Blue Ridge Public Radio CEO David Feingold at the first ‘Sanctuary Sessions’ performance on the Central United Methodist church stage.
Blue Ridge Public Radio and NewSong Music have partnered to present ‘Sanctuary Sessions,’ a concert series to benefit BPR. The concerts feature some of North America’s most talented emerging singer-songwriters and are held in the beautiful and acoustically stunning sanctuary of Central United Methodist Church, located in the heart of downtown Asheville at 27 Church Street. 100% of the ticket proceeds will benefit Blue Ridge Public Radio, NPR for Western North Carolina.
The next and last ‘Sanctuary Series’ performance is this Saturday, June 16th, featuring Rose Cousins and Maya de Vitry.
David Feingold is the General Manager and CEO at Blue Ridge Public Radio. We asked David a few questions about the station’s involvement in the Sanctuary Sessions series as well as BPR’s commitment to community and local music.
The Central United Methodist Church welcomes NewSong curated musicians to its beautiful stage for the Sanctuary Sessions series.
How does the Sanctuary Sessions series fit in with Blue Ridge Public Radio’s mission and goals?
The series reflects two of BPR’s core values: programming that enhances community life, aided by ongoing engagement and collaboration; and recognizing the arts and the power they have to transform and enrich our lives. I believe we share those values with Central United Methodist Church and NewSong.
How does BPR support up-and-coming musicians like the ones featured in the Sanctuary Sessions?
A year ago we hired Matt Peiken, our first arts journalist. His excellent reporting on the region’s musicians has connected with our listeners on air and across our digital platforms. We also brought Bob Boilen, the founder of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert, to Asheville for this year’s Creative Sector Summit presented by the Asheville Area Arts Council. Bob spent several days here and was impressed with how the music industry has grown. As an NPR station, we can help make those connections.
Is there anything else you would like readers and listeners to know about your work at BPR?
Thanks to a very talented and hard-working staff and the generous support of our listeners and area businesses and organizations, we’re able to deliver a public radio service that has made BPR the most-listened to radio station in our market. One of those generous organizations is the Asheville Central United Methodist Church.
Tickets for the June 16th concert, produced by NewSong Music, are available in advance for $15.00 at The Orange Peel website, and will be available at the venue on the day of show for $20.00. Click here to purchase tickets for June 16th show featuring Rose Cousins and Maya de Vitry.
