33rd Annual Piccolo Spoleto Festival Honors Arts Leaders
July 6, 2011
CHARLESTON, SC – July 1, 2011 – Eight arts leaders were recognized during the 2011 Piccolo Spoleto Festival for their significant contributions to the Charleston arts community and to the Piccolo Spoleto Festival since the founding of the festival in 1979. The honorees are individuals who have assisted the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs in producing outstanding artistic programs for the Piccolo Spoleto Festival over its 33 year run:
Recipients of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival Cornerstone Award:
Two individuals have coordinated programs for Piccolo Spoleto every year since it began in 1979
o ROBERT IVEY – Founder of Robert Ivey Ballet who was one of the original coordinators in 1979, heading up the Piccolo Spoleto Dance Festival at the Gibbes Museum that inaugural year. He has also coordinated the Dance at Noon Series and elements of the Children’s Festival and outreach programs through the years including arts programs that Piccolo Spoleto took into hospital wards and nursing homes.
o EMILY REMINGTON – Also a coordinator of programs in the 1979 Piccolo Spoleto Festival, helping with chamber music and the Festival of Churches series, Emily also served as the Choral Director for the Charleston Symphony Orchestra Choir for many years of its performances in Piccolo Spoleto and Emily now coordinates the Remington Concert Series at Franke at Seaside. Festival audiences also remember her for her highly popular series of concerts called “Songs of the South With Miss Emily.”
Recipients of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award:
o DR. DONALD PORTNOY – Since 1997, Donald Portnoy has been a frequent contributor to Piccolo Spoleto’s classical music programs including conducting the Charles Ives Center For Contemporary Music Series; helped to establish the Piccolo Spoleto Festival Orchestra of which he is the conductor; and assists with other Piccolo Spoleto Festival music programs.
o YURIY BEKKER – The current concertmaster of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Yuriy has also served for a number of years as the Piccolo Spoleto Classical Music Advisor and is a member of the Spotlight Concert Series Program Committee. Yuriy is a frequent soloist with the CSO at Piccolo Spoleto.
o JILL EATHORNE BAHR – The longtime choreographer for Charleston Ballet Theatre, Jill has worked with the OCA many times through the years to mount unusual and highly technical programs which are collaborations between the festival, CBT and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. Festival audiences will remember one of the more unusual programs as the presentation of “The Rite of Spring” with the CSO under the 1,400 year old Angel Oak Tree.
o DARRELL EDWARDS – The former Executive Director of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra (CSO), Darrell has worked with Piccolo Spoleto since 1993 on CSO programs for the festivals and other special events through the years including most recently, the 2011 Piccolo Spoleto Finale featuring MotownMadness, a product of the Bowling Green (KY) Chamber Orchestra accompanied by members of the CSO and conducted by Jeffrey Reed.
o TACY EDWARDS – This master flute artist (and piccolo!) and outstanding flute teacher divides her time between performing with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Bowling Green (KY) Chamber Orchestra and with various ensembles in the area. She has helped coordinate mentoring programs between budding young musicians and the more established professional core of the CSO in outreach programs of Piccolo Spoleto since 1993. In addition, Tacy has served as the chair of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra League which holds one of its major fundraisers during Piccolo Spoleto each year.
o DR. ROBERT TAYLOR – A world class choral conductor and event producer, Rob has worked as a coordinator for the Choral Artist Series and has produced many choral and orchestra concerts featuring the Taylor Festival Choir, College of Charleston Concert Choir, College of Charleston Madrigal Singers, plus special events including one that featured eight living composers who wrote works for orchestra and chorus. Entitled “Music With My Friends,” this concert was performed by the Charleston Symphony Chorus and the CSO to critical acclaim.
Produced and directed by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs since 1979, Piccolo Spoleto’s mission is to provide access to the Spoleto Festival USA experience for everyone, regardless of their economic, social or physical circumstances and to provide the opportunity for excellent local and regional artists, writers and performers to be showcased in the Piccolo Spoleto Festival venues. 2011 marked the 33rd year of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, the official outreach arm of Spoleto Festival USA. Piccolo Spoleto ran from Friday, May 27 until Sunday, June 12, 2011 and offered a variety of arts and cultural programs including theatre, blues, jazz, chamber music, early music, dance, literary, visual arts as well as many admission-free and family-friendly events.
The 2011 official Piccolo Spoleto poster image, selected from a statewide competition based on its design qualities and representation of the festival, is Gold Marsh, by Charleston resident, Dee Schenck Rhodes. The Spotlight Concert Series poster is Flutter by Charlestonian, Karin Olah. 2011 Piccolo Spoleto Title Sponsors are Charleston Ice, Publix and Publix Super Market Charities. For more information, visit www.piccolospoleto.com.
