The Charlotte Philharmonic Orchestra was an American orchestra based in Charlotte, North Carolina. As the second largest and most active professional performing arts organization in the central Carolinas, the Charlotte Philharmonic played approximately 10–15 performances each season and employed up to 85 professional musicians. Annual attendance for CPO performances numbers over 150,000. Founded in 1990 by Dutch pianist and conductor Albert E. Moehring leading 75–85 musicians in popular and classical concerts. Using an eclectic programming style, the concert halls were filled to capacity. The orchestra performed in numerous locations around the Charlotte community until Judith Allen, Executive Director of the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center appointed the orchestra as a "resident" company. The Belk Theater in the N.C.B.P.A.C. has a 2,100 seat capacity which Maestro Moehring filled on a regular basis. This became the basis for Moehring and the orchestra to film 6 Public Broadcasting System musical specials in the Belk Theater. These PBS Specials aired in 44 states, Canada and Mexico reaching over 95 million households. In Addition, Maestro Moehring and the Charlotte Philharmonic recorded 13 CD recordings. These recordings have been sold and distributed to a worldwide market. Moehring and the CPO continued together for almost 23 years, until the U.S. economic downturn dried up sufficient funds for the orchestra to survive. In September 2003, Judith Allen of the N.C.B.P.A.C. asked Maestro Moehring to collaborate with the Center and the "Charlotte Shout" Festival in the North America debut of the British duo known as "Opera Babes". Again, the performance was a full house in the 2,100 seat auditorium. In 2010, the Charlotte Philharmonic Orchestra was unable to continue full operations, due to the economic downturn, but was able to continue with special summer festival concerts for another three years. Due to strong demand, Maestro Moehring stated in 2015 that he was exploring bringing the Charlotte Philharmonic back to the citizens of Charlotte.
