UNCSA Presents: September and October performance highlights

The UNCSA 2024–25 performance season, “UNCSA Presents,” continues in September and October with highlights including the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra, Fall Dance, a Legacy film screening, the UNCSA Jazz Ensemble, the Vesna Duo, the return of the Chamber Music Festival, and more.

Tickets to all events are $25 for adults and $20 for non-UNCSA students with valid ID and can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 336-721-1945.

UNCSA Symphony Orchestra — Sept. 14

The UNCSA Symphony Orchestra performs its first concert of the season on Saturday, Sept. 14, under the direction of acclaimed conductor and Music alumnus Robert Franz, who will lead a program that features composers striving to evoke the sound and spirit of their people. Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 is known for its lively Bohemian elements featuring folk-inspired melodies that reflect the composer’s heritage. Similarly, legendary jazz icon Duke Ellington’s “Black, Brown, and Beige” is a monumental jazz composition that blends jazz, blues and spirituals, showcasing the African American experience. The opening piece is Pulitzer Prize-winner Jennifer Higdon’s “Spirit,” which is a deeply expressive work drawing on her Appalachian roots. The concert takes place at Centenary United Methodist Church, 646 West Fifth St., on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 7:30 p.m.

Fall Dance — opens Sept. 24

The UNCSA School of Dance kicks off its season with its annual Fall Dance, a contemporary showcase featuring students of all levels performing new and established works, restaged with a fresh perspective. Guest artist Catherine Meredith and faculty members Ming-Lung Yang and Emily Nicolaou (B.F.A. Dance ’09) have choreographed new works for this year’s Fall Dance, while guest choreographer Gaspard Louis brings his 2015 work “Tota Pulchra Es” (“You are All Beautiful”) to UNCSA. The emotional piece draws its name from a Catholic prayer and is a celebration of the universal bonds of humanity. It features music by acclaimed composer William Banfield. Finally, faculty member Sean Sullivan will stage a work by famed Mexican American dancer and choreographer José Limón.

Performances will take place Tuesday-Saturday, Sept. 24–28, at 7:30 p.m., and a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Sept. 28. All performances will take place in Agnes de Mille Theatre, located on the UNCSA campus, 1533 South Main St.

UNCSA Jazz Ensemble — Sept. 28

UNCSA School of Music performances continue with the Improvised Music and Jazz Concert featuring the UNCSA Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Jazz and Contemporary Department Chair Steven Alford. The concert will feature smooth tunes and big band classics, including the sounds of legendary jazz pianists, composers and bandleaders Count Basie and Duke Ellington, along with other venerable leaders of the genre. The concert takes place on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 p.m. at the Freedman Theatre on the UNCSA campus, 1533 South Main St.

Vesna Duo — Oct. 1

October begins with the Vesna Duo, comprising School of Music Percussion Department Chair Ksenija Komljenović, marimba, and Liana Pailodze Harron, piano, performing “Roots and Rhizomes.” The concert features folk-inspired and classical works that have been reconfigured, reimagined and transcribed for piano and marimba/vibraphone, including Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring,” Gershwin’s "Prelude No. 1," Saint-Saëns' haunting "Danse Macabre," Debussy’s luminous "Clair de Lune" and Pärt’s introspective "Variations for The Healing of Arinushka.” The performance will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m. in Watson Hall, located on the UNCSA campus, 1533 South Main St.  

Fall Chamber Music Festival — Oct. 12

Next, the School of Music offers the fall installment of the annual Chamber Music Festival, which features music performed by ensembles of students, faculty and renowned guest artists. Hornist Stefan Jezierski, an alumnus and longtime member of the esteemed Berlin Philharmonic, will be featured in Brahms’ rhapsodic Horn Trio. Violinist Dmitri Berlinksy, winner of the International Tchaikovsky Competition, and pianist Orion Weiss will perform in Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F minor. Performances will take place on Saturday, Oct. 12, Tuesday, Oct. 15, and Saturday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 p.m. in Watson Hall, located on the UNCSA campus, 1533 South Main St.

Legacy Celebration Screening — Oct. 19

The School of Filmmaking will present its first Legacy Celebration Screening featuring a selection of student films from 1993–2003, covering a variety of genres and styles and representing recognizable names from the film industry today who got their start at UNCSA. The free event celebrates the School of Filmmaking’s early years and honors founding Filmmaking Dean Sam Grogg and the Winston-Salem community that helped make the School of Filmmaking a reality. Screenings will take place on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the ACE Main Theatre located on the UNCSA campus, 1533 South Main St. The event is not ticketed; however, online registration is encouraged.

Tickets and information about additional “UNCSA Presents” performances can be found here.

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