Bryan Cultural Series Brings Quintet to Outer Banks for Free Concert

The Surf and Sound Quintet in performance at All Saints Episcopal Church in Southern Shores.
The Surf and Sound Quintet in performance at All Saints Episcopal Church in Southern Shores.
World-Renowned Musicians Will Perform Four Free Concerts

The Bryan Cultural Series is one of the local organizations that helps to make the Outer Banks such a special place to live and visit. This is the week for the Fourth Annual Surf and Sounds Chamber Music Series.

Bringing five musicians with well-deserved international reputations to the Outer Banks, the Cultural Series is sponsoring four free concerts beginning Tuesday, August 21 at All Saints Episcopal Church in Southern Shores at 7:30 p.m.

The music is classical music and in past years the performances have been breathtaking—wonderful interpretations of the music.

The Wednesday performance will be at the Town of Duck Amphitheater, at 6:30. The performance in Duck will be a string quartet—the fifth instrument in the quintet is a piano, an instrument that does not travel well.

The last two performances will be at Cape Hatteras Secondary School on Thursday, and a Friday evening performance at the Dare County Arts Council Gallery in Manteo at 7 p.m.

A playbill for the performances has not yet been made available, but in the past the musicians have presented a wonderful collection of compositions, ranging across centuries to include Haydn and Mozart then venturing into the late 20th century a contemporary sound.

By all means, check out the outdoor performance at the Duck Amphitheater. There is something magical about listening to great musicians perform some of the most remarkable music ever composed in an outdoor setting.

The Bryan Cultural Series has truly come to the fore in brining great performances to the Outer Banks and their next performance may be their most ambitious and genoursy yet. In cooperation with Elizabeth R and Company, a free performance of La Traviata will be presented on September 15 at First Flight High School.

There is always something worth checking out on the Outer Banks. Check out our Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates homes for the best locations.

Surf & Sounds-Better Than Advertised

Katie Hyun, Elizabeth Vonderheide, Jacob Fowler and Luke Fleming performing Debussy's String Quartet in G Minor at the Duck Amphitheater.
Katie Hyun, Elizabeth Vonderheide, Jacob Fowler and Luke Fleming performing Debussy’s String Quartet in G Minor at the Duck Amphitheater.

Better than advertised … that is the only way to describe the Surf and Sounds Chamber Music that the Don and Catharine Bryan Cultural Series brought to the Outer Banks this year.

Tuesday night’s performance at All Saints Episcopal Church in Southern Shores was absolutely amazing. And then the musicians equaled that with their outdoor presentation at the Duck Amphitheater last night.

Jacob Fowler—cello, Luke Fleming—viola, Elizabeth Vonderheide—violin and Katie Hyun—violin are musicians at the absolute top of their game. Tuesday night’s performance also included Amanda Halstead on piano, which allowed the performers to take on music with a little more orchestral sound.

The performance at the Duck Amphitheater was a traditional string quartet—and it may have been nice if the piano could have been there as well, but moving a concert grand to an outdoor stage doesn’t seem like a good plan.

Nonetheless, the music was sublime leading with a classic Haydn composition, his String Quartet in G Major. They came back with a Debussy piece, String Quartet in G Minor, that challenged the musicians and the audience.

The Tuesday night performance spanned the 400 years, from Mozart to Paul Schoenfield, modern American composer. His Cafe Music written in 1985 was a revelation and a delight to hear.

There are two more concerts scheduled: tonight (Thursday) at the Blue Point in Duck and Friday evening at the Dare County Arts Council Gallery in Manteo.

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