By TriCities.com

Published: June 26, 2009

Boone, NC— Appalachian State University announces the 25th Anniversary season of its premier summer arts attraction, An Appalachian Summer Festival.  The 2009 season is scheduled from June 27 – July 25, and features several of the festival’s most popular artists from the past, including Pilobolus Dance Theater and the Celtic sensation Leahy, as well as artists new to the festival, such as Joan Baez, Melissa Manchester and Kenny Loggins.  Tickets are on sale now, and may be purchased by calling 800-841-ARTS(2787), 828-262-4046 or clicking http://www.appsummer.org.

An Appalachian Summer Festival began as a small, chamber music series that was brought to the university by Arnold and Muriel Rosen, Florida residents with a summer home in the High Country.  A partnership soon developed, and Appalachian State University joined with the Rosens and other generous individual and corporate supporters to transform the vision of a major summer arts festival into a reality.  To the chamber music series was added symphony performances, later ballet and contemporary dance, theatre, visual arts— both two and three-dimensional— and finally, a film series.  True to a university-based arts festival, educational opportunities, including lectures and opportunities to meet artists, artistic directors, competition jurors and other experts have always been an important component of festival programming.

Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock and his wife Rosanne, have been involved with the festival since its inception.  Rosanne Peacock was one of the very first of the festival’s volunteer ushers, a group that has now grown into a corps of over 100 volunteers who are the faces of the festival, greeting and directing more than 26,000 festival attendees each season.  Chancellor Peacock is among a distinguished group of Appalachian State University chancellors who have developed and sustained the festival, creating a summer attraction that rivals the artistic menus offered in major metropolitan areas.

Says Peacock, “Since 1984, An Appalachian Summer Festival has embraced a mission of enhancing the cultural life of North Carolina’s High Country— by bringing the world’s most accomplished and respected artists to our university while also supporting emerging artists, commissioning new works and offering educational opportunities that are accessible to all.  I invite you to join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of the past 25 years, and begin celebrating another 25 years of exceptional artistry.”

The 2009 season opens on Saturday, June 27 with a tried and true festival favorite, Leahy, a family of eight extraordinarily talented instrumentalists, singers, and dancers who bring a rare level of energy, originality and musicianship to the stage.  Leahy was last at An Appalachian Summer Festival in 2005, receiving a standing ovation and roaring applause.  The finale concert, held in the Holmes Convocation Center on Saturday, July 25, features Kenny Loggins.  In 1984, Loggins’ title track for the Footloose motion picture soundtrack spent three weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.  His expansive body of work also includes Loggins & Messina classics like Danny’s Song, signature solo tracks including Celebrate Me Home and the GRAMMY-winning This Is It.”  This is Loggins’ first appearance at An Appalachian Summer Festival.

Between June 27 and July 25, the festival will host a full slate of the finest artistic talent, including the Eastern Festival Orchestra with Sarah Chang, violin (July 12) and Horatio Gutierrez, piano (July 19); Joan Baez (July 23); the Halpert Biennial, a national juried competition and exhibition; Pilobolus Dance Theater (July 7); Melissa Manchester (July 2); Buckwhweat Zydeco (July 11); Paula Poundstone (July 17); the Broyhill Chamber Ensemble Concert Series (June 28, July 1, 6, 15 and 20); Triad Stage’s production of Oleanna (July 21 and 22); Mike Cross (July 18); the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Pops (June 30); the 23rd Annual Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition; Paul Taylor Dance (July 14) “Dinner and a Show at Westglow” featuring Sophie B. Hawkins (July 5); films, lectures, workshops and several special events, including a history party, Family Day at the Turchin Center and a spectacular silent auction.

An Appalachian Summer Festival’s success is due in large part to generous support from loyal private donors, as well as a dedicated group of corporate and media sponsors, many of whom have supported the festival for over a decade.  Festival sponsors include: Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, Westglow Resort and Spa, SkyBest Communications, Inc., McDonald’s of Boone, Mast General Store, Best Western – Blue Ridge Plaza, Allen Wealth Management, Footsloggers Outdoor & Travel Outfitters, Peabody’s Wine & Beer Merchants, Chetola Resort, the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center, WBTV, WCYB, Charter Media, the Mountain Times, All About Women magazine, the Winston-Salem Journal, the High Country Press, Mac 100.7FM, Mix 102.3FM, WHKY AM 1290 Talk Radio and WHKY-TVDT, Mountain Television Network, WDAV 89.9FM, WFDD 88.5FM, WETS 89.5FM, WNCW 88.7FM,WASU 90.5FM and WNC magazine.

Tickets to An Appalachian Summer Festival performances range from $5 - $30.  Most visual arts and educational events are free of charge. The festival offers two flexible ticket passes:  the “Pick 5” offers a 15% discount off of ticket purchases in multiples of five; the “Festival Pass” offers a 25% discount and priority seating for those who purchase a ticket to each performance.  For tickets and information, call 800-841-ARTS(2787) or 828-262-4046 (M-F, 10am-5pm) or visit http://www.appsummer.org.