American Acoustic, a Chris Thile–curated festival at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, gets under way this evening and runs through Saturday. The performances feature collaborations between Thile and performers including Punch Brothers, Michael Daves, Edgar Meyer, and others. "One of the thesis statements of the week is going to be to look beyond genre and examine and celebrate the similarities between great instances of music making, rather than the differences," Thile tells the Washington Post.
American Acoustic, a four-day festival curated by mandolinist, singer, and composer Chris Thile at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, gets under way this evening and runs through Saturday. The performances feature collaborations between Thile and performers including Punch Brothers, Michael Daves, Edgar Meyer, and others, focusing on the idea that tradition is innovation that lasts. Through a handful of concerts in venues across the Center, American Acoustic with Chris Thile showcases groundbreaking artistry and a diverse array of styles.
"One of the thesis statements of the week is going to be to look beyond genre and examine and celebrate the similarities between great instances of music making, rather than the differences," Thile tells the Washington Post.
For the festival's opening tonight, Thile shares the stage with singer/guitarist Michael Daves—his bluegrass duo partner and counterpart on the critically acclaimed, Grammy-nominated album Sleep with One Eye Open, released on Nonesuch in 2011. Thursday will see Thile alongside composer/singer-songwriter Gabriel Kahane, guitarist Julian Lage, and vocalist Merrill Garbus in a special performance featuring each artist's original compositions as well as joint material. Both of these events will be held at 7:30 PM in the intimate Terrace Theater.
The festival's marquee concert takes place on Friday night at 8 PM in the Concert Hall and features an all-star lineup of some of Thile's frequent collaborators and closest friends, including his fellow Punch Brothers, banjo player Béla Fleck, celebrated bassist Edgar Meyer, and the trio I'm With Her, which comprises Americana singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Sara Watkins, Aoife O'Donovan, and Sarah Jarosz. The festival culminates on Saturday with a performance and Q&A session led by Thile and designed for younger audiences. This event takes place at noon in the Family Theater.
Extending the festival's accessibility and reach to a wider audience, Thile will also lead three educational events that are free and open to the general public—a late-night jam session on Thursday and two performance workshops on Saturday. These events feature the participation of festival artists and fellow musicians, including Punch Brothers, Aoife O'Donovan, and Sarah Jarosz.
For more information and tickets to American Acoustic with Chris Thile, visit kennedy-center.org.
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