MacArthur genius Rhiannon Giddens brings the American past to life with the Orlando Phil Saturday night

By Jessica Bryce Young on Wed, Oct 10, 2018 at 10:37 am

[
      {
        "name": "Ad - NativeInline - Injected",
        "component": "31267952",
        "insertPoint": "3",
        "requiredCountToDisplay": "5"
      },{
        "name": "Real 1 Player (r2) - Inline",
        "component": "31267951",
        "insertPoint": "2/3",
        "requiredCountToDisplay": "9"
      }
    ]

click to enlarge

Photo by Aleksandra-Kingo

Rhiannon Giddens

The charismatic Ms. Giddens – musician, vocalist and co-founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops – is accustomed to being “the first.”

For instance, in 2016, she was the first woman and the first person of color to win the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass, a $50,000 annual award. The Carolina Chocolate Drops were the first modern band to revisit the African American contribution to Piedmont region folk and stomp of the 1920s. And here, Giddens’ performance with the Phil is the first installment of the 2018-2019 OPO Pops Series.

The program for "American Blues" includes tunes from Gershwin’s An American in Paris and Bernstein’s West Side Story alongside songs from Giddens’ two solo albums.

2 p.m. & 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13 | Bob Carr Theater, 401 W. Livingston St. | 407-770-0071 | orlandophil.org | $25-$85

About The Author

Jessica Bryce Young

Jessica Bryce Young on Twitter

Email Jessica Bryce Young

Jessica Bryce Young Website

Jessica Bryce Young has been working with Orlando Weekly since 2003, serving as copy editor, dining editor and arts editor before becoming editor in chief in 2016.

Scroll to read more Orlando Music News articles