Garth Newel Opens New Concert Series

If you are under the impression only top of the line classical chamber music is available at Garth Newel Music Center in Hot Springs, then think again. Musicians varying from this coming weekend’s Etienne Charles Trio to other emerging artists in the, Americana indie, blues and jazz traditions are on their way.

“This is our sort of warm up act for our summer season which kicks off in July, but our spring season kicks off the first week of May.” Gather Newel’s executive director, Shawn Puller described a couple of the more established events, and then encourages everyone to try something new and extraordinary.
The first two events of the spring were in the classical chamber music tradition Garth Newel is known for, while the concert coming up this weekend is introducing a whole new series, The American Made Series, for the music center.
So what did the first weekend of concerts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday include?
“Mostly those Masterworks which people just really love, of course with the archduke trio which has become a real staple for us here at Garth Newel, and that’s Beethoven’s piano trio opus number 97, and it was nicknamed the Archduke.”
Then, this past weekend the musicians and Chef Josh Elliot worked together to create a Musical Feast, “almost a theatrical event, of a fusion between food and music”.
On Sunday, the concert hall was decked as a Musical Garden, with amazing flower arrangements provided by the Warm Springs Garden Club. Some of the lucky concert-goers went home with a very special bouquet. Shawn Puller planned the afternoon, in addition to fine music, to be “just a way of celebrating all mothers, and a way of finding an excuse to give beautiful flowers away to people. So, we’re really grateful to the Warm Springs Garden Club for that.”
On Saturday the 16th, Garth Newel welcomes everyone again to hear trumpet player Etienne Charles. Having been recently tapped as a Guggenheim Fellow, Etienne “Truly is what we would consider one of those emergent artists, that we love to get for our American Made series. He’s just that artist who is right at the cusp of breaking out into a national and international career so we are thrilled to have him here.”
For the second concert of the weekend there is as American Made and local a group of musicians as can be found. Again, Shawn Puller: “That Sunday our Allegheny Mountain String Project presents its concert, the Allegheny Mountain String Project Orchestra which is on Sunday. That is a free concert,” beginning Sunday afternoon at 3:00.
For a recent story on the Allegheny Mountain String Project by Allegheny Mountain Radio’s Scott Smith visit alleghenymountainradio.org. .
“Finally, at the end of May we are so thrilled to be bringing Yarn (music insert here)
Yarn was first supposed to perform at Garth Newel towards the end of February, but a major snowstorm changed that.
“The Omni Homestead has stepped up, and they have become a partner with us, and they have underwritten that concert, and we are so happy to have them as one of our partners this year.
The Spring Dance Party now will be on May 30th, and that’s another one of those concerts in our year round American Made Series.”
For tickets to these and other excellent upcoming concerts visit garthnewel.org.

Story By

Bonnie Ralston

Bonnie Ralston is the Assistant Station Coordinator at WVLS and a Highland County news reporter. She began volunteering at Allegheny Mountain Radio in the fall of 2005. In 2006 she became an AMR employee and worked in Bath County for eight years as the WCHG Station Coordinator and then as the news reporter there. She began working in radio while in college and has stayed connected to radio, in one way or another, for more than thirty years. She grew up in Staunton, Virginia, while spending a lot of time on her family’s farm in Deerfield, Virginia. She enjoys spending time outside, watching old TV shows and movies and tending to her chickens.

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