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Join Cari Shipp and Linda Blondel for a collection of works centered around the rich and diverse landscape of French music and flutists. This program is lush, lovely, transcendent, and beautiful to the core and we are delighted to be sharing it with you while benefitting the critical Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.
WHAT? Mostly French music.
Why? Because 1. France was a hot spot for music and flute innovation for much of the late 19th and 20th centuries. 2. Linda Blondel's husband Pierre is French and therefore she has absorbed much of the beautiful culture. 3. The French have certainly seen their fair share of conflict and continued to make pastries and wine (among other things) and for that, we thank them.
Featuring the music of:
Claude Debussy
Germaine Tailleferre
Samuel Barber
Bohuslav Martinů
Ian Clarke
Benjamin Godard
Philippe Gaubert
WHERE? Cove Presbyterian Church
Located about 20 minutes south of Charlottesville on Route 29, this charming and historic church is the perfect setting for a spring afternoon concert. You’ll feel like you’ve traveled much farther in time and space but it’s an easy stop at Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie for dinner on the way back!
WHEN? Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 4 PM
Guess what? This is the day of UVA’s graduation. You don’t want to be downtown! You want to be away! Take the short drive to Covesville, grab dinner on the way back, and still be home before dark.
WHO? Cari Shipp & Linda Blondel
Cari Shipp (MM flute performance, Peabody Conservatory), enjoys time on the orchestral, chamber, and solo stage. She has appeared with orchestras such as the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival, Charlottesville Symphony, Charlottesville Opera Chamber Orchestra, and Lynchburg Symphony. As a soloist she has been featured in concerts throughout Central Virginia, Washington DC, and Baltimore. In 2017 she started her own benefit concert series, SONOSYNTHESIS, through which she has produced and performed thirteen solo concerts benefitting local organizations. Through this series she has been honored to collaborate with elite musicians such as Jeremy Thompson and Colin Davin. She maintains a full private lesson studio in Charlottesville, VA where she lives with her husband, dog, and two cats. When not teaching or performing she enjoys long hikes and longer books.
Linda Blondel grew up in Baltimore and graduated from Peabody Preparatory in piano and theory. She graduated from Bennington College with a music and dance major. She and her husband have lived in Charlottesville for 40 years, where they raised two sons. She performs chamber music regularly, teaches piano privately, and is the pianist at Cove Presbyterian Church. Linda has worked with many university student and faculty musicians since 1982, including violinist Svend Ronning and cellist Paige Riggs. Linda is the pianist with the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Peter Wilson.
WHY? Benefitting the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank
Here’s just on excerpt from their website: “Local children, seniors, and families of all sizes who are living with hunger are being held and helped by this community. They are receiving food and hope. Together, we are reaching underserved populations, serving more nutritious food, and providing the resources our guests need to live healthier, happier lives.”
HOW MUCH? Pay what you will.
You are welcome to come for a donation of any amount. BRAFB will receive the majority of the donations received. SONOSYNTHESIS believes in paying professional musicians for their work. The guest artist is paid in advance; a portion is retained for future SONOSYNTHESIS concerts. Thank you for supporting the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank as well as local musicians!
WHAT IS SONOSYNTHESIS? So glad you asked.
SONOSYNTHESIS is a benefit concert series in Charlottesville, Virginia founded and produced by Cari Shipp. "Sonosynthesis" means fusion of sound: the fusion of sound and support for local organizations, the fusion of sound by bringing musicians together, and fusing the community with high quality classical music, creatively programmed and presented. This is the fifteenth concert in the series since its inception in 2017.