Young artists shine at College of Charleston’s Piccolo Spoleto series

Julia Rhyne walked onstage, adjusted her music stand and flashed a smile at William Railey before the two broke out into Sergei Prokofiev’s “Sonata for Two Violins in C major, Op. 56” on May 27.

Five more shows, each of which is at noon at the College of Charleston’s Simons Recital Hall, remain in the series:

June 2: “Mostly Mozart”
June 3: “Go For Baroque”
June 4: “Isn’t It Romantic”
June 5: “To Infinity and Beyond”
June 6: “Steel Band, Caribbean Style!”

Rhyne, a recent College of Charleston graduate, and Railey, a rising sophomore, had spent the past academic year together preparing the piece for Rhyne’s senior recital. They learned the first two movements in the fall and the second two in the spring. A strong performance required total synchronicity.

Their duet closed the May 27 “Back to the Future” concert — part of the Piccolo Spoleto Young Artists’ Series organized by the College of Charleston’s music department.

It was also their last time for performing together before Rhyne headed upstate to her home in Greenville.

“It’s just a really great opportunity to come and perform for people,” said Railey, who is also from Greenville. “I mean, the best part about music is being able to share it with others.”

The two-week series of noon concerts, held at Simons Recital Hall, is the department’s biggest annual event, drawing prospective students interested in the arts and giving top performers a major platform.

“People come from all over to see this,” Rhyne said. “It’s a draw to come to College of Charleston.”

Also featured in the show were student cellists, along with a pianist and a tenor.

David Templeton, an associate voice professor and the producer of the series, said only the most advanced students — usually upperclassmen — are invited to perform.

“It’s a little bit of a carrot to be asked,” he said. “It’s always great to have that on your résumé.”

This year’s series is especially meaningful. It marked the first time since 2019 that the performances were held in the recital hall, after years of delays from renovations and COVID-19.

“It’s great to be back in here,” Templeton said.

IF YOU WANT TO GO: “Piccolo Young Artists’ Series” takes place at noon Monday through Friday from May 26 to June 6 at the College of Charleston’s Simons Recital Hall.

Olivia Meier is a journalism graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.