UNC School of the Arts Symphony Orchestra takes center stage at Stevens Center

SO THAT’S GREAT NEWS FOR YOUR MORNING DRIVE. THE STEVENS CENTER IN DOWNTOWN WINSTON-SALEM WILL SHUT ITS DOORS FOR RENOVATIONS NEXT WEEK. BUT FIRST, THE UNCW’S SCHOOL OF THE ARTS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WILL TAKE THE STAGE FOR ONE FINAL PERFORMANCE INSIDE. LET’S SAY GOOD MORNING TO OUR STAR CONNOR, WHO IS JOINING US LIVE THERE THIS MORNING. STAR, TELL US WHAT HAPPENS TO SOME OF THOSE BIG PERFORMANCES LIKE THE NUTCRACKER THAT USUALLY TAKE PLACE AT THE STEVENS CENTER? WELL, SOME OF THOSE PERFORMANCES WILL BE CHANGED TO DIFFERENT AREAS. AND HERE TO TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE FUNDING AND PLANNING OF THE FUTURE, HOW THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT IS JIM DE DECRISTO THE CHIEF OF STAFF. SO I WANTED TO FIRST ASK YOU, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH WORK AND PLANNING CAME IN PART WITH THE FUNDING. WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A DECADE, TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER THE COMPREHENSIVE RENOVATION PLAN, THE CONCEPT PLAN FOR WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, AND THEN TRYING TO CONVINCE THE LEGISLATURE AND OTHERS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT’S SUPER IMPORTANT AND NEEDS TO BE DONE. THERE HASN’T BEEN A COMPREHENSIVE RENOVATION IN SINCE THE 40 YEARS THAT IT’S BEEN OPEN AS A LIVE PERFORMANCE VENUE. SO FOR US, IT WAS JUST VERY IMPORTANT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, A LOT HAS CHANGED IN THOSE 40 YEARS AS FAR AS TECHNOLOGY. SO UPDATING THE FACILITY, BRINGING IT UP TO THE CURRENT STATE OF THE ART IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR STUDENTS RIGHT. AND I KNOW IT’S GOING TO BE A BIG IMPACT. WE HAVE THE NUTCRACKER PERFORMING AT A DIFFERENT AREA AND SOME OTHER PERFORMANCES PERFORMING AT OTHER AREAS. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE PERFORMANCES. YEAH, SO WHILE WE’RE CLOSED, WHILE WE’RE IN THIS EXTENDED INTERMISSION, WE WILL BE PERFORMING ON CAMPUS. WE’LL ALSO BE PERFORMING ALL AROUND THE TRIAD. SO WE ALREADY HAVE PLANS TO PERFORM AT HIGH POINT THEATER. AND WE’LL BE DOING OUR NUTCRACKER, OUR ANNUAL NUTCRACKER AT TANGER CENTER THIS YEAR, WHICH IS EXCITING. BUT OF COURSE WE LOOK FORWARD TO A FEW YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WHEN WE’LL BE BACK AND WE’LL HAVE A GRAND REOPENING AND REALLY BE HOME AGAIN. SO YOU KNOW, IN THE MEANTIME, I HOPE PEOPLE WILL COME OUT AND SEE US IN THESE VARIOUS VENUES RIGHT NOW. FUNDING TOOK PLACE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. THEY DECIDED TO PARTICIPATE. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT’S SO IMPORTANT? WELL, I THINK THE STATE APPRECIATES THE ROLE THE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS HAS. YOU KNOW, AS AN ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR THE CITY OF WINSTON-SALEM. WE ARE THE STATE’S CONSERVATORY FOR THE ARTS. YOU KNOW, WE ARE THE SCHOOL WITH THAT MISSION FOR ALL THE PERFORMING ARTS. SO THEY SEE THE WORK THAT WE DO. I THINK THEY APPRECIATE THE EXCELLENCE OF OUR PROGRAMS. AND YOU KNOW, WE THEY THEY ARE PARTNERING WITH US TO REALLY KEEP THINGS MOVING FORWARD AND MAKE THINGS EVEN STRONGER. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME THIS MORNING. AND AS WE SAID, THAT LAST PERFORMANCE BEFORE THE RENOVATIONS IS TONIGHT. AND THAT’S GOING TO BE AT 7:30 P.M. SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU COME OUT TO THIS HISTORICAL BUILDING BEFORE IT CHANGES JUST A LITTLE BIT. BUT THEY’LL BE BACK IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. SO MAKE SURE YOU COME OUT AT 730. I’M LIVE IN WINSTON-SALEM. I’M DOWNTOWN AT THE STEPHENS CENTER.

The Stevens Center in downtown Winston-Salem is getting ready for renovations.Before closing next week, the UNC School of the Arts Symphony Orchestra will take stage Friday night for a final performance before the doors close for some time. WXII 12 News Star Connor spoke with many people behind the scenes about the future of the venue.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. —

The Stevens Center in downtown Winston-Salem is getting ready for renovations.

Before closing next week, the UNC School of the Arts Symphony Orchestra will take stage Friday night for a final performance before the doors close for some time.

WXII 12 News Star Connor spoke with many people behind the scenes about the future of the venue.

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UNC School of the Arts Symphony Orchestra takes center stage at Stevens Center

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