Punch Brothers, formed in 2006, are a virtuosic quintet featuring mandolinist Chris Thile, guitarist Chris Eldridge, bassist Paul Kowert, banjoist Noam Pikelny, and violinist Brittany Haas. Known for pushing the boundaries of acoustic music, the band has garnered critical acclaim, including a Grammy for Best Folk Album for All Ashore (2018). The Washington Post applauded […]

Punch Brothers, formed in 2006, are a virtuosic quintet featuring mandolinist Chris Thile, guitarist Chris Eldridge, bassist Paul Kowert, banjoist Noam Pikelny, and violinist Brittany Haas. Known for pushing the boundaries of acoustic music, the band has garnered critical acclaim, including a Grammy for Best Folk Album for All Ashore (2018). The Washington Post applauded […]

Reflecting on the meaning of home, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra presents a stirring program on the longing for beloved countrysides and pride of cherished folk music under the baton of Resident Conductor Christopher James Lees. Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony blends elements of the Czech composer’s heritage as he yearns for home with American musical influences […]

The Rosen-Schaffel Competition for Young and Emerging Artists is a prestigious annual event dedicated to discovering and nurturing the talents of the next generation of classical musicians. Hosted in partnership with the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University, this competition invites promising young instrumentalists from across the nation to showcase their skills in […]

Engage with visiting artists and fellow arts advocates, enjoy live music and refreshments, and discover the exciting exhibitions showcased across six galleries by local, regional, national and international artists.

Hailed as “entrancing” (BBC Music Magazine) and “artists in the deepest sense of the word” (CutCommon), Merz Trio, winners of the Naumburg, Concert Artists Guild, Fischoff and Chesapeake Competitions, and recipients of a Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant, have been lauded for their “stunning virtuosity… fresh and surprising interpretations” (Reading Eagle), and “perfection of intonation […]

If the phrase “male a cappella group” conjures up an image of students in blue blazers, ties, and khakis singing traditional college songs on ivied campuses… think again. Straight No Chaser (SNC) are neither strait-laced nor straight-faced, but neither are they vaudeville-style kitsch. They have emerged as a phenomenon with a massive fanbase and a […]

Now in its 40th year at Appalachian State University, the Martin and Doris Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition celebrates An Appalachian Summer Festival tradition! The Rosen Sculpture Walk will kick off at 10am at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. After a brief welcome, juror Sam Spiczka will lead guests on a guided […]

WindSync performs a family-friendly show that brings classical music to life with an unforgettable cast of characters. Complete with costumes and choreography, this engaging performance introduces the five wind instruments of the orchestra and concludes with an exciting retelling of Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev. Peter, the wolf, and their friends the duck, […]

Over nearly two decades of performing, WindSync has proven itself “a major force in the American chamber music landscape” (Arts and Culture Texas), leaping from prizewinning Concert Artists Guild and Fischoff performances to the stages of Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress, Metropolitan Museum of Art and more. Breaking the “fourth wall” between performers and […]

The Other Mozart is an award-winning, Drama Desk nominated play telling the true, forgotten story of Nannerl Mozart, the genius sister of Amadeus — a prodigy, keyboard virtuoso and composer, who performed throughout Europe with her brother to equal acclaim, but her work and her story faded away, lost to history. Set in a stunning […]

The Calidore String Quartet has been recognized for achieving an extraordinary cohesion of individual artistry and collective expression — what The Washington Post described as “four more individual musicians are unimaginable, yet these speak, breathe, think and feel as one.” Their artistry reflects a profound engagement with both the classical canon and the evolving language […]

Pianist Aaron Diehl has quietly redefined the boundary between jazz and classical music, building an international career distinguished by stylistic fluency, intellectual rigor, and a deep sense of musical lineage. Praised for his “melodic precision, harmonic erudition, and elegant restraint” (The New York Times), Diehl is increasingly recognized as a singular voice whose work moves […]