Pinnacle String Ensemble

Final Farewell

April 11, 2026, will mark the final concert of the Pinnacle String Ensemble.

 

The Pinnacle String Ensemble was established in 2025 as the School of Music’s newest ensemble, created to bring together WCU students and community musicians in a chamber string orchestra setting. The ensemble welcomed music majors, non-music majors, and community members from Sylva, Franklin, and Andrews, providing a space to rehearse and perform repertoire written specifically for chamber and string orchestra.

 

The ensemble also supported community-engaged learning through a new partnership with the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning, offering meaningful musical collaboration between the university and the region it serves with concert performances at the Jackson County Public Library Community Center.

 

Despite enthusiasm and support from local and state-level organizations, the ensemble was partially self-funded, and long-term sustainability proved challenging. Over the course of a three-year proposed plan, the ensemble successfully completed two years and presented five concerts. While proud of these accomplishments, the program will not continue beyond the 2025–2026 academic year. Additionally, the orchestra course will not be offered to students in 2026, following earlier changes to ensemble offerings after the Western Carolina Civic Orchestra was disbanded in 2022.

 

The closure also coincides with the retirement of conductor Kim Neidlinger, who will retire from Western Carolina University in May 2026. Her leadership was central to the ensemble’s vision of bringing students and community members together through music.

 

The Pinnacle String Ensemble is deeply grateful to its musicians, audiences, partners, and supporters who made its work possible. The final concert on April 11, 2026, “Our American Story” for the 250^th founding of the country, will celebrate the music, relationships, and shared commitment that defined the ensemble’s mission.

 

 

      "After 45 years in music education, including 12 years at Western Carolina University, I feel a bit sad today to say goodbye. I am retiring at the end of the semester. I am going to miss you. I have shared a special bond with all of you, and I am taking with me special memories of our time together making music."

 

- Kim Neidlinger

 

 

Please note that the ensemble website and email contact will sunset on June 30, 2026.

Thank you for supporting music, collaboration, and community at Western Carolina University.