A! Magazine for the Arts Archive

MECCA has long history with Biltmore

Mountain Empire Children’s Choral Academy has a long history performing at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. It began when Beth McCoy (former artistic director) took a handbell choir to perform there, and the Biltmore staff invited her to br

In This Issue

• Cantemus Women’s Choir part of family holiday tradition Cantemus Women’s Choir, directed by Patricia Denmark, first performed at Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina, in 2015.
• Ellis and Parker’s Bittersweet Two performs at Biltmore Charlotte Ellis, flute, and Sandra Parker, harp, have performed separately at Biltmore for years. This year, they perform as a duo, Bittersweet Two.
• About the director of Cantemus Women’s Choir Patricia Denmark is the founder and director of Cantemus Women’s Choir, an areawide community choir, and she is in her 18th year as the music director of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church.
• Cantemus celebrates its fifth season In 2014 Patty Denmark, the assistant choir director at Dobyns Bennett, and Jane Morison, the artistic director of the Mountain Empire Children’s Choral Academy, were attending the American Choral Director’s Association Conference in Florida, listening
• Local musicians perform at Biltmore Estate Biltmore Estate celebrates the holidays in magnificent style and many local musicians have been a part of that celebration.
• Arts for Youth — Students win Christmas Card Contest The Sullivan County Tennessee School System holds an annual Christmas Card Art Contest for its students. The winning cards are used as the system’s holiday card to be sent to their Christmas list.
• Highlands Ballet Company presents ‘The Nutcracker’ What is the magic of “The Nutcracker?” There is an eternal enchantment in Tchaikovsky’s music, which was written in 1891 for “The Nutcracker” ballet. For the audience member, it is just impossible not to respond to the delicate, swelling joy of
• Kingsport Ballet celebrates "The Nutcracker" Kingsport Ballet prepares for a season kickoff with “The Nutcracker,” Dec. 13-16, with five performances at Northeast State’s Wellmont Performing Arts Center.
• Emory & Henry to host a ‘Berry Merry Christmas’ Emory & Henry College hosts a concert by country music star John Berry Dec. 5 at the McGlothlin Center for the Arts. The concert is part of his annual Christmas tour.
• Bristol Ballet continues ‘Nutcracker’ tradition Visions of sugarplums, nutcrackers and rat kings bring Clara’s dream to life in Bristol Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker.”
• ETSU’s Yi-Yang Chen plays in Embassy Series in Washington, D.C. Yi-Yang Chen, assistant professor of piano and music theory in the East Tennessee State University Department of Music, was invited by the embassy of Taiwan to perform at the Arts Club of Washington, D.C., in November as part of the Embassy Series.
• Brenda Mask debut exhibit is in Abingdon The Gallery @ Barr Photographics announces the holiday installment of the Corner Gallery’s 2018 exhibition series, with a debut exhibit of photo realistic acrylic paintings by Brenda Mask. Mask is an emerging artist, hailing from Texas by way of Knoxvil
• A! Magazine deadlines for January A! Magazine for the Arts welcomes your arts-related events free of charge.

A! Extra

• Review: Barter's ‘Wooden Snowflakes’ explores rough edges of life and love Between “Elf: The Musical” and “The Santaland Diaries,” Barter Theatre has leaned hard into elfen exploits this holiday season.
• Area artist gets shoutout in Rolling Stone WHITETOP, Va. — Just like the song lyrics, Martha Spencer knows firsthand about “the thrill that’ll getcha when you get your picture on the cover of the Rollin’ Stone.”
• Heartwood:Southwest Virginia's Gateway to renovate, launch renewed image in Spring of 2019 Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway, located just off I-81 in Abingdon will close to the public Jan. 1, 2019 to facilitate a renovation of facilities and programs.
• ETSU’s Dr. Ted Olson, Beth Lawrence among 2019 Grammy nominees Two individuals with ties to East Tennessee State University are among the nominees for the 2019 Grammy Awards.
• "Wooden Snowflakes" — The Will to Believe As days become shorter and darkness lingers longer, a ray of brilliance that remains is the winter holiday season that brings people together, invites good will, and turns our thoughts to bettering the world.
• Photographer uses drones to capture his works of art ABINGDON, Va. — Brad Deel flies over High Knob and Birch Knob.
• "Elf: The Musical" — " Believe in the Magic If you wrote a letter to Santa, what would you ask for? A new world, or a new life? Just a little hope, wonder, or even magic?
• "Santaland Diaries" reveal untold secrets Anyone familiar with David Sedaris’s writing knows he pens a quirky brand of humor with unvarnished truth at its core.
• Barbara Kingsolver tours new novel ABINGDON, Va. — Barbara Kingsolver is coming home.
• John Berry brings Christmas tour to Emory & Henry EMORY, Va. — A Grammy-winning singer and songwriter who has released some of country music’s most soulful performances will take the stage at Emory & Henry College on Dec. 5 during his annual Christmas tour.
• Abingdon Community Christmas celebrates 24th year of charity ABINGDON, Va. — A program that started more than two decades ago to raise funds for those in need will usher in the holidays on Dec. 5.