Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra Receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant

Grant to support Dame Evelyn Glennie Outreach Events and Performance

SPARTANBURG, SC – National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Jane Chu announced today that the Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) is one of 919 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant.  Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra has been awarded a $20,000 grant to support outreach events and an orchestra performance with visiting percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie.

The Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra has invited Dame Evelyn Glennie from her hometown of Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom to Spartanburg, SC for the week of February 12-16, 2015. Glennie, who is profoundly deaf, is considered to be one of the most eclectic and innovative percussionists of our time.  The Valentine’s Day concert, featuring Glennie and the SPO, will present a new percussion concerto featuring the waterphone entitled “Portraits of Immortal Love” by composer Sean O’Boyle written specifically for Glennie.  The world premiere of this concerto was performed in late October with SPO’s Music Director Sarah Ioannides and the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra.

Additionally, the project will include a Masterclass (lesson) with five auditioned high school and college students in Daniel Recital Hall at Converse College on February 13 from 4:00-6:00pm. “Dialogue with a Difference”, one of Glennie’s signature lecture-demonstrations which explores the importance of listening skills, will be presented in the Chapman Cultural Center Theatre on February 12 beginning at 6:00pm.  During her stay, Glennie will also work with music students form the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind.  Each of these events intends to inspire the Upstate community with Glennie’s motivational perspective of her life and career.  More information about the events can be found atwww.spartanburgphilhamronic.org .

NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, “I’m pleased to be able to share the news of our support through Art Works including the award to the Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra.  The arts foster value, connection, creativity and innovation for the American people and these recommended grants demonstrate those attributes and affirm that the arts are part of our everyday lives.”

SPO Executive Director Kathryn Boucher said, “We are thrilled to receive such high accolades from the NEA for this extensive project.  We are honored to be one of five South Carolina organizations to receive an Art Works grant and believe this reflects the high level of artistic excellence that our orchestra has achieved.   We are grateful for the prestige this grant brings to the Spartanburg community.”  Ioannides believes this award “is the culmination of 10 years of working towards a level of excellence and establishing community partnerships.  Now we are there and we plan to build on this.”

Art Works grants support the creation of art, public engagement with art, lifelong learning in the arts, and enhancement of the livability of communities through the arts.  The NEA received 1,474 eligible applications under the Art Works category, requesting more than $75 million in funding.  Of those applications, 919 are recommended for grants for a total of $26.6 million.

For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov.  Follow the conversation about this and other NEA-funded projects on Twitter at #NEAFall2014.

For more information on the Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra please visit www.spartanburgphilharmonic.org  or call 864.948.9020.