Asheville Amadeus Festival 2023 Brochure

Thank you so much to our generous festival sponsors!

PLATINUM-LEVEL SPONSORS

$10,000+

Dr. John Hazlehurst

Thomas C. Bolton

Bill & Nancy Gettys

Gerald & Nancy Kitch

GOLD-LEVEL SPONSORS

$5,000+

Craig Allen & Julie Cowden

Lynne & John Eramo

Dr. Bolling Farmer

Henry A. LaBrun

Barbra & Keith Love

We are proud to welcome the worldrenowned multi-instrumentalist Kishi Bashi as our featured guest artist for the Asheville Amadeus Festival! Kishi Bashi has inspired audiences around the world with his unique blend of folk, classical, and cinematic music. He has recently performed with symphonies across the country including with Ben Folds and the National Symphony Orchestra for the DECLASSIFIED series. As part of opening weekend, Kishi Bashi will collaborate with the Asheville Symphony at Salvage Station for an unforgettable ALT ASO performance on the banks of the French Broad River.

KISHI BASHI

BÉLA FLECK

We are thrilled to present Béla Fleck, bluegrass legend and 15-time Grammy Award winner, as the headliner of the Asheville Amadeus Festival. Fleck is widely regarded as the world’s greatest banjo player and has been nominated in more categories than any other artist in Grammy history. His creative influence is felt globally, across genres such as bluegrass, jazz, classical pop, rock, and world beat.

“I’m so thrilled to be included in 2023 Asheville Amadeus Festival,” says Fleck. “Do you think they realize I am a banjo player? Don’t tell them!

I’m gonna see if I can sneak my banjo into the orchestra, a string quartet, and play with some wonderful kids!

Can’t wait!”

Welcome to the new Asheville Amadeus Festival!

Building upon the success of our rock-themed Festival in 2019, the 2023 Festival moves in another exciting new direction, this year celebrating all things Americana. Featuring banjo superstar Béla Fleck as our Festival Headliner, Kishi Bashi as our Festival Opener, and 25+ partner organizations offering 40+ events throughout this extraordinary ten-day Festival, this will be the most ambitious Amadeus in Asheville Symphony history!

Our vision for the Asheville Symphony is an orchestra that is truly representative of its community — to engage in work that only Asheville’s own orchestra could perform. We have taken the next steps in realizing that vision through the 2023 Festival, which focuses on the musical roots of our region and celebrates every shade of American music, from bluegrass, jazz, and classical to rock, pop, and folk — plus American theatre, dance, cinema, story-telling, beer, and more!

There are endless ways to get involved in this year’s Festival, including attending the myriad of free or ticketed events, buying exclusive Amadeus merch, and drinking our exclusive collaborative beer. And, for an upgraded Amadeus experience, consider joining the 1756 Society, which not only helps to fund this ten-day community celebration but offers benefits such as VIP parking, exclusive meet-and-greets with Béla Fleck and Kishi Bashi, early access to events, and more!

We can’t wait to share with you the biggest Asheville Amadeus Festival yet!

Daniel M. Crupi Darko Butorac Executive Director Music Director

Thursday, May 11, 2023

5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Raise a glass and join us in celebrating the long-awaited return of the Asheville Amadeus Festival. We are kicking off the festival in style at Cursus Kĕmē with the release of an exclusive brew — Das Horner Bier. Das Horner Bier has a special connection to our festival’s namesake, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; a known favorite of his, the beer-loving composer even mentions this beer in a work from 1782! This light and dry oatbased brew has a slightly sweet, citrusy taste with a hint of spice and malt — perfect easy drinking for an early-summer Mozart festival. Join us as we launch the festival with a glass of Das Horner Bier and a snack from a local food truck — cheers to ten glorious days of Amadeus festivities!

Cursus Kĕmē

155 Thompson St.

Near Biltmore Village

Free General Admission

DAY ONE

Thursday, May 11, 2023

7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Leah and the Rabbit is a storytelling event utilizing puppetry as a compelling visual.  Leah and the Rabbit is representative of the many African folktales that were brought to the New World and then retold and elaborated upon by enslaved African Americans living in the southeastern United States. Mikayla Wilson has crafted a story that melds these traditional African folk stories with the life of Leah Erwin, one of the known, twenty-seven people enslaved by the Vance family. As the family’s cook, she survived slavery and  lived to see the emancipation of enslaved people.

Leah, voiced by Stephanie Hickling Beckman, speaks to the ways that reclaiming narratives from the past can illuminate many of the issues we face today, like ownership and resiliency in the face of adversity.

LEAF Global Arts Experience

19 Eagle Street, Suite 120 Downtown Asheville

General Admission: $10

Thursday, May 11 –

Sunday, May 14, 2023

ONEDAY+

Everywhere across this great land, we see, hear and feel impressions of the peoples that once cultivated it. In this year’s LEAF Spring Retreat, we will uplift and honor First Nations, Indigenous and LatinX peoples as a precursor to LEAF’s Fall Festival, “Legends of The Americas!” We also focus on Health: mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. It is a time of rejoicing and celebrating those that came before us. A rekindling of the wisdom passed down through generations; a time of honoring beautiful legacies, stories and traditions. Please join as we enter a world of learning through the eyes of the greats, this May 11-14th at LEAF Retreat!

Lake Eden

377 Lake Eden Rd.

Black Mountain

Weekend Pass: $164+

DAY TWO+

Friday, May 12, 2023

7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 13, 2023

7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 14, 2023

2:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Set in our very own Blue Ridge Mountains,  Bright Star tells the story of Alice as a young girl in the mountains and 22 years later as the editor of a successful Asheville magazine. A serendipitous encounter inspires Alice to face her past, and a stunning realization changes her life forever.  Bright Star, a musical by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, is based on the Grammy Award-winning bluegrass album, Love Has Come for You. Be sure to listen for the song with our namesake –“Asheville”!

Asheville Community Theatre

35 E Walnut St.

Downtown Asheville

Adult: $35

Youth: $18

(Additional fees and taxes apply)

DAY TWO

Friday, May 12, 2023

8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Join us for a conversation with Kishi Bashi and others about minority identity and racism towards Asians in America. Using songs, film, and photography, we’ll look at a history of Asian representation in media and culture. Kishi Bashi will be sharing clips from his upcoming film release, Omoiyari, a Japanese word which means to have sympathy and compassion towards another person. A universal concept in human interaction that is required for a sustainable society, Kishi Bashi explores how empathy and the lack of it has played key roles in our modern quest for social equality.

Salvage Station’s Indoor Stage 468 Riverside Dr. Near the River Arts District

General Admission: $25

DAY THREE

Saturday, May 13, 2023

7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

The Asheville Symphony’s wildly popular ALT ASO series heads for the banks of the French Broad River to perform on Salvage Station’s massive outdoor stage. Featuring Kishi Bashi, this performance will feature representation from Kishi Bashi’s expansive catalog, including orchestrated versions of “I am the Antichrist to You,” “Can’t Let Go Juno,” and “Manchester,” alongside American symphonic favorites specially curated by the Symphony’s Music Director Darko Butorac and Kishi Bashi himself — all backed by your Asheville Symphony!

Salvage Station’s Outdoor Stage 468 Riverside Dr. Near the River Arts District

General Admission: $45

Friday, May 12, 2023 10:30 a.m. Skyland Library

260 Overlook Rd.

Friday, May 12, 2023 2:00 p.m. Pack Memorial Library

67 Haywood St.

Monday, May 15, 2023 11:30 a.m. Asheville Art Museum

2 S Pack Square

Tuesday, May 16, 2023 10:00 a.m. West Asheville Library

942 Haywood Rd.

Kindermusik educator, Yvette Odell, will be presenting  Circle ‘Round the Music for Kids, a music and movement tour. “Miss Yvette” — as she is known to many young children in the Asheville area — will introduce a live string quartet at each informal event, a special opportunity for very young children to get an up-close experience with music-making. Ms. Odell will lead families with babies, toddlers and preschoolers in singing, dancing and conducting along with the string quartet featuring local musicians.

Free General Admission

TWODAY+

ASHEVILLE AMADEUS FESTIVAL

An education program of the Asheville Symphony

Saturday, May 13, 2023

12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Head to the banks of the Swannanoa River, just past Biltmore Village, for an intimate brunch experience. Cursus Kĕmē, the brewery partner for the Asheville Amadeus Festival, has teamed up with local restaurant The Blackbird to serve up a delicious three-course menu created by Executive Chef Michael Reppert. Each course will be thoughtfully paired with a Cursus Kĕmē brew — including the official beer of the festival, Das Horner Bier. It’s an exclusive chance to treat yourself to a beer brunch that you won’t soon forget. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to enjoy a truly special culinary event!

Cursus Kĕmē

155 Thompson St.

Near Biltmore Village

General Admission: $50

DAY THREE

DAY THREE+

Saturday, May 13, 2023

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Lipinsky Auditorium at UNCA Asheville

300 Library Lane

Sunday, May 14, 2023

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Wortham Center for the Performing Arts

18 Biltmore Ave.

The Blue Ridge Orchestra’s contribution to the 2023 Asheville Amadeus Festival begins with Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E-Flat for Violin, Viola and Orchestra, some of the last and possibly the best music he wrote before leaving Salzburg for Vienna at age 25. In keeping with the festival’s Americana theme, the second half of the program features the Blue Ridge Orchestra Winds performing classic works by several of the bestknown American composers.

Adult: $20

Student: $5

(Additional fees and taxes may apply)

Sunday, May 14, 2023

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

DAY FOUR

Come join us for a delightful afternoon at Blue Spiral 1. Enjoy a glass (or two) of bubbly while gallery experts guide us through a teapot invitational exhibit that will feature forty functional and sculptural teapots in a variety of mediums. Next, a high tea featuring Asheville’s High Climate Tea Company will be served with a variety of delightful light bites and desserts.

Blue Spiral 1

38 Biltmore Ave.

Downtown Asheville

General Admission: $50

DAY FOUR

Sunday, May 14, 2023

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

The Asheville Symphony Chorus is delighted to present a program of music composed by American women, honoring the talent and creativity of female composers in the United States. Featured composers will include Florence Price, Amy Beach, Sarah Quartel, as well as local composer, Jane Roman Pitt. The chorus will be accompanied on organ and piano by Tate Addis. We invite you to join us in celebrating Mother’s Day with the Asheville Symphony Chorus; don’t miss out on this special opportunity to experience the power of choral music and the strength of female creativity!

First Baptist Church of Asheville

5 Oak Street

Downtown Asheville

Adult: $25

Youth: $15

Monday, May 15, 2023

7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

The Asheville Amadeus Festival comes to Brevard Music Center’s picturesque Parker Concert Hall for a delightful evening of Mostly Mozart featuring Mozart, Schubert, and Beethoven!

Asheville Symphony Concertmaster Jason Posnock is joined on stage by fellow ASO and Brevard Artist Faculty members violist Jenny Kozoroz and flutist Dilshad Posnock, along with concert pianist Michael Chertock, BMC Opera alumnus Patrick Starke, and guest artist extraordinaire cellist Gabriel Martins. The program opens with Mozart's irresistible D major Flute Quartet and continues with a touching song cycle by Schubert, followed by Beethoven's celebrated Pathétique piano sonata. The concert concludes with Mozart's G minor piano quartet, among the genius composer's most dramatic and engaging chamber music works.

Parker Concert Hall at Brevard Music Center

349 Andante Lane

Brevard

DAY FIVE

Premium and Area 1: $45

Area 3: $35

(Additional fees and taxes apply)

DAY SIX

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

A highlight of the Asheville Chamber Music Series 2022/23 season is the performance of worldrenowned banjoist, Béla Fleck, performing his original work, Night Flight Over Water, with members of the Opal String Quartet. “Mr. Fleck can lay claim to the title of the most popular living banjoist, having done much to push the instrument beyond the bluegrass terra firma into jazz, classical and beyond.” — The New York Times. Founded in Asheville in 2006, the Opal String Quartet is the only local ensemble of its kind performing masterworks of the string quartet repertoire and collaborating with living composers to premiere new works.

Wortham Center for the Performing Arts

18 Biltmore Ave. Downtown Asheville

General Admission: $57 Student: $9

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

The Grammy-winning American Patchwork Quartet will work with members of the Youth Orchestra in an intensive masterclass. They will delve into the diverse immigrant cultures that shaped the development of uniquely American musical styles through lessons utilizing polyrhythms, call and response, and critical listening.

Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

87 Haywood St.

Free General Admission

Friday, May 19, 2023

10:00 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.

The Youth Orchestra will present two consecutive educational Young People’s Concerts, free for all Buncombe County’s 5th-graders, featuring Béla Fleck and members of the Asheville Symphony! They will perform a wide range of pieces from "Shenandoah" to "Sourwood Mountain," Bizet to Sibelius.

Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

87 Haywood St.

General Admission: $5

DAY SEVEN+

Thursday, May 18, 2023 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Join The Asheville Art Museum and the Moogseum for an immersive evening exploring synergies between American Art and the pioneering sound of Moog synthesizers. These two organizations are collaborating to present a unique program examining ways material and form have been expressed within visual art objects and electronic sound. The program will include a live synthesizer performance and discussions centered around select works of art from the Museum’s collection.

DAY EIGHT

Asheville Art Museum

2 S Pack Square

Downtown Asheville

General Admission: $15

Museum Member: $10

DAY EIGHT

Thursday, May 18, 2023

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Members of The Asheville Dulcimer Orchestra invite you to join them for an intimate wine tasting event with Metro Wines. Enjoy a range of repertoire, from Southern Appalachian tunes to Baroque and Classical pieces. Metro Wines’ wine experts will guide you through a curated selection of classic domestic wines. Join us for a truly unique wine tasting experience, pairing the life and loves of Mozart with a celebration of American culture.

ASHEVILLESYMPHONY

Engaged Asheville

41 N Merrimon Ave. #107

North Asheville

General Admission: $50

DAY EIGHT

Thursday, May 18, 2023

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

These Grammy-recognized artists merge their diverse backgrounds and talents to reimagine timeless songs from America’s past. By weaving the music, stories and experiences of many cultures into a beautiful musical tapestry, the American Patchwork Quartet draws connections between the nation’s contemporary culture and its immigrant roots, celebrating all that makes us different through the songs that bring us together, with selections such as “Wayfaring Stranger,” “Pretty Saro” and “Beneath the Willow.”

Wortham Center for the Performing Arts

18 Biltmore Ave.

Downtown Asheville

Adult: $55

Student: $50

Friday, May 19, 2023

3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Think pre-concert talk meets two friends catching up over a beer. Get closer to the music and hear from festival headliner Béla Fleck and Asheville Symphony Music Director Darko Butorac. They’ll discuss life as musicians, Fleck’s journey to the classical genre, the Festival Finale program — including Fleck’s The Imposter Concerto for banjo and orchestra, the first of its kind — and more. All this with the stunning greenery-filled backdrop of the Festival’s brewery partner, Cursus Kĕmē.

Cursus Kĕmē

155 Thompson St.

Near Biltmore Village

Free General Admission

DAYTEN

Saturday, May 20, 2023 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

The Ballet Conservatory of Asheville presents a drop-in presentation, pairing American music and Ballet. Known for their delightful productions and world-class training, the Conservatory invites you into the studio to experience various stages of creating a premiere dance piece by Asheville-born choreographer Nick Kepley. The Conservatory will explore this intersection of music and movement. The afternoon also incorporates memoired bookreadings by dance writer/former principal ballerina and Conservatory faculty member Gavin Larsen.  Hosted by Angie and Chris Lynn, Conservatory directors.

Ballet Conservatory of Asheville

6 E Chestnut St.

Downtown Asheville

Adult: $10

Youth: $5

DAY TEN

Saturday, May 20, 2023

8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

American music is ever-evolving, refusing to be constrained by tradition or expectation. Closing out the festival is the Asheville Symphony’s epic season finale featuring festival headliner Béla Fleck who brings that same approach to the banjo. This program — conducted by Music Director Darko Butorac — challenges and explores the many shades of Americana with Fleck’s own The Imposter Concerto for banjo and orchestra, Bach’s Chaconne (which inspired Fleck’s concerto), Ellington and Tizol’s Caravan, and Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.

Thomas Wolfe Auditorium 87 Haywood St.

Downtown Asheville

Adult: $25-$75

Youth: $15-$55

Show your support for Asheville Amadeus in style! Shop our exclusive 2023 festival merch collection and make a statement at this year’s festival. Shop online at AshevilleAmadeus.org or you can swing by Festival Merch Hub at Citizen Vinyl in Downtown Asheville during the festival to get your hands on some exclusive Asheville Amadeus merch.

Deepen your connection to the festival when you support this year’s Asheville Amadeus.

Originally inspired by the life and loves of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the biannual Asheville Amadeus Festival brings the best of Asheville together to celebrate innovation, creativity, and more. While ticket sales help cover the expenses of the ten-day festival, Asheville Amadeus would not be possible without the support of individual donors, sponsors, and grants. Please consider joining one of our two donor societies today to ensure the festival continues to thrive. Questions? Contact development@ashevillesymphony.org or call 828.254.7046.

1756 SOCIETY

With donations starting at $1,756, you will enjoy VIP access to festival events exclusive only to members of the 1756 Society, such as meet-andgreets with Béla Fleck and Kishi Bashi, VIP parking, limited edition merchandise including membership pins, and more!

FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL

Show your support of the Asheville Amadeus Festival with a donation of $20.23, and receive a set of special Asheville Amadeus pins to wear throughout the festival!

Asheville Art Museum

2 S Pack Square, Asheville, NC 28801

Asheville Community Theatre

35 E Walnut St., Asheville, NC 28801

Ballet Conservatory of Asheville

6 E Chestnut St., Asheville, NC 28801

Blue Spiral 1

38 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, NC 28801

Festival Merch Hub at Citizen Vinyl

14 O’Henry Ave., Asheville, NC 28801

Engaged Asheville

41 N Merrimon Ave #107, Asheville, NC 28804

Lake Eden

377 Lake Eden Rd., Black Mountain, NC 28711

Cursus Kĕmē

155 Thompson St., Asheville, NC 28803

First Baptist Church of Asheville

5 Oak St., Asheville, NC 28801

LEAF Global Arts Experience

19 Eagle St., Suite 120, Asheville, NC 28801

Lipinsky Hall at UNC Asheville

300 Library Lane, Asheville, NC 28804

Pack Memorial Library

67 Haywood St, Asheville, NC 28801

Parker Concert Hall at Brevard Music Center

349 Andante Lane, Brevard, NC 28712

Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

87 Haywood St., Asheville, NC 28801

Salvage Station

468 Riverside Dr., Asheville, NC 28801

Skyland Library

260 Overlook Rd, Asheville, NC 28803

West Asheville Library

942 Haywood Rd., Asheville, NC 28806

Wortham Center for the Performing Arts

18 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, NC 28801

Wortham Center for the Performing Arts

Visit worthamarts.org to select specific seats for events at this venue.

Note: Letters in diagram indicate balcony sections

Prime

Adult $75 / Youth $55

Area 1

Adult $65 / Youth $45

Area 2

Adult $55 / Youth $15

Area 3

Adult $25 / Youth $15

Asheville Community Theatre

Visit ashevilletheatre.org select specific seats for events at this venue.

Parker Concert Hall at Brevard Music Center

Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

Prime: Mezzanine

Prime : Orchestra Prime : Balcony