Belles On Strings, Valerie Nieman, And The Ridenours

Belles on Strings

Belles on Strings presents Scottish and original tunes on 44 strings to be exact. Those 44 strings are Ann Borden on celtic harp, cellist Tracey Maxwell and fiddler Nora Garver. Their new CD, Out of the Wood, showcases a wide variety of musical influences including classical, celtic, and jazz, and each musician's contribution is really enjoyable. It's a highly collaborative effort, not without the occasional artistic differences battle here and there, and the end result is music to our ears.

Their CD is Out of the Wood, and the new release Performance Party, held in conjunction with the Fiddle and Bow Society, is Saturday Jan. 9, at 8pm in the Muddy Creek Music Hall. They'll be joined by some local guest artists including percussionist Bill Smith, percussionist, vocalist Megan Irby, and guitarist Don Penzien. Tickets are $12—10 for Fiddle and Bow members—and all ticket holders are automatically eligible for Scottish-themed door prizes. 

Valerie Nieman

It's a new year, and that means many of us are in the process of naming - the things we are grateful for, the things we want to work towards. Poet Valerie Nieman is a master of naming. Former Poet Laureate of North Carolina Joseph Bathanti has said, "Nieman knows the names of things, how those things piece together, how the sunder, and while she refuses to lie, her truths are exquisite." 

Nieman is a professor of Creative Writing at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro and has held writing fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council. She is the author two collections of poetry, Wake, Wake, Wake and Hotel Worthy. She also serves as the poetry editor for Prime Number Magazine. Bethany spoke with Valerie Nieman about her second collection of poetry, Hotel Worthy. 

Rich Ridenour

Pianist/arranger Rich Ridenour and his son, trumpeter/pianist Brandon entertain audiences with improvisation, a subversive, deadpan sense of humor, and a unique musical mix combining their strong classical backgrounds—they're both Juilliard alums—with their versatility as POPS artists. Last month the Ridenours and guest vocalist, Diane Penning, joined the Greensboro Symphony to kick off the New Year right with a unique concert of Oscar winning film scores. Rich Ridenour does the arranging for songs like this classic from Bernstein's West Side Story: America.

Rich Ridenour's collaborated with renowned performers such as Martin Short, Smokey Robinson, and Bob Keeshan just to name a few. (Remember Bob Keeshan? Captain Kangaroo of course!) Brandon Ridenour played trumpet for 8 years with Canadian Brass.