Events Calendar

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros formed in 2018 by Weir along with Don Was and Jay Lane.

For over two decades, Grammy^® Award-winning master trumpeter and composer Chris Botti has amassed a spectacular variety of honors, including multiple Gold and Platinum albums, to become the largest selling instrumental artist in the United States. His success has led to a broad audience, including those typically reserved for pop music. His ongoing association with PBS has led to four #1 jazz albums, five Grammy nominations for his album Impressions, which won Best Pop Instrumental Album in 2012.

In addition to his solo work, Botti is a prolific collaborator. He has recorded and performed with a stunning array of legends such as Sting, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Yo-Yo Ma, Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon, and Andrea Bocelli. Some of them are featured on his latest disc, which puts his uniquely expressive sound and soaring musical imagination at the center.

With Impressions and the albums that preceded it, Botti has established himself as one of the important, innovative figures in the contemporary music world.

Official Website

Jeff Sipe Trio is a compelling example of the endless possibilities of the improvising trio. “That the power of the melody comes through matters more than anything to me,” reflects drummer, composer, and bandleader Jeff Sipe. His selfless dedication to the song at hand – to elevating it, enriching it, and propelling it – is why Sipe has long been considered a leading light in a vital, unique musical landscape that expands to encompass elements of jazz, rock, country, and funk. It’s a landscape he helped to create over his three-decade career, and one he brings to life here with guitarists Mike Seal and Taylor Lee.

Option 1:  Classic Rock for acoustic guitar

Join beloved Polk County musician Woody Cowan and learn YOUR favorite tunes.  In this setting, the students pick the songs, and Woody leads the teaching.  This friendly class is full of peer-to-peer encouragement and collaboration.  Artists covered included Janis Joplin, Neil Young, Old Crow Medicine Show, & Grateful Dead.  Whether you know a lot of chords or just a couple, this class will move you forward musically while taking you back through the best era of radio-played folk music.

Option 2: Beginner/Intermediate Folk Jam

World-class musician Gaye Johnson leads this class, gently raising your comfort level to play freely in a group setting.  Rooted in traditional folk music, aspiring mandolin, and guitar students will join together to gain more comfort and self-assurance in a group setting, while also diving into rhythm techniques and ornamentations.

Option 3: Intermediate/ advanced band

Bob and Amy Buckingham guide adults on all instruments (guitar, clawhammer banjo, fiddle, mandolin, ukulele, & bass).  Several songs are picked by the group at the start of the semester, and over the 10 week semester, the musicality and “setlist” grow exponentially.  Adults love this format for
guided jamming.

Wednesday 

 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

All beginning students receive 45 minutes of group instruction and 45 minutes of singing/storytelling.

Group song & story:  Gaye Johnson (known for having the sweetest voice in the region) gives students the strong foundation they need for learning an instrument.  To learn music most effectively, students must know the songs before they play them on an instrument – then the learning becomes intuitive.  This fun class equips students with the classic songs and stories of the region and helps launch their musical abilities.

Instrument options:

Age ranges are suggestions.  Please email Julie if your child is outside the age range for the class they wish to take.

Option 1: Beginning ukulele, ages 6-8

Option 2:  Instrument Survey, ages 8-14

Continuing from last semester, this instrument survey class will focus on clawhammer banjo, plus one additional instrument to be chosen by the students.

Option 3:  Beginning guitar, ages 8-14

Option 4: Beginner mandolin ages 8-14

Option 5: Beginner fiddle ages 8-14

*Please be sure to select the student’s 1st and 2nc\d instrument choices when registering.

Wednesdays 

4:30 pm-6:00pm

All students with some experience under their belt will take an intermediate or advanced group instrument class, and a band class.

• 4:30-5:15 

Jam Band: Phil Jenkins & Carson Moore help young musicians find their voice in a band environment.

• 5:15 – 6:00

Option 1: Intermediate Guitar

Option 2: Intermediate Fiddle

Option 3: Intermediate Mandolin

Option 4: Three-finger banjo- all levels

Clover Pickers: 4:00- 6:00

PacJAM’s house band gets rigorous coaching this semester from Emily Wait and special guest coaches.  Clover Pickers will spend 5 weeks of the semester practicing their teaching skills from 4-4:45 weekly, and 5 weeks working on choosing and arranging songs for Clover Picker performance.  Band rehearsal and coaching last from 4:45-6 for all 10 weeks.  Clover Pickers band is by invitation and the commitment requires extra rehearsals as determined by the group.

Join us for a glass of wine, a light snack and a very special conversation regarding the international music scene with Kenyan performer-educator Emily Achieng’ Akuno.  She is a Professor of Music at the Technical University of Kenya. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Kingston University, Surrey, UK, a Master of Music of the Northwestern State University, Louisiana, USA and Bachelor of Education (Arts) of Kenyatta University, Kenya. She is President of the International Society for Music Education (ISME) – a UNESCO affiliate with members in over eighty (80) countries.

She has successfully supervised and mentored over 30 postgraduate students both Doctoral and Masters degree levels. Trained as a performer-educator, Prof. Achieng’ Akuno is actively involved in the music and music education scene in Kenya and internationally. An astute researcher currently working on a music for literacy development project, she is widely published and read with over 40 academic works in refereed journals, books and conference proceedings. Her academic engagements and contributions include the development over the years many music curricula for Universities and middle level colleges across nations, presentations at and facilitation of local and international conferences seminars and workshops in music and arts education and practice.

As a professional, she is a member of the International Society for Music Education (ISME), where she has served as a board Member, Interim Secretary General and as member and Chair of the organisation’s Music in the School and Teacher Education Commission (MISTEC). She is also Treasurer of the International Music Council, the Paris-based UNESCO-affiliated NGO umbrella organisation of worldwide music organisations and bodies. Further, she serves in the Steering Committee of the International Network for Research in Arts Education, INRAE.

Masks are strongly recommended at this event, and there will be plenty of room for comfortable distancing

Praised for their “intensity and bravado” and the “cohesion and intonation one might expect from an ensemble twice their age,” the Callisto Quartet brings together four dedicated and passionate musicians who share a love for chamber music and a desire for excellence. Since their formation in 2016 at the Cleveland Institute of Music, the quartet has quickly garnered top prizes in nearly every major international chamber music competition and praise from audiences across North America and Europe. Grand prize winners of the 2018 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and Second Prize Winners of the 2019 Banff International String Quartet Competition, the Callisto Quartet has also taken home prizes from the Bordeaux (2019), Melbourne (2018) and Wigmore Hall (2018) competitions.

The Callisto Quartet members are committed to continually broadening their musical horizons by drawing inspiration from diverse mentors and musical approaches. To that end, they have worked with renowned artists, including violinist Gidon Kremer, cellist David Geringas, and more! Driven by a desire to share their insights with younger students and bring music to their communities, the quartet serves as faculty at numerous schools and festivals, including the Greenville Fine Arts Center. Additionally, the ensemble has held residencies around the world at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, and the prestigious Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía in Madrid, Spain.

Official Website

A symphonic tribute to the Fab Four with arrangements by Grammy-winner Jeff Tyzik and rare photos and images from the Beatles’ official fan magazine.

The Petrie School of Music presents “In This Fateful Hour,” a recital by professor Kelly Vaneman, oboe with Steven Graff, piano; Chris Vaneman, flute; and the Converse Chorale, directed by Keith Jones. Featuring works by Francis Poulenc, Benjamin Britten, Brian DuFord, Alyssa Morris, and Kelly Vaneman, each piece on the program was written by a composer as a way of coming to terms with a “fateful hour.” This event is free and open to the public, and also available via live stream.

March 10th – April 3rd 2022

Based on the memorable film, 9 to 5 tells the story of office manager Violet Newstead, who joins her fellow co-workers – frazzled divorcée Judy Bernly and sassy secretary Doralee Rhodes – to turn the tables on their “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” of a boss in true Dolly Parton fashion!

This production is generously sponsored by Allison Fields, Sharon & Greg DeFelice, Jack & Judy Depriester, and Harry & Sheila Bolick

Founded in 2016, The Spartanburg Philharmonic Percussion Ensemble is made up of longtime friends and colleagues. Some of the members have performed together for almost 30 years, beginning with their Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps days.

Currently, the core percussion section for the Spartanburg Philharmonic, Patrick Lowery, Kevin Maloney, Kevin Mavis, Adena McDaniel, Matthew McDaniel, and Veronica Weygandt make up the ensemble. When not on stage together, these percussionists perform throughout the Upstate of South Carolina and teach musicians of all ages.

The ensemble’s repertoire spans genres, historical periods, and timbres to bring exciting concerts of both melodic beauty and pulse-quickening rhythms. One audience member writes, “Having never been to this type of concert before, we had no idea what to expect. We were absolutely blown away by the amazing talent and expertise of this group.

This performance is part of the Clemson Guitar Festival.

Christopher Berg is a classical guitarist and professor of music at the University of South Carolina. He has performed recitals in Carnegie Recital Hall and Merkin Hall in New York, in addition to hundreds of recital and concerto appearances throughout the United States. His recording of original compositions for solo guitar, “The Pilgrim Forest,” has been praised as “a journey through a new geography…nothing less than radiant and compelling (The State)

Watch a Video
Hiroya Tsukamoto is a composer, guitarist and singer-songwriter from Kyoto, Japan. At the age of 13, he began playing the five-string banjo and took up guitar shortly after. Tsukamoto received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in 2000 and came to the United States where he formed his own group, Interoceanico, that consists of unique musicians from different continents. Interoceanico has released three acclaimed records and Tskukamoto has released three solo albums, “Solo,” “Heartland” and “Places.” In 2018, he won second place in the International Finger Style Guitar Championship.A virtuosic, award-winning guitarist with a gift for insightful songwriting.

Clemson Students: FREE with CUID

March 10th – April 3rd 2022

Based on the memorable film, 9 to 5 tells the story of office manager Violet Newstead, who joins her fellow co-workers – frazzled divorcée Judy Bernly and sassy secretary Doralee Rhodes – to turn the tables on their “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” of a boss in true Dolly Parton fashion!

This production is generously sponsored by Allison Fields, Sharon & Greg DeFelice, Jack & Judy Depriester, and Harry & Sheila Bolick

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The Foothills Philharmonic Orchestra continues its 2021-22 season at the Edward R. Driggers City of Greer Center for the Arts 804 Trade Street Greer, SC 29651 on Saturday, March 12, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. with the Woodwind Quintet Chamber Concert. All of Foothills’ concerts are free and general admission to the public. The program includes selected compositions by different composers, prepared and performed by the Foothills Philharmonic Woodwind Quintet.
Performing in Greenville since 2000, Foothills Philharmonic is committed to providing high-quality, classical music performances to the Upstate community free of charge. The orchestra is an all-volunteer orchestra made up of accomplished non-professional musicians from the Upstate region of South Carolina. Orchestra membership includes individuals from many walks of life including part-time musicians, teachers, lawyers, business professionals, and homemakers. Kory Vrieze is the Orchestra’s Artistic Director and Conductor. Membership in the Foothills Philharmonic is open to amateur and professional musicians. Training in youth orchestra, college orchestra, or professional orchestra, in the Greenville Concert Band or an equivalent band is suggested as necessary experience. For more information about joining the orchestra, interested parties should contact our personnel manager at [email protected].
For more information about this concert, or about the Foothills Philharmonic Orchestra, please visit foothillsphilharmonic.org. or call the office at (864) 326-5780.