For one week in September, the concert hall had wheels. The Oconee Performing Arts Society (OPAS) brought live music directly into neighborhoods, churches, schools, and public spaces across Lake Country with the return of The Concert Truck, a one-of-a-kind mobile concert venue and part of the 2026 OPAS Pop-Up Series.
The week opened Sunday, Sept. 20, at Harbor Club and continued with complimentary community performances at Lakeside Church, COKAS Church, and Lake Oconee Presbyterian Church. It concluded Sept.26 with a new stop in downtown Greensboro.
The Concert Truck concept makes live music more accessible. It turns an ordinary box truck into a fully equipped mobile stage. Instead of asking audiences to come to a concert hall, it brings professional musicians to the places where people already live, work, learn, and gather.
This year’s performances featured two concert pianists: Susan Zhang, The Concert Truck’s co-founder and director, who holds a master’s degree from the Eastman School of Music, and Kevin Ahfat, a Juilliard graduate. Their combined piano segments “drove” every performance, demonstrating a synchronicity and musicianship rarely heard in four-hand playing.
OPAS also brought different professional guest artists to each stop. Depending on the performance, audiences may have heard: Elizabeth Baldwin, a terrific operatic soprano, and grand prize winner of the American Traditions Vocal Collection; violinist Kenneth Lambert, former concertmaster of the Gainesville Symphony, who also plays with the Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta Symphony and Atlanta Opera; or, Atlanta-based singers Josh Hudson and Cleveland Jones.
Lambert showed off his brilliant musicianship in a segment called “Fool the Violinist.” OPAS Artistic Director Doug LaBrecque fed him concert titles from the upcoming OPAS season, and Lambert played a song to fit the genre.
Hudson later showcased impressive musical theater singing skills, delivering a soulful “Georgia on My Mind.” He also sang an inspiring “Make Them Hear You,” previewing the highly anticipated upcoming OPAS appearance by Tony Award-winning singer Joshua Henry. OPAS Youth Chorus member Kellsey Ortega also was pitch perfect in numerous performances showcasing OPAS’s impact and how arts education changes lives.
The Saturday audience on Main Street in Greensboro heard a jazzy rendition of “Tea for Two” by local pianist Pamela Stout and a repeat visit from Cleveland Jones. They also had the thrill of hearing legendary jazz trombonist Wycliffe Gordon play piano, sing, and perform on both tenor and soprano trombone.
Attendees were entered into a raffle for prizes from Greensboro Jewelers and Designs By Brandy, the town’s new floral shop.
The week wasn’t limited to public performances. The Concert Truck also visited Lake Oconee Academy and Anita White Carson Middle School, where more than 600 local students were entertained, collectively.
Bringing professional musicians into local schools is part of OPAS’s larger commitment to arts education and access. Each year, OPAS brings arts education programs to close to 1,000 students. It collaborates with ATLAS to provide piano, dance, and percussion to local students, and it presents masterclasses with visiting artists to numerous local schools. In addition, it provides complimentary lessons to students as a part of the OPAS Lesson Bank, and numerous college performing arts scholarships.
Through these programs, OPAS makes sure the arts reach well beyond its mainstage season.
Proceeds from last February’s OPAS Winter Ball help fund this work, alongside the long-term support and commitment of Corporate Sponsors and OPAS members.
Adding Downtown Greensboro to this year’s schedule pushed that mission further. It gave residents and visitors another chance to encounter live music in the heart of the community.
The Concert Truck week also previewed the variety audiences can expect throughout the OPAS 2026-27 season. That includes intimate performances, large-scale concerts and educational programs for people of all ages across Lake Country. The Pop-Up Series is one way OPAS takes its mission beyond the traditional stage, bringing world-class professional music close to home.
For more information about OPAS, upcoming performances, and arts education programs, visit OPAS.org.
— Story and photos contributed