Biscuit Chats: Recent Episodes
WDAV Classical Public Radio
WDAV's Biscuits and Bach host, Rachel Stewart, talks with musicians, artists, chefs, foodies and others about everybody's favorite topic - food.Subscribe to a podcast of this series via iTunes using the button below or visit our subscribe page for other options.Subscribe
Each Spring the Charlotte Shout! Festival takes place in uptown Charlotte, and one important component of the festival is Charlotte StrEATs, which focuses on food. This week we talk to one of the producers of Charlotte StrEATs, Kristen Wile from Unpretentious Palate, a digital publication covering food and drink in our region. She gives us an overview of the food offerings and tips for getting the most out of Charlotte StrEATs. Learn more about Charlotte StrEATs
Alan Black, Principal Cello Emeritus of the Charlotte Symphony, joins Rachel to talk about Bach's Cello Suites and why he loves playing them. Alan and fellow cellist Grace Anderson will perform all six suites on WDAV's upcoming "Cellomania" Tour to Bach's region of Germany. Learn more about the Bach Cellomania Tour
Bach wrote his Christmas Oratorio for the Christmas season of 1734. It consists of six cantatas, each intended for performance on a feast day during the Christmas season. In June 2023, Bach Akademie Charlotte's Bach festival centered around the Christmas Oratorio. Laura Atkinson, a singer and the Education Director of Bach Akademie Charlotte, talks about the origins of the musical series and its foundation for Bach's other works.
Internationally acclaimed organist Clive Driskill-Smith chats about the importance of Bach to organists.
Guy Fishman, principal cellist of both the Handel & Haydn Society and the Bach Akademie Charlotte Orchestra, talks about the excitement of helping build one of the Charlotte region's newest classical music organizations. He also describes his most enjoyable breakfast scenario.
Robert Quinney, Director of the Choir of New College Oxford, talks about leading one of the most respected choral ensembles in the world. The choir has been in existence since 1379 and is the oldest of its kind in Oxford and Cambridge. Quinney describes the typical routine of the young adults and boy trebles in the choir who perform almost every day of the week.
Scott Allen Jarrett, artistic director of Bach Akademie Charlotte, gives background on Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi whose music is featured in Bach Akademie's Venetian Vespers concert. Learn more about Bach Akademie's Venetian Vespers Concert
Composer Mark O'Connor talks about his journey through classical music as someone who began his career in folk and country music. You'll also find out about his favorite healthy breakfast concoction. Pictured: Mark O'Connor; photo by Mitch Weiss.
Dr. Jeremy Mims, artistic director of the choir Inspirar, has studied manuscripts from the Renaissance and Baroque eras found in Puebla, Mexico. He joins us to talk about his research and the Mexican selections that will be on the program of Inspirar's upcoming concert, "Cantos de Mexico." Pictured: Dr. Jeremy Mims; photo courtesy of Dr. Jeremy Mims.
Charlotte Master Chorale artistic director Kenney Potter joins us to talk about Bach‘s Mass in B Minor. The Chorale launches its new season with performances of the great masterwork. Kenney will share a few of his favorite sections of the work.
Emily Epley, Travel and Tourism Director for Cleveland County, talks about the Mush, Music and Mutts Festival in Shelby, NC. The festival celebrates livermush, a food peculiar to North Carolina that is also known as the poor man's pate. Find out about its history and ingredients.
Kris Reid, Executive Director of Piedmont Culinary Guild, explains how her organization connects chefs and farmers. She'll also give a few details about their Farm-to-Fork Picnic in the Garden event at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. Learn more about the Farm-to-Fork Picnic Event
Gerard Schwarz, music director of the Eastern Music Festival (EMF) in Greensboro, talks about the educational experiences of EMF students. He'll also tell us why his parents called him "Chickie" when he was a boy.
Tony Pasour, Head of Interpretation at Gastonia's Schiele Museum of Natural History, talks about their new "Carolina 'Cue" exhibit. He'll explain the characteristics of barbecue found in the southern Piedmont. Learn more about the "Carolina 'Que" exhibit Photo by Katerina Jerabkova on Unsplash
Bach Akademie Charlotte's artistic director Scott Allen Jarrett talks about some special instrumentation that will be used in performances of Bach's "St. John Passion" which will be featured as part of the Charlotte Bach Festival's Bach Experience series.
Scott Allen Jarrett, artistic director of Bach Akademie Charlotte, talks about that organization's return to live performances and Bach's Easter Oratorio.
Food writer and scholar Robert Moss talks about his new book The Lost Southern Chefs: A History of Commercial Dining in the Nineteenth-Century South which explores the hidden history of chefs, restaurateurs, and caterers – Black and white, male and female – who created a thriving and sophisticated food culture that helped shape Southern cuisine and fine dining as we know it today. Pictured: Robert F. Moss; courtesy of Robert F. Moss.
Davidson College music professor Dr. Marcus Pyle walks us through one of his favorite Handel works, the Violin Sonata in D, Op. 1, No. 13, HWV 371. Marcus Pyle
Conductors JoAnn Falletta (Buffalo Philharmonic) and Karen Ni Bhroin (Winston-Salem Symphony) talk about their favorite breakfast foods from around the world. Pictured: JoAnn Falletta (photo by Heather Bellini) and Karen Ni Bhroin. JoAnn Falletta Karen Ni Bhroin
Barbara McKay talks about her new book Coming Home: Recipes & Reflections from a Life in the Spotlight . For many years, Barbara was the popular host of WBTV's daily television show "Top O' the Day" where she took people on adventures, introduced them to celebrities, and very importantly taught them to cook. Learn more about Coming Home: Recipes & Reflections from a Life in the Spotlight
Marcus Pyle, Franco Professor of the Humanities and Assistant Professor of Music at Davidson College, walks us through an aria from Handel's opera, "Julius Caesar", and explains why it's so great. Marcus Pyle
We explore Telemann's Trumpet Concerto in D Major with Charlotte trumpeter Keenan Harmon. He'll explain why he loves the work and feels it's one of the best in the Baroque repertoire. He'll also give us a little insight into what it's like for a trumpeter to play it. Keenan Harmon
Food writer, James Beard Award winner, attorney, and certified barbecue judge Adrian Miller talks about his new book Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue. The book chronicles the important contributions of Black cooks, chefs, and pitmasters to one of America's most iconic foods. Pictured: Adrian Miller; credit Ryan Dearth.
Opera Carolina artistic director James Meena joins us to talk about some of the Easter traditions found in the Orthodox Church. As the son of an Orthodox pastor, he is well versed in the music and other customs of the holiday. Pictured: James Meena.
Food writer and barbecue expert Robert Moss talks about barbecue's famous sidekick, Brunswick Stew. He'll tell us a little about its origins. Learn more about Barbecue: The History of an American Institution Pictured: Robert Moss; courtesy of Robert Moss.
Ashley Strickland Freeman, an award-winning food stylist, recipe developer, and cookbook author based in Charleston, SC, swears by Duke's Mayonnaise. So much so that she's written a cookbook devoted to this staple found in so many Southern kitchens. Listen to her talk about the unexpected ways mayonnaise can be used in recipes beyond the customary spreads and salads. Pictured: Ashley Strickland Freeman/courtesy of Ashley Strickland Freeman
Christopher James Lees, Resident Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony, talks about the CSO's special, virtual Baroque New Year's concert. He explains why Baroque music may be the right way to provide an optimistic welcome to 2021. And he shares the quarantine breakfast routine he has with his five-year-old.
Mandolin and guitar virtuoso Robin Bullock talks about being a folk musician who plays classical music. He talks about his performance in a virtual concert as part of Music at St. Alban's in Davidson, NC. Learn more about Music @ St. Alban's with Robin Bullock Pictured: Robin Bullock/Facebook
Author Robert Moss talks about the importance of barbecue as an American institution that has been shaped by Native Americans, African-Americans, and Europeans. His book "Barbecue: The History of an American Institution" has been revised in a second edition. Learn more about Barbecue: The History of an American Institution Pictured: Robert Moss; courtesy of Robert Moss.
For nearly 60 years the iconic Wilber's Barbecue restaurant , started by Wilber Shirley in Goldsboro, NC, has been famous for authentic Eastern North Carolina style barbecue cooked over oak wood coals. Willis Underwood, one of the new owners, talks about how he intends to keep that fading tradition alive. Pictured: Wilber's BBQ in Goldsboro, NC/courtesy of Wilber's BBQ
Davis Tapp, the new Executive Director of The Choir School at St. Peters in Charlotte, talks about their online choir camp and how they're adjusting their program during the pandemic. He also shares his family's technique for making scrambled eggs. Learn more about The Choir School at St. Peters Pictured: Davis Tapp/Twitter.
Amie Newsome, manager of the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market, tells us how the market has adapted to meet coronavirus safety requirements in order to keep as many fresh, local foods available to customers as possible. Pictured: Amie Newsome/Facebook
Peter Reinhart , Chef on Assignment at Johnson and Wales University, about making sourdough bread, a hobby that is growing in popularity especially since people are staying home more. Additional Resources Northwest Sourdough Pizza Quest with Peter Reinhart
Jane Cain has served as music director and organist at Davidson College Presbyterian Church for 41 seasons. She talks about her career and her love of Bach. Pictured: Jane Cain/Facebook.
Chef Ricky Moore, owner of the SaltBox Seafood Joint in Durham, NC, has a new cookbook filled with recipes and advice for cooking great seafood dishes. Learn more about the Saltbox Seafood Joint Cookbook
Internationally renowned pianist Jon Nakamatsu talks about Bach's foundational importance to keyboard players and why he starts each day playing Bach.
Internationally renowned concert organist Jonathan Dimmock talks about the interesting intersection between Bach, neuroscience, and conflict resolution. Learn more about Jonathan Dimmock
Sara Foster talks about her book Pie, A Savor the South Cookbook , – to help with your Thanksgiving feast preparations. Need new dessert ideas? Sara’s got them. Learn more about Sara's book Pie
T.J. Smith is the editor of the revised edition of The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Cookery , which documents the foodways of Southern Appalachia through the recipes and stories of its people. Listen and learn as he talks about foods like 'leather breeches' and ramps. Pictured: T.J. Smith/Foxfire
Benjamin Mahns-Mardy is a baritone with Ensemble Nobiles, a vocal quintet based in Leipzig, Germany. He talks about the group's regional concerts in Hickory, Concord and Charlotte, and what southern foods he looks forward to having while in the area. Pictured: Benjamin Mahns-Mardy/Facebook
Host Rachel Stewart talks with Charlotte chef Bruce Moffett, owner of four of the city's top restaurants. He's a transplanted New Englander who's been working in the South for more than twenty years and has seen Charlotte's culinary landscape evolve and grow. His new cookbook is "Bruce Moffett Cooks: A New England Chef in a New South Kitchen." Pictured: Bruce Moffett by Peter Taylor
Jean Anderson, a North Carolina cookbook author and member of the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame, talks about her latest publication "Kiln to Kitchen: Favorite Recipes from Beloved North Carolina Potters.” Anderson takes us on a tour of North Carolina potteries and shares recipes from the potters themselves – recipes that can be cooked and served in their creations. Learn more about "Kiln to Kitchen "
Peter Reinhart is a bread expert and a James Beard Award winner whose latest cookbook is all about the Perfect Pan Pizza. He talks about the universal appeal of pizza and some of the new pizza styles that are getting attention. Plus the importance of the dough and crust for making great pan pizzas. Learn more about Perfect Pan Pizza: Square Pies to Make at Home from Roman, Sicilian, and Detroit to Grandma Pies and Focaccia
Festival organizer Libby Watson talks about the Woodleaf Tomato Festival in Woodleaf, NC. Since at least the 1930s, several families there have been growing tomatoes, and every year they celebrate the fruit that has played an important role in their community's economy. Learn more about the Woodleaf Tomato Festival
North Carolina author Georgann Eubanks talks about the heritage foods that contribute to the distinctive identity of our state, and her book entitled "The Month of Their Ripening: North Carolina Heritage Foods through the Year.” Learn more about The Month of Their Ripening
Ben Outen, Director of Music and Organist at Christ Episcopal Church, Charlotte, talks with host Rachel Stewart about Bach.
Cathy Youngblood who is the artistic director of Caritas A Cappella Ensemble, which is based in Charlotte, talks about the groups art and vision to make an impact in the community.
Katy and Joe Kindred, the owners of Kindred Restaurant in Davidson, speak with host Rachel Stewart about their establishment, which gets rave reviews and has helped make Davidson a food destination. Joe talks about the chef’s art, and Katy talks about learning to make biscuits. Pictured (l-r): Joe and Katy Kindred.
Elizabeth Lenti, Artistic Director of The Choir School at St. Peter’s in Charlotte, talks about the challenges of singing Bach and about her personal relationship to Bach’s music as an organist.
Karen Sullivan, founder of the Global Table Culinary Walking Tour, talks about how the event showcases international restaurants, markets, and bakeries in East Charlotte. Learn more about the Global Table Culinary Walking Tour
Chef Harrison Booth of the Duke Mansion in Charlotte is one of the chefs participating in the Symphony Guild of Charlotte’s annual Heart of the Home fundraiser benefiting the Charlotte Symphony and its youth orchestra. Learn more about the Heart of the Home Tour
Food writer and chef Sheri Castle talks about her latest cookbook, Instantly Southern: 85 Southern Favorites for Your Pressure Cooker, Multicooker, and Instant Pot . Sheri explains how this new appliance can really change the way we cook. Learn more about Instantly Southern Pictured: Sheri Castle; photo credit: Baxter Miller.
Composer Kile Smith talks about his composition, The Consolation of Apollo , and performance by the Charlotte Master Chorale. Plus, Kile explains how he makes the best scrambled eggs in the cosmos. Learn more about The Consolation of Apollo performance Pictured: Kile Smith; photo credit: A.J. Waltz
Author Perre Coleman Magness talks about her cookbook, Southern Snacks: 77 Recipes for Small Bites with Big Flavors , and shares some tips for hosting a successful Super Bowl party. Learn more about Perre Coleman Magness
Hope Muir, Artistic Director of Charlotte Ballet, talks about their Innovative Works production entitled Shakespeare Reinvented. Hope will also share her method for getting eggs benedict and hollandaise sauce right every time and the origins of the expression “break a leg.” Learn more about Shakespeare Reinvented: A New Take on the Works of William Shakespeare through Contemporary Dance
Rosemary Warren-Green, principal violist of the London Chamber Orchestra, talks about community outreach through Music Junction , and playing Bach with her mentor, the renowned late violinist, Sir Yehudi Menuhin. Learn more about the London Symphony Orchestra's Music Junction
Sara Foster talks about her recent book Pie, A Savor the South Cookbook , – to help with your Thanksgiving feast preparations. Need new dessert ideas? Sara’s got them. Learn more about Sara's book Pie
Author Georgann Eubanks whose new book, The Month of Their Ripening: North Carolina Heritage Foods Through the Year , celebrates the special foods that contribute to the distinctive identity of our state as well as the people who cultivate them. Learn more about the book The Month of Their Ripening: North Carolina Heritage Foods Through the Year Pictured: Georgann Eubanks
Jamie DeMent, a North Carolina writer, chef, farmer and restaurant owner, explores farming and seasonal foods. Learn more about a Cooking Demo with Chef Jamie Dement
Dr. Zanaida Robles, a conductor, singer and composer based in southern California is conducting a series of workshops, and a performance with the Choir School of St. Peter’s in Charlotte, NC. She talks about the importance of sharing great music with children, her involvement with the Messiah Project in Los Angeles, which brings Handel’s masterpiece to the homeless, as well as her favorite breakfast recipe. Learn more about performances at the Choir School of St. Peter's
Chef, restaurateur and author, Jennifer Brulé, talks about her new cookbook called The New Vegetarian South: 105 Inspired Dishes for Everyone . Plus, find out the surprising way to make barbecue without using meat.
Rachel talks with Celtic fiddler Jamie Laval about the performance of his new composition, Dans Breizh: Concerto for violin, viola and orchestra, with the Davidson College Orchestra and violist Rosemary Warren-Green. Learn more about Celtic Adventure featuring Jamie Laval & Rosemary Warren-Green
Composer Dan Forrest talks about how the music of Johann Sebastian Bach informs his own compositions. And what he would eat for breakfast on Sunday mornings if he weren’t so busy.
Guitarist Jason Vieaux, who joins the Eastern Festival Orchestra at the Eastern Music Festival in July, talks with host Rachel Stewart about his favorite breakfast foods. Vieaux may be a native of Buffalo, but he knows a thing or two about Southern breakfast. Learn more about Vieaux's performance at the Eastern Music Festival . Pictured: Jason Vieaux; photo by Tyler Boye.
Rachel chats with violinist Anne Akiko Meyers about her performance at the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, NC.
Rachel also chats with Scott Allen Jarrett, artistic director of Bach Akademie Charlotte, a new organization in the Charlotte area devoted to the music of Bach and the baroque era. Although it’s only their first year of existence, they’re launching their inaugural Charlotte Bach Festival. Learn more : Bach Akademie web site Scott Allen Jarrett
Stephen Darlington, Director of Music at Christ Church, Oxford, describes Francesco Durante’s Requiem Mass in C minor as one of the most important orchestral Requiem settings of the 18th century. He talks to WDAV about this somewhat overlooked work.
Rachel talks with Dr. Anton Armstong, conductor of the renowned St. Olaf’s Choir, who visits Winston-Salem to guest conduct a couple of concerts in early May. He'll explain the importance of music in the liturgical year and let us in on his favorite breakfast joint in NYC. Learn more about the Winston-Salem Centenary and Salem College events Pictured: Dr. Anton Armstrong
Rachel chats with Jamie DeMent, a North Carolina writer, chef, farmer and restaurant owner who has a new cookbook out called The Farmhouse Chef: Recipes and Stories from my Carolina Farm . Listen to find out about the value in seasonal cooking and eating local. Learn more about Jamie Dement: The Farmhouse Chef Pictured: Jamie DeMent; photo by: Felicia A. Trujillio.
Rachel chats with author and nationally recognized authority on Southern cooking, Damon Lee Fowler . His latest book is Ham, A Savor the South Cookbook . Fowler explains why ham is a staple of the southern diet, what makes country ham so salty, and how to prepare the perfect ham biscuit. Learn more about Ham: A Savor the South Cookbook
WDAV chats with one of the most acclaimed pianists of our time, Leon Fleisher. Fleisher lost the use of his right hand in the mid-1960s and had to reinvent his career by performing repertoire for the left hand. One of the key works in that repertoire is Bach's Chaconne, originally for solo violin, arranged for the left hand by Johannes Brahms. Fleisher explains why Brahms' arrangement is so great, and tells a story involving music lessons, an old school piano teacher and lamb chops. Pictured: Leon Fleisher, photo by Chris Hartlove
Artistic Director for Thomas Savoy talks with WDAV about how he discovered incomplete scores for Antonio Caldara’s Mass in A, which hadn’t been performed in 200 years. He also shares breakfast tips for a busy Sunday morning. Pictured: Thomas Savoy/ savoymusichouse.com
Rachel talks with celtic fiddler Jamie Laval about his annual Celtic Christmas show that is coming to several North Carolina venues. This year he’s added music from Brittany and Iceland.
Rachel chats with food writer Debbie Moose, author of Southern Holidays, A Savor the South Cookbook, about some of the favorite holiday foods enjoyed by Southerners at this time of year.
Rachel chats with Peter Reinhart, Chef on Assignment at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, about Thanksgiving baking. Learn more from Peter Reinhart on the Johnson & Wales blog
Juliana Soltis is a baroque cellist (and native of Appalachia) who has recently released her debut album on the Acis label called "Entrez, le Diable!" which explores the meteoric rise of the cello as a solo instrument in France in the early 1700s. Before that time, the cello was considered rough and unsophisticated. We talk with Juliana about why all that changed.
Robin Bullock chats with host Rachel Stewart about why he loves Bach, and his performance as part of Music at St. Albans in Davidson, NC.
Bridgette Lacy talks about her book, Sunday Dinner: a Savor the South Cookbook , which celebrates the South’s favorite meal of the week.
Cellist Matt Haimovitz has followed up his recording of the Bach Cello Suites with an album called Overtures to Bach . The album includes new commissions by contemporary composers such as Philip Glass.
Christopher Gilliam of Lake Norman Choral Artists and Barbara Krumdieck of North Carolina Baroque Orchestra talk about their performance of Magnificat .
Chef Vivian Howard talks about why she wrote Deep Run Roots , some of the foods that are unique to her home region, and her family’s unusual breakfast traditions.
Dr. Kenney Potter, director of the Wingate University Singers, talks about performing the Bach Mass in B minor .
Thomas Head talks about his new cookbook, Greens , which celebrates one of the foundational foods of southern cooking.
Host Rachel Stewart chats with chef, author and tv personality, Jennifer Brulé, about her new cookbook Learn to Cook 25 Southern Classics 3 Ways.
Renowned oboist Joseph "Joe" Robinson sits down with host Rachel Stewart to chat about his favorite southern breakfast.
Amanda Fisher and Paul Bright, creators of the Great North Carolina BBQ Map, chat about how they created their visual guide to the best 'cue around the state.
Rachel talks with Karen Sullivan, co-chair of the Global Table Culinary Walking Tour in Charlotte, NC. Sullivan tells us about how the event came together and what to expect.
Rachel Barton Pine talks about her album, Testament: Complete Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin by J.S. Bach . She discusses why these works are important, why she chose to record them in St. Paul’s Church of Christ in Chicago, and how she is raising her young daughter while maintaining her busy schedule.
Local musicians Barbara Krumdieck of the North Carolina Baroque Orchestra and Christopher Gilliam of the Lake Norman Choral Artists about their performance of Bach’s Cantata 106 “Actus Tragicus” and how their two groups collaborate.
Rachel talks to choral director Christopher Gilliam about a local Messiah Sing-Along and how he plans to manage such a large group of performers.
Frank Dominguez talks with violinist Lara St. John, not about Bach, but about breakfast.
Host Rachel Stewart talks with Winston-Salem based composer Dan Locklair about the premiere of his newly commissioned work, Requiem . Locklair talks about the significance of writing this monumental work.
Local author Gilda Morina Syverson chats about her memoir chronicling her journey to Italy with her Italian father. It's a tale of ancestry, heritage, family and food called My Father's Daughter, from Rome to Sicily.
Rachel Stewart talks to Barbara Kopald of the Symphony Guild of Charlotte and Blake Hartwick, Executive Chef at Bonterra, about the Guild's upcoming Heart of the Home Kitchen tour.
Steven Hancoff talks about why he embarked on his guitar transcription of Bach's Suites for Cello Solo. Hancoff shares the remarkable story of how these once little known suites became a favorite of modern audiences and an essential part of the cello canon.
Fiona Ritchie has written a book with Doug Orr called Wayfaring Strangers, which explores the connections between the folk music of Scotland, Ulster, and the southern Appalachians.
Dr. Timothy O'Lenic, who moonlights as chef, talks with Rachel about his cookbook called Breakfast at Timothy's . Hear about some of his suggested recipes for the most important meal of the day.
Dr. Raymond Erickson, Professor Emeritus of Music at Queens College and the Graduate Center of CUNY, talks about Bach's family life on a special Father's Day Biscuit Chat.
Rachel talks with barbecue pit master, Brent Babb, about the art of barbecuing pork and about how he came up with his Babb-A-Q Sauce recipe.
Rachel talks with Tom Lewtak from Lewtak Organ Builders who has spent his life with pipe organs, first as an organist and then as an organ builder. Hear what it's like to make a living in this unusual profession.
Sir James Galway joins Rachel for a chat about Mozart, Bach, Pink Floyd and grits. You'll be amazed by how well he understands this Southern delicacy.
Rachel talks with Deborah Neuhs, President and Founder of the Charlotte Area Foundation for Music and Art, a foundation that provides scholarships and grants for artists, musicians, students and teachers. Their Annual Farm to Table fundraiser dinner is coming up and will feature local food and local artists.
This week on Biscuits and Bach, Rachel talks with Dr. Kenney Potter about an upcoming concert featuring Bach's Mass in b minor . His Wingate University Singers perform with the North Carolina Baroque Orchestra. He also reveals how he manages to get to his Sunday church job on time and still eat breakfast.
On Biscuits and Bach, Gil Shaham joins Rachel Stewart for a conversation about playing Bach, and he tells us which breakfast food is his guilty pleasure.
WDAV's Frank Dominguez talks with Andrew Griffiths and Kate Ashby of the UK's renowned vocal ensemble, Stile Antico, about the thrill of discovering breakfast at Cracker Barrel for the first time.
This week on Biscuits and Bach, Rachel Stewart talks with Dr. Eric Nelson, conductor, and Dr. Paul Westermeyer, liturgist, about their roles in the upcoming Festival of Church Music at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte. Find out what a liturgist does and whether you should eat before or after performing.
This week on Biscuits and Bach, Rachel Stewart talks with Dr. Eric Nelson, conductor, and Dr. Paul Westermeyer, liturgist, about their roles in the upcoming Festival of Church Music at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte. Find out what a liturgist does and whether you should eat before or after performing.
If you haven't planned your Super Bowl party menu yet, you can get some ideas and tips when Rachel chats with food writer Debbie Moose about the foods we love to eat at sporting events.
This week on Biscuits and Bach, WDAV's Frank Dominguez talks with conductor Gerard Schwarz and his cellist son, Julian, about baroque music and their favorite foods.
This week on Biscuits and Bach, Rachel talks with food writer Debbie Moose about her latest book, Southern Holidays, A Savor the South Cookbook from UNC Press. Learn why coconut cake is a treasured Christmas tradition in many Southern families, and hear about a Southern twist on latkes.
After guitarist Peter Blanchette spent a year learning to play the lute, he decided it just wasn't the right instrument for him. He enjoyed playing guitar, but the guitar wasn't capable of easily playing the renaissance and baroque music he loved. So Blanchette solved his problem by creating the archguitar, which combined characteristics of a lute and a Spanish vihuela (an early guitar-like instrument.) Blanchette joins Rachel Stewart for an interesting chat about his unique instrument and the beautiful sounds it can make.
On Biscuits and Bach, Rachel Stewart talks with April McGreger, the author of a new book about the South's favorite vegetable, sweet potatoes. It's part of the UNC Press Savor the South Cookbook series. Find out why sweet potatoes have been so important to Southerners historically, and hear about the many innovative and unusual ways they can be prepared.
This week on Biscuits and Bach, Rachel Stewart talks with Anne MacLeod of Auchtermuchty, Fife in Scotland about how to make proper scones and the merits of eating a good haggis.
Rachel travels to Inverness, Scotland, and the kitchen of Karen and Ian Thomson to find out how Ian makes his delicious bacon rolls, a popular breakfast food in Scotland.
Mary Staton, president of the Symphony Guild of Charlotte, talks with Rachel Stewart about their Heart of the Home Kitchen Tour.
On Biscuits and Bach, Rachel Stewart talks with Bela Fleck about his concerto for banjo, "The Imposter," that he'll perform with the Western Piedmont Symphony.
Organist Aaron Goen talks with Rachel Stewart about performing contemporary and baroque works in a Charlotte Center City concert. They also talk about breakfast.
Food writer and Appalachian foodways expert, Fred Sauceman, talks to Rachel about the culinary heritage of our region. It involves pigs, corn and pot likker.
Susan and Steve Talley talk with Frank Dominguez about being church musicians and how that impacts the first meal of the day on Sundays.
Joining Rachel to talk about food this week on Biscuits and Bach is Brian Sonoskus, Executive Chef at Tupelo Honey Café. The restaurant has a new cookbook out that celebrates food traditions of the mountain south. Ramps anyone?
For Mother's Day, Rachel talks with Bach scholar, Dr. Raymond Erickson, about Bach's wives and family. Read The Worlds of Johann Sebastian Bach by Raymond Erickson: www.amazon.com/Worlds-Johann-Seb…emy/dp/1574671669
This week on Biscuits and Bach, Rachel Stewart chats with Stephen Darlington, director of the Christ Church Cathedral Choir, and one of the choristers about the adventures of their recent American tour.
This week on Biscuits and Bach, Pianist Stephen Hough chats with Rachel Stewart about his busy concert schedule, using Twitter, and food he's enjoyed around the world.
Dr. Tom Hanchett talks with Rachel Stewart about several books that explore Southern cuisine and its history.
At an event celebrating the fifth anniversary of WDAV's Biscuits and Bach, cellist Tanja Bechtler joined pianist Cynthia Lawing for a live performance of Baroque music from the John Clark Performance Studio.
Classical flutist Ben Smolen joins Matt Rogers in the WDAV studio to talk about his role in the Master Class of the Symphony Guild of Charlotte. In addition, Ben will stay to perform works from JS Bach, Michael Gandolfi, and Claude Debussy.
Cellist Alisa Weilerstein talks about her new Dvorak album, Bach's importance to her as a musician, and instruments made from cereal boxes.
Simone Dinnerstein joins Rachel Stewart in this week's Biscuit Chat to talk about the recording of her most recent work and the importance of Bach to her as a musician. And if you’ve ever wondered what exactly counterpoint is, she explains it in plain English.
Rachel Stewart talks with Barbara Krumdieck, artistic director of music at St. Alban’s in Davidson, about their concerts to celebrate the 300th Anniversary of CPE Bach which they are giving in partnership with Music at St. Peter’s in Charlotte. According to Barbara, CPE is not quite a chip off the old block.
This week on Biscuits and Bach, Rachel Stewart talks to Charlotte dancer/choreographer Juliana Tilbury of Plexus Dance about her surprising choreography set to music by Bach. Spoiler alert: It’s not ballet.
Frank Dominguez, General Manager and Content Director of WDAV, talks with Rachel Stewart about his favorite Christmas memories and favorite recipe for the season: a Cuban feast.
On this week's Biscuits and Bach, Rachel Stewart invites Theresa Woody, WDAV announcer, to share her holiday memories of going up to the mountain to see Grandma and the cousins.
Myelita Melton, WDAV announcer, shares her Aunt Martha's recipe for red velvet cake, on this Christmas edition of Biscuits and Bach with Rachel Stewart.
This week on Biscuits and Bach, Rachel Stewart talks with David Tang, music director of VOX, a vocal ensemble in Charlotte, about baroque Christmas music. Find out why pastoral themes are so prevalent and how Bach intended for his Christmas cantatas to be heard.
Rachel Stewart talks with food writer Debbie Moose about her book Buttermilk, A Savor the South Cookbook which explores an ingredient fundamental to southern cooking.
In this week's Biscuit Chat on Biscuits and Bach, Rachel Stewart talks with Elizabeth Landon, principal flutist of the Charlotte Symphony, about her Bach solo in the KnightSounds Bachtoberfest concerts. How fast will she play her solo in the Badinerie? You'll have to listen to find out.
Rachel Stewart talks with the Kruger Brothers, who are acclaimed for their American folk music even though they are originally from Switzerland. Jens Kruger recently won the 2013 Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass Music, the first NC resident to do so.
WDAV was pleased to host pianist Pamela Howland for a live performance during our Fall Campaign. Listen to Howland perform selections from Chopin and talk with us about her work and her upcoming appearances.
Chef Dano Holcomb talks about his Root Down Food Truck that offers a unique twist on Southern comfort food, such as a pulled pork and pimento cheese sandwich and a collard salad.
Frank Dominguez talks with organists Dongho Lee and Rob Ridgell of Christ Episcopal Church about eating breakfast in the South and in South Korea.
Chef Matt Alexander talks about his food truck business, The Homegrown Crepe, and making crepes in general.
Cellist Johannes Moser speaks with Frank Dominguez at the Brevard Music Center about Bach, breakfast and eating on the road.
Conductor Keith Lockhart talks with Rachel Stewart about summers at the Brevard Music Center, breakfast, grits and his grandmother's cooking.
Frank Dominguez talks with Neal Berntsen, Principal Trumpet at the Brevard Music Festival about Bach, Art of the Fugue, and crock pot oatmeal.
Frank Dominguez chats with violinist Joshua Bell about his association with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and about his favorite breakfast dish from childhood.
Free-lance food writer Debbie Moose talks with Rachel Stewart about her book, Deviled Eggs, and the numerous variations she discovered on the traditional deviled egg recipe.
Rachel talks with outgoing UNC School of the Arts Chancellor John Mauceri who shares his unique recipe for French Toast.
The discovery of copies of Bach Partita scores with written ornamentations made by members of Bach's circle proved to be a liberating experience for pianist David Korevaar. Rachel talks with him about the recording as well as his Sunday morning routine.
Meyers joins host Rachel to talk about the special qualities of the Vieuxtemps Guarneri del Gesu violin and its storied past. She also reveals her secret ingredient for making delicious pancakes.
Rachel Stewart talks with Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops about the deep North Carolina roots of her band's music and eating while touring.
Rachel Stewart talks with soprano and Davidson native Mary Kathryn Withers about life as a musician, returning home to perform, and eating food at home.
Rachel Stewart talks with Celtic violinist Jamie Laval about fiddling, Classical Idol and waffles.
Rachel talks with Ken DeBoer, longtime Director of Music at Sardis Presbyterian Church, about highlights of his career in Charlotte and the rhythms and routines of being a church music director.
Scott Allen Jarrett, Director of Choruses and the Assistant Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony, talks with host Rachel Stewart about the significance of the Messiah and how he keeps performances fresh from year to year.
Sisters Barbara Blaker Krumdieck, cello, and Frances Blaker, recorder, talk about their ensemble, North Carolina Baroque Orchestra, and about eating breakfast today and in years past.
Éamon Doorley and Benny McCarthy, members of the Irish traditional band, Danu, talk with Rachel Stewart about Irish Christmas traditions, both musical and culinary.
Rachel Stewart talks with violinist composer Daniel Bernard Roumain and singer-songwriter Laurelyn Dossett about their Connecting Crossroads project and their recording, The Collide . Daniel Bernard Roumain Laurelyn Dossett/ © Abigail Seymour Photography
Rachel chats with award-winning food writer Debbie Moose about her new book, "Buttermilk."
In this episode, Rachel talks with Charlotte Observer food editor Kathleen Purvis about her new book, Pecans , which explores the history and use of the South's favorite nut in everything from classic pecan pie to cocktails.
Host Frank Dominguez speaks with Sid Cullipher, owner of Headwaters Outfitters, in Brevard, NC about the beauty of western North Carolina and how to start a day on the river off right.
Rachel chats with violinist David Wilson and recorder player Frances Blaker of Ensemble Vermillion about Bach, Leclair, and food.
Rachel speaks with Jill Marcus, president of the Mother Earth group, a restaurant group in Charlotte. They discuss the hubbub resulting from the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte and the foods that will be in demand.
Rachel chats with Levine Museum of the New South's Tom Hanchett about the Children of Abraham exhibit and its cultural food component.
Matt Rogers samples an English breakfast at the Big Ben Pub in uptown Charlotte, NC. He learns about the traditional English breakfast, including the specifics of English bacon and "Bangers," from co-owner Paula Harris.
Rachel visits Brevard, North Carolina's brunch spot, The Gatekeeper's Table, and discusses some mouth-watering oddities from the menu with its owner.
Frank Dominguez interviews conductor Matthias Bamert at the Brevard Music Center about working with the venerable Leopold Stokowski and, of course, breakfast!
Conductor JoAnn Falletta talks with Rachel Stewart about eating and food at the various places she works throughout the year: Buffalo, Brevard, Norfolk, and Belfast.
Rachel speaks with Bob Moody, conductor of the Winston-Salem Symphony, about his family roots in Possum Kingdom, SC, and the harvesting of grit trees - should they be shaken or picked by hand?
Rachel Stewart talks with pianist Norman Krieger about breakfast in Brevard and on the concert circuit, food he enjoys cooking, and good food cities.
Rachel Stewart talks with John Philip Sousa IV about his famous great-grandfather and the first Sousa's spaghetti recipe.
Eleanor Beardsley, NPR's correspondent based in Paris, joins Rachel for a cosmopolitan breakfast discussion covering everything from croissants to cream of wheat.
Matt Rogers interviews Westminster Choir Director, Joe Miller, about the choir, Spoleto Festival USA, Charleston, its food, and, of course, breakfast! Joe reveals his favorite comfort food combination at the Hominy Grill: chocolate pudding and beer!
Rachel interviews Glenn Siebert, the director of the Magnolia Baroque Festival in Winston-Salem. They discuss baroque music as well as his passion for mushroom hunting!
Rachel talks with native North Carolinian Robert Stehling about his Charleston southern food restaurant, Hominy Grill, as well as low-country and southern food in general.