By Lila Meeks
USCB Chamber Music
For 44 years, USCB Chamber Music has brought amazing talents to the Lowcountry, five Sundays each season. But this season, for the final concert, USCB Chamber Music has added a Thursday civil rights photo exhibit, talk, and reception; a Saturday Youth Concert; a Sunday student art show and the world premiere of a new piece of music; and a Monday morning high school student concert and awards ceremony.
Firstly, Thursday, April 4 at 4 p.m., historians Chris Barr and Val Littlefield will join Alison Shearer – our first saxophonist and first female composer – for a brief discussion of how Beaufort’s history fits with the 1960’s civil rights efforts that were so movingly captured by Alison’s father John Shearer, who at 17 years old, was the second black photographer hired by LIFE magazine and later by LOOK magazine.
Following the talks, the speakers will join audience members to view a collection of John Shearer’s works, “American Moments,” that was recently bought by USCB, as well as the artwork of high school students which are part of a S.C. Arts Commission, USCB Arts faculty, and USCB Chamber Music collaboration. The lecture, the reception, the art, and the photography exhibits are free.
Moving right along, Saturday, April 6 at 3 p.m., we will gather with Miss Shearer and six additional world-class talents for Beaufort’s first Youth concert. One uninterrupted hour of classical music magic.
With the help of a sax, flute, viola, cello, double-bass, piano, and two violins, we’ll hear from “The Carnival of Animals” and tap our feet to a gigue by Bach. Gather up children, grandchildren, assorted waifs, and resistant teens for what we hope can become an annual part of the Chamber Music season. Children ages 5-18 are admitted free, while adult tickets are $25.
We ask that you not bring children younger than 5, and you must reserve the number of seats needed. Seating will be first come first serve on the day of the concert.
Next on Sunday, April 7, at 4 p.m., view artworks of the Emerging Artists Competition winners: The Sound of Art, and selected photography of John Shearer: American Moments. Last January, Andrew Armstrong gave a memorable performance of Modest Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” while regional high school artworks that were inspired by Mussorgsky’s music were displayed on the stage. In this, our second year of a S.C. Arts Commission grant, students’ artworks were selected and sent to American composer Alison Shearer, who, ala Mussorgsky, used it to help inspire her creative process. Both exhibitions are free.
Later Sunday, April 7, at 5 p.m., join Artistic Director, host, and pianist Andrew Armstrong and composer, saxophonist, and flutist Alison Shearer for our final concert of the season and the world premiere of “Apollosis.” In all, seven international artists will perform works by Dohnanyi, Rachmaninov, Vaughan-Williams and others. (See the accompanying story.) Go to uscbchambermusic.com for complete artist, program and ticket info.
Finally, on Monday, April 8, at 10 a.m., area high school students will attend a repeat of Sunday’s concert and the awarding of prizes and scholarships for Emerging Artists winners, followed by a viewing of The Sound of Art and American Moments exhibitions.
The University and the community are grateful to Walda Wildman and Katherine Wells for commissioning the musical composition “Apollosis” and the South Carolina Arts Commission for underwriting the production of the student art show and the student concert. These two seasons where we have recognized the inspirational qualities of both the visual and the musical arts and their mutual affinity have proven rewarding to our young artists, our musicians, and our community. This success will surely lead to future collaborations and increased opportunities to heighten the ARTS in our community.
The USCB Emerging Artists Competition is funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. This project is supported by funding provided to the South Carolina Arts Commission from a partnership with the S.C. Department of Education from American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funds.
