July 1, 2010
Emile Pandolfi
Emile Pandolfi
September 25, 2010, 7:30 pm
Statesville High School, Statesville, NC
A classical piano performance degree graduate who made his symphony debut at fourteen, Pandolfe’s broader approach to the stage was shaped by several years working as the “piano guy” at major comedy clubs in L.A. where he was hired to interject musical interludes between sets by “up & coming” comedians including Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Robin Williams and others. After taking a strictly classical route with concert performances, he began to include popular repertoire and humor when he found that it removed barriers to response with audiences who seemed fearful of a piano “recital.” Today, Pandolfi has become the industry’s top seller in his recording niche. And while he’ll still do a strict “recital” if you insist, you may have to stick a sock in his mouth to keep him serious and quiet between numbers.
From settings ranging from the Posh Feinstein’s at the Regency in Manhattan to concert halls and university venues across the country, acclaimed Certified Steinway Artist Emile Pandolfi brings smiles, comforting familiarity, and engaging warmth to every stage he plays.
Satisfied, applauding patrons and invitations to return have become a standard accompaniment.
Tickets on sight $20.00
Adult Season Ticket $40.00
Student Season Ticket $20.00
Family Season Ticket $90.00
Iredell Concert Association
PO Box 103
Statesville, NC 28687
Joan Harrelson 704-876-1004
Ernie Pope 704-872-8736
Jean T Whatley 704-663-3283
April 13, 2010
The Cockman Family Plays Bluegrass
Sunday, April 18th at 3:00 PM, join us for the return of the Cockman Family playing bluegrass gospel. This performance will be at the Historic Downtown Mooresville playing in the Joe Knox Theater at the Charles Mack Citizen’s Center, 215 N. Main St, Mooresville, NC. Tickets are $10, $5 for students, children under 10 free. Call (704) 662-3334, or at the door. A “Meet The Artists” reception will follow the concert.
Since launching their performing career in February of 1988, the Cockman Family has developed the classic family harmonies and youthful flair that is the Cockman Family trademark. Their unique bluegrass gospel style, original songs and original arrangements of the old gospel songs have been immensely popular with their audiences. This group’s family ties are strong and the warmth of that is conveyed in their performances.
The group members include John Cockman, Sr. on guitar, Caroline Cockman Fisher on lead vocals, John Cockman, Jr. on fiddle and vocals, Billy Cockman on banjo, guitar and vocals, David Cockman on bass and vocals and Ben Cockman on mandolin, guitar, slide guitar (Dobro) and vocals.
UNC-TV has featured The Cockman Family on seven one-hour “The Arthur Smith Show: Now & Then” public television specials, “Carolina Christmas” and “George Beverly Shea & Friends.” In 2003 The Cockman Family starred in an all-new hour-long holiday program entitled “A Cockman Family Christmas: Maker of the Stars.” In 2004 the holiday program was included on the national programming of the American Public Television. The North Carolina Arts Council singled the group out for inclusion in its selective North Carolina Touring and Resident Artist Directory. They were also featured as one of the premiere artist showcase groups at the 2004 ArtsMarket sponsored by the North Carolina Arts Council held in High Point.
March 16, 2010
Lake Norman Orchestra Shines with Local Talent
The members of Lake Norman Orchestra fill the stage in Mac Gray Auditorium on March 13, 2010. These local musicians of all ages volunteer their time and talents and meet once a week to practice at Peninsula Baptist Church in Mooresville. This night, an eager audience waits to hear them perform as Eduardo Cedeño, musical director and conductor, enters the stage to conduct.
Cedeño brings many musical credits to the orchestra. In addition to holding both a bachelor and master’s degree in music, he studied conducting under Jackson Wiley of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Indianapolis and violin under Hidetaro Suzuki, former Concertmaster of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in addition to other prestigious teachers in various areas of musical studies.
Cedeño’s fluency in conducting becomes evident as he picks up his baton. He conducts with his whole body, almost dancing to the music as he brings in the various instruments with precise arm and body movements, continually keeping the beat with fluid gestures.
The first half of the program dances with energy from selections with strong rhythms and interesting combinations of sonorities. The audience particularly enjoys “The Great Steamboat Race” by R. Smith as the orchestra imitates steamboat sounds, including whistles, and accelerates the tempo as the “steamboat” picked up speed.
After intermission, the guest violin soloists, Kelly Richards, substitutes for Anne Neely, who was absent due to a family crisis. Ms. Richards plays the solo in Beethoven’s “Romance in F Major for Violin,” with poise and accurateness, having had only two hours notice for preparation.
Next, most of the orchestra takes a break while 6 B flat clarinets and one bass clarinet form an ensemble. They perform Mozart’s “Ave Verum Corpus” and delight the audience with Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer.”
One of the highlights of the show follows this group, a composition composed by a local composer, who sits in the audience to listen. The rich texture and colorful moods in “HOMELAND” display the technical orchestral skills of Marc Hoffman, the composer, who has studied extensively at home and abroad and has established himself as a composer of film, theatre, pop, and gospel music.
Finally, Cedeño brings the concert to an end by performing a medley of pieces from “The Sound of Music,” closing with “Climb Every Mountain.”
When the listener observes the stage full of local musicians, he or she may think about all of the music lessons, marching bands or other orchestras that form the background of this talented group, and the listener will know how proud all of the music teachers, band leaders, and families of the performers must be. They have come far on their musical journey and will continue to travel, impressing audiences as they go.
March 12, 2010
Last concert of the season:
LAKE NORMAN ORCHESTRA
March 13, 2010, 7:30PM
Statesville Senior High School- Mac Gray Auditorium
For this final concert of the season, you can enjoy this great performance for free with the purchase of a season ticket for next year. Brochures for next year will be available at the door, and you can download a copy of the brochure here: Brochure Concert Schedule 10
March 6, 2010
The New Dixie Pharaohs
Saturday, MARCH 13th at 7:30 PM, meet the New Dixie Pharaohs in Downtown Mooresville, playing a blend of traditional and progressive bluegrass. This performance and the remainder of the series will be at the Historic Downtown Mooresville playing in the Joe Knox Theater at the Charles Mack Citizen’s Center, 215 N. Main St, Mooresville, NC. Tickets are $10, $5 for students, children under 10 free. Call (704) 662-3334, or at the door. Begun by founding members Larry Perrell and Don Smart, the New Dixie Pharaohs have been performing traditional and progressive Bluegrass music in and around Charlotte, NC for twenty years. Originally the brainchild of Bassist Larry Perrel and Guitarman Don Smart, their blend of traditional and progressive bluegrass has created an ever growing fan base and they can be found performing regularly at local venues and clubs. They bring a diverse background of musical tastes and influences together with a sincere love of what they call “Just Good Pickin.” Since beginning this musical venture in 1990 as the entertainment act for a corporate sponsored United Way fundraiser, the band has grown into one of the finest bluegrass acts in the area. Their diverse repertoire spans several genres, most notably a regional North Carolina sound, with old-time fiddle and Dobro from our nearby mountains, a welcome influence. They have shared stages with Blue Highway, Lonesome River Band, Rhonda Vincent and Thryd Tyme Out. An interesting lot, the band members have a wide range of backgrounds and avocations. Randy DeBruhl learned the banjo in Weaverville and is the nephew of Wade Mainer, the early bluegrass master. Randy is himself now among banjo’s best! Larry Perrell, on bass, a full time musician and founding member of the Pharaohs, also loves to bird watch. Don Smart, on guitar and mandolin, is a Master Chef who owns “Smart Choice Catering”, offering the best dang barbecue ever. David Grant, guitar, and vocal extraordinaire from Gaffney, S.C. is a forester from Union County, where he loves the trees and good country livin’ with his two daughters. Jon Singleton, on fiddle and Dobro, is a winner at the Mooresville fiddle convention and is a Charlotte Folk Society’s musician of the year winner. He teaches at The Violin Shoppe in Charlotte, and has been a “string teacher” at Davidson since ’93. Many other fine musicians have been known to take the stage with the Pharaohs including Galax fiddling champion Glen Alexander, Banjo and Steel player Jim Ashton, and local fan favorite Mandolin and Bass player Tom Kuhn. This list of talented musicians continues to grow as does the notoriety of the band. The Pharaohs have shared the stage with some of the top Bluegrass acts in the country, including the likes of, Blue Highway, Lonesome River Band and Thryd Time Out.
February 23, 2010
Intersection Wows Iredell Listeners
Expectations ran high as the Iredell audience gave up being outside on the first clear day in weeks to listen to the highly acclaimed trio, Intersection.
Laura Frautschi, violin, Kristina Reiko Cooper, cello, and John Novacek, piano have played together since 1998 and have toured Asia, Europe, and the United States doing many guest appearances. Their repertoire ranges from the classical genre of Beethoven, Brahms, and Mendelssohn to more contemporary composers, including Patrick Zimmerli, Kenji Bunch, Dan Coleman, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Novacek, himself.
A rather mysterious mood was set for the audience as they entered the auditorium to see a stage setting of blue and purple curtains with lighting that resembled twilight. Throughout the performance, a high school team achieved the various moods of the musical selections by adjusting the lighting to fit the atmosphere of each one, adding a visual element to the various sounds.
The first two selections put the audience at ease, as they recognized selections by two well-known and loved composers, Edward William Elgar and Claude Achille Debussy. Elgar, a Romantic composer throughout his career, established a first rank reputation by the Enigna Variations for orchestra (1899) and the oratorio, The Dream of Gerontius (1900). Claude Debussy, influenced by Massenet, established his impressionism style when he composed his String Quartet (1893) and Prelude l’ Apres-midi-d’un faune (1894) for orchestra. He wrote Clair de lune, Intersection’s second selection, in Paris, and it has remained popular throughout the decades.
Intersection added an unusual element to their program by having each member perform a solo, ending with Novacek playing Waltz in the key of a minor by Chopin, which was easily recognizable by the first few bars of the music.
The group next performed a Suite taken from the opera, Carmen. The body language of the group added to the gusto of the music, with the broad arm motions of Laura and Kristine and with John using his entire body to play into the piano and become one with it. Throughout the concert, he always turned his head to better listen to the string players and blend with them. The dynamics of the group enhanced the validity of the music, and kept the ears of the audience glued to the performance.
Novacek’s Intoxication displayed a technical skill in composition and put the audience in a frame of mind of something between the blues and an out of body experience; they were mesmerized. The next two numbers, however, made the listeners want to get up and dance to the tangos and the gypsy music, Csardas.
Their choice of selections from West Side Story by the well-know and admired composer and director, Leonard Bernstein was a sure winner. The lyric beauty of Tonight and Maria, and the exciting rhythms of America and Rumble never get old. Bernstein would have approved of the trio’s rendition of his music.
Intersection made it possible for the audience to relate to them and understand their music by briefly giving a snapshot history of what was being played and giving something of the musical background each player; each player would describe something about one of the others.
The most difficult and intricate of the selections was saved for the encore, Scherzo by Felix Mendelssohn, who wrote it in quick triple time in the boisterous style of the Beethoven scherzo. This piece, more than any other, displayed the virtuosity of the group with its high level of difficulty, requiring complete concentration.
For the audience, there would be many more clear days when they could be outside and enjoy the day, but they would have to wait months and years before experiencing a performance as enjoyable and complete as the one given by Intersection.
February 18, 2010
Intersection Comes to Mooresville
The Iredell Concert Association’s forth concert of the 2009-10 season – a performance by Intersection, composed of violinist Laura Frautschi, cellist Kristina Reiko Cooper, and pianist John Novacek – will be Feb. 21 at 3 p.m. at Mooresville High School auditorium.
Soulful expression, instrumental virtuosity, and playful banter are hallmarks of an Intersection event, in which the realms of concert and popular music are seamlessly dovetailed.
The typical Intersection program is a blend of classical, jazz, Latin, Broadway/film music, vital new commissions, and the group’s own original compositions and arrangements.
An essential component of their concert activity has been their guest appearances, often televised, with major orchestras such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra and the Tokyo Philharmonic. In addition to Asia, the group has toured Europe and the U.S.
The quintessential Intersection event is the trio concert, with a varied program of repertoire from all parts of the music world.
Kristina, Laura and John have individually achieved enviable successes as soloists and chamber musicians in the world of classical music, but each has effectively ventured, exploring new music, world music, jazz and pop.
Concert or seasonal tickets may be purchased at the door.
February 12, 2010
Bayou Diesel- A Mardi Gras Celebration
Bayou Diesel has been playing and performing locally since August 2005, with one CD to date, they have matured into a popular local dance band by drawing on the styles of favorite contemporary Louisiana artists like Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Boozoo Chavis, Bo Jacque and Keith Frank. They appear regularly at Asheville venues Jack of the Wood, the Westville Pub, and 11 on Grove where they have a strong following of dancers and enthusiasts. With guest rubboard players and call-and-answer audience vocal participation, the band is really fun to see and dance to. In 2006, Bayou Diesel appeared at the Tryon Barbeque Festival. 2007 and 2008 saw several appearances at local festivals and at Harrah’s Casino in Cherokee, and 2009 at Asheville’s Belle Chere Festival. They are the ultimate “Pardi-Gras band” and love to play for club and family-friendly festival audiences alike.
February 10, 2010
Bayou Diesel in Mooresville
With the win of the New Orleans Saints in last Sunday’s Super Bowl, it seems like everyone is talking about that “Who Dat?” attitude. I have a hunch you’ll be able to get a full dose of that Cajun feeling on Saturday night, February 13, when Mooresville Concerts brings the group Bayou Diesel to the Joe Knox Theatre at the Charles Mack Citizen Center in Mooresville.
Mooresville impresario, Stu Eaton, has worked hard to bring a great lineup of live music to the Mooresville area this year in the Mooresville Concert Series, and this looks to be one of their best. HERE’S a Mooresville Tribune article on this group, and HERE’S more information on the group at their MySpace page.
Information: www.downtownmooresville.com. Tickets available by calling (704) 662-3334, 9:00-4:00 M-F. Admission is $10, students, $5.
