New Winston Museum, Salem Band, The Unbroken Circle, and A/perture Cinema

Last week we jumped all over the Piedmont with artistic jaunts to Greensboro, Yadkin, and all the way out to Boone. Today we're going to plop ourselves down right here in lovely, lively Winston-Salem for a while, and enjoy a little Triad music history 101. First, we'll take a look at Salem's 19^th century Moravian community in the waning days of the Civil War. The 26^th regiment bring will bring music to our ears and the New Winston-Salem Museum puts it in perfect historical context. Then, Salem Band is alive and well since its founding 243 years ago, and Music Director Eileen Young is keepin' it real for us in 2014! We'll continue full circle with more great music, this time an old-timey string band that really swings: Unbroken Circle is back in concert raising money for yet another worthy cause, and Wake Forest University's Martha Allman is here to share. We'll wrap things up today with a quick trip to the heart of downtown Winston-Salem and the art house cinema that's doing its part to keep things rockin' on fourth street: Aperture Cinema's Lawren Desai updates us on new screenings, Oscar picks and more.

New Winston Museum

“Now the Battle Din is O'er” was appropriately enough the last tune played for General Robert E. Lee. It was also the last music played by the 26^th Regiment North Carolina Troops, made up of Moravian musicians from Salem. The New Winston Museum in collaboration with the Moravian Music Foundation will be hosting performances of this historic music along with the touching “When the Swallows Homeward Fly” performed for Lee on the evening of the surrender at Appomattox, VA, and others.

The New Winston Museum now in its second year of operation is Winston-Salem's hottest new museum showcasing and preserving the many fascinating stories of this region from 1849 to present with oral histories, research, education, and collaboration. The War At Home Tuesday, February 18^th is a case in point.

The lecture-recital will include live performances of these powerful wartime songs with Tenor Glen Siebert, pianist and Moravian Music Foundation Director Dr. Nola Reed Knouse, and commentary by research advisor Phillip Dunigan.

Nola and Phillip recently stopped by along with New Winston Museum Director of Education and Programming Chris Jordan

The Salem Band

Salem Band began performing way back in 1771 making it one of the oldest community bands in the nation. These days you can hear the ensemble perform free public concerts seven times a year.

Five of them are outdoors in the beautiful, shaded confines of Salem Square. The Salem Band Winter Concert is one of two indoor performances. It'll be held next Tuesday, February 4^th at 7:30pm in Brendle Recital Hall on the campus of Wake Forest University.

Since May of 2011 Salem Band has been led by Music Director, Winston-Salem Symphony Bass Clarinetist, and WFU Saxophone, Woodwind Ensembles, and Clarinet Instructor Eileen Young.

The Unbroken Circle

The Unbroken Circle is Wake Forest University's multi-generational string band. It's a community of musicians who gather together regularly to share in the fellowship of music-making, song-sharing, story-telling, and poetry reading.

They also come together for worthy causes, and on Saturday night, February 1st at 7:00 pm they'll offer a free concert at Kulynych Auditorium in the Byrum Welcome Center on the Wake campus Winston-Salem.

Donations will be collected there for The Shalom Project, a Winston-Salem charity that feeds the hungry, provides clothing to those in need, and tutors at risk children. They also care for the sick running one of the largest free medical clinics in the city.  The fundraiser will be an intimate evening of live, acoustic Old Time music and blue grass with poetry readings by Ed Wilson. WFU Dean of Admissions Martha Allman is a member of The Unbroken Circle. She's a native of Mitchell County, North Carolina in the Appalachian Mountains.

A/perture Cinema

There's lots new going on at a/perture cinema in downtown Winston-Salem. Owner Lawren Desai dropped by recently to chat about it.

Aperture is an independent, locally-owned movie theater in the heart of downtown Winston-Salem, where they screen a unique mix of independent, foreign, documentary, local, and festival films now in three theatres: two 80-seaters and newly opened 45-seat screening room. You'll find evening screenings seven days a week with additional matinees on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They'll be screening The Oscars in March.