WDAV

Nigel Redden, Spoleto Festival USA General Director, announced tonight that Geoff Nuttall has been named the incoming Charles E. and Andrea L. Volpe Artistic Director for Chamber Music. Nuttall, who became associate artistic director of the festival chamber music series in 2008, will assume leadership from longtime artistic director Charles Wadsworth beginning with the 2010 festival.

Nuttall says he finds the appointment bittersweet: "Charles has been a friend and mentor to me for many years and I'm sad he's leaving. At the same time, I am excited about this opportunity, especially with Dock Street Theatre reopening next year. I feel like I've been given keys to a Ferrari."

Nuttall first performed at the festival in 1995 with the St. Lawrence String Quartet, which he co-founded 20 years ago. As first violinist of this world-renowned foursome, Nuttall has performed over 1,800 concerts throughout North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. He is on faculty at Stanford University, and makes his home in California with his wife, violinist Livia Sohn, and their young son Jack.

Regarding the announcement, Wadsworth said: "I've known Geoff and the St. Lawrence String Quartet for 18 years and I respect him as one of the most committed, sensitive and dedicated artists in the world today. ...Spoleto's chamber music series--which I love so much--could not be in better hands."

Wadsworth has been a beloved festival favorite as pianist and host of the twice-daily chamber music concerts, a role he began 50 years ago at the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy. His innovative programming, inclusion of major soloists, and wide range of repertoire inspired a new generation of virtuoso musicians to perform chamber music. He has introduced generations of audiences to chamber music with his folksy and informal style and has been credited with transforming chamber music into a popular art form.

Redden made the announcement Sunday during a Spoleto Festival USA tribute concert in honor of Wadsworth. "Over the years Geoff has become an important part of the festival," said Redden. "He is thoroughly dedicated to maintaining the artistic quality of the chamber music series, and we look forward to many years of working with him."

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Spoleto Today! Addicted to Bad Ideas from WDAVfm on Vimeo.

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All photos by Wiley Stewart for WDAV.

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POSTED ON BEHALF OF MARC OVERTON, HOST OF SPOLETO TODAY & FORMER DIRECTOR OF SPOLETO FESTIVAL USA

Our work at Spoleto has fallen into a rhythm of long days that usually end only a little before midnight, but today was different in a wonderful way. I decided just to take a break in the outside world, run some errands and get back to the studio by 9:30 or so to rejoin my colleagues.

Spoleto magic took over: the sounds of Chris Thiele and the Punch Brothers were making the trees in the College of Charleston's Cistern literally sway. The audience was spellbound, there was a crescent moon peeping through the trees, and dozens of non-ticketholders were lined up along the wrought iron fence, getting some musical kicks for free. That queue included several members of the Spoleto Festival Orchestra, on their way home (fiddle cases slung over their shoulders) who were enjoying a slightly different "Song of the Earth" than the one by Mahler they had just played at Gaillard.

It was all quintessential Spoleto: Mahler a few blocks away -- transcendent, majestic -- and Chris Thiele's unique blend of bluegrass and traditional American folk in the Cistern, with PIccolo Spoleto theatre performances across the street. The whole panoply of theatre, music, and the balmy Charleston night: everything that makes Spoleto the unique experience of place and performance it is.

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POSTED ON BEHALF OF MARC OVERTON, FORMER SPOLETO FESTIVAL DIRECTOR AND CO-HOST OF SPOLETO TODAY:

At the beginning of every Spoleto Festival I have attended (that's 18, counting this one), Festival management has claimed there is no "theme" or unifying concept for that year's Festival. Spoleto Festival USA has always taken considerable pride in its cheerfully uncentered eclecticism, and the fact is that it's true: the festivals don't have a pre-determined theme.

But as sure as the sun is shining and the humidity is climbing in Charleston, a theme begins to emerge after a few days -- no matter how wildly different in subject matter, in genre, and in location the performances may be.

So....what's emerging in 2009? Here's how it seems to me: there is a certain darkness in human nature, but it is brightened a little by an occult optimism. The brightness lurks behind the dark and keeps us from complete despair. You can see this in LOUISE, the "big" opera this year, in which even Louise's seduction by the city of Paris (which seems at first to be an exhilarating act of liberation) leaves the viewer uneasy and unsatisfied. In KneeHigh Theatre's DON JOHN, the hero seems to get his (ultimate) comeuppance in the end, but somehow the ending is inadequate. Even Don John's death is not enough to make up for what he has done.

Maybe the picture will change as the Festival heads into its second full week. More performances could give greater shade and texture to first impressions. A glimpse at ADDICTED TO BAD IDEAS at its dress rehearsal this afternoon doesn't lead me to think that sweetness and light are on the way. But deafness most assuredly IS on the way, if the ADDICTED audiences don't use the earplugs SFUSA has promised to provide!

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Spoleto Today! - Ramberto Ciammarughi from WDAVfm on Vimeo.

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POSTED ON BEHALF OF MARC OVERTON, FROM SPOLETO FESTIVAL USA IN CHARLESTON

Spoleto Festival has outdoor events -- mainly jazz but sometimes dance performances presented in the outdoor Cistern at the College of Charleston. So the threat -- or the fact -- of rain is always a worry. Fortunately, there are backup locations in Charleston to which a performance can be moved in a hurry, if need be. And that's what happened last night when Florin Niculescu, the Romanian jazz violinist, had to be moved to the Charleston Music Hall.

But sometimes an unforeseen emergency turns out to be fortuitously beneficial, and that was what happened last night. Charleston Music Hall is a beautifully-equipped little music box- very modern in atmosphere. The acoustics are great; the lighting is up-to-the-minute (motorized follow spots, prismatic effects, etc.), and it's a great place to hear jazz.

So Niculescu got in out of the rain and gave a great show for the select few who braved the weather. What a treat!

Spoleto rolls on into its first full week, with lots of great music yet to come, including Mahler's DAS LIED VON DER ERDE this coming Thursday. Don't miss it.

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Check out this quick video of Friday's opening ceremonies at Spoleto Festival USA, courtesy of Katie Rather Moore, College of Charleston.

Spoleto Today! from WDAVfm on Vimeo.

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POSTED ON BEHALF OF MARC OVERTON, FROM SPOLETO FESTIVAL USA IN CHARLESTON

Hearing the bells of St. Michael's this morning just after 10:00 made me think again about the striking juxtaposition of tradition and newness that each year's Spoleto Festival brings. I've spent a lot of Sunday mornings in a lot of small American towns over the years as I toured the country on one or another of my motorcycles, but there are few places left where the sound of Sunday morning church bells are so much a part of the weekly rhythm of living. As they rang, I thought that later that day, Spoleto performances by Japanese dancer Hiroaki Umeda, and the raunchy, graphic, ritualized violence of DON JOHN would shake up Charleston's genteel sensibilities and jazz up its rhythm. And that's good. Spoleto always brings some jolts that make the old ways stand out in relief, and we all need to be reminded that old things have value for good reasons.

Posted by Lisa Gray at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Unprecedented Partnership Will Enable Broadcasts to Be Heard Across the Carolinas and Around the World

May 20, 2009 -- DAVIDSON, NC... For 17 days and nights each spring, tens of thousands of tourists, arts lovers, and critics flock to Spoleto Festival USA. They fill Charleston's historic theaters, churches and outdoor spaces to witness renowned artists in chamber, symphonic, choral, and jazz music, as well as opera, theater and dance.

At the opening of this year's Spoleto Festival USA on May 22, radio and online listeners will have a new option for enjoying Spoleto Festival USA: they can listen to several hours of live broadcasts each weekday--direct from Charleston, South Carolina--on WDAV-FM 89.9 Classical Public Radio or South Carolina ETV Radio's Classical NPR stations: WSCI-FM Charleston 89.3, WEPR-FM Greenville 90.1 and WLTR-FM Columbia 91.3.

Thanks to an unprecedented partnership between ETV Radio and WDAV 89.9, listeners in North and South Carolina will hear more of the festival than ever before, each weekday from Friday, May 22 through Friday, June 5. The lineup includes:

•11 a.m. - 12 noon - Marcus Overton & Jennifer Foster host Spoleto Today. This one-hour show will give listeners a daily tour of the art, the players, the sights and sounds of one of the world's most comprehensive arts festivals

•12 noon to 1 p.m., Jennifer Foster continues with The Mozart Café (available only on WDAV).

•1 to 3 PM, Carolina Classics offers next-day broadcasts of Spoleto Chamber Music concerts, Piccolo Spoleto performances and more

"The partnership between ETV Radio and WDAV is a natural complement to Spoleto Festival USA. We're delighted that through this collaboration, we can bring this unparalleled classical music experience to not only the citizens of North and South Carolina, but also to the world through our Internet radio streams," said ETV Director of Radio Shari Hutchinson. Adds WDAV General Manager Benjamin K. Roe, "Given the international stature of Spoleto Festival USA and its huge appeal to classical music fans throughout the Carolinas, we made it the highest priority to bring the festival to WDAV's airwaves. South Carolina ETV Radio has been a terrific partner, and by working together, we've been able to greatly expand Spoleto coverage for all our listeners."

In addition to the insider commentary of Marcus Overton & Jennifer Foster, ETV Radio and WDAV's Spoleto coverage also includes the perspectives of another strong local media outlet, The Post & Courier of Charleston. The 11 a.m. Spoleto Today will regularly feature "The Press Box," previews and reviews from journalists covering Spoleto Festival USA for The Post & Courier. On Fridays, "The Press Box" will include commentary from Pulitzer Prize-winning music critic Tim Page, on special assignment to The Post & Courier throughout the festival.

Spoleto Today and Carolina Classics can be heard in Columbia on WLTR-FM 91.3; in Greenville on WEPR-FM 90.1; and in Charleston on WSCI-FM 89.3. All three programs can be heard in the Charlotte region on WDAV-FM 89.9. Radio broadcasts will originate from College of Charleston's Center for the Documentary.

Attendees and listeners can also go online for Spoleto coverage. At www.spoletochambermusic.org, visitors can listen to the live broadcasts, free mp3 recordings of concerts, commentaries and interviews. They can also contribute their comments on the blog and "twitterstream."

About Marcus Overton
Marcus Overton is an Emmy Award-winning television producer, radio commentator, arts administrator, writer, and actor. He has served an impressive array of arts organizations, including Chicago's Lyric Opera, The Ravinia Festival, The Washington National Opera and the National Endowment for the Arts. In December 1991, composer Gian Carlo Menotti invited Overton to become Executive Director of Spoleto Festival USA, and in 1994, he assumed the title of Producing Director. In 1995, while working as an adjunct professor of theatre at the College of Charleston, Overton began a long, productive association with ETV Radio, where his "Spoleto Today" is in its 15th year. Today, Overton makes his home in San Diego. He has served as Board Chairman of the Actors Alliance of San Diego and has enjoyed a long association with La Jolla Music Society.

About Jennifer Foster
Jennifer Foster is a Producer and On-Air Personality at WDAV 89.9. In addition to her weekday midday show, Foster is a producer of several of WDAV's weekly shows, including Artist Spotlight, Saturday Night of Song and Choral Showcase. Foster's voice is regularly heard in commercials for television, radio, the Web and movie theaters. In January 2009, Foster's experimental audio sculpture, "The Interview: When Words Fail," premiered at the Baltimore Contemporary Museum as part of the exhibit, More Than Words: Innovative Uses of the Human Voice.

About South Carolina ETV Radio
With eight stations around the state, ETV Radio provides both the NPR News format and the Classical NPR News format and gives South Carolinians a wide variety of programming that suits their needs and helps keep them informed about what matters most to them. Listeners can hear some of the best classical music, but also keep up to date on national news through programs such as "Morning Edition," "Talk of the Nation," "The Takeaway," and "All Things Considered." ETV Radio also features many local productions, including "The Big Picture on the Radio," "Your Day," and "Walter Edgar's Journal." And with live streaming over the Internet at www.etvradio.org, fans can listen no matter where they are; at home, in the office, in the car, or even from their Web-enabled mobile devices.

About WDAV 89.9 Classical Public Radio
Celebrating its 30th year on the air, WDAV 89.9 is a listener-supported public radio service of Davidson College. WDAV serves a 22-county region centered in the Charlotte, NC metro area and ranging from Rock Hill, SC to Galax, VA. Listeners receive the highest quality classical-music programming, as well as promotions spotlighting the activities of regional arts organizations and artists of all disciplines. To listen to WDAV live online 24 hours a day, visit www.wdav.org.

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