Sound of Charlotte Blog
Meet Violist Pin-Hao Liao
November 5, 2025
This season, we welcome Pin-Hao Liao to the Charlotte Symphony as Assistant Principal Viola. Originally from Taiwan, Pin-Hao studied at The Juilliard School and has performed with orchestras including the New York Philharmonic and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Get to know more about her musical journey and what she's most looking forward to in her new home.
What brought you to America from Taiwan?
I came to the United States to study music at Juilliard and explore new opportunities to grow as a violist and musician.
Why did you pick the viola?
I fell in love with its warm, human-like sound.
What are you looking forward to most about living and performing in Charlotte?
I'm excited to get to know the city, play with amazing colleagues, and share music with the Charlotte community.
Do you have a favorite composer?
I love Tchaikovsky! His music always touches me and brings me to tears.
What do you do for fun outside of work?
I like exploring new coffee shops, cooking, and spending time outdoors.
Is there anything else you'd like to share directly with our audiences?
I'm so happy to be part of the Charlotte Symphony, and I can't wait to perform for you all!
Meet Violist Pedro Mendez
October 1, 2025
This season, we're pleased to introduce Pedro Mendez, the newest member of the Charlotte Symphony's viola section! Originally from Venezuela, where he participated in the renowned El Sistema program, Pedro now joins us for his first full-time symphony position. Get to know him as he shares his journey, what drew him to the viola, and what he's most looking forward to in his new home.
Your musical journey began in El Sistema. How did that experience shape you as a musician and as a person?
Growing up in El Sistema gave me not only a strong musical foundation but also a sense of community and purpose. From a very young age, I learned that music is not just about individual achievement, but about teamwork, discipline, and the power to transform lives. It also gave me the drive to always push myself to do better, even when things weren't easy. I have always carried with me El Sistema's motto, "to play and to fight," which has pushed me forward every day of my life. Today, I feel so grateful to be making a living through something I once fought so hard for as a child. I believe those values continue to inspire the way I play and share music every day.
You started on violin but later chose the viola. What inspired that transition, and how did it change your perspective as a performer?
The warmth and depth of the viola's sound always captivated me, even back when I would borrow a friend's instrument just for fun and play violin pieces on it because I didn't know any viola repertoire yet. I feel that the viola represents who I am: its warm sound, its calmness, its balance between high and low voices -- like having the depth of a cello and the brilliance of a violin in one instrument. The viola truly changed my life and the way I see the world.
What excites you most about joining the Charlotte Symphony and making Charlotte your home?
I'm truly excited to join such a vibrant orchestra and to make music with colleagues who are so committed to excellence. Charlotte feels like a welcoming city full of culture, warmth, and beautiful green spaces everywhere you go. This is also my very first full-time position in a symphony orchestra, which makes it even more meaningful. It's the result of many years of love, sacrifice, and dedication to my instrument. We all know how competitive and challenging it is to win a position like this, so I'm deeply grateful to God for bringing me here, to a wonderful city, an inspiring orchestra, and the chance to work with such great musicians and a visionary conductor.
When you're not making music, how do you like to spend your time?
I love spending time with my wife, who is also a violinist. We enjoy exploring new places together -- especially restaurants, and of course Venezuelan food whenever we can find it! I also love watching soccer and cheering for my beloved FC Barcelona, as well as playing some tennis in my free time.
Finally, is there anything you'd like to share directly with our audiences?
I feel deeply grateful to God for bringing me here, and I'm honored to join the Charlotte Symphony family. I can't wait to meet our audiences, share unforgettable musical experiences together, and grow as part of this beautiful community. Thank you for welcoming me -- I'm truly excited for this new chapter of my life and for everything that lies ahead.
Clarinetist Allan Rosenfeld’s Top 10 Orchestral Bass Clarinet Solos
January 13, 2021
In a previous blog post, I featured a list of my favorite orchestral clarinet solos. While a significant amount of my in the orchestra is spent playing the clarinet, there are many occasions when you can also catch me at CSO concerts performing on the bass clarinet. The bass clarinet is often featured for its ability to fortify and color the woodwind section. Nevertheless, there are some spectacular passages that spotlight the appeal of this magnificent instrument as a solo instrument in its own right.
Here are my Top 10 Orchestral Bass Clarinet Solos:
10) William Schuman's Symphony No. 3 (Part II, Toccata)
After a brief snare drum solo, the bass clarinet introduces the thematic material for the Toccata movement. Here is a chance to hear the bass clarinet whip up and down the lowest and highest parts of its range in an impressive display of virtuosic technique.
9) Gershwin's Concerto in F (Second movement)
This is a clarinet section soli accompanying various wind solos. It shows how wonderful the clarinets sound together with the bass clarinet filling out the bass line. Of particular note is the slinky and sensuous close harmony, which is unmistakably the sound of Gershwin!
8) Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker (Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, middle of Pas de Deux)
The Sugar Plum Fairy solo is a classic -- instantly recognizable to anyone who has spent time in an elevator during Christmas season. The Pas de Deux solo is an especially tender bit of melodic writing for the bass clarinet.
7) Shostakovich's Symphony No. 8 (Fifth movement)
Low register mischief displays the boisterous side of the instrument's personality.
6) Wagner's Tristan und Isolde (Act II, scene 3)
Wagner may have understood the lyrical capabilities and expressive character of the bass clarinet better than any other composer. These gorgeous opera passages really dig deep into the mournful, introspective side of the instrument.
5) Wagner's Die Walkure (Act II, scene 2; Act III, scene 3)
These two opera scenes showcase some of the best of the many big moments for bass clarinet in Wagner's Ring Cycle. For a truly outstanding example of great bass clarinet playing, try to get your hands on the Metropolitan Opera recording featuring former CSO clarinetist Jim Ognibene, who sadly passed away last year.
4) Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (Opening)
You've heard of Dueling Banjos; these are dueling bass clarinets!
3) Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony (First movement)
This is one of the prettiest melodies written for the instrument. It features the lyrical solo capabilities inherent in the bass clarinet's deep, dark voice.
2) Mahler's Symphony No. 6 (First movement)
Mahler and the bass clarinet go together like fine red wine and dark chocolate. Don't miss a lot more great writing for the instrument in Symphonies 1, 4, 7, and 9.
1) Khachaturian's Piano Concerto
Soaring, sustained solo passages venture into the lowest of low notes on the bass clarinet. Listen also for the unusual sound of a Flexatone -- a rarely scored percussion instrument. See also: Beginning and ending of second movement.
... Read more
The Classical Series: Reimagined
January 6, 2021
Your Charlotte Symphony's virtual concerts have already been viewed by thousands of people and received widespread acclaim, with a critic from Classical Voice North Carolina observing that, "the Charlotte Symphony's [virtual concert series] demonstrates the persistence and resilience of the arts and artists and the organization's commitment to its musicians, as well as its listening community."
We're reimagining what it means to serve as your orchestra during the pandemic, and it's been thrilling to find new and innovative ways to bring the music directly to you and your families.
But we're just getting started! The New Year brings four new virtual concerts.
Highlights include:
- The return of Music Director Christopher Warren-Green conducting works by Elgar, Holst, Mozart, and more.
- The continuation of our celebration of Beethoven 250 with performances of his First and Seventh Symphonies.
- Concertmaster Calin Ovidiu Lupanu and Principal Trumpet Alex Wilborn take center stage for concerti by Mendelssohn and Hummel, respectively.
- Contemporary works by Jessie Montgomery and Leonardo Balada, led by Resident Conductor Christopher James Lees.
We're Here to Help
We want you to make sure that everything is working for you once you're settled in to watch our concerts. Please check out this blog post for information on how to access the CSO's virtual concerts. We also have step-by-step instructions for how to stream the concert from a variety of devices, including your computer, phone, or smart TV.If you would prefer to speak to someone, please contact Patron Services at 704.972.2000 or ticketoffice@charlottesymphony.org.... Read more
What I have learned (and am learning) as a professional musician
December 22, 2020
By Violinist Jenny Topilow
As an orchestral player and violinist, like all musicians, I have a long list of compositions that I turn to time and time again for emotional and aesthetic fulfillment on a personal level; works that are particularly beautiful and/or satisfying to me. These pieces include the late Beethoven Quartets, Stravinsky's "Petrushka," Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet," Shostakovich Symphony No. 10, the Bartok Quartets, Debussy's "La Mer," Caroline Shaw's "Partita for Eight Voices," and Andy Akiho's "21," to name a few.
It's funny to think, however, that the most memorable and important moments that I have had as a member of the Charlotte Symphony really have nothing to do with my list of favorite works. The most poignant experiences of my tenure as a musician are exactly that, experiences; experiences that have deeply moved me, changed my perception, taught me, connected me to those around me, and have brought me closer to my community.
Major side note: I'm not a huge fan of the term "classical music" as I feel that "classical" is simply a descriptor of a specific era in Western music (i.e. Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms). I would never discount the absolute brilliance of those composers, yet the breadth of what is coined as "classical music" encompasses so much more than what the antiquated term has to offer. Maybe "orchestral music" and "art music," etc., could serve our purposes better.
But, I digress, because even if I personally believe it's outdated, I still call myself a "classical musician," since the label itself is the most recognized tag for what I do -- interpret and play music written by other people. In that sense, we are more like actors; we are not creators, we are not artists (in my opinion), but we have devoted ourselves to creators and artists. So at its core, even though it is vast, every orchestra on the planet plays music from a finite pool of works. That being said, what I have learned is that it is not the music (alone) that makes an orchestra, but the community that it is part of. The Charlotte Symphony belongs to all of Charlotte; every member of the community should feel ownership of the organization and all arts organizations throughout the city. It's this sense of ownership that builds commitment, connection, and those beautiful, profound experiences through music that are transcendent, beyond the notes on the page. All art for all people.
It would be remiss of me to not give personal examples of music plus circumstance making for meaningful experience. Here are two:
- The CSO accompanied the Morehouse College Glee Club in a performance of Atlanta based composer Joel Thompson's "Seven Last Words of the Unarmed," a work that uses the liturgical format of Haydn's "Seven Last Words of Christ" to honor and humanize black men unjustly murdered, namely Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant, Eric Garner, Kenneth Chamberlain, Amadou Diallo, and John Crawford. It is a sobering piece that reminds us of how powerful art can be when inspired by, and dedicated to, relevant and pertinent issues. The experience of the performance connected everyone in the room through a shared understanding of the necessity of the message and the emotion of that message being delivered through song by those directly affected by the theme of the work.
- Last season the CSO started a series called CSO Off the Rails, where smaller ensembles curate programs to be played at Snug Harbor, a local club/bar/music venue and Charlotte staple. Essentially standing room only with a small stage about three feet off the ground, these shows are really an immersive and interactive experience, bringing what we do to an audience that wouldn't necessarily seek out music at a concert hall. The success of the series, the energy surrounding it, and the electric atmosphere in the room during performances has solidified in my mind that "classical music" is completely accessible to everyone when we remove the formality and actively engage with the community.
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