Imagine a 10-day Fall festival of Shakespearean plays. In the theatre and in the park. With college and local talent partnering with professional actors. Like the idea? 
A Living, Wine-loving Composer
IN HIS WORDS, Edward Hart “loves to write music and loves to drink wine.” No wonder then that he combined his two loves into a one-of-a-kind wine tasting called Amori Vini (see the video below) to feature some of the wines he enjoys and the compositions he has written about them—three movements entitled Bordeaux, Madeira, and Tempranillo.
The event, sponsored last night by the Kiawah Island Arts Council, grabbed the eyes, ears, and palettes of more than 120 guests who listened to Edward talk about how he tried to express the character of each wine through music.
A superb quartet—comprising four members of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, led by concertmaster Yuriy Becker—played the pieces as everyone sipped wine and tasted cheeses that Manoli Davani had carefully selected from her Avondale Wine and Cheese shop. Manoli chose a Morbier to accompany the Clos de Braque Bordeaux, a Blue del Moncenisio to complement the Broadbent Madeira Reserve, and a Manchego to match the Tempranillo.
(Did you know that Morbier, with its characteristic line of dark, vegetable ash down the middle, comes from two “harvests” of the cheese: “evening” milk on one side of the ash, and “morning” milk on the other?)
Edward is an Associate Professor of Music at the College of Charleston whose works exhibit an elegant, refreshing combination of classical and modern. His pieces certainly enliven the experience of tasting wine. The third movement in particular—Tempranillo—included lots of fun qualities and unexpected turns, as you will see near the end of the video above.
One lady I spoke with stated adamantly that the event was “genius” and that Edward should take it to wine and music lovers around the country who would surely enjoy this innovative venue as much as we did. And I’m hoping he has some more movements in mind—maybe Burgundy, Shiraz, and Châteauneuf du Pape—so that we get an opportunity to do this again SOON. •
