This is America II
This performance is part of the This is America series package. Click here for details and savings!
Violinist and producer Johnny Gandelsman developed This is America in 2020, out of a time of rupture and disconnection. Thinking about ways that one person could make a small difference, he brought together commissioning partners across 11 states and territories to commission 22 new works. He invited the composers, all US-based, to reflect on the time we’re all living in. Since that initial burst of creativity, This is America has been performed throughout North America and grown to encompass 28 compositions for solo violin.
“This is America celebrates America’s rich cultural tapestry and its myriad perspectives, thoughts and ideas, offering a vivid counterpoint to the idea that this land can be understood through a singular, dominant point of view. Each composition reflects on the current state of American society in a personal and intimate way, looking through an unflinching lens at universal topics like separation, loneliness, hope and love.” – Johnny Gandelsman
This performance, featuring Layale Chaker & Sarafand, and Christina Courtin, is the second in a five-part series. Gandelsman is serving as our first Curator-in-Residence for the 24/25 season. Read more about his involvement with the season, This is America, and his two season performances with Brooklyn Rider.
TICKET & DISCOUNT INFORMATION
Tickets available starting from $29.
$11 STUDENT TICKETS
For UNC-Chapel Hill students (with valid UNC One Card) and all Triangle-area students K-college (with valid student ID)
- Current UNC-Chapel Hill students: Use promo code UNCST2425 and select the price type “UNC Student”
- Non UNC-Chapel Hill students: Use promo code GENST2425 and use the price type “Student”
15% DISCOUNT
Seniors, Active & Retired Military / First Responders, and Carolina Alumni save on regular price tickets with promo codes:
- Seniors: Use promo code SENIOR2425
- Active & Retired Military / First Responders: Use promo code SERVICE2425
- Carolina Alumni: Use promo code GAA2425
25% DISCOUNT
UNC-Chapel Hill Faculty & Staff / UNC Health Employees save on regular price tickets with promo codes:
- UNC-Chapel Hill Faculty & Staff and UNC Health Staff: Use promo code UNCFS2425
- Retired UNC-Chapel Hill Faculty & Staff: Use promo code UNCRET2425
Watch our video on applying discount codes when checking out!
*Limits apply. All prices include tax. A 6.5% platform fee will apply to all orders. Discounts cannot be combined. Additional exclusions may apply. Visit our FAQ page for more details.
EVENT DETAILS
- Runtime: 160 minutes, including intermission
- Intermission: 15 minutes
- Additional information: Visit our FAQ page
ABOUT JOHNNY GANDELSMAN
Called “A violinist who can do anything” by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Grammy-winning violinist and producer Johnny Gandelsman integrates a wide range of creative sensibilities into a style unique amongst today’s violinists. Richard Brody of The New Yorker has called Johnny “revelatory” in concert, placing him in the company of “radically transformative” performers like Maurizio Pollini, Peter Serkin and Christian Zacharias. As a founding member of Brooklyn Rider and a former member of the Silkroad Ensemble, Johnny has worked closely with such luminaries as Bela Fleck, Martin Hayes, Kayhan Kalhor, Yo-Yo Ma, Mark Morris, Anne Sofie Van Otter, Alim Qasimov & Fargana Qasimova, Joshua Redman, Suzanne Vega, Abigail Washburn and Damian Woetzel. He has appeared with Bono, David Byrne, Renée Fleming, Rhiannon Giddens, I’m With Her, Christian McBride, and many others.
Learn more about Johnny Gandelsman and This is America here.
ABOUT LAYALE CHAKER
Born in Paris but raised in Lebanon, composer and violinist Layale Chaker was raised speaking multiple languages, both linguistically and musically. Her complex sound universe, described by NPR as “beguiling” with “bright and beautiful strands… gorgeous, wine-dark swirls,” lies at the intersection of classical contemporary music, jazz, Arabic music, and improvisation. A 2020-2022 Jerome Hill Fellow, Chaker is also recipient of the 2022 Opera America Discovery 2022 Award, among many other accolades.
ABOUT CHRISTINA COURTIN
Violinist, vocalist, and composer Christina Courtin is a founding member of The Knights, based in New York, and has collaborated with Bonnie Prince Billy, Ed Sheeran, Chris Thile, Planetarium, Doyle Bramhall II, Le Ann Womack, Baaba Maal, Sara Bareilles, among many others. Courtin released her first solo self-titled album in 2009 on Nonesuch records and has since made several recordings, has toured all over the world, and continues to have a thriving solo career. She has sung with such artists as Yo-Yo Ma, Dawn Upshaw, Bela Fleck, Brooklyn Rider, and The Orlando Philharmonic. In 2024, Courtin held the chair of the TONY winning Broadway show ‘Illinoise’, performing on violin, viola, voice, and percussion.
Support from friends like you allows us to present world-class artists, provide tickets to students, facilitate academic programs with artists, commission new works, and support artistic research and residencies. Make a charitable gift today to support continued access to the arts.