UNCSA's Music Academy of the American South Begins This Friday

The Piedmont has had and continues to have a huge impact on American music in practically every musical style imaginable, so why not celebrate it?

The University of NC School of the Arts is gearing up to do just that with its second annual Music Academy of the American South from June 14th-16th on the UNCSA campus and nearby Old Salem Museums and Gardens in Winston-Salem. This year, they'll once again feature outstanding folk, bluegrass, Moravian, gospel, country, blues, and Old-Time performances throughout the weekend. And there will also be master classes, Q&A's and jam sessions with legendary artists. This year's focus will be musical interactions that take place within the world of American roots music highlighted by a performance of “Appalachian Concerto” by the virtuoso bluegrass group, The Kruger Brothers, with string quartet. 

Following their Saturday morning master class in Performance Place, they'll give the Saturday evening concert there at 7:30pm. Sunday kicks off with 4-time Grammy Award winning Appalachian musician and radio/television host David Holt and a String Band Master Class at 1:30. That'll be followed at 3:00 with a Blues Summit performance by one of the best: Winston-Salem's own blues master Big Ron Hunter and friends. Big Ron has performed in Europe, Lincoln Center in New York, and at festivals throughout the United States. Also on Sunday, jam sessions, picnics, and performances by David Holt, legendary gospel performers The Branchettes, and Laurelyn Dossett. Big Ron Hunter joined David Ford in the studios of WFDD.