WEATHER UPDATE 10:30 AM on Jan 10: Due to a declared state of emergency in North Carolina for impending severe weather conditions, and out of concern for the safety of our audience and musicians, tonight's Bach & Mozart concert at Knight Theater is cancelled. Ticketholders for tonight’s concert will receive an email with ticket options.

Sound of Charlotte Blog

Meet Bart Dunn: Our New Principal Music Librarian



Behind every Charlotte Symphony performance is a dedicated team working behind the scenes to bring the music to life. Some of the most important players in that process are the team in the music library. Managing thousands of pages of sheet music each season, they ensure our musicians have everything they need to deliver exceptional performances. Managing much of this effort is Bart Dunn, our new Principal Librarian. We sat down with Bart to learn more about his journey and the essential role of a music librarian.

Tell us a bit about yourself -- where are you from, and how did you find your way to Charlotte?

I'm originally from Southern Maryland and studied at Towson University, just outside Baltimore. After graduate school, I joined the profession and worked at Temple University, the Jacksonville Symphony, and most recently, Houston Grand Opera. My wife and I are East Coast people at heart, so being closer to family made Charlotte the perfect fit. And as much as I love opera, being back in a symphonic environment where there's such a wide variety of programming is exciting and keeps the job interesting. Last weekend it was Beethoven X Beyoncé, this week it's Brahms's Requiem!



What led you to become a music librarian? Was this always your plan?

Not exactly! I started as a cellist but realized in college that I didn't want to spend five hours a day practicing to keep my technique sharp. I wanted to stay connected to performance without the intense practice schedule. A chance summer position at Interlochen introduced me to ensemble librarianship, and everything clicked. It's funny -- many of us in this field stumble upon it. It's a lot of "busy work," but it can be incredibly rewarding.

So, what does a music librarian do?

A phrase that music librarians often throw around is, "We provide the right music to the right people at the right time." Day to day, this means marking parts -- things like bowings or cuts -- researching repertoire, coordinating editions, and even reporting on performances to copyright holders. It's a mix of detailed, varied tasks, which keeps things interesting. I find writing in the bowings (markings in the music that indicate which direction to use the bow for string instruments) cathartic, in a sense.



What drew you to the Charlotte Symphony specifically?

Besides being closer to family, I love the variety of programming here. It's energizing to be part of an organization on an upward trajectory. With Music Director Kwamé Ryan here now, he's going to have his own distinct vision for programming and what he wants to see from the orchestra. I'm excited to see how the Symphony evolves over the next five to ten years -- and to be along for the ride!
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Posted in Education & Community. Tagged as interview.

A Preschool Performance Three Years in the Making

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Last week, the young students from Charlotte Bilingual Preschool held their final music concert -- a performance three years in the making! The partnership between the Charlotte Symphony and Charlotte Bilingual Preschool began just five weeks before the pandemic forced students to go remote. The CSO quickly pivoted, integrating music education into the school's literacy objectives via online instruction. Despite the challenges, the program was a success! Teachers observed the students improve their connection between language and music education and expand their musical skills, including instrument position, rhythm, and intonation.

At their final -- and first in-person -- performance of the year, these young musicians played variations of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on box violins while Charlotte Symphony musicians assisted. We're so proud of all of their hard work and look forward to helping more future musicians learn and grow.

Photos by Mical Hutson... Read more

Posted in Education & Community. Tagged as community, Education.

Music and the Holocaust Makes an Impact



On November 18, 2021, The Gizella Abramson Holocaust Education Act was passed into law, making North Carolina one of just nineteen states in the United States to mandate Holocaust education in public middle and high schools. With the act taking effect in the 2023-24 school year, the Charlotte Symphony's Music and the Holocaust program is poised to address the growing need for supplemental education about the Holocaust in our schools.

Music and the Holocaust features an ensemble of Charlotte Symphony musicians performing music of significance during this tumultuous period in history. Through this music, students learn about Jewish culture and the horrors of the Holocaust. The music features a mix of traditional Jewish music -- which was forbidden and considered "degenerate" by the Nazis -- music composed in the concentration camps, and music that evokes survival and healing. Each concert includes narration and projected images that explore pre-WWII Jewish culture, the Third Reich's attempts to control art and culture, the role of music and musicians in the concentration camps, and how the European Jewish community refused to be silenced.

Mitch Rifkin is Chairman of the North Carolina Holocaust Foundation, a non-profit that helps fund the many programs offered by the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust such as teacher workshops, traveling plays and exhibits, and speaking engagements.



Why was The Holocaust Education Act so important to advance the work that you're already doing?
[The Act] passed after a lot of hard work, as you can imagine. We are excited about the fact that it came about because of all the right reasons. Not just talking about the horrors of the holocaust, but about how the holocaust came to be and that it could happen again -- meaning the hatred prevails -- and how one man was able to exterminate 12 million people.

How is the Foundation and the N.C. Council on the Holocaust preparing educators for this upcoming school year?
To teach this topic properly, educators need to understand the facts behind the holocaust. We hold nine seminars a year where we bring teachers in to learn these facts and how to address holocaust denial and distortion. We also sponsor a bus trip that takes educators to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. It truly is enlightening for them, and they come back and tell other teachers about their experiences. The curriculum being written by the Council is designed to teach the holocaust correctly, how it came to be, so we can avoid this happening again.



How can a program like the Charlotte Symphony's Music and the Holocaust help to educate students?
Music is important, there's no question. When I attended Music and the Holocaust, I noticed that the students were engaged, they weren't wiggling in their seats, they were paying attention to the music, so that's 90% of the battle -- getting them engaged. I think your music and this topic are current. The rise of hatred in America, and globally, today is horrific. There is so much hatred in the world, and certainly the rise of antisemitism is a daily occurrence. When you see people like Kanye West and Kyrie Irving, with a huge following on social media, put that junk out there and no one contradicts them, it's horrible. But we contradict it. And we try to bring forth the understanding of how we, as a people, should be more tolerant of each other.

Learn more about the Charlotte Symphony's Music and the Holocaust program.

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Posted in Education & Community. Tagged as Education.

Meet the Conductors of our Youth Orchestra Program

Christopher James Lees, Katie Ebert, and Eric Thompson, III

Students returning to the Charlotte Symphony's Youth Orchestra (CSYO) program this fall will recognize two familiar faces returning to the podium: CSYO Principal Conductor Christopher James Lees and Youth Ensemble Conductor Eric Thompson. They'll also have the opportunity to meet Katie Ebert, who joins Eric Thompson this year as Co-Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Philharmonic. We caught up with our three conductors to find out what they are most looking forward to in the upcoming year.



As Principal Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestras, Christopher James Lees oversees the entire program and works directly with the musicians of the Youth Orchestra, our most advanced ensemble. These extraordinary young musicians perform professional-level symphonic repertoire and have the opportunity to perform side-by-side with members of the Charlotte Symphony.

"I am ecstatic that this will be the first time in three years that the families in the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestras will have a normal start to the season. Adding two sensational leaders to our Youth Philharmonic leadership team -- Eric Thompson III & Katie Ebert -- also ensures that all youth orchestras will take significant steps towards our vision for a dynamic, musically enriching program that is widely accessible for all." ~ Christopher James Lees



New to the program this year, Katie Ebert joins Eric Thompson as Co-Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Philharmonic, our intermediate ensemble which performs advanced high school level repertoire and serves young musicians between the ages of 8-16. Katie is in her 19th year teaching in public schools and is the Director of Bands at Cuthbertson Middle School in Waxhaw, NC. She is a three-time award recipient of the National Band Association's Citation of Excellence and was recognized as Cuthbertson Middle School's Teacher of the Year in 2016/17

"I am incredibly excited to have students from different schools come and make music together!  Music is what feelings sound like, and the experience of sharing these feelings together, through music, is such a valuable experience for our young people today." ~ Katie Ebert



Eric Thompson III is returning for his second year as conductor for the Charlotte Symphony's Youth Ensemble, a new training ensemble designed to introduce our youngest musicians to cooperative playing with hands-on instruction. Eric will also work alongside Katie Ebert as Co-Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Philharmonic.

"I am absolutely thrilled this season to share all the wonderful, exciting, and magical repertoire Katie Elbert and I have planned for CSYP! I am equally elated for CSYE, and our young musicians who will experience playing in a full orchestra -- many for the first time, with coaching from Charlotte Symphony musicians! I would also like to resonate Christopher James Lees' enthusiasm. It will be an exciting year for our youth orchestras, and I think everyone will enjoy our musical journey!" ~ Eric Thompson, III... Read more

Posted in Education & Community, Youth Orchestras. Tagged as CSYO, Education.

The Charlotte Symphony is… Educating! With Youth Ensemble Conductor Eric Thompson



The Charlotte Symphony Youth Ensemble (CSYE) is a new training ensemble designed to bridge early music education with the Intermediate and Advanced Youth Orchestras. The CSYE is an introduction to music ensemble learning and provides regular coaching by Charlotte Symphony musicians and conducting staff. >> Learn more

We recently caught up with Eric Thompson, conductor of the Charlotte Symphony's new Youth Ensemble to hear about the group's first rehearsal and what he hopes students gain from the experience.

How does the Youth Ensemble differ from the Symphony's Youth Philharmonic and Youth Symphony?
Sometimes students are discouraged by the audition process, they might not have a private teacher or access to this level of music education, but this is an ensemble that they are able to play in. In this group, the ensemble playing comes first, then the rest.

I understand the Youth Ensemble recently had its first meeting how did it go?
It was absolutely amazing! The kids are very excited, many are playing in an orchestra for the first time. The excitement was certainly there and I can't wait to see what's going to happen!

What do you hope students will take away from their first season?
From this first season, I really hope that the students start that journey -- that lifelong pursuit and interest in music. I'm certainly hoping they learn to love music as much as I do. And I want to get them plugged into the music pipeline, not only the CSO's three ensembles, but other things, like Western Regionals, All-State, arts camps, and all the things they can get into with music.



What other skills have you seen students develop from playing music?
Certainly, some of the skills that you gain from music and playing in an ensemble include a sense of community, confidence, motor skills -- but it's more than that. My brother started an El Sistema-based program in Philadelphia. Not too long after starting the program, the schools improved tremendously. The Principals thought that they were doing something like a study hall, but it was all the music. There are all these extra positive things that happen from being involved in music and an ensemble -- even without the kids knowing it! I'm really looking forward to seeing that happen.

What would you say to students who don't think orchestral music is for them?
Music is for everyone. Music is absolutely universal. I remember hearing my first live concert -- the New York Philharmonic performing Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in the Park. It was just so exciting! I see so many students who are not interested in orchestral music. But if they give it just a little bit of a chance, they are always excited about it. I would encourage students to give it a chance and give it a try. There are so many things out there that we can close ourselves off to because we've been told that it's not for us, or we assume that it's not for us. But when I think about all of the music that's out there from all of these different composers -- it really is just wonderful.

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Posted in Education & Community, Youth Orchestras. Tagged as CSYO, Education.

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