Candlight Concerts
The Lyricosa Quartet performs classical and pop tributes
BY MARIO BOUCHER. PHOTOS COURTESY OF FEVER.
Music fans are flocking to an elegant series of Candlelight Concerts in Raleigh to hear everything from classical favorites to current pop hits. Hosted by Fever—a leading global live entertainment discovery platform seeking to inspire users to enjoy local experiences and events—the Lyricosa Quartet of Raleigh performs tributes that feature artists ranging from Vivaldi and Hans Zimmer, to Queen, Coldplay and Taylor Swift.
This Christmas season, the Lyricosa Quartet marks its fourth year by performing a holiday special featuring “The Nutcracker” and other classics. Music lovers can look forward to holiday medleys such as “Deck the Halls” and “Joy to the World;” Claude Debussy’s “The Snow Is Dancing;” Emile Waldteufel’s “The Skaters’ Waltz,” Opus 183; Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “The Seasons,” Opus 37a; and “The Nutcracker,” Opus 71.
“At Fever, we constantly strive to inspire our users with innovative experiences, creating new ‘Fever Original’ ideas that we know will be of interest to them,” says Peter Sourbis, project manager of Fever Originals’ Candlelight Concerts, which launched in 2019 due to a “need to make the classical music genre more accessible, aiming to reach a new demographic and create more affordable concerts for all.”
Enjoy Candlelight Concerts at venues like All Saints Chapel, the Merrimon-Wynne House or The Historic Wakefield Barn. Sourbis says the series initially featured works from composers like Vivaldi, Mozart and Chopin. “Now, the ever-growing list of programs includes a wide variety of themes and genres, including tributes to contemporary artists like Queen, ABBA, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran, as well as shows dedicated to K-pop, movie soundtracks and many more,” he adds.
Performance genres include pop (Beyonce, Taylor Swift), rock (Queen, Pink Floyd) and movies (Hans Zimmer, Warner Brothers). There’s something for everyone. “Candlelight is a live, multisensory musical experience that invites audiences to connect with the most iconic pieces of the greatest composers and top hits of well-known popular music artists in a unique way—all while transforming awe-inspiring locations all over the world under the gentle glow of candlelight,” Sourbis says. “Classical music has many beautiful traditions, from remaining silent and not clapping between movements, to wearing black to perform. While Candlelight still offers the traditional format in many of our locations, we also offer a more flexible performance format to help fulfill our mission of democratizing access to culture.”
Meet the Musicians
Four talented musicians who bring versatility and experience to Triangle music lovers make up the Lyricosa Quartet: Carol Chung (violin), Lucy Greenleaf (violin), Simon Ertz (viola) and Rosalind Leavell (cello). “For Candlelight Concerts, we intentionally seek to work with local musicians who align with our belief that classical music can reach a diverse audience,” Sourbis says. “We are happy to provide a platform for musicians to not only connect with people from all over the world, but create new opportunities for them to do what they love.”
First violinist Carol Chung is concertmaster of the North Carolina Opera orchestra and has performed with the North Carolina Symphony since 2000 as a substitute or in an acting section capacity. She also has private studios where she teaches the Alexander Technique for strings players and coaches youth chamber music groups for the North Carolina Chamber Music Institute. Chung earned both bachelor’s and master of music degrees in violin performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Violinist Lucy Greenleaf performs regularly with the North Carolina Opera orchestra and as a substitute in the North Carolina Symphony. She also performs in shows at the Durham Performing Arts Center, including performances with the American Ballet Theatre. She earned an undergraduate degree in violin performance from Florida State University and a master’s degree in music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Simon Ertz teaches viola at UNC–Chapel Hill, and is a principal viola player with the Winston-Salem Symphony and North Carolina Opera orchestra. He also plays as a regular substitute in the North Carolina Symphony and the Charlotte Symphony. After graduating from the Royal Northern College of Music, he worked with orchestras across the United Kingdom, including the BBC Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Northern Chamber Orchestra. As a member of the Degas Quartet between 2002 and 2012, he appeared in venues across the country, which included playing the Tuscan Medici Stradivari viola at the Library of Congress.
Rosalind Leavell is a substitute cellist in the North Carolina Symphony who performs regularly with the Carolina Ballet and maintains a private cello studio where she teaches students of all ages. She earned a bachelor of music in cello performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music before receiving her master of music and doctor of musical arts degrees from the University of Minnesota. Leavell is also on the faculty for Triangle Area Suzuki Talent Education in Raleigh.
You can hear the Lyricosa Quartet perform revered songs in a relaxing candlelight atmosphere by purchasing tickets to a Candlelight Concert performance at feverup.com.
SEE A PERFORMANCE
Learn more about these Candlelight Concerts at feverup.com/en/raleigh/candlelight.
November 2
“Vivaldi’s Four Seasons”
November 30
“A Tribute to Queen”
December 5, 6, 7, 12, 14 & 20
“Holiday Special Featuring ‘The Nutcracker’ and More”
