Matt Jackfert, Author at West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Listen: The Appalachian Children's Chorus on WVPB

The choir director of the Appalachian Children’s Chorus has some heartwarming goals for her choir and for their upcoming concert this December. Artistic and Founding director Selina Midkiff says, “One of the things I want to do in my space is to create, first of all, a safe place for children–they are safe here. And then I want us to spread the joy and spread that feeling wherever we go.” Mrs. Midkiff says that these goals are accomplished not necessarily because of her but because of the atmosphere the children create. “Its been decades of these children building this environment.”

They have an upcoming concert exploring these ideas called “Peace, Joy, and Harmony” on December 8th at 4 PM at Charleston Baptist Temple. They’ll be singing beautiful selections such as “See Amid the Winter’s Snow” and fun songs like “Joy in Jerusalem”. Tickets are still available on their website.

A behind the scenes look at the ACC on WVPB

They also recently came to our studios here at WVPB to sing for us and talk to us about what they do to help gear us up for the holiday season. Mrs. Midkiff walked us through several great pieces and we got to hear from a couple of choristers about their experience in the Appalachian Children’s Chorus. Click the player below to check out the segment.

Joel Cummins of Umphrey's McGee Talks New Woodlands Festival, Piano Workouts & Debussy

“It’s a place that’s kind of our second home at this point.” That’s what pianist Joel Cummins says about Charleston, SC, the location of a new music festival, the Woodlands Festival. The event is being put together by Joel’s band, Umphrey’s McGee themselves, for its inagural run this November 7th, 8th and 9th. He says the location looks to be on a beautiful 6000-acre nature preserve, and, says talent will abound with a lineup that has the likes of Big Something, The Empire Strikes Brass, Zach Deputy, and of course, Umphrey’s McGee. You can still find tickets, including single-day passes here.

Joel is clearly passionate about Charleston and the Woodlands festival as you’ll hear in the interview. He also discusses his love of Claude Debussy piano pieces (as well as Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin), which he often features on his solo piano shows. “I think it’s just so important to pass that on to listeners,” he says. Joel also discusses how Impressionist music like Debussy’s that fits into the what the Umphrey’s sound is. Umphrey’s even quotes Mozart and Grieg in their songs “Der Bluten Kat” and “Thin Air” respectively as discussed below.

Joel also talks about his new book, The Realist’s Guide to a Successful Music Career, which is about… a realist’s guide to a successful music career. It features discussions with some of the greats of music: Huey Lewis, Susan Tedeschi, Victor Wooten, Ivan Neville, Taylor Hicks, Chuck Leavell (music director for the Rolling Stones), and more. You can purchase a copy online here. He’s also a pretty cool guy, so check out the interview below…

LISTEN: Artist Cris Jacobs Drops "Color Where You Are" Album

“I think sometimes we just look way too past the present and are sort of blinded to…our ability to create beauty in the present.” That was the meditative response from singer/songwriter Cris Jacobs when asked about the meaning of the title to his newest album “Color Where You Are”. Recently Jacob’s life has changed drastically with the birth of his child and now has been focused on creating music in the present instead of waiting for it to happen. This new lifestyle help put the impetus on Jacobs to write this new album–even between changing diapers.

Throughout the album are the influences that have always been a part of Jacobs’s repertoire since his days with his former band, the Bridge: folk, funk, blues, and bluegrass. These styles mix together in a veritable “gumbo” from songs like the grooving “Under the Big Top” to the funky “Rooster Coop”. The lyrical ballad “Painted Roads” is a bluesy meditation that provides us the title of the album in its lyrics.

Take a listen to this interview between Matt Jackfert and Cris Jacobs about this new album as they discuss everything from Jacobs’s influences to his songwriting process to his new lifestyle.

You can find the full album here: https://open.spotify.com/album/1KDIWuNEljTyLIgeMYq0rM?si=Ag-OvfSZSbOFilcStOHcJw and you can purchase it here.

If you’re looking for a chance to catch Cris play live, you can see him perform this weekend at the 4848′ Festival in Snowshoe, WV. Or if you can’t make that, you can always download the podcast of his performance on WVPB’s Mountain Stage!

Nissman Releases New "Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, and Ramey" CD

World-renowned West Virginia Pianist Barbara Nissman recently released her latest project from Three Oranges Recordings. Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Ramey is the 26th recording collaboration among Nissman, piano technician David Barr, and producer Bill Purse. This newest CD features the dazzling pianism of Rachmaninoff Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, the short fragment and possibly last notes of Prokofiev in the Piano Sonata No. 10 in E minor, the adventurous Ramey Piano Sonata No. 10, and the beautiful Rachmaninoff Six Moment Musicaux.

Cover of Nissman’s latest CD: Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev and Ramey

The Lewisburg, WV resident, Nissman, brings her incredible technique and nuance to the piano in this recording, and brings these great pieces to life in a recording that sounds like you’re in the concert hall with her. Take a listen to this interview with Nissman along with selections from the CD. You can also purchase the CD here.

Andes Manta Performs at WVPB Studios

South American quartet Andes Manta graced us with their presence at the studios of West Virginia Public Broadcasting. With large drums, guitars, and a myriad of flutes, the four Lopez brothers performed a few of their favorite selections in the Andean tradition. The four Brothers, Fernando, Luis, Bolivar, and Jorge, also spoke of their Ecuadorian upbringing, their instruments, and the uniqueness of their Andean music.

Andes Manta made the trip to West Virginia to put on shows for area schools and for a concert presented by Footmad on Saturday, April 6th at 7:30 PM at the Culture Center in Charleston. You can order tickets here.

Click the link below to check out the performance and interview from here in our studios at WVPB.

Bluefield College Singers Travel WV and Europe

This weekend, singers from Bluefield College will perform a concert in preparation for a tour of Europe later in the year. The Bluefield College Variations Chamber Singers under the direction of Dr. John Moir will sing as part of the Concerts @ St. John’s series this Sunday 2/3 at 4 PM at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Charleston, WV.

The singers are going to experience the large reverberation and rich acoustics the church offers, which they will also experience in Europe by performing in Cathedrals and parish churches in cities the likes of Salzburg and Vienna.

Learn about Dr. Moir, the Bluefield Chamber Singers & Masterworks Chorale, and their upcoming events in WV and Europe by clicking the link below.