Faculty, staff and students featured at Piccolo Spoleto Festival 2018

By CSU Media | May 28, 2018

The Piccolo Spoleto Festival features many of CSU’s finest in a variety of events each year.

Several faculty members were part of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra for the popular Sunset Serenade Concert on the steps of the Custom House on Friday, May 25. This concert also featured the Lowcountry Voices choir directed by CSU alumnus Nathan L. Nelson.

CSU students were featured in events such as Piccolo Spoleto Festival of Churches and Synagogues: The Singers of Summerville “Music of the Living” on May 26 and with the Charleston Men’s Chorus at the popular Memorial Day Concert on May 28.

In addition to choral directors Dr. Valerie Bullock (Singers of Summerville) and Ricard Bordas (Charleston Men’s Chorus), the faculty will be featured in ensembles and as soloists in several events. On Tuesday, May 29 the Piccolo Spoleto Festival Spotlight Concert Series will present a recital of French music featuring faculty including soprano Dr. Jill Terhaar Lewis, mezzo sopranos Dr. Jennifer Luiken and Shanelle Woods along with Dr. Brad Parker (piano), Regina Helcher Yost (flute), and Mark Sterbank (saxophone). Sterbank will be featured in a second Spotlight Concert on June 5 in a program titled Hello Saxophone! Presents “Saxophone Stories.”

Sterbank will also be playing with the Charleton Singleton ensemble for Let’s Groove: The Music of Earth, Wind, and Fire on June 1 at the Charleston Music Hall.

Terhaar Lewis will be featured with her ensemble The In-Between in a concert of new musical settings and poetry at Holy Trinity Windermere featuring the poems of Charleston’s Poet Laureate Marcus Amaker on May 30. The In-Between merges classical and jazz styles into a unique, creative style of chamber music with jazz improvisation that varies with each performance and also includes jazz musicians Robert Lewis (soprano saxophone) and Gerald Gregory (piano).

Woods was a soloist in a Sound of Charleston concert on May 26 at Circular Congregational Church.

CSU staff member Paul Thomas will be performing in the Spoleto Festival USA concert Angels featuring the Westminster Choir on May 29.

Throughout the festival, faculty pianist Dr. Janet Elshazly will be playing in every Rising Star concert featuring talented, young musicians in a variety of events from May 28 through June 8.

The Piccolo Spoleto Festival features artists from the Southeast region and was developed to coincide with and compliment Spoleto Festival USA with regional offerings of art, music theater, poetry, film, children’s events, and more, consisting of 500 events over the course of 17 days. For more information on the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, visit piccolospoleto.com.

CSU at Piccolo Spoleto and Spoleto Festival 2018

May 28 & 30 | June 1, 4, 6, and 8 | 4 p.m.

Piccolo Spoleto Festival Rising Stars

CSU Faculty: Dr. Janet Elshazly, piano

In its 10th year, the six-program series presents artistically gifted students ages 9 through 18. The goal of the Rising Stars Series is to provide a high profile performance venue that focuses on the many artistically gifted students in the Southeast. Artistic disciplines include classical dance, creative writing, classical music, theatre, and visual arts.

St. Matthew’s Lutheran Auditorium
1 Vanderhorst St.
Charleston, SC

Tickets: $8 www.piccolospoleto.com

May 29 | 6 p.m.

Piccolo Spoleto Festival Spotlight Concert Series: CSU Faculty in “French Fantasies”

CSU Faculty: Regina Helcher Yost (adjunct), flute; Mark Sterbank, alto sax; Jill Terhaar Lewis, soprano; Jennifer Luiken, mezzo soprano; Shanelle Woods (adjunct), mezzo soprano; and Brad Parker, piano

The CSU music faculty creates an enchanting evening of musical French fantasies, works of composers such as Debussy, Chaminade, Bizet, and Marais will be represented in this delightful recital of French masterworks.

Mt. Zion AME Church
5 Glebe St.
Charleston, SC 29401

Tickets: $21; $11 students; $18 seniors

May 29 | 9 p.m.

Spoleto Festival USA: Angels

CSU Staff: Paul Thomas, organ accompaniment and continuo

The sopranos and altos of Westminster Choir present an evening of music centered around Pergolesi’s 1736 Stabat Mater—a hymn to Mary, mother of Jesus, as she endures the crucifixion of her son—and Holst’s sublime Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda. These expressive chamber pieces seek to bring a woman’s perspective to the spiritual world.

St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church
1 Vanderhorst St.
Charleston, SC

May 30 | 6 p.m.

Piccolo Spoleto Festival: The In-Between with Marcus Amaker

CSU Faculty: Jill Terhaar Lewis, soprano

This collaboration of poetry and jazz features soprano Jill Terhaar Lewis with jazz musicians Robert Lewis (saxophone) and Gerald Gregory (piano) with Charleston Poet Laureate Marcus Amaker. Exploring classical and jazz genres, this program of sung and spoken word includes new compositions of Amaker’s poetry by Terhaar Lewis, Lewis, Gregory, and guests.

Holy Trinity Windermere
95 Folly Road
Charleston, SC 29407

FREE

June 1, 8 p.m.

Piccolo Spoleto Festival: Let’s Groove: The Music of Earth, Wind, and Fire

CSU Faculty: Mark Sterbank, saxophone

Charlton Singleton brings his Tribute Band back to the Charleston Music Hall to present the music of everyone’s favorite band, Earth, Wind, and Fire! with internationally known hits like September, Let’s Groove, Reasons, and Shining Star.

Charleston Music Hall
37 John St.
Charleston, SC 29403

Tickets: $22, $17 Student

June 5 | Noon

Piccolo Spoleto Festival: Get Off My Bach

CSU Faculty: Dr. Kari Kistler (adjunct), oboe

This concert will feature Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen “The Ascention Oratorio,” BWV 11, performed by the College of Charleston Madrigal Singers and portions of Bach’s cello suites Nos. 3 & 4, performed by Caitlin Tarver and Zachery Litchfield.

Recital Hall, Simons Ctr, CofC
54 St. Phillip St.
Charleston, SC 29401

Tickets: $11

June 5 | 6 p.m.

Piccolo Spoleto Festival Spotlight Concert Series: Hello Saxophone! Presents “Saxophone Stories”

CSU Faculty: Mark Sterbank, saxophone

Beauty. Virtuosity. Style. Four saxophonists paint vivid stories in sound with piano and percussion. From classical and contemporary to blues and jazz, this unique program showcases the depth of the saxophonists’ ability to communicate the human experience.

Mt. Zion AME Church
5 Glebe St.
Charleston, SC 29401

Tickets: $21; $11 students; $18 seniors