Up Close and Personal with the Experts!

Artist Ambassadors in Residence

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw, whose works have appeared on numerous North Carolina Symphony programs, returns to her home state this week for special events surrounding the North Carolina premiere of Watermark, her new piano concerto co-commissioned by NCS in tribute to a Beethoven piano concerto and performed by Jonathan Biss.

This season, North Carolinians are getting up close and personal with three distinctive guest artists through our new Artist Ambassadors program. Echoing our music education mission, and supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Symphony has invited exceptional musical artists to share community and educational offerings during their visits to North Carolina.

Shaw is the season’s third Artist Ambassador. Events with pianist Michelle Cann and Grammy Award-winning cellist Zuill Bailey have included master classes, an informal recital, and more, to accompany Cann’s North Carolina Premiere of the long lost Frlorence Price Concerto in One Movement and Bailey’s live recording with the Symphony and NCS Music Director Grant Llewellyn of Strauss’ Don Quixote.

Caroline Shaw

Talk at the Governor Morehead School | May 16 at 9:30am

Blind and visually impaired students will learn about music and composing from the youngest-ever winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Music, when Caroline makes a visit to The Governor Morehead School.
Open to the public; please call the NCS education department at 919.789.5461 or email education@ncsymphony.org to RSVP.

Lecture at UNC-Chapel Hill | May 17

Caroline will be a guest lecturer at the UNC-Chapel Hill summer class “Women in Music,” discussing her path as a female composer and the ways in which gender has influenced her music and career.

Workshop with the North Carolina Chamber Music Institute | May 18 at 10am

Two student string quartets from the North Carolina Chamber Music Institute will work closely with Caroline, rehearsing one of her own compositions as well as a composition by an NCCMI student. This event will be held at Highland United Methodist Church in Raleigh from 10am-12pm.
Open for public observation; please call the NCS education department at 919.789.5461 or email education@ncsymphony.org to RSVP.

Concerts and “Meet the Artists” | May 17 at noon | May 17-18 at 8pm

Pianist Jonathan Biss and NCS perform Caroline’s new piano concerto, Watermark, co-commissioned by the Symphony. Before each performance, audience members are invited to a “Meet the Artists” talk. Hear from Caroline about her composition process and how Watermark connects to Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, which shares the program.
Open to ticket-holders; for details and tickets, visit the pages to select a matinee or evening concert or call 919.733.2750.