May 19 Sunday
Maysa is the kind of singer who takes hold of a song and enraptures her audience in the palm of her hands, as she delivers lyrics, phrases, melodies and harmonies in a way that only she can. Blessed with an instantly identifiable honey-toned mezzo-soprano and an undeniably brilliant and magnetic stage presence, Maysa’s alluring vocals, candor,honesty, humor and purity as an artist make her a rarity in this business. Having collaborated with everyone from Stevie Wonder to Incognito, Angela Bofill, Will Downing and Jonathan Butler, Phil Perry and more...Maysa can hang with the best. It is no wonder she was the recipient of many awards for her work, including Soul Train’s first Centric Award in 2009, and her first Grammy nomination for Best Traditional R&B Performance for her remake of Nancy Wilson’s“QUIET FIRE” in 2014.The Baltimore native, who grew up in a loving household with amazing parents, is proudly the mom of one son, Jazz, who was born prematurely at 25 weeks while she was on tour with Incognito in 1999.Jazz is now in college studying Photography and Music Production.In 2018, Maysa became the owner/founder of her own record label, BLUE VELVET SOUL RECORDS.The company has released 4 singles, YOU ARE NOT ALONE, IT’S GONNA BE ALRIGHT, LOVIN’ YOU IS EASY, and SOFT WORDS.To celebrate her first record printing , MAYSA designed a commemorative blue velvet box set with those 4 singles as an EP called THE FAB FIRST FOUR, in January of 2021.Maysa will release her 14th solo studio album entitled, MUSIC FOR YOUR SOUL in the first quarter of 2022.
May 21 Tuesday
All aboard, sisters! The hysterical sequel to the smash-hit Menopause The Musical® is finally here! Five years after their chance encounter in a department store, we set sail with our beloved ladies for more high jinks on the high seas. Menopause The Musical 2: Cruising Through ‘The Change’® is a hilarious and heartfelt look at the joys of menopause and friendship — plus hot flashes, mood swings, and memory lapses! Join us on a trip of self-discovery, backed by a new soundtrack of toe-tapping parodied hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s. For these four ladies, menopause was not the end, but the beginning of a beautiful friendship where love conquers all, and friendships never fail.
May 22 Wednesday
Terry Chambers, the driving force that was at the centre of XTC, is one of the world’s most celebrated drummers. Terry was the original drummer for XTC and was with the band at its incarnation in the early ’70s until they stopped touring in 1982. Terry’s distinctive drum sounds powered tracks like Senses Working Overtime and Making Plans for Nigel. After XTC, Terry joined the popular Australian-New Zealand band, Dragon. He was also involved in session drumming. In 2017, he reconnected with ex-XTC band member, Colin Moulding and collaborated on an EP with the short-lived project TC&I.
May 23 Thursday
The second annual WATERWORKS new works festival runs May 17 through June 2 at Live Arts Theater in downtown Charlottesville. The three-week festival features 19 new theatrical works from local and global playwrights, 16 directors, and over 50 performers. Other featured works include Locally Sourced, the Charlottesville Playwrights Collective, and Community Deep Dive educational workshops. Start and end times vary; visit livearts.org for tickets and information.
“Satisfaction/The International Rolling Stones Show" is the international touring tribute show to the World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band. This Billboard & Pollstar highly rated show are entering their 20th year in production with over 4000 performances listed to their credit. Their client list include the nation’s top casinos, performing arts centers, music halls and corporate clients. Performing up to 150 shows a year, this highly acclaimed production showcases the most authentic cast & costuming of its kind. The likes of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and cast bring a colorful performance to over 50 years of classic hits. They have been featured in Rolling Stone magazine, Showbiz Magazine, Las Vegas Today, CBS Sunday Morning news and hundreds of national newspapers, magazines, television & radio as the world’s greatest show honoring the Rolling Stones and their legacy.
May 24 Friday
"One of the most spectacular journeys in recent American music." - The New York Times"One of the most talented and imaginative artists working in music -- any music -- today."- The Los Angeles TimesMark O'Connor began his creative journey at the feet of American fiddling legend Benny Thomasson, and the iconic French jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli. Today, he has melded these influences into a new American classical music, and is perpetuating his vision of an American School of String Playing. Mr. O’Connor has won three Grammys, seven CMA awards and several national fiddle, guitar and mandolin champion titles. Mr. O’Connor has composed nine concertos and two symphonies recorded by the Baltimore Symphony, London Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony among others. O’Connor is well-known for his chamber music including his million-selling composition “Appalachia Waltz” featuring Yo-Yo Ma for the Sony Classical label. His current album is Life After Life,an Americana music collection of his original songs and some classics he sings with his wife Maggie O’Connor who is featured on lead vocals. In 2023, O’Connor released his memoir, Crossing Bridges: My Journey from Child Prodigy to Fiddler Who Dared the World.Mr. O’Connor has authored a series of educational books called the O’Connor Methodand is now the fastest growing violin method in the country. The O’Connor Method features American music styles, creativity, cultural diversity and western classical technical training. For more information, visit www.markoconnor.com.American violinist/fiddler and vocalist, Maggie O'Connor performs a variety of musical styles throughout the U.S. and beyond, most recently as a member of the Grammy award-winning bluegrass group, the O'Connor Band. She spends most of her time now performing with her husband, violinist and composer Mark O'Connor. Together they have appeared as guest soloists with the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, the Santa Rosa Symphony, the Nashville Symphony, and appeared in violin duo performances in such prestigious settings as the Yehudi Menuhin Centennial celebration at the Berlin Konzerthaus, the Lockenhaus, Austria Musikfest, and the Leopold Auer Festival in Hungary. In an Americana duo setting, the couple tours music from their new album, Life After Life, a collection of original songs and classics. Along with performing, Maggie continues to work as co-director with Mr. O’Connor at O'Connor Method String Campcurrently taking place in Charlotte, NC featuring the lesson book series that is rising in popularity each year.
May 25 Saturday
Carla Jackson is a lawyer, ordained minister, and scholar-activist, who uses the arts, activism, and the academy to motivate people to think differently and, in the words of Alice Walker, “love ourselves. Regardless.” Carla is the featured vocalist for The Underground Kitchen and The Analogue Republic. Her vocal précis also includes a solo with the Richmond Symphony; a recording with the band Keep Left; presentations at the Virginia Museum for Fine Arts and Blues Alley; and performances with Carlton Blount, Claves Unidos, Eugene Pendleton, Indy Racing League, James “Saxsmo” Gates, Jason Jenkins, Josh Walker, the Katie Geneva Cannon Center for Womanist Leadership, Kevin Gaines, the League of Women Voters of Virginia, Lyric Ave, Marin Taylor, the UCI Road World Championship, the Unfit Christian Congregation Virtual Choir, Grammy-Award Winner Anthony Hamilton, Grammy-Award Winner Sim Stevenson for the launch of SoulVision.TV, and a four-month tour of Italy in the musical “Sister Act 2.”
May 26 Sunday