Under the baton of Jessica Morel, Assistant Conductor of the Winston-Salem Symphony, the audience will enjoy an evening of magical music including hits from the Great American Songbook. Bradford, Stripling, and the Symphony, along with guest percussionist Robert Breithaupt, will perform: “On the Sunny Side of the Street;” “A Tisket, A Tasket;” “They Can’t Take That Away from Me;” “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing,” “S’Wonderful;” “Basin Street Blues;” “Sweet Georgia Brown;” and many more.
Ella and Louis is part of the Pops Series and will take place at Reynolds Auditorium, 301 N. Hawthorne Road in Winston-Salem. Tickets range from $20– $76 and are available in advance by calling the Symphony Box Office at 336-464-0145 or online at WSsymphony.org.
Born in Austin, Texas and raised in Altadena, California, Carmen Bradford grew up with music in her home and heart. Bradford was discovered and hired by William Count Basie and was the featured vocalist in the legendary Count Basie Orchestra for nine years. She has since performed and/ or recorded with such talents as Wynton Marsalis, John Clayton, Nancy Wilson, Doc Severinsen, Tony Bennett, James Brown, Byron Stripling, George Benson, Lena Horne, Frank Sinatra, as well as the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, the National Symphony, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, among others. Bradford performed on two Grammy Award winning albums with the Count Basie Orchestra in the 1980s and later collaborated on a third Grammy Award winning album, Big Boss Band, with guitarist George Benson. Bradford began another chapter in her illustrious career as a solo artist with the critically acclaimed debut album Finally Yours and With Respect (Evidence Records), which established her as one of jazz music’s most diverse and exciting vocal talents. Her next release, Home With You, (Azica Records) is a collection of piano/vocal duets with Shelly Berg. Currently, Bradford makes guest appearances with the Count Basie Orchestra.
A powerhouse trumpeter, gifted with a soulful voice and a charismatic onstage swagger, Byron Stripling has delighted audiences internationally. As soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra, Stripling has performed frequently under the baton of Keith Lockhart, and was featured soloist on the PBS television special, Evening at Pops, with conductors John Williams and Lockhart. Currently, Stripling serves as artistic director and conductor of the highly acclaimed, award winning Columbus Jazz Orchestra. Since his Carnegie Hall debut with the New York Pops, Stripling has emerged as a popular symphony pops guest artist, having performed with over 100 orchestras and at jazz festivals around the world. Stripling was lead trumpeter and soloist with the Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Thad Jones and Frank Foster. He has also played and recorded extensively with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, Louis Bellson, and Buck Clayton in addition to The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and The GRP All Star Big Band. Stripling was educated at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York and the Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan.
Robert Breithaupt is a veteran of over 40 years in music, as a performer, educator, arts administrator, author, musical contractor, and entrepreneur. He is Professor of Music and Department Chair of Performance Studies at Capital University, Past-President of the Percussive Arts Society, and on the board of the Jazz Education Network. Breithaupt has performed and recorded in diverse solo, small ensemble, and orchestral settings and has appeared with a virtual “Who’s Who” of great artists. He has performed with dozens of professional orchestras and is the drummer for the Columbus Jazz Orchestra. Breithaupt is recognized internationally as one of today’s leaders in percussion education. He built one of the nation’s top undergraduate percussion programs at Capital University. He is considered one of the foremost authorities on the history and development of the drum set.
Ella and Louis is sponsored by Season Presenting Sponsors Bell, Davis & Pitt, P.A. and BB&T; Symphony Unbound Sponsor Chris & Mike Morykwas; Concert Sponsor BlueCross Blueshield; Guest Artist Sponsor Wake Forest Baptist Health; the Arts Council of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County and the North Carolina Arts Council; and media sponsors WXII12 and Fairway Outdoor Advertising.
About the Winston-Salem Symphony
The Winston-Salem Symphony, one of the Southeast’s most highly regarded regional orchestras, began its 72nd season in October 2018. The season will include performances featuring the five finalists for the Music Director position. Each candidate will conduct a pair of Classics Series concerts, and attendees will have a chance to play a role in the selection process. In addition, the 2018–2019 season will include a Plugged-In Pops series, Discovery Concerts for Kids series, an annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, the Concert for Community featuring Winston-Salem Symphony and Youth Symphony musicians, holiday concerts, three youth orchestra ensembles, and a multitude of educational and community engagement programs, including the newest offering, the P.L.A.Y. (Piedmont Learning Academy for Youth) Music program providing, primarily to under-served youth, instrumental music instruction and more. The Symphony is supported by Season Presenting Sponsors BB&T and Bell, Davis & Pitt, P.A., as well as generous funding from the Arts Council of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County, the North Carolina Arts Council, and other dedicated sponsors. For more information, visit WSsymphony.org.
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