LENOIR, N.C. – The 27th Annual Caldwell Musicians Showcase will be held Saturday, March 1 at the J.E. Broyhill Civic Center here. The show, which begins at 7:30 p.m., will feature original music in a variety of styles by musicians from Caldwell County and nearby.

This is the second year the Showcase is under the guidance of Lenoir musician Andrew Massey. As he has promised, it is expanding beyond traditional music this year, with the second set including a string quartet with Arranger Robert Gucwa. Joining him will be Maria Grosso, Nora Kinal, and Matt Davis. Gucwa will play cello, Grosso will play the viola, and Kinal and Davis will play violin.

Joining them in the second set will be a band consisting of Massey, AJ Herrick, Devon Burch, Ben Gibbs, and Angela Ho. The first set will be more traditional, featuring Sycamore Bones and special guests.

Gucwa, who has been in a previous Showcase, acknowledges that arranging the music of a string quartet is a first for the Showcase. It is also inspiring, for he said – repeatedly – that he is excited about offering the audience something that is new. He explained, “There is a certain impact of string music that can evoke emotion and feelings that a four- or five-piece band can’t create.” He continued, “It makes it more accessible. Maybe it will inspire somebody to see an orchestra performance.”

He promised, “It will be unique.”

Gucwa owns the Morganton Music Patch, where he provides lessons and also repairs instruments. “I have a fairly large space. We’ve had 10 musicians in there (preparing for the Showcase).” He added, “It’s been really exciting. To get 10 people together, that’s a lot of talent in one room.”

His primary work is that of a luthier, which is a maker and repairer of string instruments. He also owns Kudzu Music in Boone. He shared, “About 10 years ago, I started teaching music lessons and doing professional repair on instruments at Kudzu in Boone, where I lived at the time. During the pandemic, I started a small music store.” That was in Morganton. He has outgrown his first two locations in Morganton and opened Morganton Music Patch about a year ago. Then, he said, “This January, I had a chance to buy the store where I started.”

He said that the collaboration among the musicians during practice has been enjoyable but also professionally challenging.

The practice for this year’s Showcase has kept him on his toes. He shared, “The first several rehearsals were slow.” Arranging strings around a popular music band requires countless technical adjustments. As a result, he often has to transpose his initial arrangement. “So at the beginning, my arrangements were like a skeleton for four instruments in a simple pattern.” So, each practice meant additional rearrangements.

He said he begins by listening to the musicians and determining how he can support them as best as he can. “We’ve seen this progress. I am looking forward to taking it on stage! It’s really exciting. We get to share the final product with everybody.”

He admits, “If it was just me or I was the center of attention, I’d be nervous. But being with everyone on stage, with friends and people you’ve rehearsed with calms the nerves.”

Learn more

Considering the daily headlines confronting us, perhaps a few hours with 10 or more joyful musicians will calm your nerves as well. If you think so, here’s what you need to know:

This year’s show theme is “Strings Attached.” As Massey said, “This is a great opportunity for folks to come out and enjoy new and fresh collaborations from musicians connected to the Caldwell County area. We have so many talented artists and it is an honor to get to highlight these unique voices.”

Tickets are available now here or by contacting the box office at (828) 726-2407. Additional information can be found on the event’s Facebook page. To learn more information about special prices for children and students, contact the box office.

The J.E. Broyhill Civic Center is located at1913 Hickory Boulevard, Lenoir, N.C. 28645.

Caldwell County is part of the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina. Lenoir is the county seat.

Tickets are available in advance or at the door for $11.

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© Michael M. Barrick, 2025.