BELMONT PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE

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The Belmont Percussion Ensemble is comprised primarily of graduate and undergraduate percussion majors from the School of Music.

The purpose of the ensemble is to provide students with an opportunity to explore the world of chamber music through modern percussion composition. Performance repertoire ranges from mainstream percussion ensemble standards to new compositions and premieres. Stylistically, the ensemble covers a wide range of material featuring compositions from classical, jazz, rock, and world music categories.

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CHATTERBIRD

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Chatterbird is a Nashville-based alternative classical music collective, dedicated to exploring uniquely orchestrated chamber music.

Celebrating genre-bending works featuring alternative instrumentation and interdisciplinary collaboration, chatterbird strives to create meaningful concert experiences that connect with every listener.

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Charles Holt - Finding your voice

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Finding Your Voice: It’s An Inside Job

Charles Holt is a Broadway actor, inspirational speaker, recording artist, entrepreneur, author, and nationally recognized storyteller. 

He has starred in some of the most celebrated and spectacular productions in American theatre history including Smokey Joe’s Café, Jesus Christ Superstar, and The Lion King. He also performs concerts on college and university campuses, as well as in spiritual centers and at conference events. Intuitive Rebel, Charles’ landmark book, was released by AMI/Hay House in May 2012.

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Matt Mahaffey - Nice Guys Don't Finish Last, Nice Guys Finish Happy

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Given the quirky nature of his original music, one would not suspect that Matt grew up in East Tennessee, playing bluegrass at Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s theme park, at age 11. Matt has performed with and produced many artists. Some well-known artists he has worked with are Pink, Beck, Liz Phair, Tenacious D, Phantom Planet, Beyonce, Butch Walker, The Sounds, Mandy Moore, Mika, and Smashmouth. 

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Rashad Rayford - The Poet

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Free Styled. Stylistic. Truth Seeker.

Rashad "thaPoet" Rayford is an activist/actor/artist from Nashville,TN. He has performed in over 30 stage productions.

 The pulitzer prize winning TopDog/ UnderDog, The Mountaintop, Antigone Cycle, Never Been Home and Hunger in Paradise, just to name a few. He's worked with Sista Style Productions, the Destiny Theatre Experience, Tennessee Rep, American Negro Playwright Theatre, Manhattan Rep, People's Branch theatre and many others. He has starred in two full feature films as well: "The 70% Club and "CrossBoneClick." 

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Southern Word

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Local Youth Spoken Word

Through the literary and performing arts, Southern Word offers creative solutions for youth to build literacy and presentation skills, reconnect to their education and to their lives, and act as leaders in the improvement of their communities. In pursuing this mission, Southern Word conducts spoken word school residencies, after school workshops, open mics, and shows.

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Bob Ezrin - Balance of Art & Commerce

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Music Producer - Alice Cooper, Kiss, Pink Floyd and More

Bob Ezrin is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Kiss, Pink Floyd, and Hanoi Rocks. 

Ezrin's career in music has spanned four decades, and he continues to be involved in music production work, with acts such as the Deftones and 30 Seconds to Mars. After co-founding an interactive media company, 7th Level, in 1993, Ezrin branched out into philanthropy and activism, underpinning projects such as Music Rising and Young Artists for Haiti.

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Bob Ezrin is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Kiss, Pink Floyd, and Hanoi Rocks. Ezrin's career in music has spanned four decades, and he continues to be involved in music production work, with acts such as the Deftones and 30 Seconds to Mars.

Mike Farris - Be on the "helping" team

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In music there are those special artists that seem to transcend genre and defy categorization. From time to time one hears a voice that can stop you dead in your tracks and shake your very foundation to the core. 

Mike Farris is that artist and he has that voice.

www.mikefarrismusic.com
www.twitter.com/MikeFarrisMusic

Odessa Settles and her 6 brothers

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Seven Brothers and One Sister: The Settles Family Tradition

We are Seven Brothers and One Sister, a family of siblings preserving and passing down the music tradition and heritage of our father – Walter Settles - a former member of the Fairfield Four. The music tradition which has survived over 400 years was born out of the institution of slavery where there was despair and shattered dreams and continues to speak loudly of hope and wholeness in modern times. 

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We are Seven Brothers and One Sister, a family of siblings preserving and passing down the music tradition and heritage of our father -- Walter Settles - a former member of the Fairfield Four.

Barry Alexander & Cosmo Buono - The Classical Musician

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With competitions for Piano, Voice, Strings and Flute, an annual music festival, and their own foundation, Barry Alexander and Cosmo Buono are showing classical musicians worldwide how to use technology and media to gain more control over their careers, while expanding performance opportunities in the process.

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Craig Havighurst - A life’s journey in listening

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Craig Havighurst is an author, broadcaster and filmmaker who sees music as a vast, complex ecosystem. With a background in public policy and Capitol Hill journalism, he was drawn to Nashville in the mid 90s by its rich history and growing roots/Americana music scene. 

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Kevin Rhoads & Rachel Kice - Creative Process

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We work ourselves wretched for one old wood coffin, if life doesn't get you, love will finish you off" sings K.S. Rhoads on his stunning debut album Dead Language, which American Songwriter Magazine declares, " is an exhibition in style, grace, and limitless possibilities." 

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Rachel Kice shares the creative process through the act of painting in real-time at cultural events. The act of completing an original work of art inspired by the events of life; liberates both artist and audience from concept. 

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