Asheville Amadeus: The Art of Storytelling
Asheville Symphony’s celebration of music and the arts.
The Asheville Symphony’s biennial festival blends music, art, foodways and more in a celebration of narrative through community.
This celebration of music and the arts runs April 30 – May 10, 2025, with the theme “The Art of Storytelling,” exploring the power of music, theatre, art, and foodways to inspire, connect, and captivate.
Headliners Chris Thile and Time For Three
Co-headlining the festival are Grammy Award-winning mandolinist, composer, and MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Chris Thile, and the Grammy- and Emmy-winning ensemble Time For Three (TF3), renowned for their genre-blending virtuosity.
Chris Thile is a mandolinist, singer, songwriter, composer, and recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Fellow “Genius Grant,” described by The Guardian as “that rare being: an all-round musician,” and hailed by NPR as a “genre-defying musical genius.” Thile is a founding member of the highly influential string bands Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek, and has collaborated with countless luminaries from Yo-Yo Ma to Fiona Apple to Brad Mehldau. For four years, he hosted “Live from Here with Chris Thile” (successor to A Prairie Home Companion).
With his broad outlook, Thile creates a distinctly American canon and a new musical aesthetic for performers and audiences alike, giving the listener, according to The New York Times, “one joyous arc, with the linear melody and vertical harmony blurring into a single web of gossamer beauty.”
Time for Three (TF3)—comprising violinists Charles Yang and Nick Kendall and bassist Ranaan Meyer—defy conventions with their genre-bending excellence. Their captivating sound merges eras, styles, and traditions across Western music genres, including classical music, Americana, and singer-songwriter styles.
The ensemble has worked closely with such artists as Chris Brubeck and Pulitzer Prize winners William Bolcom and Jennifer Higdon. Their most recent commission, “Contact,” composed by Pulitzer Prize winner Kevin Puts, premiered with the San Francisco Symphony and The Philadelphia Orchestra. Their Grammy-winning album, Letters for the Future, conducted by Xian Zhang, reached the Billboard top 10.
With charismatic performances on renowned stages, TF3’s versatility shines through collaborations with artists like Ben Folds and Arlo Guthrie and showcases their dedication to pushing creative boundaries and captivating audiences worldwide.
Featured Asheville Symphony Events
The festival begins on Wednesday, April 30, with a Festival Kickoff and Beer Release at Appalachian Mountain Brewing, debuting Fables & Folklore Hazy IPA, a festival-exclusive brew inspired by the storytelling theme.
On Thursday, May 1, TF3 will take center stage for a Symphony Talk at The Mule at Devil’s Foot Beverage Company, where they’ll discuss the power of musical storytelling, and an electrifying concert at The Orange Peel.
On Saturday, May 3, the Asheville Symphony’s Masterworks 7: Tall Tales concert at First Baptist Church of Asheville will feature works by Weber, Puts, Wagner, and Strauss, as well as Kevin Puts’s “Contact.”
On Saturday May 10, Thile will headline the festival finale: An Evening with Chris Thile, featuring Thile’s ATTENTION!—a narrative song cycle for extroverted mandolinist and orchestra—alongside works by Barber and Bach, performed with the Asheville Symphony.
A Celebration of Narrative Through Arts
“The 2025 Asheville Amadeus Festival is a true reflection of the power of collaboration,” says ASO Executive Director Daniel Crupi. “We’re proud to join forces with an incredible array of partners, from brewers to storytellers to local cultural institutions. Together, we’re creating a festival that celebrates not only the art of storytelling but also the vibrant spirit of our community, weaving together music, theater, art, and much more. This is a celebration of all that makes western North Carolina uniquely beautiful.”
The 2025 Asheville Amadeus Festival is presented by Flow Automotive and made possible by support from Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Thomas C. Bolton, Dr. E. Brown Crosby, Devil’s Foot Beverage Company, Lynne & John Eramo, Explore Asheville, Dr. Bolling Farmer, Bill & Nancy Gettys, Gerry & Nancy Kitch, Henry A. LaBrun, Amy Loether, the Payne Fund, Penley Produce Vacation Rentals in memory of Bill Burton, and many more.
For full event details, ticketing information, and festival updates, visit www.AshevilleAmadeus.org.
