Henry David Thoreau’s Walden was written in 1854 but has lessons for life in the 21st century. In her new book Finding Your Walden, Charlotte author Jen McGivney explores how the ideas in Walden can help people navigate modern life—from career crossroads to everyday overwhelm—with more clarity and intention.…

Since 1937, visitors to North Carolina’s Outer Banks have been enhancing their beach vacations by taking in a performance of The Lost Colony at the Waterside Theater in Manteo. We talk to Chuck Still, the Executive Director of the Roanoke Island Historical Association, about the beloved play, how the production has evolved through the years, and th…

Charlotte Strings Collective was formed five years ago, in the midst of Black Lives Matter protests, to promote the music of Black composers. On this Piedmont Arts podcast, we talk with three members of the group about its origins and its role in the Charlotte region.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

Charlotte will become the home to the first ever International Choral Composers Institute, a 5-day immersive program dedicated to nurturing and teaching choral composers and lyricists of all levels. It’s the brainchild of award-winning composer Sherry Blevins. Through the Institute, she hopes to provide an opportunity for composers in our area and …

Ever since pianist Simone Dinnerstein released her recording of Bach's "Goldberg Variations" back in 2007, she's had a reputation as singular interpreter of Bach. Since then, Dinnerstein has explored wide ranging musical interests, but her album, "Complicité," with her ensemble Baroklyn, brings her back to Bach and some highly original performances…

Charlotte is home to a growing community of music creators of all types. It’s a collaborative community where musicians work across genres, as evidenced by WDAV’s own NoteWorthy and Small Batch concerts. On this Piedmont Arts podcast, we talk with Charlotte Hip Hop artist YUNG Citizen who has worked with many local musicians including Charlotte Str…

Did you know the city of Charlotte has its own Poet Laureate? If not, that might be because there has only been one so far. His name is Junious “Jay” Ward, and you’ll get to know him on this episode of the Piedmont Arts podcast. Jay talks about his journey with poetry, what it means to be Charlotte’s first Poet Laureate, and you’ll get to hear some…

There's a new weekly email newsletter in Charlotte focusing on local people and issues. The Charlotte Optimist is published by longtime local writer and editor Michael Graff. On this Piedmont Arts he shares his vision for the new venture.Learn more about The Charlotte OptimistBy WDAV Classical Public Radio

Broadway is bigger than ever. For the 2024-25 season, Broadway took in $1.9 billion across all productions, which is a record and a 23% increase from the previous year. Many of those shows come to Charlotte as part of Blumenthal Arts’ Broadway Lights Series. Blumenthal Arts’ president and CEO Tom Gabbard talks about the exciting productions coming …

Alvin C. Jacobs is a Charlotte-based photographer and image activist. His new exhibit "Black Behind Bars" about Black biker culture is on display at the Gantt Center in uptown Charlotte through September 21st, 2025.Learn more about “Black Behind Bars: The Untold Story of Black Biker Culture” at the Harvey B. Gantt Center"Black"Alvin C. Jacobs, Jr."…

The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra is ready to kick off its 2025 Summer Pops season. On this Piedmont Arts, we ask the CSO’s resident conductor, Christopher James Lees, about what we can expect to hear this month at Symphony Park. We also talk about recent news regarding the beloved outdoor venue, as well as what life is like for an in-demand conduct…

Pianist Jeffrey Biegel wanted to mark the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." So, he commissioned a new work by composer Peter Boyer called "Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue." On this Piedmont Arts podcast, Biegel talks about the work, and we also talk with one of the leaders of the Charlotte Bach Festival about the multi-day …

A new North Carolina theater group called Piedmont Shakespeare company makes its debut in June 2025 with a touring production of "Hamlet." All nine performances at indoor and outdoor venues are free. On this episode of Piedmont Arts, we sit down with the company's three founders to talk about their plans.Learn more about Piedmont Shakespeare Compan…

Providing students with music education opportunities is the mission of North Carolina Youth Orchestra. Based in the Lake Norman area, the organization has seen rapid growth in recent years and offers kids a range of options from beginning classes to full orchestras. They now serve about 225 students. On this Piedmont Arts podcast, executive direct…

By David BoraksPhotographer Annie Leibovitz is legendary for her iconic photos of celebrities - from professional athletes and politicians to entertainers and artists. Many of those photos, plus a few you haven't seen, are in the exhibit "Annie Leibovitz/WORK" at the Mint Museum Uptown through the end of August. Jen Sudul-Edwards chief curator for …

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…

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…

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…

We end our Classical Road Trip by learning from our hosts how they became interested in classical music.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

The Classical Road Trip crew takes a look at the incredible, complex and decorated Baroque period. We examine the new forms and instruments used by composers like Bach and Vivaldi to cement their place in the history books.Still life, Attributes of Music, 1770 by Anne Vallayer-Coster.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

On this episode we take a look at the Classical period, which defined one of the major musical forms of the genre – the symphony.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

The lush expressive soundscapes of the romantic era are the subject of discussion on this episode. We take a look at the stars of the Romantic era including Berlioz, Tchaikovsky and Liszt.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

Classical Road Trip takes an interesting turn as we examine pieces from the 20th century that flipped classical music on its head. Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring is highlighted, as well as, works from Shostakovich and Debussy.Photoportrait of Igor Stravinsky; Wikipedia.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

We start the road trip by taking a look at the most interesting and groundbreaking contemporary composers, including Mason Bates, and Philip Glass.Image of Philip Glass; philipglass.com.By WDAV Classical Public Radio

You might know more about classical music than you think you do! Alex and Themba help you pack your bags for the trip as well as play some well known tunes.By WDAV Classical Public Radio