Wise, VA – World-renowned cellist Dave Eggar, UVA Wise’s own pianist Peter Ryan, and Knoxville Symphony Orchestra violinist Sean Claire will perform works from Anton Arensky, Johannes Brahms, and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon, promising a one-of-a-kind collaboration on Sunday, April 10th at 3:00 PM in Cantrell Hall on the campus of The University of Virginia’s College at Wise. This performance is presented by the Pro-Art Association in conjunction with the Clinch Valley Concert Series and The University of Virginia’s College at Wise and is free and open to the public.
Grammy winner and four-time Grammy nominee Dave Eggar has performed throughout the world as a solo cellist and composer including featured solo appearances at Carnegie Hall, Red Rocks, Lincoln Center, Sydney Opera House, London’s Barbican Center, Nashville’s Ryman theater and many others. Virtuoso in many styles, Eggar has performed, recorded, and toured with artists such as Evanescence, Foreigner, Lindsey Stirling, Dr. Ralph Stanley, Pete Seeger, and Frank Ocean, among others. Eggar holds a doctorate from The Juilliard School as well as degrees in music and biochemistry from Harvard University. He is currently an adjunct professor of music at UVA Wise.
Dr. Peter Ryan is an Assistant Professor of Music at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, where he teaches and coordinates the Music division. As a performer both in the United States and internationally, Peter has given concerts in the Czech Republic, Austria, Ecuador, and Quebec. Peter holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Florida, and both a Master of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He now lives in Wise, VA with his wife, choral conductor and soprano Hannah Wunsch Ryan.
Since 1990, Sean Claire has been a member of the Core of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra; during his tenure he has served in a variety of roles including Acting Principal Second Violin and Acting Associate Concertmaster, which included an extended period as Concertmaster. Claire also holds the position of Concertmaster with the Symphony of the Mountains. Some of his other orchestral credits include, Nashville Chamber Orchestra, the Bryan Symphony Orchestra in Cookeville, the Syracuse Symphony, and the Asheville Symphony. A native of California, Claire made his first solo appearance with the North Coast Symphony at the age of 15. At 16, he was admitted to San Diego State University with a full scholarship. He continued studies at the Eastman School of Music and the Music Academy of the West. Claire currently lives in Knoxville with his wife Stacy.
This performance is underwritten by The University of Virginia’s College at Wise and is brought to you in conjunction with the Clinch Valley Concert Series and the W. Campbell Edmonds Concert Series. In accordance with current UVA Wise masking guidelines, masks are optional for patrons in attendance.
The performance will also be livestreamed. Please visit proartva.org/kickin-it-old-school for the link to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the livestream.
Pro-Art partners with a variety of venues, therefore individuals with mobility issues are encouraged to call or email the Pro-Art office to make arrangements for parking. For evolving conditions related to the global pandemic, inclement weather, or similar unforeseen circumstances, patrons are encouraged to visit proartva.org or call 276-376-4520 for up-to-date information.
Pro-Art’s mission is to promote the arts and expand accessibility to cultural experiences for residents and students in Wise, Lee, and Dickenson Counties and the City of Norton. For more information about our planned performances, please visit proartva.org. You can find the Pro-Art Association on social media @ProArtVA.
Pro-Art is supported in part by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as the Slemp Foundation, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, and Mountain Empire Community College. For more information about Pro-Art, please visit proartva.org, call the office at (276) 376-4520, or send an email to pro-art@uvawise.edu.
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