Rhiannon Giddens EXPLORATIONS: Rhiannon Giddens, who attended the Oberlin Conserva- tory of Music and studied music at the University of Rhiannon Giddens North Carolina at Greensboro as a coloratura soprano, is also a co-founder of the famed string band the Through thematic programming surrounding North Carolina Chocolate Drops. With their 2010 Nonesuch Carolina Symphony Explorations concerts, we work to debut, “Genuine Negro Jig” – which garnered a Grammy increase awareness of how music, art and literature Award for Best Traditional Folk Album – the Carolina can provide a tool for examining culture more deeply. Chocolate Drops proved that the old-time, fiddle and Rhiannon Giddens has made a Grammy Award-winning banjo-based music they had so scrupulously researched career of bringing ancient and more recent song traditions and passionately performed could be a living, breathing, to modern life with her band the Carolina Chocolate ever-evolving sound. Drops, and the North Carolina Symphony is honored that she will bring that creative spark and scholarly In early 2012, the Carolina Chocolate Drops released passion to our stage. their studio album “Leaving Eden” (Nonesuch Records) produced by Buddy Miller. The album featured founding Ms. Giddens follows the path of the songwriter through members Ms. Giddens and Mr. Flemons, along with multi- orchestral music – from the Renaissance-era troubadour instrumentalist Hubby Jenkins and cellist Leyla McCalla, songs of Respighi’s Ancient Airs and Dances, through already a familiar presence at the group’s live shows. minstrel songs of the mid-1800s, to a work by Samuel With Mr. Flemons and Ms. McCalla now concentrating Coleridge-Taylor – who was dubbed by early 20th century on solo work, the group’s 2014 lineup features two New York orchestral players as “the black Mahler” – to a more virtuosic players alongside Giddens and Jenkins – world premiere North Carolina Symphony-commissioned cellist Malcolm Parson and multi-instrumentalist arrangement which reimagines three stunning songs by Rowan Corbett – illustrating the expansive, continually the brilliant African American composer Will Marion Cook. exploratory nature of the Chocolate Drops’ music. Cook’s turn of the century songs highlight some of the first African American music to be performed in a major While Ms. Giddens stays busy making music and Broadway house. Long before the Harlem Renaissance, performing with the Chocolate Drops, she still finds his music won high acclaim and heralded the arrival of the time to make solo appearances. Last fall, she joined the rhythms and vocabulary of ragtime and jazz in a fellow folk artists for “Another Day, Another Time: mainstream setting. Celebrating the Music of ‘Inside Llewyn Davis,’” a one-night-only event at New York City’s Town Hall See the complete schedule inside! to celebrate the music featured in the Coen Brothers’ most recent film. Her performances that evening were dazzling, prompting rave reviews from many media outlets. The New York Times called her the “concert’s real head turner,” while Variety named her a “breakout star... hold[ing] the capacity crowd spellbound.”

For program notes, go to the Rhiannon Giddens concert page at ncsymphony.org Are you on Twitter? Share your experiences with this Explorations #ncsandrhiannon

Concerts with Rhiannon Giddens and the North Carolina Symphony are part of the 2013/14 Raleigh Classical Series.

Series Partners EXPLORATIONS: Rhiannon Giddens

MON, MARCH 10, 2014 Ottorino Respighi Ancient Airs and Dances, Set 3 MASTER CLASS WPU STUDENTS | 2PM Thomas F. Briggs Minstrel Songs (Adapted with I. “Cornshucking Jig / MAIN PARLOR, WILLIAM PEACE UNIVERSITY, RALEIGH words by Camptown Hornpipe” MANNING CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES | 7:30PM Rhiannon Giddens) II. “Better Git Yer Learnin’” III. “Julie/Kick Up de Debble KENAN RECITAL HALL, WILLIAM PEACE UNIVERSITY, RALEIGH On a Holiday” Rhiannon Giddens coached William Peace University vocalists, Rhiannon Giddens, vocalist who will perform songs from the era of Will Marion Cook. Carolina Chocolate Drops Harry Burleigh Southland Sketches for Violin and Piano Samuel Symphonic Variations Analisé Denise Kukelhan, violin Coleridge-Taylor on an African Air, Op. 63 Jeremy Thompson, piano Samuel Five Negro Melodies for Violin, Cello Will Marion Cook / Three Songs From the Coleridge-Taylor and Piano, Op. 59/12 Arr. Aaron Grad Black Broadway Era I. Sometimes I Feel Like a I. “Rain Song” Motherless Child II. “Wid de Moon, Moon, Moon” II. I was Way Down A Yonder III. “Swing Along” III. Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel Rhiannon Giddens, vocalist IV. They Will Not Lend Me a Child William Grant Still Afro-American Symphony V. My Lord Delivered Daniel Jacqueline Saed Wolborsky, violin POST-CONCERT TALK Nathaniel Yaffe, cello SWALIN LOBBY, MEYMANDI CONCERT HALL, RALEIGH Jeremy Thompson, piano Featuring Music Director Grant Llewellyn, Rhiannon Giddens, Various Songs from the era of Will Marion Cook Aaron Grad and members of the Carolina Chocolate Drops Peace University vocal students Coffee will be available for purchase. Antonín Dvořák String Quintet Analisé Denise Kukelhan, violin SAT, MARCH 15, 2014 Jacqueline Saed Wolborsky, violin Petra Berényi, viola PRE-CONCERT TALK | 7PM Nathaniel Yaffe, cello SWALIN LOBBY, MEYMANDI CONCERT HALL, RALEIGH Leonid Finkelshteyn, bass Dr. Jonathan Kramer, North Carolina State University PERFORMANCE | 8PM TUES, MAR 11, 2014 MEYMANDI CONCERT HALL, RALEIGH FREE EVENT | 7:30PM Grant Llewellyn, Music Director QUAIL RIDGE BOOKS & MUSIC, RALEIGH Rhiannon Giddens, vocalist Ms. Giddens will speak on “Musical Connections: Ancient Song Carolina Chocolate Drops Tradition to Modern Times,” as part of the Local Arts Series, Hubby Jenkins, Malcolm Parson, Rowan Corbett presented by WCPE and Quail Ridge Books & Music. Ottorino Respighi Ancient Airs and Dances, Set 3 Thomas F. Briggs Minstrel Songs FRI, MARCH 14, 2014 (Adapted with I. “Cornshucking Jig / PRE-CONCERT TALK | 7PM words by Camptown Hornpipe” Rhiannon Giddens) II. “Better Git Yer Learnin’” SWALIN LOBBY, MEYMANDI CONCERT HALL, RALEIGH III. “Julie/Kick Up de Debble Dr. Jonathan Kramer, North Carolina State University On a Holiday” PERFORMANCE | 8PM Rhiannon Giddens, vocalist Carolina Chocolate Drops MEYMANDI CONCERT HALL, RALEIGH Grant Llewellyn, Music Director Samuel Symphonic Variations Rhiannon Giddens, vocalist Coleridge-Taylor on an African Air, Op. 63 Carolina Chocolate Drops Hubby Jenkins, Malcolm Parson, Rowan Corbett Will Marion Cook / Three Songs From the Arr. Aaron Grad Black Broadway Era I. “Rain Song” II. “Wid de Moon, Moon, Moon” III. “Swing Along” Rhiannon Giddens, vocalist William Grant Still Afro-American Symphony