Step back into the vibrant soundscape of turn-of-the-century America as members of the Piedmont Wind Symphony bring the infectious rhythms of ragtime to the whimsical halls of Körner’s Folly.

Emerging from African American communities in the late 19th century, ragtime became the first distinctly American popular music to capture national and international attention. Rooted in dance traditions such as the cakewalk and influenced by marches, folk melodies, and early blues, ragtime is defined by its syncopated—or “ragged”—rhythms that created a thrilling sense of motion and surprise. Long before jazz took hold, ragtime’s lively pulse filled saloons, parlors, theaters, and world’s fairs across the country.

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The genre reached its height between the 1890s and the early 1910s, propelled by composers such as Scott Joplin, known to his contemporaries as the “King of Ragtime.” His landmark composition Maple Leaf Rag helped standardize the form and brought unprecedented sophistication to the style. Distributed primarily through sheet music and piano rolls, ragtime spread rapidly across the United States and abroad, influencing early jazz, stride piano, Piedmont blues, and even European classical composers including Debussy, Satie, and Stravinsky.

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Presented in an intimate chamber setting, this performance explores the rich legacy of ragtime beyond the piano, highlighting the music’s warmth, elegance, and joyful spirit. Set within the imaginative architecture of Körner’s Folly—a home born of the same turn-of-the-century optimism that fueled ragtime itself—this concert offers a lively afternoon where American history, innovation, and irresistible rhythm come together.