This captivating program weaves together the timeless beauty of string quartet music, performed by the Poiesis Quartet, with the powerful poetry of Junious Ward, the Poet Laureate of Charlotte. Blending old and new compositions with world premiere poetry, it creates an immersive experience where sound, space, and language intertwine. Through the harmony of light, melody, and verse, this performance invites you to discover new ways of experiencing the beauty of nature through music.
The Poiesis Quartet is one of the hottest young chamber ensembles in the US, recently winning the pinnacle of chamber music competitions, the Fischoff Competition. Constantly commissioning, performing, touring, and recording, these young musicians bring pure energy and vitality to the stage.
Known for his honest, conversational, and raw style exploring identity, place, history, and more, Junious "Jay" Ward is the 2022 Poet Laureate of Charlotte and an in-demand speaker and educator across the US. His spoken word performances have garnered awards and recognition by many organizations. He is a National Slam champion (2018), an Individual World Poetry Slam champion (2019), author of Sing Me A Lesser Wound (Bull City Press 2020) and Composition (Button Poetry 2023). Jay currently serves as Charlotte's inaugural Poet Laureate and is a 2023 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow. Ward has attended Breadloaf Writers Conference, Callaloo, The Watering Hole and Tin House Winter Workshop. His work can be found in Columbia Journal, Four Way Review, DIAGRAM, Diode Poetry Journal and elsewhere.
You’ll enjoy an intimate concert, up close to the performers, in our warm and welcoming space under a canopy of lights. Light refreshments and parking are always complementary! Doors open at 6:30 for a pre-concert reception.