A rich blend of brass, woodwinds, strings, and percussion spills from Kenan Rehearsal Hall and through the campus of UNC Chapel Hill on Monday and Wednesday evenings. Twice each semester, the orchestra welcomes audiences to enjoy performances by students. It regularly collaborates with other campus music groups, like the opera and choral ensembles, creating unique concert experiences that feature an array of early-career musicians.
On a cloudy Palm Sunday in 1932, the Carolina Theater in Charlotte welcomed 57 musicians to perform their first concert together. Founded by Spanish immigrant Guillermo de Roxlo, who hoped to bring a strong music presence to his new city, this group was the Charlotte Symphony. Almost half of the musicians were women, a rarity for the time. Still thriving 92 years later, the organization is the oldest symphony orchestra in the state, and it performs throughout the region.
As one of the few orchestras in western North Carolina, the Asheville Symphony began as a group of volunteer musicians who simply loved to perform. For years after their inaugural concerts in the early 1960s, the musicians operated without a manager or resident conductor, frequently setting up in local spaces like school auditoriums and churches to provide orchestral experiences for the community. Now, in a city known for its eclectic arts scene, the symphony’s shows regularly sell out. Combining two of Asheville’s favorite arts (brews and music, of course), the symphony partners with local breweries to create a signature beer for each of its biennial Asheville Amadeus festivals.
While Pinehurst may be best known for its greens and golfers, The Carolina Philharmonic showcases the area’s finest musicians. Founded in 2009, it’s one of the youngest orchestras in the state, yet the musicians hit their stride early, performing their first concerts at none other than Carnegie Hall. Every spring, the symphony hosts — what else? — its own golf tournament to benefit local youth music education programs at schools within Moore County. To date, the symphony has emphasized the importance of music to more than 20,000 students.
The current NC Symphony is led by Mexican conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto. photograph by North Carolina Symphony/John Hansen Photography
Through the determination of First Lady Alice Broughton and the aptly named Horn-Tootin’ Bill, the North Carolina Symphony began criss-crossing the state, bringing classical music and live performances to children and adults in rural towns and counties. The musicians packed into red-and-yellow buses and took to the two-lane highways that led into the farthest reaches of North Carolina, from one-room schoolhouses in windswept Cape Hatteras to rustic churches in rugged Franklin County. They opened students’ eyes to harmonious sounds emanating from the live orchestra on the stage. More than 80 years later, the NC Symphony continues to dazzle students across the state. Read the full story of this Rootin’ Tootin’ Symphony here.
The Salisbury Symphony Orchestra prides itself on being one of the few small-town professional orchestras in the South. It performs shows throughout the year, ranging from its annual outdoor event “Pops at the Post” in June to The Nutcracker in December. The symphony has been collaborating with local colleges and schools for 52 years, with the goal of bringing accessible musical talent to the community.
Nearly 100 years ago, a group of musicians at the Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina — now UNC Greensboro — came together to bring music to their city. In 1939, the Greensboro Orchestra was formally introduced. Since then, the group has become a larger independent organization, but it still puts on magnificent performances. And now, the orchestra has named its eighth music director: Christopher Dragon. The process of choosing him was exciting: Each month for seven months, from October 2023 through May 2024, the “Season of the Seven” was staged to introduce the potential new maestros, with a different conductor performing each month. Dragon was one of the seven, each of whom had a unique style and perspective.
Eleven Our State authors share stories about the role light plays in their holiday celebrations.
For more than 50 years, a dazzling chandelier has hung in the dining room of the Executive Mansion in Raleigh. Only recently has its remarkable backstory been fully illuminated.
At Burge Flower Shop, Randolph County residents find comfort, joy, and inspiration by the bouquet.
A pair of mother-daughter innkeepers inherited a love of hosting from their expansive family. At Christmastime, they welcome guests to their historic lodge in Stanly County.
