Town of Kiawah Island Arts Council

The Town of Kiawah Island Arts Council works to enhance community appreciation and involvement in the visual and performing arts within the Town of Kiawah Island and its environs by providing a diversity of planned programs. All events are open to public and complimentary tickets for most events are available at the Visitors Center at Kiawah Island Town Hall on a come first serve basis. Ticket release dates are two weeks prior to the event date. Kiawah Island property owners have a 3 day lead time prior to the public release date.For more information call 843-768-9166.

2012/2013 Arts Council Season Event Details 

  To view the Kiawah Arts Council Season Planner click here

   March

	Columbia City Ballet presents "Ballet Classics and Modern Favorites from the Past 52 Years" Sunday, March 3 at 4:00pm at East Beach Conference Center Ticket Release Dates: Kiawah 2/12   Public   2/15 Columbia Sity Ballet presents "Ballet Classics and Modern Favorites from the Past 52 Years" featuring excerpts from Off the Wall and Onto the Stage, Le Corsaire, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Hootie and the Blowfish the Ballet, Nutcracker, and Snow White.  Under the leadership of Artistic & Executive Director William Starrett , the Columbia City Ballet produces what critics have described as "some of the highest quality cultural entertainment in the Southeast." The Ballet attracts not only audiences from all over the region that are eager to attend performances, but also quality dancers from all over the country and the world eager to be a part of such an accomplished ballet company. South Carolina can proudly claim one of the strongest and most versatile ballet companies in the region and in the country. Columbia City Ballet has a total number of major performances of more than 80 per year, reaching more than 51,000 people in a season.  Don't miss this exciting performance!
	Late Night with Leonard Bernstein Sunday, March 10 at 7:30 pm at Church of Our Saviour Ticket Release Dates: Kiawah 2/19   Public 2/22   "Late Night with Leonard Bernstein" is a multi-media highly personal program, hosted and narrated by the beloved composer and maestro's daughter, Jamie Bernstein, who will be with us in person.  The program is an affectionate portrait and recital of Bernstein's most intimate and favorite music (including works by Copland, Schuber, and Chopin), personal stories, and more.  It will be presented by two world-class pianists, Michael Boriskin and John Mutto (also a composer), and acclaimed Metropolitan opera soprano, Amy Burton, along with video and slides.  The program debuted a year ago at a sold-out performance at Lincoln Center in New York.  The legendary Maestro was a well-known insomniac, who loved to work at all hours and often entertained friends and guests late into the night, dazzling them with charismatic performances of a wide range of musical styles.  Come be dazzled by this genius and these world-class performers.
	Tenor Sax Madness  with Mark Sterbank and Robert Lewis Sunday, March 17 at 7:30 pm at Turtle Point Clubhouse Ticket Release Dates: Kiawah 2/26   Public 3/1    Join Tenor Madness for an evening of jazz saxophone music. Experience the Madness as two tenor saxes, played by Mark Sterbank and Robert Lewis, team up for some upbeat, spirited Tenor Saxophone music which includes some classic tenor sax "battles" as well as modern interpretations of music written for or made popular by tenor saxophones. Mark Sterbank is on the faculty of Charleston Southern and heads their jazz program while Robert Lewis is at the College of Charleston and leads their jazz studies program. These excellent musicians will be backed by some of Charleston's finest jazz musicians for an evening of wonderful jazz entertainment.
	Piano Bar Series at 5:00 pm at the Sandcastle Wednesday, March 20 Glenn Brown Wednesday, March 27  Gary Pecorella  No Tickets Required   Back by popular demand...Piano Bar Series at the Sandcastle. Not meant to be concerts, these 2 additional Wednesdays are to enjoy with friends who plan to come, or for the chance meeting and the opportunity to meet neighbors outside your comfort circle for some Island socializing. Relax outside on the patio with the beverage of your choice or inside closer to the music. The Sandcastle will be the happening place at 5 p.m. Island time. Bring the beverage of choice and any snack to "tide" you over.

April

The Charleston Symphony Orchestra Spring Concert Mozart, Haydn & Schubert Sunday, April 7 at 4:00 pm at  Holy Spirit Catholic Church Ticket release: Kiawah 3/19 Public 3/22 Join us for a concert featuring world-class cellist Natalia Khoma performing the Haydn Cello Concerto #1 in C Major. This cello concerto, written early in Haydn's career, was thought to have been lost but was rediscovered in 1961. It demands an uncommon stamina from the cellist with its rapid passagework while maintaining an exceptionally beautiful and brilliant tone. We are fortunate to have a cellist of Ms. Khoma's caliber available to perform this work. Kicking off the program designed by Yuriy Bekker, CSO Concertmaster and Acting Artistic Director, will be the Overture to Mozart's Magic Flute. The concert will conclude with the Schubert Symphony #5 in B-flat major. Schubert composed this symphony specifically for chamber orchestra, and musicologists often view it as stylistically similar to a Mozart symphony.

Andrew Thielen Big Band Sunday, April 21 at 7:30 pm at East Beach Conference Center Ticket release: Kiawah 4/2  Public 4/5 The great Andrew Thielen Big Band is back by popular demand, bringing you some of the finest musicians and vocalists from the southeastern states.  World class drummer Andrew Thielen leads this dynamic 15 piece big band in an evening of powerful sounds from trumpets, saxophones, piano, bass and drums pulled together in perfect harmony. They will entertain you with special renditions of the most memorable popular songs from the swing and pop eras with the sounds of Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra and the great Count Basie. This year’s concert will feature two of the great big band singers, Jackie Beaumont and Larry Tannelli. Put on your dancing shoes, grab your dancing partner and join us for a night of memorable music! Tickets will not last long, so be sure to get them early.

 May

Piccolo Preview  Sunday, May 5 at 4:00pm at Holy Spirit Catholic Church Ticket Release: Kiawah 4/16  Public 4/19  The City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs and the Town of Kiawah Island Arts Council present a sampling of some favorite musical elements as harbingers of the 2013 Piccolo Spoleto Festival. This year the program includes rising star Seth Gilliard, a recent graduate of Furman University who majored in violin performance, and will present a program ranging from Baroque to contemporary music. Selections will include Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins and Continuo, featuring Gilliard and his former violin teacher, Rex Conner. From there, Seth will move on to more contemporary musical styles, ending with some favorite hip-hop tunes. Jennifer Luyken, acclaimed mezzo soprano, will sing arias that will be included in Piccolo Spoleto’s Sunset Serenade concert with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. Jennifer will be accompanied at our Prelude to Piccolo by piano, and her selections will include music from “Carmen” and “Sampson and Delilah.” We are also pleased to present a lively performance of Irish Jigs, Reels and Airs presented by members of the Taylor Festival Choir and accompanying instrumentalists. The Festival Choir has garnered a reputation of excellence among critics and is led and directed by Rob and Mary Taylor. The concert is admission-free and open to the public.

  June 

Charles “Big Daddy” Stallings Wednesday, June 26 at 6:30 pm at Night Heron Park No Tickets Required Don’t miss this Charles “Big Daddy” Stallings musical performance while the sun sets in Night Heron Park during the Sundown Festival. Since 2004, "Big Daddy" Stallings has been delivering his "good time blues with a twist" to audiences from the United States to Melbourne Australia via radio and his live performances. His mission is to preserve and expand the traditional interpretation of the Blues by combining Urban Blues Soul Blues, R&B and Traditional Blues with stories that take listeners on a Bluesical Journey from Tobacco Road to the Fast Lane of Urban/Boogie Boulevard. Born in Columbia, SC but raised on a farm with ten siblings in Hobbsville, NC. Stallings has said “I lived the Blues every day and music was my escape."  Big Daddies music can now be heard globally in the U.K., Belgium, New Zealand, Italy, Spain, France, Latin America and Australia. Stallings will be on stage heading up his five piece band which includes Steve Levine on harmonica, Ronald Bland on bass. Russell Havward on drums, Wayne Johns guitar and vocals and Eflat on alto sax. Big Daddy Stallings is a rare find. He has come up from the cotton fields to the big city and has the Blues to back up the talk, he is the real thing! The Sundown Festival features music, southern lawn games, and for the children, inflatables and a train available throughout the evening. Night Heron Grill will be open for extended hours. Admission is complimentary. Rickey Godfrey’s musical performance is presented by the Town of Kiawah Island Arts Council in collaboration with the Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s Sundown Festival.

 To view the Kiawah Arts Council Season Planner click here

For more information call Kiawah Island Town Hall at 843-768-9166.