North Carolina Symphony Celebrates Pepsi Americas' Sail 2006 With Seaside Concert

BEAUFORT, NC (North Carolina Symphony) - With a spectacular backdrop of tall ship silhouettes against a Crystal Coast sunset, the North Carolina Symphony will perform a free evening concert at Olde Beaufort Seaport on the first day of Pepsi Americas' Sail 2006. The festival, slated for June 30 - July 5 in Beaufort and Morehead City, N.C., features some of the world's most magnificent sailing vessels.

The Americas' Sail festival is held once every four years, and Beaufort was selected to host the 2006 event when Captain Horatio Sinbad, a modern-day pirate and sailing legend, won a race to Montego Bay, Jamaica, during the 2002 event. His victory earned him the right to bring the tall ships gala to his home port of Beaufort.

In keeping with the high seas celebration, the symphony's performance will include a world premiere of Last Voyage of the Currituck, a cinematic new work by composer Terry Mizesko.

"The symphony is thrilled to premiere another work by Terry Mizesko, a gifted composer and musician who grew up along North Carolina's coast," Llewellyn said. "We also are excited to be part of the Pepsi Americas' Sail 2006 celebration, which is a terrific opportunity for us to showcase some of the exceptional musicians who call North Carolina home."

Last Voyage of the Currituck depicts the final adventure of a fictional ship as it sets sail from Boston for a roundtrip journey to the West Indies sometime in the mid-nineteenth century. Currituck, which means "land of the wild goose" in the language of the Algonquin Indians, also is the name of a North Carolina county, sound and lighthouse. The composition provides a musical account of the entire voyage, following the Currituck crew from their brave and confident launch until their foggy fade into legend and myth, lost at sea but immortal in sailor's lore.

Mizesko, a native of Morehead City, N.C., is an accomplished composer who also serves as bass trombonist with the symphony. Last summer, his Sketches from Pinehurst earned international recognition and critical praise after its premiere at the 2005 U.S. Open golf tournament in Pinehurst, N.C. The piece was commissioned in honor of that prestigious event and performed by the North Carolina Symphony under the direction of Llewellyn.

For ticket information regarding the symphony's 8:30 p.m. performance on June 30 and all Pepsi Americas' Sail 2006 events, please visit https://www.pepsiamericassail.com or call (800) 514-3849. Tickets are required for the symphony's free concert to prevent overcrowding at the venue.