S.C. Public Radio announces coverage plans for Spoleto Festival USA 2019

Spoleto Festival USA 2019

COLUMBIA, S.C. – S.C. Public Radio today announced its coverage plans for Spoleto Festival USA 2019. The statewide radio network will broadcast Spoleto events on “Performance Today” and “Sonatas & Soundscapes.” A six-episode podcast -- “Spoleto Backstage” -- is also back for a second consecutive year with a new host, Adam Parker of The Post & Courier.

Starting Friday, May 24, the 11 concerts of the “Bank of America Chamber Music” series will be recorded at Charleston’s historic Dock Street Theatre. Statewide broadcasts of those concerts will begin airing May 31 on S.C. Public Radio’s news and music stations as part of “Sonatas and Soundscapes.” Excerpts from that series will also be airing nationally throughout the year on “Performance Today,” as will additional Spoleto Festival USA concerts, including the “Classical Showcase” at Dock Street Theatre on May 28 and “Prokofiev and Shostakovich” at Charleston Gaillard Center on June 1.

Broadcasting live from the Charleston Gaillard Center, “Sonatas & Soundscapes” will also feature festival-focused interviews. These live broadcasts will air each weekday at 11 a.m. from May 24 to June 7. All of this on-air coverage can be accessed via one of S.C. Public Radio’s three news and music stations, which are listed online here. Listeners can also stream the content online at www.southcarolinapublicradio.org or by downloading the SCETV app.

In addition to the on-air coverage, S.C. Public Radio is also producing a six-episode podcast series – “Spoleto Backstage.” Hosted by Adam Parker, arts and entertainment editor for The Post and Courier, the podcast features interviews with key figures and artists performing at this year’s festival. The first episode of this year’s series has already been published and can be found online here.

QUOTES:

“Spoleto Festival USA is one of the world’s most renowned arts festivals. Our goal is to give listeners across our state and nation access to all of the incredible performances that will be taking place throughout the 17-day event. We are thankful that our partnerships with The Post and Courier, the Charleston Gaillard Center and the festival itself will help us do just that.” –SCETV President and CEO Anthony Padgett

“The Festival is thrilled to have its 2019 artists and concerts featured so robustly on S.C. Public Radio. And through “Spoleto Backstage,” a wider audience outside of the region’s traditional radio listeners can experience the Festival, too. We feel that this is not only a boon to Spoleto, but also a boon to our artists and the Charleston region.” –Spoleto Festival USA Director of Marketing and Public Relations Jessie Bagley

“Since the Charleston Gaillard Center reopened in 2015, our mission as a non-profit has been to provide the Lowcountry with a world-class location to show case the performing arts and to provide vibrant, barrier-free access to arts education. We are excited to partner with S.C. Public Radio to bring the amazing Spoleto Festival USA 2019 to their listeners and to play a part in bringing those artists and stories to the entire state of South Carolina.” –Charleston Gaillard Center President and CEO Stephen A. Bedard

“The Post and Courier is proud of its longstanding commitment to covering Spoleto Festival USA and Piccolo Spoleto Festival, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with S.C. Public Radio on the “Spoleto Backstage” podcast series. It’s an exciting collaboration, one that highlights the importance of the arts in Charleston and beyond, helping us spread the word.” –The Post and Courier Arts and Culture Editor Adam Parker

FIVE FAST FACTS:                

  • S.C. Public Radio will broadcast Spoleto events on “Performance Today” and “Sonatas & Soundscapes.”
  • A six-episode podcast -- “Spoleto Backstage” -- is also back for a second consecutive year and can be found online here.
  • “Performance Today” will feature excerpts from the 11 concerts of the “Bank of America Chamber Music” series, as well as the “Classical Showcase” at Dock Street Theatre and “Prokofiev and Shostakovich” at Charleston Gaillard Center on June 1.
  • Broadcasting live from the Charleston Gaillard Center, “Sonatas & Soundscapes” will feature music blended with festival-focused interviews.
  • All of the on-air coverage can be accessed via one of S.C. Public Radio’s three news and music stations or via live stream at www.southcarolinapublicradio.org or on the SCETV app.