2020-2021 Season and Annual Membership

2020-2021 SEASON AND ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP

DEAR FRIENDS,

At the time of writing this letter—during a time of significant change day-to-day in all our lives—it is quite apparent that the world will never be the same. When it’s time to experience the beauty and passion of the arts in person once again, we look forward to sharing it with you.

In the arts, as individuals and as a collective group, we can find meaning, hope and relief. Arts at Queens offers vibrant and international-caliber programming to our Charlotte community while creating memorable, engaging experiences for undergraduate and graduate students that they can only get here at Queens.

THIS IS IMPORTANT NOW MORE THAN EVER.

We were able to present a single performance and one art exhibit in the new Sarah Belk Gambrell Center before we were forced to temporarily close our doors in March. Beginning this fall, we are looking forward to a stellar Spotlight Series in Sandra Levine Theatre and moving, intimate guest engagements sure to attract new and returning audiences, and we hope you’ll join us. This will be our first full season and we can’t wait to share the excellence at work by guest performers and artists, faculty and staff, and students.

Your support makes it possible for us to provide the transformational arts opportunities that change the lives of our students for the better.

WE ARE PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

SARA HENLEY DIRECTOR Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement Queens University of Charlotte EXPOSING OUR SENSES. AND ENGAGING OUR STUDENTS.

Arts at Queens Annual Membership: $1,500 ($1,125 tax-deductible) JULY 1 – JUNE 30 | Two Adults

Annual memberships provide philanthropic support for presenting the outstanding Spotlight Series, and also extend beyond the performance hall. Our members make it possible for Queens to provide the exceptional engagement and learning opportunities for students including master classes and Q&A sessions with professionals representing the visual, literary and performing arts. Thank you for your support.

MEMBERS-ONLY BENEFITS:

Spotlight Series • Two tickets for all four performances in Sandra Levine Theatre with reserved seating • “Select Your Seats” option for the season before tickets go on sale to the public • Attend the members-only reception prior to each performance • Access to an exclusive reserved parking lot easily accessible to the Gambrell Center (available on a first-come, first-served basis) • Recognition in the printed program for all performances

Arts at Queens Preview • Invitation to the annual party announcing Spotlight Series artists and other programs for the upcoming season

Access and Connections • Exclusive occasions with guest performers and artists, faculty and students throughout the year

Exhibition Openings • Invitation to two Bank of America Gallery and Loevner Gallery art exhibition openings

Spotlight Series: Four evenings at the Gambrell Center with world-class guests representing all genres of the arts.

QUESTIONS? Please contact Sara Henley at [email protected] or 704.337.2466. “Students have a real sense of excitement for the opportunities the new Gambrell Center brings.”

- TAYLOR ROBINSON ’20, Student Government President; Art History, Art Leadership & Administration, New Media Design Triple Major

“Art is fundamental, especially in difficult times. When it’s taken from you, then you know what it means.”

- DR. SIU CHALLONS-LIPTON, Executive Director, Department of Art, Design and Music

Interested in joining Arts at Queens and The Learning Society?

Members of Arts at Queens and The Learning Society RECEIVE 15% OFF ADDITIONAL TICKETS to respective performances and events. “Unplugged, Chris Thile is the god of small sounds. He plays the mandolin, which means he coaxes music out of notes that are shy and short-lived.”

- THE NEW YORK TIMES AN EVENING WITH CHRIS THILE

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2020 @ 7:30 PM

A child prodigy, Thile first rose to jazz pianist Brad Mehldau and fame as a member of Grammy Award- acclaimed banjo player Béla Fleck. winning trio Nickel Creek, with whom In 2016, he became host of the he released four albums and sold over popular public radio program “A two million records. In 2014, along with Prairie Home Companion” (now a national tour, the trio released a new renamed “Live from Here”). His album, A Dotted Line, their first since latest studio album, “Thanks for 2005. In 2006, Thile formed Punch Listening,” is a collection of ten Brothers, the five-piece band has new studio recordings originally released multiple records including written as Songs of the Week for “A the Grammy-winning album, All Prairie Home Companion.” In this Ashore in 2018. solo performance for the Spotlight Series, Thile is certain to demonstrate Over the years, he has collaborated the musicianship, experience and with award-winning cellist Yo-Yo command of the stage for which his Ma, renowned bassist Edgar Meyer, live shows are known. “Strout is the opposite of a literary show-off: her writing has no ego and the sentences she creates are to serve the characters, rather than the author.”

- THE GUARDIAN A CONVERSATION WITH ELIZABETH STROUT

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021 @ 8 PM

American writer Elizabeth Strout won Strout is no stranger to awards or a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2009 to the Charlotte community. She for what is perhaps her most famous was a founding faculty member of novel “Olive Kitteridge.” The #1 New the Master of Fine Arts graduate York Times bestselling author’s most writing program at Queens, where recent work, “Olive, Again,” follows she was teaching when she won the the sometimes heart-wrenching but prestigious Pulitzer. In this intimate irresistible life of the unforgettable event, she will be sharing thoughts on namesake character. Upon its release, her craft, reading from her work and it was named as an Oprah’s Book fielding questions from the audience. Club 2019 Pick. “Johannes Moser is one of the finest among the astonishing gallery of young virtuoso cellists.”

- GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE

The performance is presented by The Charlotte Concerts Legacy Fund, with additional support from Sam and Carolyn McMahaon. THE ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS

FEATURING JOHANNES MOSER, CELLO

SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 2021 @ 8 PM

The Academy of St Martin in the winning film “Amadeus” with founder Fields is one of the world’s finest Sir Neville Marriner in 1984. chamber orchestras, celebrated for fresh, brilliant interpretations of In this special concert, the Academy the greatest orchestral music. The will be joined by German-Canadian Academy is currently led by music cellist Johannes Moser. Moser has director and virtuoso violinist Joshua performed with the world’s leading Bell. With more than 500 releases orchestras. He won top prize at in a much-praised discography and the esteemed 2002 Tchaikovsky extensive international touring, the Competition, and he was awarded Academy is well-known and loved by with the prestigious Brahms Prize audiences throughout the world. The in 2014. Moser plays on an Andrea ensemble is also famed for recording Guarneri Cello from 1694 from a the soundtrack for the multiple Oscar- private collection. “It’s that blend of unforced sweetness, honesty and melodic sensibility that still makes Aaron Neville’s music so believable after a career spanning more than five decades.”

- NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO AN EVENING WITH AARON NEVILLE

THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2021 @ 7:30 PM

Known for his unique, soulful voice “Apache”—his most recent solo and a sound influenced by Sam album—blends tender love songs Cooke and his hometown of New and funk tunes for a fresh spin that Orleans, Aaron Neville has been ignited positive feedback from both making music for more than five new and seasoned fans. An NPR decades. As a solo artist, Neville First Listen review described it as, recorded chart-topping hits such as “that blend of unforced sweetness, “Everybody Plays the Fool,” “Don’t honesty and melodic sensibility that Take Away My Heaven” and “Tell still makes his music so believable It Like It Is.” In the late-1970s and after a career spanning more than beyond, he enjoyed success with his five decades.” This performance will siblings as the funk and soul group feature the energetic R&B legend the Neville Brothers. In the early leading a full band playing hits 1990s, Neville won three Grammy spanning his extensive career. Awards for his duets with Linda Ronstadt “Don’t Know Much” and “All My Life,” as well as “Healing Chant” with the Neville Brothers. CELEBRATING A GRAND OPENING. IMPACTING OUR STUDENTS.

Our grand opening celebration in February 2020 featured “An Evening with Sutton Foster.” In an extraordinary manner to mark the occasion, Tony Award-winning Broadway and television star Sutton Foster performed for a sold-out crowd in the 1,000-seat Sandra Levine Theatre. The concert “I look forward was studded with the charismatic Foster singing to seeing the tunes from popular musicals and the Great significant impact American Songbook. this space will have not only on Just a few hours prior to the performance, a our campus, but question and answer session with Foster—known on the Charlotte for her singing, acting and dancing—enabled arts community.”

Queens students, faculty and staff to hear - DANIEL G. LUGO firsthand from the multi-talented entertainer. President, In a casual and inclusive setting, she answered Queens University of Charlotte questions, shared tips for success and gave advice to the aspiring artists in the crowd.

Experiences such as this demonstrate the wide variety of opportunities that are unique to Arts at Queens. With experiential learning, thought- provoking experts and top-notch talent, students and the entire Charlotte community can immerse themselves in the best of the literary, visual and performing arts at the Gambrell Center. Barbara Laughlin ARTS AT QUEENS INAUGURAL Sandra and Leon Levine MEMBERS 2019-2020 Moses and Lori Collins Luski Cindy Manshack and Eli Beverly Mary Edith Alexander* Kathy and Bill McCollum Linda and Murrey Atkins Susan McConnell and Josephine Hicks Georgia and Bill Belk Carolyn and Sam McMahon Amy and Philip Blumenthal* Lydia and Jack McNeary Jennifer Boone McShane Partners Kim Brattain Media* Mary and Jerald Melberg* Sally and Brian Bridgford Ulrike and Alex Miles* Jan and Ed Brown Janet and Lowell Nelson Kathy and Peter Browning Suzanne and Bill Nichols Frances and Boyd Campbell Kay and Robert Norris Mary Irving and Hugh Campbell Maria and David Ochoa Cynthia Carlson and Bill Bullock Dale and Larry Polsky Siu Challons-Lipton and Jordan Lipton* Tamea Price Gina and Herb Clegg Holly and Lewis Quinn Susan Cybulski John Reid Alfred and Amy Levine Dawson Clyda and George Rent Donna and Al de Molina Cathryn and Jay Rivers Cheryl DeMaio and Elaine St. Anne Sally and Russell Robinson Barbara and Wayne Ellis M.A. Rogers Frances and Donald Evans Susan and Bob Salvin Linda and Bill Farthing Harriet Seabrook Dorlisa and Peter Flur Emily Seelbinder and Lydia Edsell Eileen Friars and Scott Pyle Eric and Lori Levine Sklut Pamela and David Furr Daphne and Eric Solomon Libba and Mike Gaither Bryan Stevens and Allen Owens Sarah Belk Gambrell Ann and Michael Tarwater* Bill Gorelick John Thompson and Lee Rocamora Joy Greene Sandi and Ben Thorman Kathryn and Jerry Greenhoot Dorothy and Will Trotter Elaine and Bill Griffin Cynthia Haldenby Tyson Kathie and Bill Grigg Alison and Wells Van Pelt Suzy and Steve Hannon Carolyn and Matt Vanderberg Linda and Ben Hawfield Rita and Bill Vandiver Claudia and Andy Heath* Debby and Stephen Wade Linda and Charles Henley Cassandra and David Wagner Lucile Jackson Mary Claire and Dan Wall Kelly Jones Betty and Walker Wells Florence and Edward Kim Dorothea West Elizabeth and Jamie Kiser Gail Brinn Wilkins and Howard Freese* Theresa and Robert LaPlaca Joan Zimmerman*

*Arts at Queens Executive Committee INFLUENCE AND IDENTITY:

20TH CENTURY PORTRAITS FROM

THE BANK OF AMERICA COLLECTION

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 – TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2020 Bank of America Gallery and Loevner Gallery

Influence and Identity will feature the works of international photographers such as Antony Armstrong- Jones, Richard Avedon and Yousuf Karsh, Berenice Abbott, Ansel Adams, Garry Winogrand and Brassaï. Through photography, the artists captured powerful images of people in politics, the arts and pop culture. Influence and Identity will be a broad reflection of the photographers and subjects that have come to define the photographic portraiture of an era of recent history.

This exhibition has been loaned through the Bank of America Art in our Communities® program.

A spring art exhibit will be confirmed at a later date.