director with the Marching Band. He was also the Director of the Furman Music by the Lake Concert Series and the Lakeside Concert Band. Currently, Dr. Hicken is the Artistic Director of the Carolina Youth Symphony and Co-Director of the Poinsett Wind Symphony. During the 2021-2022 academic year, he was the Visiting Professor at Clemson University as conductor of their Symphony Orchestra. This year, he is the interim Director of the Wind Ensemble at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities.

Prior to his appointment at Furman, Hicken was Director of Bands at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio. In addition to his duties at Youngstown State, he was the director of the Youngstown Symphony Youth Orchestra and a clarinetist in the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra. Earlier in his career, Hicken was employed for five years as an instrumental music teacher in the Durham (NC) County School system. He began his musical career as a clarinetist in the United States Military Academy Band at West Point, NY.

In the fall of 2000, Hicken completed a residency with the public schools of Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro State in Brazil preparing a concert with their String Orchestra. Hicken received the Outstanding Bandmaster of the Year Award in 2000 and the Outstanding Contributor Award in 2002 from the South Carolina Chapter of Phi Beta Mu. In 2002, he was elected into the American Bandmasters Association. In the spring of 2010, he was inducted into the South Carolina Band Directors Association Hall of Fame. In 2015, he received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the South Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities organization. He is Past President of the College Band Directors National Association Southern Division and the South Carolina Band Directors Association.

Dr. Hicken received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Doctorate in Music Education from Indiana University. He studied clarinet with D. Stanley Hasty, Leon Russianoff, and Bernard Portnoy; and conducting with J. Marion Magill, Robert Klotman, and Ray Cramer.

Guest Artist: Erik Franklin, Clarinet

Award-winning composer and clarinetist Erik Franklin balances a vibrant, varied career on and off the stage. He has given concerts in nearly all fifty states and throughout Europe, performing for audiences large and small in venues from veterans’ homes to Carnegie Hall. A former member of the United States Army Field Band (Washington, D.C.), Franklin now performs as a soloist and chamber musician across the country as a member of the Ann Street Trio and the Heartwood Duo.

As a composer, Franklin is equally at home in the worlds of vocal and instrumental music. His art songs delight performers and audiences alike, with his penchant for writing lyrical, expressive melodies. His works have earned prizes from the National Association of Teachers of Singing and at the 2023 songSLAM festival in New York City. His debut opera, a collaboration with Facing West Shadows in San Francisco, is slated to premiere in the Fall of 2024. As an instrumental composer, Franklin has been commissioned by the Interlochen Arts Academy Band and the United States Air Force Academy Band.

Franklin is a passionate and experienced educator. He is a current faculty member at the Peabody Preparatory Institute and formerly served on the faculty at Towson University and the SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities. In the summer, he directs the Indiana Clarinet Experience—a music camp he co-founded in 2014.

Franklin holds a B.M. in Clarinet Performance from Furman University and an D.M. in Clarinet Performance from the renowned Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He is a South Carolina native and currently lives in Baltimore, MD. He is happily involved in his local arts community, where he enjoys hosting concerts in his home, drinking coffee, reading books, and nursing his ice cream addiction.

While White Horse Black Mountain is under construction, we will present several shows at other locations in our community. This event will take place at Kittredge Theatre on the campus of Warren Wilson College.

Born of a session in Paisley, Scotland, and named for the town’s historic weaving industry and local poet laureate Robert Tannahill, the Tannahill Weavers have made an international name for their special brand of Celtic music, blending the beauty of traditional melodies with the power of modern rhythms. As one of the world’s premier traditional Celtic bands, their diverse repertoire spans the centuries with fire-driven instrumentals, topical songs, original ballads and lullabies, and humorous tales of life in Scotland.

“The music may be pure old time Celtic, but the drive and enthusiasm are akin to straight ahead rock and roll.”

– Winnipeg Free Press

“An especially eloquent mixture of the old and the new.”

– New York Times

tannahillweavers.com