News
It's snowing in Knight Theater.Charlotte Symphony Orchestra's "Magic of Christmas" runs through Dec. 23 with something different. Not only does host Francene Marie Morris' rendition of "A Visit [..] Read More
Think of Christopher James Lees as the happy warden of a beautiful prison.When he takes the Ovens Auditorium podium Dec. 28 to conduct the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, he'll have to forget [..] Read More
Wilson spoke with Christopher James Lees, conductor at the Charlotte Symphony, to learn more about the Magic of Christmas. He even got to see Alex Wilborn with the Charlotte Symphony play the [..] Read More
Every so often the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra proves you have to see classical music as well as hear it.If you don't experience Gustav Holst's "The Planets" at Belk Theater, you might never [..] Read More
Charlotte-Mecklenburg cultural organizations are continuing to ensure ticket costs don't prevent residents from stepping through their doors.
Several are providing low-cost admission to [..] Read More
Music and imagery combine in a Symphony concert program that brings together Holst's beloved masterwork, The Planets, with a new work by the popular living composer Eric Whitacre, Deep Field. [..] Read More
Charlotte isn't known as a city that treasures its heritage, so it was gratifying to see that Charlotte Symphony was dedicating its Music for a Royal Celebration concert to the 250th anniversary of [..] Read More
WTVI's Carolina Impact featured the Charlotte Symphony musicians, Resident Conductor Christopher James Lees, and the multi-generational appeal of the movies-in-concert. Watch the story here. [..] Read More
Meeting an anticipated demand, Charlotte Symphony is programming their 2018-19 season opener, BEETHOVEN'S FIFTH, for three concerts instead of the usual two - and meeting subscribers' hopes, they' [..] Read More
When I interviewed Emanuel Ax about his upcoming Charlotte recital, he spoke admiringly of peers who'd absorbed more of the vast piano literature than he has. "My friend Garrick Ohlsson, he plays [..] Read More
If you have attended a classical orchestra concert, you've seen the concertmaster.He or she enters after the rest of the orchestra is onstage, to polite applause. They ask the oboe to play a note, [..] Read More
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra is a prestigious organization composed of 59 musicians, including Marlene Ballena, an artist that puts the "Latino touch" on every piece she touches. Marlene plays [..] Read More
With music, images and a moving narrative, the bygone lives of Piedmont textile workers were brought to life Thursday night through a multi-media collaboration among the Charlotte Symphony, The [..] Read More
Although violinist Joshua Bell hadn't played with the Charlotte Symphony since the 1994-95 season, he has maintained a presence across the Carolinas, appearing at Spoleto Festival USA, the Brevard [..] Read More
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra launches its season tonight with famed violinist Joshua Bell playing Braham's Violin Concerto. But before that, there will be a piece that has never been performed [..] Read More
First Bank and Corning, with the Stanly County Arts Council, present the Charlotte Symphony in concert at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center, 26032 Newt Road, Albemarle.Tickets [..] Read More
Famed violinist Joshua Bell was hopping into a taxi pointed toward his doctor's office when we caught up with him in New York by phone this week, less than two days before he was scheduled to board [..] Read More
Let your mind roam across 250 years of Charlotte-Mecklenburg history, and what do you hear?Maybe "Tullochgorum," a fiddle tune from our Scots-Irish heritage? Perhaps the ceaseless clacking of a [..] Read More
In an alternate universe, Victor Wang would be wrist-deep in someone's innards or calibrating a sample for a clinical trial in a lab. Instead, he's wrapping his long fingers around a flute in the [..] Read More
From the minute the first string struck to the final, quavering note, the audience sat, transfixed. Then, almost as one, the dozens of children swarmed the musicians with enthusiasm, exploring up [..] Read More
Every success Christopher James Lees has had, from college up to his recent hiring as the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra's new resident conductor, has been wrapped up in a lock of hair.It comes from [..] Read More
WRAL video here. [..] Read More
It's the biggest classical musical event of the year, watched live by millions of people around the world. One of the soloists canceled his American orchestral debut to be there. The music will [..] Read More
The St George's Chapel wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will have an "American slant", the orchestra's conductor has said, as he discloses the bride's wish to represent her homeland [..] Read More
As the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) wraps up its latest Classical Series, there will be a rare opportunity to hear a Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra written by contemporary composer Mark [..] Read More
WSOC story here. [..] Read More
On May 19th, the British people will welcome a new princess into the royal family. The ceremony, which has a guest count of about 600 people, is set to take place in St. George's Chapel at Windsor [..] Read More
Charlotte loves promoting itself as a "world-class city." At times, the boast is hyperbolic. But not when it comes to top artistic talent. To wit, Maestro Christopher Warren-Green of the Charlotte [..] Read More
On May 19th, the British people will welcome a new princess into the royal family. The ceremony, which has a guest count of about 600 people, is set to take place in St. George's Chapel at Windsor [..] Read More
Music Director Christopher Warren-Green chats with WBTV's Kristen Miranda about conducting the Royal Wedding on May 19.Original video clip here. [..] Read More
A Charlotte music director will be a part of the Royal Wedding.Christopher Warren-Green, music director for the Charlotte Symphony, will conduct the orchestra at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's [..] Read More
Charlotte Symphony music director and conductor Christopher Warren-Green will conduct an orchestra at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle next month, Kensington Palace announced today. [..] Read More
As scarce as modern music was in Charlotte Symphony's classics concerts last fall - or anything that wasn't by Beethoven - subscribers can be delighted (or appalled) by the cavalcade of moderns [..] Read More
The Charlotte Ballet and Charlotte Symphony will come together on April 6 and 7 with over 50 Charlotte-area Title I school students for the organizations' biggest collaboration yet. They're taking [..] Read More
It started, as many relationships do, with a telephone call between old friends in this case, proposing a union neither had contemplated for decades. Nearly two years and roughly five dozen [..] Read More
He was Donna and Jason Dansby's first child, so they didn't find it particularly odd when 2-year-old Drew spent hours listening to Mozart CDs or memorizing 26 melodies on a push-button alphabet [..] Read More
The most versatile musician in American history would have been 100 this year, had a heart attack not killed him in 1990.Leonard Bernstein did everything well but sing, though he did sing ( [..] Read More
Attending a low-income school does not need to define a child's educational experience.The Charlotte Symphony and Charlotte Ballet are making that possible. Members of the ballet's Reach program, [..] Read More
On this episode, we talk to Mary Deissler, president and CEO of Charlotte Symphony. Deissler's led efforts in expanding the orchestra's relationship with the community, from its EBT card program ($ [..] Read More
To slightly re-write an old joke, that was told about getting to Carnegie Hall:Five students from each of the participating schools, including all five Chester County elementary schools, were [..] Read More
Nearly 60 students from Title I Charlotte-area schools will bring to life a fresh interpretation of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring accompanied by Charlotte Ballet dancers and the Charlotte [..] Read More
When Greg Pattillo and bandmates Eric Stephenson and Peter Seymour were hanging out as students at the Cleveland School of Music, they didn't figure they'd be making music together someday in front [..] Read More
WDAV's Frank Dominguez features Music Director Christopher Warren-Green on the Charlotte Symphony's 2018-19 season on its latest Piedmont Arts Podcast. [..] Read More
Orchestras in cities our size often coax lazy-eared concertgoers gently into the 20thcentury let alone the 21st like drivers nudging reluctant donkeys along a perilous [..] Read More
The bouncing allegro of Beethoven's "Symphony No. 9" is a common accompaniment to elevator rides and film screenings. In senior-living communities across the country and in Charlotte, researchers [..] Read More
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra's artist-in-residence sleeps four hours a night. Why?Since starting the job last spring, Mark O'Connor has played two formal gigs with the CSO, trained local [..] Read More
To watch the full WTVI video, click here. [..] Read More
Connect with Culture Day makes pairs you wouldn't expect.
The Arts & Science Council's annual free event Jan. 26-27 has doubled the number of sites and expanded its lineup. < [..] Read More
Martin Luther King Jr. was more than a minister and a dreamer."Bridging Musical Worlds" pays tribute to his love of jazz in the 10th annual concert, which takes place Jan. 14 at Friendship [..] Read More
HAMLET -- All aboard the Hogwarts Express for a musical adventure.The Charlotte Symphony will perform "The Musical World of Harry Potter" Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Cole Auditorium.The hour-long show [..] Read More
Hear the works of Mozart and Haydn with a craft beer in your hand at NoDa Brewing's popular On Tap concert series, featuring the Charlotte Symphony. Assistant Conductor Christopher James Lees will [..] Read More
Even in Charlotte, the would-be crown of the New South, you occasionally hear the grumblings backstage -- or in the boardrooms of our leading performing arts companies: "Our audiences are graying." [..] Read More
