Charlotte Symphony Announces New Summer Schedule

The Charlotte Symphony has announced a new summer schedule for concerts postponed due to the health crisis. From Classical and Pops, to Film and Family concerts, and the ever-popular On Tap brewery series, this three-week summer festival will feature a wide variety of concerts - a sampling of what your Charlotte Symphony offers each season - while highlighting the versatility of its talented musicians.

The Charlotte Symphony will also offer a free concert for the community at the Knight Theater on August 16 featuring music from Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean, Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, and more. "During these unsettling times, we're working hard to engage with and listen to our community and provide hope and solace wherever we can," said Interim CEO Michelle Hamilton.

"With the announcement of our summer festival, we once again look forward to welcoming our patrons to a CSO concert and sharing in the joy and excitement that only a live performance can provide."

The festival will open with the return of Music Director Christopher Warren-Green conducting Kodaly's Dances of Galánta, Wieniawski's Violin Concerto No. 2, featuring Concertmaster Calin Ovidiu Lupanu as soloist, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 6, Pastoral at the Sarah Belk Gambrell Center at Queens University (August 7-9).

The following week, Resident Conductor Christopher James Lees will lead the Orchestra in 007: The Best of James Bond, with Chloe Lowery as vocalist (August 14-15) and a family concert featuring Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf (August 15) at the Sarah Belk Gambrell Center at Queens University. Mr. Lees will also conduct a free concert for the community featuring Sibelius's Finlandia, Selections from Bizet's Carmen, music from Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean, and Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture at the Knight Theatre (August 16).

The final week will include an On Tap performance, conducted by Christopher James Lees, at Triple C Brewing Company (August 18) and Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark, with John Williams's epic score performed live by Christopher James Lees and the CSO while the full-length film is screened at the Belk Theater (August 21-22).

The Charlotte Symphony's top priority is the health and safety of its audience, musicians, guest artists, and staff. The CSO will continue to follow local, state, and national recommendations with regard to the COVID-19 situation, and will only move forward with planned performances if it is safe to do so. The CSO is also working closely with Blumenthal Performing Arts and Queens University to maintain a safe environment for everyone.

For a detailed listing of concerts and ticket information, visit charlottesymphony.org/august2020/. Single tickets will be available at a later date. Current ticket-holders should visit charlottesymphony.org/covid-19 or call Patron Services at 704-972-2000 for ticket options.

The following events have been rescheduled to the 2020-21 season: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back will take place March 19-21 2021, moving the previously scheduled Return of the Jedi to spring 2022. Beethoven Meets 90's Vibe has been rescheduled to April 16, 2021. The following events have been canceled: Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony (March 20-21), Bach Brandenburg Concerto (April 17-18), On Tap (April 21), UNITED: A Remembrance Concert (April 30), Brahms Double Concerto (May 1-2), CSO On the Go (May 6), Broadway Favorites (May 8-9), Wonder Women: Heroes and Villains (May 9), Brass Transit: The Music of Chicago (June 13), and Summer Pops at Symphony Park (June-July).

#CSOatHome and "Charlotte Symphony In Performance"

Until the Charlotte Symphony can perform live again, it is continuing to share performances and educational resources that provide strength, comfort, and joy at cltsymphony.org/csoathome. #CSOatHome is a place to connect with the Charlotte Symphony through streaming audio of past CSO performances, listening guides, educational materials, and more. Additional digital content will be added weekly.

The Charlotte Symphony is also partnering with WDAV on "Charlotte Symphony In Performance," a collection of archival concerts hosted by Mike McKay and broadcast every Friday at 8:00 p.m. on 89.9 WDAV. Visit WDAV.org for a schedule. These broadcasts will also be made available at cltsymphony.org/csoathome on the Monday following each episode.