Denise Gainey, DMA and Mary Ricketson

World Premiere Concert | Arts in Appalachia Series
Shards of Hope

First United Methodist Church
73 Valley River Ave, Murphy, NC 28906

Shards of Hope is a world premiere song cycle created through a close collaboration between poet Mary Ricketson and clarinetist Denise Gainey. Together, they envisioned a work that brings poetry and music into direct conversation, setting Mary’s words for soprano, clarinet, and piano.

The music was written by London-based composer Andrew Wilson, whose score responds closely to the tone, imagery, and emotional arc of the poems. The program features Mary Ricketson reading selections primarily from Tall Flowers and Living Long and Shade and Shelter, woven throughout the musical performance.

The performance features Andrea Price, soprano and Assistant Professor of Voice at Western Carolina University, with Denise Gainey on clarinet and Helen Meacham on piano. In addition to the premiere of Shards of Hope, the program will include chamber works for clarinet and piano centered on themes of nature, presented in celebration of Earth Day and Mary Ricketson’s poetry.

Denise Gainey is a Distinguished Professor of Music Emerita at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a past president of the International Clarinet Association. Her long career as a performer and collaborator is matched by Mary Ricketson’s voice as a poet, with both artists shaping the heart of this project.

This concert is part of the Arts in Appalachia concert series, highlighting original work and meaningful artistic partnerships.

Reception to follow at the Cherokee County Arts Council
33 Valley River Avenue, Murphy, NC.

Tickets are $10 for adults.
Free for students with valid ID and anyone under 18.

Dr. Andrea M. Price

is Assistant Professor of Voice at Western Carolina University. Previously, she spent 16 years at Piedmont University, where she was Professor of Music and later Chair of the Department of Music. She holds degrees from Meredith College, Appalachian State University, and the University of South Carolina.

She has also taught at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Meredith College, Peace College, and in North Carolina public schools. Her performance credits include opera roles in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Gianni Schicchi, Suor Angelica, and Le Nozze di Figaro, along with appearances in Greece and New Zealand. Dr. Price has been a featured soloist with the South Carolina Philharmonic and the Monroe Symphony Orchestra, and won the 2010 Georgia NATS Artists’ Awards competition.

Dr. Denise Gainey

Denise Gainey is Distinguished Professor of Music Emerita and former Associate Chair of Music at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. A past president of the International Clarinet Association, she is also a Backun Artist/Clinician, Légère Reeds Endorsing Artist, and Silverstein PRO-Team Artist. Before UAB, she taught at Mars Hill University and performed with several regional symphonies.

A sought-after clinician and recitalist, Gainey performs regularly with the Amicitia Duo and has published both Solos for Clarinet and Kalmen Opperman: A Legacy of Excellence. Her recent recordings include The Secret Exit, Play Pretty, and Many New Trails to Blaze. She holds degrees from Florida State University, the University of North Texas, and the University of Kentucky.

Mary Ricketson

is an award-winning Poet, Licensed Professional Counselor, and Organic Blueberry Farmer. She believes everyone can live a happy and fulfilling life and uniquely combines her talent as a psychotherapist with her art as a poet to engage with people on a helpful level. Inspired by nature and her role as a mental health counselor, her poems reflect the healing powers of nature, a path she follows from Appalachian tradition, with the surrounding mountains as a midwife for her words.

Helen Meacham

Helen Meacham brings more than forty years of collaborative piano experience in colleges and professional settings. She has performed internationally in Belgium and South Africa, and most recently served as Staff Pianist and Professor of Music at Lincoln University and Claflin University, performing widely across the United States.

She has also taught and performed at West Chester University, the University of Delaware, Averett University, and Florida State University. A native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, she holds degrees from Delta State University and Florida State University.