North Carolina Symphony

Description

Founded in 1932 and subsequently the first state-supported symphony in the country, the North Carolina Symphony is a vital and honored component of North Carolina's cultural life. Its 175 performances annually are greeted with enthusiasm throughout the state, in communities large and small, in concert halls, auditoriums, gymnasiums and outdoor settings. Under the artistic leadership of Music Director Grant Llewellyn, the orchestra has grown in stature and sophistication, now advancing a well-earned reputation for innovative programming and collaborative projects. Along with 2010’s partnerships with the PlayMakers Repertory Company and the North Carolina Museum of Art, examples include: - The four-concert series "Crossing the Atlantic," which examined cultural and musical dialogues between America and Britain and featured the work of Robin Holloway, James MacMillan, Edgar Meyer and Jennifer Higdon, among others. - "Postcards from North Carolina," featuring commissioned works by six noted North Carolina composers, including Stephen Jaffe and Pulitzer Prize-winner Robert Ward, in celebration of the Symphony’s 75th anniversary. - "Blue Skies and Red Earth," which showcased the richness of the state through gospel, blues, mountain and Native American music. - A collaboration with conductor John Mauceri and the North Carolina School of the Arts to present a groundbreaking performance of Shostakovich's film score for the 1964 Soviet film version of Hamlet. - A collaboration with the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University featuring commissioned work inspired by the exhibition El Greco to Velazquez: Art During the Reign of Philip II.

Devoted to bringing music to the entire state of North Carolina, the Symphony counts as one of its proudest achievements an extensive education program, unrivaled by any U.S. orchestra. Approximately 40 concerts per year are performed free for school children throughout the state and are part of the schools' music education curriculum. In addition, among many education initiatives, the North Carolina Symphony stages the annual Youth Concerto Competition, honors an outstanding music educator, sponsors the Triangle Youth Philharmonic and offers master classes for both adults and young people.

The North Carolina Symphony can be heard on WUNC 91.5 FM on the last Monday of each month. The Symphony has released seven recordings, including two celebrated titles on the BIS label: American Spectrum with saxophonist Branford Marsalis and a 2010 release of concertos by Rachmaninoff and Medtner with pianist Yevgeny Sudbin. Some of the top soloists in the world have performed with the North Carolina Symphony—including Yo-Yo Ma, Leila Josefowicz, Lang Lang, Joshua Bell, Yuja Wang and Lynn Harrell—taking advantage of two of the country’s finest performance venues, the spectacular Meymandi Concert Hall at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh and Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park in Cary. The orchestra has also appeared twice at Carnegie Hall in New York and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and Orchestra Hall in Chicago.

Hours

• Open SMTWTFS 9:00 AM– 5:00 PM