After the beloved Manor Theater closed its doors in 2020, there weren’t many places to see art house and foreign films on the big screen in the Charlotte area. On top of that, the COVID-19 pandemic had put the entire movie theater industry in jeopardy. But that’s exactly when the Charlotte Film Society made the bold decision to find investors and s…

In recent years, Raehann Bryce-Davis has become a familiar name in the world of opera through performances at the Met, Santa Fe, Houston, Los Angeles, and in opera houses across Europe. She is the mezzo-soprano soloist for the Winston-Salem Symphony’s performance of Verdi’s Requiem, one of her favorite works to sing. On this episode, Bryce-Davis ta…

After 25 years, Maestro Jim Meena is moving on from Opera Carolina. He led his last production, La Boheme, with the company as their artistic director and principal conductor. Meena sits down with WDAV’s Frank Dominguez to talk about his time as one of the Queen City’s longest and most influential artistic leaders. They chat about everything from m…

Organist and keyboardist Clara Bartz, a Davidson native, play Bach selections before her performance of the Goldberg Variations at the Davidson Bach Festival.Learn more about the Davidson Bach Festival (PDF)By WDAV Classical Public Radio

The African art galleries at Charlotte's Mint Museum Randolph have a new look, and it's more than just paint. On this Piedmont Arts, we talk with the curators who researched each of the several hundred objects in the museum's–Jen Sudul Edwards and Lisa Homann. They recently reinstalled the work, along with some new and borrowed pieces, in the first…

Adam Santalla Pierce was named president of the Arts & Science Council of Charlotte in February 2025. He talks about the state of the arts in Charlotte and his vision for the organization.Adam Santalla Pierce courtesy of the Arts & Science Council of Charlotte.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

On this Piedmont Arts podcast, we talk with Jane Cain and Barbara Krumdieck, organizers of the first Davidson Bach Festival. It's a collaboration between the North Carolina Baroque Orchestra, Organ at Davidson, and the Davidson College Music Department.Jane CainBarbara KrumdieckBy WDAV Classical Public Radio

The Poiesis Quartet—winners of the prestigious Fischoff Competition—performs a program called The Poetry of Music for the Seventh Street Concerts at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Charlotte. Charlotte poet laureate Junious Ward joins the group, which also features former Charlottean Drew Dansby on cello. They preview the performance From the John …

The School of Music at the UNC School of the Arts is presenting the second annual "Spontaneous Sound" festival celebrating improvisational music at the Millennium Center in downtown Winston-Salem. The festival is the brainchild of Steve Alford, UNCSA Director of Improvised Music and Jazz. He talks about the event on Piedmont Arts podcast. Plus, Cha…

The 1920s Carolina Theatre in Charlotte reopens in March 2025 after a decade of planning, fundraising and construction. The $80 million project was led by the Foundation for the Carolinas. On this week Piedmont Arts podcast, we tour the renovated building and hear about upcoming events. Also, news about turmoil at the Eastern Music Festival and Ope…

The Charlotte Symphony is honoring cellist Alan Black who is retiring after 38 years – 35 of them as principal cello. On this Piedmont Arts podcast, he reflects on his career in Charlotte, both as a Symphony musician and as an artistic director who has developed and curated several performance series through the years. Listen to the conversation an…

The Musical Offering by Johann Sebastian Bach was a response to a challenge from Frederick the Great of Prussia to create six-voice fugue based on a theme (supposedly) written by the King. Bach Akademie Charlotte will perform Bach's famous gift to the monarch, as well as works by other members of the Bach family, in a concert at St. Mark's Lutheran…

World renowned pianist Orion Weiss joins the Charlotte Symphony for concerts in January. He'll be the soloist for two very different works: Stravinsky's Concerto for Piano and Winds and Bach's Harpsichord Concerto No. 6 . He's the guest on Biscuits and Bach and he talks about how much he enjoys learning new Bach works. Pictured: Orion Weiss by Lisa…

Spirit and Soul Bakehouse is an Indigenous owned bakery started by pastry chef Travis Lipscomb. Lipscomb is not only an expert on French pastry, he's also well versed in Native Foodways. At Spirit and Soul he reinterprets European classics through the lens of Native Foodways. Tune in to hear how Lipscomb is using ingredients like corn and squash to…

As the Charlotte area grows, so does its cultural offerings. On this Piedmont Arts, we talk to representatives from two of the newer arts organizations in our area. The Cain Center for the Arts in Cornelius has a new exhibit called “Generations: Highlighting Indigenous Peoples, Cultures, and Artwork" which features creations by Catawba, Cherokee, L…

A new exhibit at Charlotte's Mint Museum Uptown looks at the art and artists of the South in the first half of the 20th century. The show called "Southern/Modern" has more than 100 paintings and works on paper by artists from the region, or who worked here. On this episode of the Piedmont Arts podcast, we talk with curator Jonathan Stuhlman and tak…

Have you ever wanted to go into space? A virtual reality experience at Blumenthal Arts' new Blume Studios takes you there. "Space Explorers: The Infinite" uses virtual reality goggles to make you feel like you're on the International Space Station. Find out more in this Piedmont Arts podcast, along with a report on the upcoming Halloween concert by…

JazzArts Charlotte has been around for 15 years, promoting jazz through education and concerts with top performers from around the world. On this episode, CEO and co-founder Lonnie Davis talks about the group's origins and how it's growing a new generation of jazz performers and fans through education and concerts.Learn more about JazzArts Charlott…

One of Bach's great musical achievements is his six cello suites. Most professional cellists will add them to their repertoire at some point in their career. We talk to Guy Fishman, principal cellist with Bach Akademie Charlotte, about his recital at Holy Comforter Church in Charlotte where he plays all six suites, a herculean feat. Guy tells us wh…

These days, the cello is one of the star instruments of the orchestra, but that hasn't always been the case. For the 2024 Charlotte Bach Festival, principal cello and Bach Akademie Charlotte artistic leader Guy Fishman has put together a program called "The Cello Ascending." He discusses how the program explores how the cello's role has evolved fro…

Bach Akademie Charlotte's concertmaster Aisslinn Nosky explains why Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" is the featured work in the opening concert of the 2024 Charlotte Bach Festival . She also talks about why she loves the work and looks forward to playing with with her Bach Akademie colleagues. Aisslinn will be both soloist and conductor for the perfor…

Mark and Maggie O’Connor kick off a national tour in support of their new album, Life after Life, at The Cain Center for the Arts in Cornelius, NC. Before that, they perform a few tracks for us and speak to Frank Dominguez about how the pandemic isolation allowed them to focus on songwriting, much of which forms the basis of the new release.Learn m…

Each Spring the Charlotte Shout! Festival takes place in uptown Charlotte, and one important component of the festival is Charlotte StrEATs, which focuses on food. This week we talk to one of the producers of Charlotte StrEATs, Kristen Wile from Unpretentious Palate, a digital publication covering food and drink in our region. She gives us an overv…

Alan Black, Principal Cello Emeritus of the Charlotte Symphony, joins Rachel to talk about Bach's Cello Suites and why he loves playing them. Alan and fellow cellist Grace Anderson will perform all six suites on WDAV's upcoming "Cellomania" Tour to Bach's region of Germany. Learn more about the Bach Cellomania Tour…

Bach wrote his Christmas Oratorio for the Christmas season of 1734. It consists of six cantatas, each intended for performance on a feast day during the Christmas season. In June 2023, Bach Akademie Charlotte's Bach festival centered around the Christmas Oratorio. Laura Atkinson, a singer and the Education Director of Bach Akademie Charlotte, talks…

Internationally acclaimed organist Clive Driskill-Smith chats about the importance of Bach to organists.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

Guy Fishman, principal cellist of both the Handel & Haydn Society and the Bach Akademie Charlotte Orchestra, talks about the excitement of helping build one of the Charlotte region's newest classical music organizations. He also describes his most enjoyable breakfast scenario.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

Robert Quinney, Director of the Choir of New College Oxford, talks about leading one of the most respected choral ensembles in the world. The choir has been in existence since 1379 and is the oldest of its kind in Oxford and Cambridge. Quinney describes the typical routine of the young adults and boy trebles in the choir who perform almost every da…

Scott Allen Jarrett, artistic director of Bach Akademie Charlotte, gives background on Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi whose music is featured in Bach Akademie's Venetian Vespers concert. Learn more about Bach Akademie's Venetian Vespers ConcertBy WDAV Classical Public Radio

Composer Mark O'Connor talks about his journey through classical music as someone who began his career in folk and country music. You'll also find out about his favorite healthy breakfast concoction. Pictured: Mark O'Connor; photo by Mitch Weiss.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

Dr. Jeremy Mims, artistic director of the choir Inspirar, has studied manuscripts from the Renaissance and Baroque eras found in Puebla, Mexico. He joins us to talk about his research and the Mexican selections that will be on the program of Inspirar's upcoming concert, "Cantos de Mexico." Pictured: Dr. Jeremy Mims; photo courtesy of Dr. Jeremy Mim…

Charlotte Master Chorale artistic director Kenney Potter joins us to talk about Bach‘s Mass in B Minor. The Chorale launches its new season with performances of the great masterwork. Kenney will share a few of his favorite sections of the work.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

Emily Epley, Travel and Tourism Director for Cleveland County, talks about the Mush, Music and Mutts Festival in Shelby, NC. The festival celebrates livermush, a food peculiar to North Carolina that is also known as the poor man's pate. Find out about its history and ingredients.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

Gerard Schwarz, music director of the Eastern Music Festival (EMF) in Greensboro, talks about the educational experiences of EMF students. He'll also tell us why his parents called him "Chickie" when he was a boy. Pictured: Gerard Schwarz; photo by Ben VanHoutenBy WDAV Classical Public Radio

Tony Pasour, Head of Interpretation at Gastonia's Schiele Museum of Natural History, talks about their new "Carolina 'Cue" exhibit. He'll explain the characteristics of barbecue found in the southern Piedmont. Learn more about the "Carolina 'Que" exhibit Photo by Katerina Jerabkova on UnsplashBy WDAV Classical Public Radio

Bach Akademie Charlotte's artistic director Scott Allen Jarrett talks about some special instrumentation that will be used in performances of Bach's "St. John Passion" which will be featured as part of the Charlotte Bach Festival's Bach Experience series.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

Scott Allen Jarrett, artistic director of Bach Akademie Charlotte, talks about that organization's return to live performances and Bach's Easter Oratorio.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

Food writer and scholar Robert Moss talks about his new book The Lost Southern Chefs: A History of Commercial Dining in the Nineteenth-Century South which explores the hidden history of chefs, restaurateurs, and caterers – Black and white, male and female – who created a thriving and sophisticated food culture that helped shape Southern cuisine and…

Davidson College music professor Dr. Marcus Pyle walks us through one of his favorite Handel works, the Violin Sonata in D, Op. 1, No. 13, HWV 371. Marcus PyleBy WDAV Classical Public Radio

Conductors JoAnn Falletta (Buffalo Philharmonic) and Karen Ni Bhroin (Winston-Salem Symphony) talk about their favorite breakfast foods from around the world. Pictured: JoAnn Falletta (photo by Heather Bellini) and Karen Ni Bhroin. JoAnn Falletta Karen Ni BhroinBy WDAV Classical Public Radio

Barbara McKay talks about her new book Coming Home: Recipes & Reflections from a Life in the Spotlight . For many years, Barbara was the popular host of WBTV's daily television show "Top O' the Day" where she took people on adventures, introduced them to celebrities, and very importantly taught them to cook. Learn more about Coming Home: Recipes & …

Marcus Pyle, Franco Professor of the Humanities and Assistant Professor of Music at Davidson College, walks us through an aria from Handel's opera, "Julius Caesar", and explains why it's so great. Marcus PyleBy WDAV Classical Public Radio

We explore Telemann's Trumpet Concerto in D Major with Charlotte trumpeter Keenan Harmon. He'll explain why he loves the work and feels it's one of the best in the Baroque repertoire. He'll also give us a little insight into what it's like for a trumpeter to play it. Keenan HarmonBy WDAV Classical Public Radio

Food writer, James Beard Award winner, attorney, and certified barbecue judge Adrian Miller talks about his new book Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue. The book chronicles the important contributions of Black cooks, chefs, and pitmasters to one of America's most iconic foods. Pictured: Adrian Miller; credit Ryan Deart…

Opera Carolina artistic director James Meena joins us to talk about some of the Easter traditions found in the Orthodox Church. As the son of an Orthodox pastor, he is well versed in the music and other customs of the holiday. Pictured: James Meena.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

Ashley Strickland Freeman, an award-winning food stylist, recipe developer, and cookbook author based in Charleston, SC, swears by Duke's Mayonnaise. So much so that she's written a cookbook devoted to this staple found in so many Southern kitchens. Listen to her talk about the unexpected ways mayonnaise can be used in recipes beyond the customary …

Christopher James Lees, Resident Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony, talks about the CSO's special, virtual Baroque New Year's concert. He explains why Baroque music may be the right way to provide an optimistic welcome to 2021. And he shares the quarantine breakfast routine he has with his five-year-old.…

Mandolin and guitar virtuoso Robin Bullock talks about being a folk musician who plays classical music. He talks about his performance in a virtual concert as part of Music at St. Alban's in Davidson, NC. Learn more about Music @ St. Alban's with Robin Bullock Pictured: Robin Bullock/FacebookBy WDAV Classical Public Radio

Author Robert Moss talks about the importance of barbecue as an American institution that has been shaped by Native Americans, African-Americans, and Europeans. His book "Barbecue: The History of an American Institution" has been revised in a second edition. Learn more about Barbecue: The History of an American Institution Pictured: Robert Moss; co…

For nearly 60 years the iconic Wilber's Barbecue restaurant , started by Wilber Shirley in Goldsboro, NC, has been famous for authentic Eastern North Carolina style barbecue cooked over oak wood coals. Willis Underwood, one of the new owners, talks about how he intends to keep that fading tradition alive. Pictured: Wilber's BBQ in Goldsboro, NC/cou…