Brevard Music Center facts for kids
Brevard Music Center's Parker Concert Hall in 2022
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| Address | 349 Andante Lane, Brevard, North Carolina, United States |
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| Location | Brevard, North Carolina, United States |
| Owner | Brevard Music Center |
| Capacity | Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium: 1,800 Parker Concert Hall: 400 |
| Opened | 1945 |
| Tenants | |
| Brevard Music Center Orchestra | |
The Brevard Music Center is a special place in Brevard, North Carolina. It's a classical music school and festival that happens every summer. Each summer, about 400 students aged 14 and up come here. They learn about orchestra, opera, and how to compose music. They also play in groups and take private lessons.
Around 60 expert teachers from top music schools guide them. The music season runs from late June to early August. Besides classical music, you can hear modern music, bluegrass, and pop artists. Famous conductors like Keith Lockhart often perform here. The Center also helps the local economy in western North Carolina.
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History of Brevard Music Center
The Brevard Music Center started in 1936. It was a summer music camp for boys at Davidson College. James Christian Pfohl, a teacher, started it. He led the camp at Davidson and then at Queens College in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In 1944, Pfohl moved the program to its current home in Brevard. He started a festival of concerts there in 1945. The name "Brevard Music Center" was chosen in 1955. Pfohl was the artistic director until 1964. Henry Janiec took over after him. The opera program is named after Janiec.
In 1997, conductor David Effron became the artistic director. Then, in October 2007, Keith Lockhart took on the role.
Music Groups at Brevard
The Brevard Music Center has six main music groups:
- Brevard Music Center Orchestra
- Sinfonia
- Concert Orchestra
- Festival Orchestra
- Symphonic Winds
- New Music Ensemble
Performance Spaces and Buildings
The Brevard Music Center has four places where performances happen. The biggest one is the Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium. It's an outdoor hall with 1,800 seats. More than 80 public concerts are held there.
Other buildings include Thomas Hall and Straus Auditorium. These are used for big group practices and smaller student performances. The Music Center also uses the Scott Concert Hall Porter Center at Brevard College. This is where theater and opera shows take place.
The Parker Concert Hall opened in 2022. It has 400 seats. Here, the Music Center's teachers perform chamber music concerts. The Music Center also works with the Transylvania County Library. They offer many free events for the public.
Brevard Music Center Summer Institute
The Brevard Music Center hosts an international summer festival. About 400 students, aged 14 and older, attend. Their teachers are professional musicians from all over the country.
The Center teaches many instruments, including:
- Orchestra instruments
- Piano
- Composition (writing music)
- Voice
- Jazz
- Opera
The program has two parts: one for high school students and one for college students. Students from both groups play in many of the festival's ensembles. They also practice and perform in smaller chamber groups for strings and winds. Most students are college-aged or older. All students and teachers live on the wooded campus, which is about 180 acres (0.73 km2) big.
Famous People Who Attended
Many talented musicians have studied at the Brevard Music Center. Some famous alumni include:
- David Daniels, a famous singer
- Keith Lockhart, conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra
- Roberto Diaz, a violist and president of the Curtis Institute of Music
- Gianna Rolandi, a well-known opera singer. She later directed the Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Images for kids
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Brevard Music Center's Parker Concert Hall in 2022
See also
- Gianna Rolandi
