Each summer, friends and family gather with blankets and lawn chairs, picnics and drinks, and settle in next to the pines and Symphony Lake at Koka Booth Amphitheatre for North Carolina Symphony (NCS) Summerfest concerts—presented by UNC REX Healthcare—featuring a wide range of music, from classical masterworks, to Broadway show tunes, to bluegrass. NCS musicians eagerly anticipate Summerfest each year, as well, when they have the opportunity to share unique concert experiences with the community—in a relaxed, picturesque outdoor setting at NCS’s summer home in Cary.
This year’s Summerfest series opens May 27—Memorial Day weekend—showcasing Dvo?ák’s take on American music in his ever-popular “New World” Symphony and Sibelius’ pride in his own native Finland with his tone poem Finlandia. Verdi’s rousingOverture to Nabucco opens the concert, and audiences will have the opportunity to witness the exceptional talent of the Symphony’s 2016 Youth Concerto Competition winner, Jonah Krolik. The Chapel Hill native, who is pursuing dual degrees in music and science at the Eastman School of Music and the University of Rochester, will be the soloist in Dvo?ák’s Cello Concerto. In addition, as part of the Town of Cary’s 20th annual “Play with the Pros,” citizen musicians will join NCS’s professional musicians on stage for several selections.
On June 3, soprano Aundi Marie Moore and tenor Austin Colby join the Symphony fortimeless, romantic music written for the Broadway stage—including songs fromThe Phantom of the Opera, Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, My Fair Lady,and more.The following weekend, June 9, brings some of the most beautiful, fun, and recognizable moments in classical music, from Tchaikovsky’s Introduction toSwan Laketo Copland’sHoe-DownfromRodeo.
A Space Spectacularon June 10 explores how composers across generations and genres have imagined the mysteries of space in their music. Featuring memorable film and television music from Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Star Trekand more—as well as classical works such as selections from Holst’sThe Planets—this is the perfect program for the whole family to enjoy together under a star-filled sky. Characters from the 501stLegion, the official all-volunteer Star Wars costuming organization, will be at the concert ready to take photos with fans.
Concerts in the second half of June celebrate French and German culture, combining classical music with culinary treats and libations. An Evening in Franceon June 17honors the Triangle’s French sister cities, Le Touquet and Compiegne; the all-French program includes Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 performed by George Fu, along with works by Ravel, Debussy, Fauré, and Massenet. Food trucks will serve up French-inspired cuisine. On June 24, the Symphony presents a preview of Triangle Oktoberfest. A beer garden and German food will accompany the impeccable musical craftsmanship ofBeethoven, heard in the stormy Egmont Overture, the lighthearted and bubbly Symphony No. 8, and the grand “Emperor” Concerto with guest pianistGilles Vonsattel—praised for bringing a sense of adventure to everything he plays.
The Grammy award-winning bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers—based in the North Carolina mountains and known for frequent collaborations with Steve Martin—takes the stage with their home-state Symphony on June 30. The Rangers, all with classical music backgrounds, will showcase their smooth vocals, smart songwriting, ferocious instrumentals, and jaw-dropping harmonies.
Just before Independence Day celebrations, on July 1, audiences will hear depictions of our country in music by American masters. Copland’sAppalachian Springconjures the simple pleasures of life in the Pennsylvania countryside; John Williams’The Cowboyscalls to mind the Wild West; and dances from Bernstein’s operaOn the Towntell the adventures of sailors on leave in New York City. The lyrical Barber Violin Concerto is a perfect match for guest violinist Paul Huang, renowned for his rich, luscious tone.
The music of U2 will be experienced like never before on July 7, as a rock band combines with the full symphony orchestra to create a unique, powerful sound on four decades of uplifting and captivating hits, including “With or Without You,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” “Pride (In the Name of Love),” “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Desire,” “One,” and many more.
The Summerfest season concludes on July 15 with NCS presenting local legends Jackie Gore and the North Tower Band, who have had audiences dancing to the beat of North Carolina beach music for decades. (The Symphony will not perform at this concert.)
In addition to the 10 ticketed concerts in the Summerfest season, NCS performs a free concert, complete with fireworks, on July 4th as part of the Town of Cary Independence Day celebration.
Summerfest evenings are a full experience, with most concerts including pre-performance activities such as the Instrument Zoo, sponsored by MetLife, where kids can try out the instruments of the orchestra, and the Picnic of the Week contest,sponsored by Lowes Food.
Tickets package options include Lawn Flex Passes that can be used for lawn admission to any the Symphony’s Summerfest concerts; and Covered Crescent Packages, which include a ticket to each of the 10 concerts in the Summerfest series, seated at a table in the Covered Crescent section. Single-concert tickets are also available in advance or at the gate. Children under age 12 are admitted free on the lawn. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ncsymphony.org, call 919.733.2750, or visit the NCS State Headquarters Offices at 3700 Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh.
Summerfest is presented by UNC REX Healthcare and hosted by the Town of Cary. Summerfest is co-sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC and First Citizens Bank. Summerfest’s Instrument Zoo is sponsored by MetLife Foundation. Free lawn admission for children 12 and under is sponsored by Highwoods Properties. Summerfest concert sponsors include Martin Marietta and Raleigh Windows and Siding.About the North Carolina Symphony
Founded in 1932, the North Carolina Symphony (NCS) is a vital and honored component of North Carolina's cultural life. Its 175 concerts and events annually are greeted with enthusiasm by adults and schoolchildren in more than 90 North Carolina counties—in communities large and small, and in concert halls, auditoriums, gymnasiums, restaurants, clubs, and outdoor settings. The Symphony’s 66 full-time professional musicians perform under the artistic leadership of Music Director Grant Llewellyn.
NCS’s state headquarters venue is the spectacular Meymandi Concert Hall at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh. The Symphony’s service across the state includes series in Chapel Hill, Fayetteville, New Bern, Southern Pines, and Wilmington, as well as the Summerfest series at its summer home, the outdoor Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. Collaborating with performers that range from classical artists, to banjo players, to jazz bands, NCS brings some of the world’s greatest talents to North Carolina.Committed to engaging students of all ages across North Carolina, NCS leads the most extensive education program of any U.S. orchestra. In alignment with the curriculum set by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, the Symphony provides training and resources for teachers, sends small ensembles into classrooms, and presents full-orchestra Education Concerts experienced by more than 55,000 4th and 5th graders each year. Music Discoveryfor preschoolers combines music with storytelling, and at the middle and high school levels, students have opportunities to work directly with NCS artists and perform for NCS audiences.
NCS is dedicated to giving voice to new art, and has presented 47 U.S. or world premieres in its history. In March 2017, NCS appeared at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., as one of four orchestras chosen for the inaugural year ofSHIFT: A Festival of American Orchestras—an honor that recognized the Symphony’s innovative community partnerships and creative programming that inspires increased interest in new music.
The first state-supported symphony in the country, NCS performs under the auspices ofthe North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
