WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (JULY 14, 2021) – As part of its MusicConnects program, The Winston-Salem Symphony is hosting a series of free online conversations leading up to the September 11 and 12, 2021 premiere of Bill Barclay’s The Chevalier: A Play with Music. These free online events are designed to engage the community and address the play’s themes of race, power, and equality.
Attendees will have the opportunity to join Music Director Timothy Redmond as well as musicians, writers, composers, and scholars from around the country in a dialogue about the figures who have been written out of music history and the continuing importance of racial equity in the arts.
The MusicConnects events will take place at noon and include:
- July 22: Vocalist Jason McKinney and Conductor William Henry Curry
- August 5: Musicologist and Florence Price scholar Kori Hill is joined by violinist Er-Gene Kahng, whose recordings of Florence Price’s violin concertos have won wide acclaim.
- August 26: Tonality Founder and Artistic Director Alexander Blake
- September 10: Bill Barclay in conversation with violinist and music historian Quinton Morris
Each event is offered as a Zoom webinar or via Facebook Live. To participate, visit wssymphony.org/musicconnects or follow the Winston-Salem Symphony on Facebook.
MusicConnects is an education program that seeks to bring people together through music. The Winston-Salem Symphony and community partners collaborate to provide opportunities for audiences from all walks of life to connect and discuss music as it relates to relevant themes in our society. MusicConnects supports the Winston-Salem Symphony’s mission to bring music to life and aspires to create shared experiences and connections that improve the quality of life in Winston-Salem and throughout the region. MusicConnects is supported by North Carolina Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The Winston-Salem Symphony will present The Chevalier: A Play with Music, with music by Joseph Bologne and Bill Barclay on Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, September 12, 2021 at 3 p.m. at R. J. Reynolds Auditorium in Winston-Salem. The performances are presented in collaboration with Concert Theatre Works and the North Carolina Black Repertory Company. Written and directed by Bill Barclay and conducted by Timothy Redmond, the Winston-Salem Symphony is proud to present the world premiere of this powerful story. Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, was one of history’s most accomplished men. He was the archetypal Renaissance man: a gentleman of the nobility, champion fencer, general of Europe’s first Black military regiment, crusader against slavery, virtuoso violinist, and a composer whose works were celebrated by the greatest musicians of his age. Bill Barclay’s play with music portrays Bologne in a deservedly heroic light: as a friend to the young Mozart, as an enlightening mentor to Marie Antoinette, and above all as a true patriot of equality—an ideal that shines through the fabric of his music. Tickets to The Chevalier, are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the box office at 336-464-0145 or online at wssymphony.org. The Symphony is offering group discounts for groups of 10 or more.
About the Winston-Salem Symphony
Established in 1946, the Winston-Salem Symphony is celebrating its 75th anniversary and is proud to be one of the Southeast’s most highly regarded regional orchestras. Today, under Music Director Timothy Redmond, the Symphony inspires listeners of all ages throughout the North Carolina Piedmont Triad with a variety of concerts, education programs, and community engagement initiatives each year.
The Winston-Salem Symphony, with Music Director Timothy Redmond, is delighted to be welcoming audiences back to the concert hall for thrilling performances in the 2021–22 season. Entitled Kaleidoscope, the exciting upcoming season will celebrate everything that a live orchestra can be and every color that it can create. The Classics Series includes a wide range of powerful music from the beauty of Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Gershwin, and Shostakovich to contemporary composers like Thomas Adès. In addition, the last Classics concert of the season will feature the truly unique global sensation, Igudesman & Joo, who will surprise and delight audiences with their musical artistry, wit, and irreverent humor. World-renowned guest artists for the Classics Series include Steven Moeckel (violin), Michael Lewin (piano), Alexandra Dariescu (piano), and global superstar Branford Marsalis (saxophone). Music that Pops concerts include crowd-favorites Steep Canyon Rangers as well as the return of A Carolina Christmas, featuring the Camel City Jazz Orchestra. As part of the 2021-22 season, the Winston-Salem Symphony is launching the Ignite Family Series, which is an interactive experience created for the whole family. Combining the narrative of theater with the magic of music, three concerts have been specifically designed to entertain and inspire listeners of all ages. Subscriptions are on sale now and can be purchased online now at wssymphony.org or by calling the Symphony Box Office at 336-464-0145. Single tickets will go on sale August 2.
The Symphony is supported by Season Presenting Sponsors Truist and Bell, Davis & Pitt, P.A.; Music Director Season Sponsor Betty Myers Howell; Symphony Unbound PresentingSponsors Chris and Mike Morykwas; as well as support 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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