Charlotte Music

For the past 20 years, John Tosco has been hosting Beatles tribute concerts in Charlotte as part of his quarterly Tosco Music parties. He says his love of music and the Fab Four go back as far as he can remember.

Have you considered what Charlotte might sound like if it were a piece of classical music? A local reed quintet posed that question to six local composers. The result is a chamber concert that explores Charlotte highways, developments and even local beers.

Shanté Williams will be the first person of color to lead Opera Carolina. She’s CEO of Black Pearl Global Investments, a $25 million venture capital fund, and has served on Opera Carolina’s board.

Caryn Little and Rachel Orn became friends and bandmates after joining a local group called "Lady Rockstars." Their all-female band, called Obsidian Femmes, now performs around Charlotte.

There’s a pulse thumping in Charlotte, it’s anywhere from 100 to 180 beats per minute, and it’s flourishing on dancefloors around the city. It’s Charlotte’s EDM scene, which is growing — and growing more diverse — than ever before.

At 95, pianist Jim Stack continues to play for the dinner crowd at his assisted-living community in Charlotte. Stack, a former aerospace engineer, started playing piano at an early age and went on to play with greats such as legendary jazz pianist and composer Loonis McGlohon, Clare Fischer, Bill Evans and Charlie Spivak. WFAE's Gwendolyn Glenn talks to him about his career.

Feeling strung out? Maybe this massive long-string harp in First Ward Park can help soothe you with a Friday night performance featuring local performers from around Charlotte.

The 28-year-old from Winston-Salem has cultivated an upbeat sound with pop refrains and inventive, laugh-out-loud lyrics. He discusses his songs and ongoing devotion to The Beatles.

The reggae superstar is gaining renewed attention with the release of his biopic this week: "Bob Marley: One Love." Charlotte fans can further indulge in Marley's music at a tribute concert this Friday in NoDa.

Charlotte hosted the Black Notes Project last week, a festival aimed at amplifying Black music. The two-day event spotlighted the fact that Black music includes all genres — be it hip-hop, jazz, R&B or classical. A big focus was trying to draw a younger, more diverse audience to classical, orchestral traditions by mixing it with other influences.