The Charlotte Symphony Presents Free Concerts For The Community 

This spring and summer, the Charlotte Symphony (CSO) is bringing live music to communities throughout the Charlotte region - for free! Highlights include the Orchestra's debut at Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church, outdoor concerts at five local parks, and chamber music performances at Amity Presbyterian Church and the recently opened Five Points Plaza.

"Performing in our beautiful parks and neighborhoods is both a highlight of the Symphony's season and a great way to connect directly with our community," said Charlotte Symphony President and CEO David Fisk. "As we look back on 90 years of serving Charlotteans, we are ever more aware of the privilege it is to be welcomed into all of these diverse and vibrant communities and to have the opportunity to share the beauty and power of live orchestral music."

The Charlotte Symphony will make its debut at Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. with a program filled with uplifting works that unite in challenging times. The CSO, led by Resident Conductor Christopher James Lees, will perform works by Barber and John Williams, and will join forces with the Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church Choir to perform favorites like "Oh, Happy Day" and "Amazing Grace." This performance is free and open to the public.

"We are delighted and excited to partner with The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra!" said Rev. Dr. Dwayne A. Walker. "This will be an historic event. Our Minister of Music, Mr. Sidney Oliver and members of The Little Rock Choirs join me in looking forward to this collaboration. It will be a celebration of the unity found in our diversity! The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra is to be commended for their willingness to reach out to the community. We are honored to be a part of that effort."

Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church was founded in 1884 and has been located in Uptown Charlotte for over one hundred years. It is a church that has sought to open its doors to the community in an effort to uplift and empower those it is called to serve.

The Charlotte Symphony, led by Christopher James Lees, will bring the sounds of the big-band era, including favorites from George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, and more, to Stumptown Park in Matthews on June 10, 2022, at 8:30 p.m. and McGuire Nuclear Station in Huntersville on June 17, 2022, at 8:30 p.m.

Christopher James Lees conducts the Orchestra in an exciting program of patriotic music, including marches by John Philip Sousa, Gershwin's "Strike Up the Band," and the Armed Forces Salute. Concerts take place at Bailey Road Park in Cornelius on June 18, 2022, at 8:30 p.m.; Pineville Lake Park in Pineville on June 30, 2022, at 8:30 p.m.; and Village Park in Kannapolis on July 1, 2022, at 8:30 p.m.

These performances are free and open to the public. Visit charlottesymphony.org/community engagement for more information.

A jazz combo made up of Charlotte Symphony musicians will perform at Five Points Plaza on June 5, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. and at Amity Presbyterian Church on June 11, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. A low strings trio + flute ensemble returns to Amity Presbyterian Church on June 25, 2022 for a

performance at 12:00 p.m. These performances are free and open to community members of all ages. Visit bit.ly/csocultureblocks to reserve a spot. These performances are sponsored by Culture Blocks, a community partnership funded by Mecklenburg County.

Culture Blocks connects communities with responsive arts, science, and history experiences close to where residents live. The program engages with creative individuals and organizations with a primary mission of arts, science, and/or history to present programs in specific geographic areas. Culture Blocks, funded by Mecklenburg County, supports cultural experiences that are planned with resident involvement and/or take place at libraries, recreation centers, parks, and relevant community spaces.

The Charlotte Symphony is committed to the health and safety of our patrons, musicians, and employees and continues to work in coordination with Atrium Health, and all performance venues, to develop safety procedures. Please visit our website for a complete outline of our current health and safety guidelines.

Celebrating its 90th anniversary in the 2021-22 season, the Charlotte Symphony is committed to uplifting, entertaining, and educating the diverse communities of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and beyond through exceptional musical experiences. Led by internationally renowned Music Director Christopher Warren-Green, the Symphony upholds the highest artistic integrity and takes bold steps to engage the community through music. The CSO employs 62 professional full time orchestra musicians, serves three youth orchestras, and offers significant educational programming aimed at improving areas of our community with the greatest need. The Charlotte Symphony plays a leading cultural role in the Charlotte area and aims to serve the community as a civic leader, reflecting and uniting our region through the transformative power of live music.