Performance Overview

There’s something about the double bass that invites a good story—and this program offers two vivid examples. Jon Deak’s “The Ugly Duckling” brings Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale to life with humor and depth, featuring a whimsical parade of animals. Complementing it is “Eagle Feather,” a duo for double bass and cello by UNCSA faculty member Paul Sharpe, who performs with colleague Brooks Whitehouse. The piece recounts Sharpe’s true encounter with the Alaskan wilderness—and a brush with federal law. Joining them are soprano Jodi Burns and the UNCSA/Winston-Salem Symphony Strings Fellowship quartet for a uniquely fun evening of music.