Here’s your initial Eargasm alert of the new season – with many more to come. But I’m counting on YOU, the classical/jazz music nuts of Charleston, to help me out — ‘cause, try as I might, one person can’t keep up with everything. If there’s a hot classical (or jazz) event coming up that deserves some online exposure, just let me know. You can do that as a comment to any of my posts, or email me at scorpsinger@aol.com with the info.

It’s about time I got back to Eargasms on a regular basis … I’ve been taking a little time off since Spoleto to work on other things, like the big global warming article in the current issue of the City Paper. Check it out HERE, at our website, if you’re interested. But now it’s back to great music – and seeing if I can keep this blog going as Charleston’s first-ever online classical/jazz music journal. I have three events to tell you about this time ‘round – beginning at the College of Charleston, where there’s almost always something exciting coming up.

The Charleston Academy of Music is kind of an unofficial arm of the College: a music preparatory school devoted to the teaching of various instruments below the college level. Several of C of C’s adjunct teachers and advanced students serve on their faculty. On Saturday, September 15, the Academy will host an affair known as the “Music Café,” described in the flyer I got as “A place for music lovers, musicians, adult music students and artists in the community to come together in a social setting.” This will take place at 5:00 pm, at the Halsey Institute for Contemporary Art, 54 St. Philip Street. Guest speakers will be C of C’s Artist-in Residence, distinguished pianist Enrique Graf – and Mark Sloan, the Halsey Institute’s Executive Director. Food and wine will be served; admission is $20. I’ll see you there!

Appearing in the College’s regular Monday Night Concert Series next week (Sept. 17th, 8:00 pm at the Simons Recital Hall, 54 St. Philip Street) will be Enrique Bernardo, a brilliant young up-and-coming Peruvian pianist and former student of Enrique Graf who graduated from the College a couple of years back. Enrique was kind of my “house pianist” for my Millennium Music concert series for a couple of years … trust me, he’s well worth hearing. See ya there, too!

Then, here at Millennium Music (corner of King & Calhoun Streets), I’ll be hosting a very special concert for you on Sunday, Sept. 16th at 2:00 pm. Seventeen-year-old local violin sensation Audra Claire McCall has been performing around town (including here at Millennium Music) since she was a five-year-old prodigy. I’ve heard complete concerto movements from her (well-played ones, too) before she even turned ten! She’ll be appearing with Ukrainian pianist Irina Pevzner, one of Charleston’s finest keyboard artists. Their program will be the spectacular third violin concerto by Camille Saint-Saens, plus Gabriel Fauré’s passionate A Major violin sonata. There will be no charge. Get here well before 2:00 if you want to be sure of getting a seat.