UNCSA Presents

05/01/2026

A new era for the Stevens Center is on the way!

Phase 2 design plans are here — bringing audiences closer to the stage with enhanced acoustics, better sight lines and immersive technology.

Take a first look 👀

UNCSA, in collaboration with architect of record Jenkins Peer Architects and design architect Steinberg Hart, has revealed design plans for the second and final phase of the comprehensive renovation of the historic Stevens Center downtown.

04/28/2026

After a sold-out New York run, “Johnny Loves Johann” comes to UNCSA May 1–3.

GRAMMY Award-winning violinist and 2024 MacArthur Fellow Johnny Gandelsman joins choreographers John Heginbotham, Caili Quan, Jamar Roberts, and Melissa Toogood in a bold live performance where Bach’s Cello Suites meet original dance in real time.

📍 Agnes de Mille Theatre
🗓 May 1 & 2 at 7:30 p.m. | May 3 at 2 p.m.

Presented by the Kenan Institute for the Arts and Carolina Performing Arts, this is your chance to see a New York–celebrated work up close in Winston-Salem.

🎟 Tickets are on sale now—don’t wait to experience it live: https://bit.ly/42y48wP

“Johnny Loves Johann” is a multidisciplinary project created by Grammy Award-winning violinist Johnny Gandelsman that explores the relationship between sound and movement. The Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the arts at UNCSA serves as a lead co-commissioner for the project.

04/24/2026

History gets a rebellious rewrite 🔥

Set during the Reign of Terror, "The Revolutionists" is a fast-paced comedy that brings together four fearless women — Olympe de Gouges, Charlotte Corday, Marie Antoinette and Marianne Angelle — as they challenge extremism and fight to shape their legacy.

Don’t miss this bold, thought-provoking production in the Patrons Series.

📅 April 23–26
📍 Eisenberg Hall

Get your tickets now → https://bit.ly/497aU06

04/13/2026

Watch it live — from wherever you are 🎶

The UNCSA School of Music Symphony Orchestra takes the stage at Washington National Cathedral tomorrow night, and you don’t have to be in D.C. to experience it.

This special performance features alumnus Malek Jandali’s Symphony No. 5 alongside Mahler’s luminous Symphony No. 4 — all streamed live so you can experience it as it happens.

📅 April 14 at 7:30 p.m.
🎟️ Free livestream

👉 Register now and watch live: https://uncsa.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/ #/instances/a0FU100000VpvqPMAR

Don’t miss this powerful night of music — wherever you are.

04/07/2026

Spontaneous Sound - UNCSA Improvised Music and Jazz Festival, brought the swing to downtown Winston-Salem. 🎷

Students learned from world-class artists, shared the stage and filled campus with the sound of jazz all day long.

Take a look at some moments from this unforgettable celebration of music. 💚

This event was presented by Mercedes-Benz of Winston-Salem.

04/02/2026

A family holds on to the past as the world around them changes.

Anton Chekhov’s "The Cherry Orchard," part of our Classics in Rep series, is a poignant tragicomedy filled with humor, nostalgia and heartbreak.

Directed by UNCSA School of Drama faculty member Quin Gordon, this timeless masterpiece captures a society on the brink of transformation.

Tickets are still available!

📅 Apr. 10, 14, 15 & 18
📍 Catawba Theatre

The anthem of the civil rights movement of the 1960s, “A Change Is Gonna Come,” could apply to the theme of “The Cherry Orchard” written a century earlier by Anton Chekhov, considered one of the founders of modern drama. The change that’s “gonna come” is the Russian Revolution.

03/31/2026

Next stop: Washington National Cathedral.

On April 14, the UNCSA School of Music Symphony Orchestra will perform at the historic cathedral in Washington, D.C., featuring Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 and the premiere of UNCSA alum Malek Jandali’s Symphony No. 5.

Third-year A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute soprano Claire Griffin will be the soloist in Mahler’s radiant fourth movement, which captures a child’s view of heaven.

In our latest story, Griffin shares how she’s preparing for this unique performance and the special acoustics of the cathedral.

Read more about the concert and her approach to Mahler ⤵️

Celebrating over sixty years as the nation’s first state-supported arts school, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) next month on April 14 at 7:30 P.M. brings a special concert to the Washington National Cathedral. Half of the program will be UNSCA alum and composer Malek J...

03/23/2026

From music legends to boundary-pushing improvisation, Spontaneous Sound: A Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music brings world-class artists to downtown Winston-Salem.

Featuring iconic drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie — widely known as the most recorded musician of all time — alongside acclaimed guest artists Mike Baggetta, Eddie Barbash and Casey Driessen.

Plus: performances from UNCSA students, regional ensembles and local favorites like Martha Bassett.

📅 March 27–28
📍 Camel City BBQ

Come hear the artists shaping the sound of jazz—past, present and future.

Spontaneous sound is presented by Mercedes-Benz of Winston-Salem!

The UNCSA Improvised Music and Jazz Festival returns to downtown Winston-Salem for a second year, bigger, better and bolder! Enjoy two full days of music featuring guest artists, regional high school and middle school bands, and UNCSA student musicians. The festival includes master classes with top....

03/17/2026

Two days of world-class music for just $40!

Don’t miss Spontaneous Sound – UNCSA Improvised Music and Jazz Festival, now with a special offer: get both days for just $40.

✨ Your pass includes:
• Daytime programming (FREE events starting at 1 p.m.)
• PLUS both 7:30 p.m. headlining concerts

Featuring incredible artists like Eddie Barbash, Mike Baggetta and Casey Driessen—bringing a bold mix of jazz, Americana and global sounds to Camel City BBQ.

📅 March 27–28
📍 Camel City BBQ
🎟 Use code JAZZ40 at checkout
⏳ Valid through the performance dates

03/10/2026

A powerful celebration of music, faith and community.

Join us for the Black Sacred Music Symposium Concert, the culminating performance of the multi-day symposium presented by the Kenan Institute for the Arts and UNCSA.

This inspiring concert brings together guest artists, UNCSA students, local musicians and community choirs under the direction of Dr. Ollie Watts Davis for an afternoon honoring the rich tradition and enduring impact of Black sacred music.

📅 Sunday, March 22
🕒 3 p.m.
📍 Freedman Theatre

Be part of this moving community event that celebrates the history, artistry and spirit of Black sacred music. Get your tickets today!

The celebrated Black Sacred Music Symposium returns to Winston-Salem, NC, presented by the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts and UNCSA. This multi-day celebration for communities across the region is dedicated to the study and performance of Black Sacred Music through workshops, discussions and...