Entertainment and Music Lifestyle

August Concerts Celebrate a Triumphant Summer at Brevard Music Center

BMC artistic director Keith Lockhart

By Emma Castleberry

Brevard Music Center (BMC) is wrapping up the summer season with several exciting concerts in August. The season’s closing weekend takes place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 2–4. “The final weekend kicks off on Friday with a performance by the Brevard Symphonic Winds on the first half and the Brevard Concert Orchestra on the second, showcasing each and every one of our high school musicians shining brightly on the stage of our Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium,” says Nicholas Tzavaras, senior director of artistic planning and educational programs at BMC.

“On Saturday, the second concert of our closing weekend features the Brevard Sinfonia, our college division orchestra, commemorating the 150-year anniversary of Anton Bruckner’s passing with his epic 7th symphony,” says Tzavaras. “Notably, the program will also include a unique first half where guest conductor Sebastian Lang-Lessing introduces and discusses this herculean masterwork with short musical excerpts to help enhance the audience’s experience before the full symphony unfolds in the second half.”

Finally, on Sunday, the 2024 Orchestra Series comes to a close with Brahms and Sibelius — A Destiny Fulfilled. The program includes Brahms’ Schicksalslied, accompanied by a vocal performance of Friedrich Hölderlin’s poetry by the Brevard Festival Chorus, and Symphony No. 5 by Jean Sibelius. “Symphony No. 5, last performed here in 2010, feels like a fitting conclusion to an absolutely triumphant summer,” says Tzavaras.

On Saturday, August 17, another culminating concert takes place at Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium celebrating a successful Blue Ridge Banjo Camp hosted by 15-time GRAMMY winner Béla Fleck. BMC Presents: Béla Fleck’s Blue Ridge Banjo Concert will feature Fleck alongside instructors from the camp and other special guests in a celebration of this ancient, dynamic instrument.

Reflecting upon the summer at BMC, Tzavaras found it difficult to choose a favorite moment. “Every BMC performance, regardless of scale, has left a profound impact,” he says. “Whether it’s an intimate discussion with American trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis alongside our artistic director Keith Lockhart, an awe-inspiring opera performance of La Bohème, or a community concert featuring our youngest high school talents, each resonates with magic, memory and significance.”

All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. The Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium is located at 349 Andante Lane, Brevard. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit BrevardMusic.org.

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