Press release from Brevard Music Center:
April 4, 2020 (Brevard, NC)—After careful analysis of the continued global, regional, and local impact of the Coronavirus, the Trustees of the Brevard Music Center have unanimously voted to cancel its renowned Summer Music Festival, which had been scheduled for May 30 – August 22, 2020. The Brevard Music Center, one of the country’s premier training programs for young musicians, is also cancelling all educational programming during the summer of 2020.
“This is an unprecedented event in the Brevard Music Center’s 84-year history,” said President and CEO Mark Weinstein. “But in these uncertain times, our singular focus and guiding light must be the health and safety of our students, faculty, patrons, staff, and the entire Brevard community.”
BMC made the difficult decision to cancel its 2020 summer institute and festival in order to remain compliant with current health advisories, civil ordinances, and government guidelines to help stop the spread of COVID-19. “We have an ethical obligation to do our part to protect our Brevard community,” said Weinstein. “The very nature of BMC’s operational business model is based on bringing students from almost every state in the country and from around the world to our campus and our community to participate in a transformative summer of study and performance. We also employ hundreds of seasonal staff and interns, distinguished faculty members, and world-class guest artists for a summer festival that welcomes 40,000 attendees. Mass gatherings of all of these individuals, plus hundreds of BMCA volunteers, could advance the spread of the virus…and that is a risk that we simply cannot take.”
In the immediate days and following weeks ahead, the Brevard Music Center staff will proactively contact all 2020 ticket holders to offer a full refund on their purchase. BMC ticket holders will also be given the option to donate the full or partial value of their tickets to the Brevard Music Center as a charitable contribution. Ticket buyers may visit brevardmusic.org or call 828-862-2130 for further details.
Brevard Music Center takes great pride in being a strong community partner that directly benefits the growth, economy, and vitality of Transylvania County and the region. “We fully recognize that the impact of our decision will be felt by our supporters and fellow music-lovers, as well as local businesses that heavily rely on destination travel and tourism in the peak summer season,” said Weinstein. “We also know that music is a universal language and unifying force, particularly in times of crisis. In the weeks and months to come, BMC is committed to working side-by-side with business and civic leaders, collaborating on programming and planning that can provide future opportunities for our community and its residents.”
“Brevard is my second home. I will miss the camaraderie of my fellow musicians, our extraordinarily talented students, and our passionate audience and supporters this summer,” added Keith Lockhart, Brevard Music Center Artistic Director. “Most of all, I am disappointed that our core mission, the education of young minds and hearts in the art of making music, has been interrupted by circumstances beyond our control. At challenging times like these, the world needs great music more than ever, and the world needs more places like Brevard Music Center. I am committed to our mission and I promise to do everything in my power to ensure that our community will gather again as soon as possible, and get back to the business of making great art.”
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.