Shards of Hope | Arts in Appalachia concert series

Name: Shards of Hope | Arts in Appalachia concert series
Start: 2026-04-22T19:00:00-04:00
Location: First United Methodist Church

Schedule

Wed, 22 Apr, 2026 at 07:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

First United Methodist Church | Murphy, NC

World Premiere Concert | Arts in Appalachia Series
Shards of Hope
First United Methodist Church
73 Valley River Ave, Murphy, NC 28906
Shards of Hope is a world premiere song cycle created through a close collaboration between poet Mary Ricketson and clarinetist Denise Gainey. Together, they envisioned a work that brings poetry and music into direct conversation, setting Mary’s words for soprano, clarinet, and piano.
The music was written by London-based composer Andrew Wilson, whose score responds closely to the tone, imagery, and emotional arc of the poems. The program features Mary Ricketson reading selections primarily from Tall Flowers and Living Long and Shade and Shelter, woven throughout the musical performance.
The performance features Andrea Price, soprano and Assistant Professor of Voice at Western Carolina University, with Denise Gainey on clarinet and Helen Meacham on piano. In addition to the premiere of Shards of Hope, the program will include chamber works for clarinet and piano centered on themes of nature, presented in celebration of Earth Day and Mary Ricketson’s poetry.
Denise Gainey is a Distinguished Professor of Music Emerita at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a past president of the International Clarinet Association. Her long career as a performer and collaborator is matched by Mary Ricketson’s voice as a poet, with both artists shaping the heart of this project.
This concert is part of the Arts in Appalachia concert series, highlighting original work and meaningful artistic partnerships.
Reception to follow at the Cherokee County Arts Council
33 Valley River Avenue, Murphy, NC.
Tickets are $10 for adults.
Free for students with valid ID and anyone under 18.