Bringing the Classics to Raleigh
For over 80 years, the N.C. Symphony has carried out its dual mission of undertaking top-rate performances and educating students across the state about classical music.
Lamar Stringfield, a Tar Heel native and Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship recipient, created the N.C. Symphony in 1932. The symphony performed its first concert on a spring evening in 1932 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
In 1943, the N.C. General Assembly passed a bill that provided the symphony with partial state funding from that day forward. Today, the orchestra of 69 full-time musicians travels 18,000 miles across the state and reaches over 50,000 children and more than 250,000 adults each year.
The orchestra is based in Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh, North Carolina’s capital city. The Symphony also has a summer venue at Booth Amphitheatre in Cary.
In keeping with its commitment to support the fine arts in Raleigh, the John William Pope Foundation is honored to have supported the N.C. Symphony for decades.
Educating students
When most people think of the N.C. Symphony, they immediately imagine beautiful concerts in downtown Raleigh or the Cary amphitheater. But a foundational plank of the Symphony’s mission is to provide a musical education to youth.
In fact, so committed is the Symphony to this goal that its leaders devote more resources to reaching young people than any other professional orchestra in the U.S. Each year, the Symphony performs more than 40 curriculum-based education concerts for school children in N.C., many times in high-poverty, rural areas.
The Symphony’s comprehensive curriculum includes information on the six components of music — rhythm, dynamics, texture, tempo, form, and melody — and introduces students to great composers who mastered these elements.
Students also have a chance to witness a live Symphony performance to show firsthand the concepts they’ve learned. The Symphony also presents ensembles in schools.
The mixture of classical music and eager young learners has led to some magical moments. One example that Llewellyn recalls was a performance near Burlington.
Marvelous performances
Educating students is important, but what would a symphony be without an array of top-notch performances for the public? The N.C. Symphony’s 39-week season features a diverse array of concerts, including a classical and pops series.
A hopeful future
All of the N.C. Symphony’s future ambition is based on the simple principle that music is not only essential for learning — it’s essential for society, culture, and good citizenship.