The Tryon Concert Association, now entering its 61^st season, is pleased to announce the outstanding artists who will appear on the stage of the Tryon Fine Arts Center. A subscription series of four concerts will feature internationally acclaimed artists. In addition, two non-subscription TGIF performances will be presented during the season.

Cellist Zuill Bailey will open the series on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. Considered one of the premiere cellists in the world, Mr. Bailey brings great technical skill as well as rare artistic sensitivity and an engaging personality. He has performed on major stages across the nation and internationally. Zuill Bailey’s recording of the Bach Cello Suites recently soared to the number one spot on the Classical Billboard Charts. He has received many distinguished awards in his career and has been heard on live broadcasts both in the USA and abroad.

Internationally acclaimed pianist Peter Roesel will perform on Nov. 12, 2015. Mr. Roesel was born in Dresden and studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow. Winner of many major competitions, his recordings include piano concertos of Beethoven, Schuman and Rachmaninov as well as solo piano works of Brahms and all of the 32 piano sonatas by Beethoven.

On Jan. 9, 2016, American lyric mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard will bring an evening of song to our audience. This Grammy Award winner has graced the stages of the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Paris Opera, Salzburg Festival and others, appearing with some of the foremost conductors of our times. Noted for her “passionate intensity and remarkable vocal beauty,” Ms. Leonard has thrilled audiences both in the United States and internationally. She is the recipient of the prestigious 2013 Richard Tucker Award.

The final concert of the subscription series on March 31, 2016, will feature the Dover Quartet. Formed by students at the Curtis Institute of Music in 2008, this outstanding string ensemble rose to international fame after winning the Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2013. The group is noted for its “exceptional interpretive maturity, tonal refinement and taut ensemble.” During this past year the Dover Quartet has performed throughout the United States, Canada, South America and Europe and with noted pianist Anne-Marie McDermott and Jon Kimura Parker among others. One of this group’s missions through the organization, Music for Food, is to serve musicians who fight hunger in their home communities.

Two additional concerts will be offered on the TGIF series. These take place on Friday evenings from 6-7 p.m. Tickets are sold separately. They may be purchased along with the series tickets, online, or at the box office. The programs will be preceded with a beer and wine bar, which will open at 5:30 in the TFAC lobby.

Saxophonist Ashu performs Oct. 23, 2015. Ashu made his recital debut at Carnegie Hall and his concerto debut at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. He received his bachelor and master of music degrees from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. He has won many major international competitions and has been featured on NBC, CBS and NPR. Critics have raved that Ashu is “as much fun to watch as to listen to.” [Chicago Tribune]

Accomplished guitarist Peter Fletcher began his study of the guitar at age seven and made his formal debut at the age of 15 under the auspices of The Brasstown Concert Association in North Carolina. He received his master of music degree from the Eastman School of Music in 1995 and made his New York Debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in 2007. He performs throughout the country and appears widely on radio and television programs including NPR, Fox, NBC and Turner Broadcasting. His TGIF concert will be on March 18, 2016.

Mark your calendars for these outstanding events. Last year’s season was completely sold out, so you are encouraged to purchase the series tickets promptly. For ticket information visit tryonconcerts.org.

– Submitted by Joella Utley