Music

Mike Switzer interviews Sharon Tchonev, co-founder of Varna International in Columbia, SC, host of the Muzika! Festival.

Mike Switzer interviews Sharon Tchonev, co-founder of Varna International in Columbia, SC, host of the Muzika! Festival.

Christine Currie and Jacelyn Arradaza met while working at the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs. In 2024, they sat down with StoryCorps to share some personal experiences that inspired them to bring a greater understanding of Asian history and culture into our nation’s schools.

Following its premiere of a work honoring Upstate Revolutionary War heroine Dicey Langston in April, the GSO rounds out the 2025-2026 season with selections from an iconic American opera rooted in the South Carolina Lowcountry: George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.

Mike Switzer interviews Mark Rapp, founder and director of the ColaJazz Foundation, host of the ColaJazz Jazz and Roots Festival returning May 15-16 to Columbia, SC.

Mike Switzer interviews Mark Rapp, founder and director of the ColaJazz Foundation, host of the ColaJazz Jazz and Roots Festival returning May 15-16 to Columbia, SC.

South Carolina–born Lauren Meccia is a saxophonist, composer, and University of South Carolina professor known for her versatility in jazz, classical, and contemporary music.

Ann Caldwell, born in Denmark, South Carolina, is known as Charleston’s “First Lady of Jazz.”

James “Blood” Ulmer was born in St. Matthews, South Carolina, and is a visionary guitarist known for his daring blend of avant-garde jazz, blues, and free improvisation.

Charleston-born Alphonse Mouzon was a groundbreaking drummer and a pioneer of jazz fusion. Known for his explosive energy, technical mastery, and rhythmic creativity, Mouzon helped redefine what jazz percussion could be.