National Geographic Live Speaker Series
Coming to the Schermerhorn with Three Programs in 2018/19
Critically acclaimed series takes audiences on a worldwide adventure with National Geographic explorers and spectacular visuals
Nashville, TN — The Nashville Symphony has announced the addition of the National Geographic Live speaker series at Schermerhorn Symphony Center, with three events planned over the next year.
Each of these unique, family-friendly programs will bring a National Geographic adventurer to the Schermerhorn to share their experiences exploring the world’s highest peaks, deepest oceans and most distant corners, all accompanied by dramatic imagery and footage.
Award-winning photographer Steve Winter, mountaineer Hilaree O’Neill and marine wildlife and deep-sea photojournalist Brian Skerry headline the series, which kicks off this October and continues with presentations in February and April of 2019. Bios for each speaker are available upon request.
Dates and details for all three National Geographic Live events at the Schermerhorn are listed below. Tickets are on sale now as part of any 2018/19 season ticket package, for groups 12+ and donors $500+. All three National Geographic Live events can be purchased now as a season ticket package starting at $67. Tickets will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 20.
All National Geographic Live events are presented without the orchestra.
2018/19 National Geographic Live Speaker Series
On the Trail of Big Cats
featuring Steve Winter
7 p.m. Monday, October 1, 2018
Go around the world in search of big cats with award-winning photographer Steve Winter. A determined explorer, Winter will lead you from Asian jungles where resilient tiger populations persist, to the Himalayas, home of the rare snow leopard. Follow him into the rainforests of Latin America to view the elusive jaguar – and to Hollywood in pursuit of the American cougar. He’ll share both dangerous and lighter moments: from getting stuck in quicksand to mishaps with remote-controlled cameras. Co-author of the new National Geographic book Tigers Forever, Winter seeks to share the beauty of big cats while working to save them. Learn more here.
2018/19 National Geographic Live Speaker Series
Point of No Return
featuring Hilaree O’Neill
7 p.m. Monday, February 11, 2019
Mountaineer Hilaree O’Neill shares the gripping story of leading a National Geographic team on a harrowing journey to the summit of Myanmar’s Hkakabo Razi, possibly Southeast Asia’s highest point. They didn’t realize that the greatest obstacle wouldn’t be their dwindling rations, or the grueling jungle hikes, or the life-threatening hypothermia. It was the force of conflicting personalities that threatened to unravel the entire endeavor. O’Neill recounts the tough decisions she had to make to keep the team together, accompanied by photographer Cory Richard’s dramatic stills and clips from Renan Ozturk’s searing documentary Down to Nothing. Learn more here.
2018/19 National Geographic Live Speaker Series
Ocean Soul
featuring Brian Skerry
7 p.m. Monday, April 29, 2019
Voyage across the oceans with one of National Geographic’s most seasoned photographers and discover a vast, hidden world beneath the waves. Using his camera to communicate, Brian Skerry has spent more than 10,000 hours underwater telling the oceans’ stories. His images celebrate the mystery of the depths and offer portraits of creatures so intimate they sometimes appear to have been shot in a studio. Skerry dives eight months of the year, often in extreme conditions beneath Arctic ice or in predator-infested waters, and has even lived at the bottom of the sea to get close to his subjects.
In this presentation, Skerry takes us from the glacial waters of the North Atlantic, where harp seals face off with commercial hunters, to the balmy central Pacific, where he photographed damaged coral ecosystems rebuilding themselves. Skerry is a passionate spokesman for the oceans he loves to photograph. His riveting presentations inspire reverence for the marine realm and offer hope for protecting the vitality of the world’s oceans. Learn more here.
National Geographic Live is the live events division of National Geographic. With a broad roster of talent including renowned photographers, scientists, authors, filmmakers and adventurers, National Geographic Live’s critically acclaimed programs have connected with audiences worldwide for over a century. Currently, National Geographic Live events are held in a variety of cities around the world, including, Seattle, Tampa, Los Angeles, and Calgary. In each of these cities, speakers share behind-the-scenes stories from the front lines of exploration onstage alongside stunning imagery and gripping footage. For more information, visit natgeolive.com.
The GRAMMY® Award-winning Nashville Symphony has earned an international reputation for its innovative programming and its commitment to performing, recording and commissioning works by America’s leading composers. The Nashville Symphony has released 29 recordings on Naxos, which have received 24 GRAMMY® nominations and 13 GRAMMY® Awards, making it one of the most active recording orchestras in the country. The orchestra has also released recordings on Decca, Deutsche Grammophon and New West Records, among other labels. With more than 140 performances annually, the orchestra offers a broad range of classical, pops and jazz, and children’s concerts, while its extensive education and community engagement programs reach 60,000 children and adults each year.
