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In this inspirational solo program, John Bullard uses the metaphor of the hero’s journey to tell the unlikely story of how being barred from a music theory class led him to his true calling. In this narrative experience, John invites the audience to share in a transformative revelation: the artistic marriage of banjo and classical music. On stage John is surrounded by banjos and renders faithful and stunning transcriptions of Bach and his contemporaries. John also shares newly commissioned works, original compositions, and even a little Bluegrass. In this interactive program John engages the audience and encourages them to reflect on their own hero’s journey in life and in music. Over the course of his performing and recording career, John Bullard has invited audiences to share in a transformative revelation: to experience the artistic marriage of banjo and classical music. “Absolutely enchanting,” writes critic Graham Rickson of the UK-based The Arts Desk. “A musical education and experience that broke genre barriers,” noted Morgan Morrison, program director for the performance space The Barns of Rose Hill. As a classically trained musician and the first graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Music to earn a degree in performance with the banjo, John Bullard has established a critically praised performing and recording career dedicated to exploring the artistic marriage of banjo and classical music. Bullard understands that accepting the banjo—a “folk” instrument with a complex pedigree—into the classical fold is a challenging proposition for traditionalists; the guitar once had to navigate a similar journey to mainstream acceptance. But through three album-length recordings, live performance, and workshops, Bullard continues to introduce the classical banjo to a growing audience worldwide. 🎟 Tickets: $10 per person (includes light refreshments) | Seating limited to 50 | Preregistration required