Academy for the Arts opens on Aug. 18, offers lessons from top local musicians

From a press release:

New Academy for the Arts Opening in Downtown Asheville

Downtown Asheville will soon have a new seedbed for music and artistic discovery. Housed in the one of the most beautiful and iconic buildings of the city, the Academy for the Arts (AFTA) at First Baptist Church of Asheville will open its doors on Monday, August 18th.  AFTA will seek to empower students of all ages and backgrounds in reaching their greatest potential both as artists and as human beings. Believing that arts have a nearly-unique power to connect people across differences and diversities of every kind, AFTA will offer the opportunity for people to know, to encourage, and to value one another on the common ground of aesthetic excellence. The ample parking and gorgeous space of First Baptist Church provides a unique and inspiring setting for these goals to be realized.

In its initial phase the academy will focus on music, offering private instruction in voice, piano, organ, harp, all orchestral and band instruments including strings, guitar, fiddle, mandolin and banjo. Highly-skilled teachers will hold at least one university degree from renowned institutions such as East Carolina University, Indiana University, Cincinnati Conservatory, San Francisco Conservatory and the Julliard School. A representative list of the faculty includes retired concertmaster of the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, Mary Daniels Chapman; current ASO members Karen Pommerich, violin and viola, Frances Duff, cello, Vance Reece, bass, Bud Holmes, tuba, and Leila Lattimore, harp; flutist and founding creator of Pan Harmonia, Kate Steinbeck, and celebrated Asheville soprano, Simone Vigilante. In the arena of bluegrass and folk traditions, teachers include popular artist Josh Goforth and well-loved guitarist, Jerry Sutton.

First Baptist Church is hosting the academy in the historical tradition of churches and other faith-communities inspiring, providing for, and offering material, emotional, and spiritual support for the arts and artists. While a core value of AFTA states the belief that “growth in artistic ability expands a person’s capacity to experience the sacred dimensions of life,” neither students nor teachers are expected to adhere to any religious belief. As other opportunities for learning artistic crafts diminish or disappear, AFTA will offer our community the resources and experiences which will cause both the arts and persons to thrive, thereby giving gifts of beauty and meaning to the world.

For more info, faculty bios, concert schedule and registration visit www.afta-fbca.net.

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About Alli Marshall
Alli Marshall has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years and loves live music, visual art, fiction and friendly dogs. She is the winner of the 2016 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize and the author of the novel "How to Talk to Rockstars," published by Logosophia Books. Follow me @alli_marshall

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