By the Charlotte Symphony

This is not your grandmother’s symphony.

Well, grandma can still attend, but these concerts are geared to a younger, more diverse audience- one that may have never stepped into a concert hall. It’s not a concert hall either.

The concerts are held at the Knight Theater, which inspired the name of the new series and latest brainchild of the Charlotte Symphony: KnightSounds. The series was inspired by the sleekness and intimacy of the new Knight Theater, its location within the Levine Center for the Arts in downtown Charlotte, and the arrival of new artistic leadership in the person of Music Director Christopher Warren-Green.

Noticeably different from traditional symphony concerts, the events offer integrated multimedia, pre and post-concert activities and last only one hour.

A key component of the Symphony’s commitment to serve new audiences and enrich Charlotte’s cultural community through fresh, dynamic programming, the KnightSounds Series is redefining the orchestral experience, inviting audiences to engage with the music in multi-sensory ways.

Last year’s highly successful first season included a Tangos and Tapas concert, which featured spicy Spanish hors d’oeuvres, drinks and a post-concert dance party at the adjacent Mint Museum. This feast for the senses was all included in the affordable ticket price of $30.

“The buzz was all positive, all glowing as we left the hall,” reported Perry Tannenbaum for Classical Voice North Carolina, following the first KnightSounds concert. “What won me over was the whole transformation of the concertgoing experience,” wrote Lawrence Toppman in The Charlotte Observer.

This effort to cultivate a new generation of listeners is about offering intriguing events that pique the curiosity of a different audience without diminishing the exceptional musical content that moves the Symphony’s traditional and discerning audience.

As proof of this seductive yet serious repertoire, this year’s musical offerings include Carmina Burana, a cantata for orchestra and chorus, an all-Tchaikovsky program and Ravel’s Piano Concerto No. 1. As part of the multi-media facet of the series, the Symphony has commissioned a piece by digital artist Matthew Weinstein to accompany the orchestra during the final event of the season.