ENTERTAINMENT

Acoustic Corner Instructor’s Concert returns to BMCA for 13th year

Special to Black Mountain News
Instructors from the Acoustic Corner will return to the Black Mountain Center for the Arts, Nov. 23, for their 13th annual concert.

For the past 13 years the talented professional musicians who share their gifts through instruction at Black Mountain’s respected Acoustic Corner Fine Instrument Shop have joined together on the stage at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts.

This once-a-year concert will be held at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23, at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts. Tickets for this popular show sell quickly, at $20, and can be purchased by calling 669-0930 or online at blackmountainarts.org.

For many regular fans of this event, the Instructor’s Concert marks the beginning of the holiday season. With Thanksgiving less than a week away and families in from out of town, taking part in this eclectic celebration of acoustic mastery is the perfect activity to share. Headlining year’s concert will be David Zoll, Laurie Fischer, Matt Kinne, Gary Mackey and exciting newcomer to the Acoustic Corner fold, multi-instrumentalist Bryan McDowell.

“We really look forward to this annual event,” says Joe Friddle, owner of Acoustic Corner. “This is the only time all these busy musicians get together and a concert all the instructor’s look forward to. It’s such a privilege to share this experience with the music lovers in our region.” And then he added in his typically droll style, “We got the woo; you bring the who.”

“Acoustic Corner is such an icon in our community and such an asset to musicians.” says Lori Cozzi, BMCA Executive Director. “We are so happy to have them back year after year.”

Zoll, who is also the shop manager, plays an eclectic blend of rock, blues, jazz, and country on acoustic and electric guitars as well as excelling in finger-style, composition and improvisation. He performs locally with The David Zoll Quartet, zydeco and Cajun outfit Bayou Diesel, roots reggae group Chalwa, and the Americana duo The Everydays.

Fischer is a contra dance caller and multi-instrumentalist. She plays fiddle music from the contra, old-time, Irish, and Scottish repertoire and is a second violinist in the Blue Ridge Civic Orchestra, St. Mathias Chamber Orchestra and Jubilee Summer Orchestra.

She performs vocally and instrumentally in several genre-based ensembles including, Asheville Celticana, Carolina Ceil, Blue Heaven, Red Hot Sugar Babies, and Screechowl Serenade. She teaches fiddle, claw-hammer banjo and beginning penny whistle, bodhran, guitar and mandolin.

Kinne has been playing the guitar for over twenty years, and has been a guitar instructor for fifteen. An accomplished performer Matt is an amazingly versatile musician, moving seamlessly between folk, jazz, classical, Celtic, and rock and roll. He plays regularly in several venues in the Asheville area, often in a Rush cover band.

Mackey has been a professional touring, recording, and performing musician since 1986. He has also been a violinist at Dollywood, toured and recorded with the Goose Creek Symphony, as well as playing on four Dolly Parton records. He is a two-time Georgia state fiddling and mandolin champion.

McDowell was raised in Canton and has the prestige of winning RenoFest in S.C. on guitar, first place at the state competition in Hiawassee, Georgia on fiddle, and first place mandolin at MerleFest.

He won 22 competitions in 2009 and 2010. The triple win at nationals in Kansas put him on the cover of magazines and catapulted him to national attention.

Don’t miss the opportunity to see a wide variety of musical styles and influences on display for this one special night.