Each year, more than 400 students, ages 14 through post-college, join professional musicians to eat, breathe and sleep music for seven weeks. In addition to a rigorous schedule of instruction, students also play side-by-side with faculty and guest artists in the presentation of more than seventy public concerts, staged operas and musicals for a paying audience. The combination of studying with some of the finest professional musicians and the intense performance schedule sets the Brevard Music Center apart from other summer music institutions and gives students the rare opportunity to understand the world of a professional musician.

In 2008 Brevard Music Center celebrates its 72nd season of teaching gifted young musicians. Four hundred of the most talented students in the world join Brevard's artist faculty to present more than 80 concerts,

The 2008 season runs from June 27 through August 10.

Opening Night

On Friday, June 27, 2008, Keith Lockhart leads the Brevard Music Center Orchestra in a performance to inaugurate Mr. Lockhart's tenure as Brevard's Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor. Guest soloist for this special event is cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who performs Antonin Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B minor. The New York Times recently stated, “Anytime Mr. Ma plays the Dvorak Cello Concerto, the occasion automatically becomes a significant musical event.” Note that his concert is not part of BMC subscription packages.

Orchestra Highlights

On Sunday, June 29, Keith Lockhart conducts the Brevard Music Center Orchestra a program of light classics featuring the American violinist Robert McDuffie, a Brevard alumnus.

On Sunday, July 27, Maestro Lockhart conducts Carl Orff’s choral masterwork Carmina Burana.

On Sunday, August 10, pianist Jon Kimura Parker returns to Brevard to join BMC conductor Steven Smith and the Brevard Music Center Orchestra in the season finale, performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1.

Other programs include

• July 6: Guest conductor JoAnn Falletta with violinist Mb
• July 12: Guest Andrés Cárdenes conducts and solos with the new Brevard Sinfonia
• July 13: Conductor Steven Smith with violist Roberto Diaz
• July 20: Guest conductor Grant Llewellyn with pianist Norman Krieger
• August 1 and 3: Two different programs with guest conductor Daniel Meyer and various soloists

Other programs will be announced as oinformationis available.

Opera

In 2008 Brevard Music Center offers three productions:

• Mozart’s The Magic Flute
• Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado
• Little Women, by American composer Mark Adamo.

In addition, on August 9 Brevard presents an evening of favorite opera scenes with full orchestra.

Chamber Music

Brevard Music Center presents a series of chamber and other concerts at Brevard College’s Porter Center. Concerts occur each Monday and Wednesday evening throughout the season. Programs in 2008 violinist William Preucil on July 2, violinist Andres Cardenes July 9, and the Diaz Trio on July 14 and 16. The Music Center's own Baroque ensemble, I Solisti di Brevard, gives its annual concert on August 4.

Other Programs

Brevard Music Center presents its annual Patriotic Pops concert on Friday, July 4, at 2:00 pm.