Piedmont Arts Podcast WDAV Classical Public Radio

Trumpeter Rodney Marsalis is a member of the famous New Orleans musical family and the leader of the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass. We talk to Marsalis about his career and the group's upcoming concert at Gardner-Webb University. Learn more about the Summer in the Springs with the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass Concert Pictured: The Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass will be at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs for the Summer in the Spring concert series. Rodney Marsalis at center and Tim Hudson of Gardner-Webb second from right. (Courtesy of the  The Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass ).

The Salisbury Symphony has been looking for a new music director this season, and they will audition their final candidate at their concert called "Hope and Lifting." Daniel Wiley will conduct the orchestra in music of Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, and Omar Thomas. Wiley is currently assistant conductor with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Pops. He talks about his passion for providing music education in the communities he serves. Learn more about the Salisbury Symphony's Hope and Lifting Pictured: Daniel Wiley/courtesy of danielwiley.com .

The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra is producing an immersive event called "Merge" that combines modern symphonic music with electronic dance music and synchronized visual projections. Resident Conductor Christopher James Lees talks about the symphony's foray into new territory and the collaboration that brought it to life. Learn more about the MERGE: Symphonic x Electronic event Pictured: Christopher James Lees courtesy of Charlotte Symphony.

Charlotteans Lorne Lassiter and Gary Ferraro helped found the former Mint Museum of Craft and Design in uptown. They've also donated dozens of pieces from their own collection. The exhibit "Craft Across Continents" features many of those works in glass, wood, ceramics, and textiles. On this edition of the Piedmont Arts podcast, we tour the exhibit and talk with the couple about their passion for collecting. Charlotte collectors Gary Ferraro and Lorne Lassiter (l-r) in their uptown Charlotte apartment. Work from their collection is featured in the show "Craft Across Continents" at the Mint Museum in Charlotte. Photo courtesy Mint Museum. "Smok," which means dragon in Polish, is a glass sculpture by the Polish artist Anna Skibska. Lorne Lassiter and Gary Ferraro have donated it to the Mint Museum, along with other works in the show "Craft Across Continents."

Kalena Bovell, a candidate for Salisbury Symphony Music Director, will lead the orchestra in a program called "Musical Inspirations." Bovell made her professional debut as the Chicago Sinfonietta's Assistant Conductor in 2015 and has led performances at the BBC Proms and the Kennedy Center. She also recently had her opera debut at Volcano Theatre where she led a reimagined production of Scott Joplin's Treemonisha making her the first black woman to conduct opera in Canada. On this episode of Piedmont Arts, Bovell talks about discovering her love of conducting and about becoming a poet. Learn more about Salisbury Symphony's Musical Inspirations Pictured: Kalena Bovell by Jamie Pratt Photos.

The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) shared news that the organization has raised more than $40 million toward a goal of $50 million for its endowment. CSO President and CEO David Fisk discusses why having a significant endowment makes the orchestra stronger, and he provides details about the vital programs the endowment campaign will enable in the future.