University of North Carolina Athletics
“Artists Are Athletes/Athletes Are Artists” Series Features Levy
February 24, 2026 | Women's Lacrosse
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Carolina Performing Arts, the performing arts presenter at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has released the third chapter of its ongoing storytelling series Artists Are Athletes / Athletes Are Artists™, continuing its exploration of the shared qualities that define excellence across disciplines.
Titled Conductors and Coaches, the new video brings together two visionary leaders: Yannick Nézet-Séguin, music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal, and Jenny Levy, head coach of UNC Women's Lacrosse and four-time NCAA national champion. The video illuminates the symmetry of elite leadership, revealing how focus, collaboration, resilience, and vision transform individual talent into something greater than the sum of its parts.
"Yannick and Jenny are both extraordinary at what they do. Each of them understands how to shape a culture, how to bring individual talent into alignment, and how to create the conditions for collective excellence," says Alison Friedman, the James and Susan Moeser Executive and Artistic Director of CPA. "At Carolina, where the arts and athletics coexist at the highest level, it felt natural to bring those two worlds into conversation through leaders who embody that standard."
Leadership Across Music and Sport
Since its launch in 2023, Artists Are Athletes / Athletes Are Artists™ has paired world-class artists and elite student-athletes to illuminate the grit, focus, and creativity that define excellence across disciplines. The series debuted with UNC Men's Basketball and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, followed by a collaboration between UNC Women's Soccer and tap dance company Dorrance Dance.
For the next chapter, Friedman set out to explore another powerful throughline connecting the arts and athletics: leadership. To bring that idea to life, she brought together two figures whose impact extends far beyond their respective arenas—Nézet-Séguin, one of the world's most dynamic conductors and a longtime CPA collaborator, and Levy, one of the most accomplished coaches in collegiate athletics.
"At Carolina, the culture we've built drives everything—trust, accountability, and a shared commitment to excellence," says Levy. "I loved being part of this series with Carolina Performing Arts because it highlights leadership in an unexpected way; not coach to coach, but leader to leader. It reinforces something we believe deeply in our program: the principles that drive championship performance are universal."
Nézet-Séguin echoes that sentiment, finding those same principles at the heart of orchestral performance.
"In an orchestra, every musician brings a distinct sound, and my role is to support and help that individuality flourish while allowing everyone to breathe and move as one," he says. "I'm grateful to Carolina Performing Arts for creating space where the worlds of arts and athletics can meet and reflect each other in such a powerful way. When those boundaries soften, we can see how deeply connected our pursuits truly are and how much we can learn from one another through that exchange."
Shaping the Next Chapter of Artists and Athletes
Produced by CPA in collaboration with Raleigh-based creative agency Myriad, filming for Conductors and Coaches took place in November 2025, timed to coincide with Nézet-Séguin's November 4–5 visit to Memorial Hall with The Philadelphia Orchestra. Production continued with Levy and the women's lacrosse team during practice on the fields outside the Bill Koman Practice Complex.
Previous chapters in the series received top honors at the American Advertising Awards for excellence in cinematography, editing, and original music, underscoring the project's commitment to powerful, visually compelling storytelling. Conductors and Coaches now joins the full Artists Are Athletes / Athletes Are Artists™ collection online, where viewers can explore all three chapters, behind-the-scenes footage, a Q&A with Levy, and additional companion content at carolinaperformingarts.org and across CPA's digital platforms.
"What excites me about this chapter is the way it creates a point of entry. When someone sees a shared quality—in this case, leadership—reflected in an unexpected place, it can dissolve distance and make the experience feel more accessible," Friedman says. "The arts are such a powerful tool for that. They allow us to break down silos without forcing the conversation, simply by letting people see, feel, and recognize something familiar in a new context. That moment of recognition matters, because it expands how we understand the world, and how we understand each other."
About Carolina Performing Arts
Founded in 2005, Carolina Performing Arts is one of the nation's leading multi-arts presenters and producers, housed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. We collaborate with artists from Carolina's campus and across the world to spark discovery, foster belonging, and bring people together on stage, in classrooms, and across communities. We invest in research and development of new creative work, including commissioning 80 productions in our first 20 years. We work to expand access, including offering $11 tickets to every K–graduate student statewide. Together, we're building communities where live performance—and a sense of belonging—thrives, cultivating a North Carolina that is healthier, more joyful, and better connected.
About Yannick Nézet-Séguin
One of the world's most sought-after conductors, Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads some of the most prestigious musical institutions globally. Known for his physical energy, emotional connection, and long-term artistic relationships, he brings a distinctive presence to the podium—guiding hundreds of artists toward a shared vision in real time.
About Jenny Levy
A Hall of Fame coach and one of the most accomplished leaders in collegiate athletics, Jenny Levy has built one of the nation's premier programs through preparation, trust, and collective purpose. Her teams consistently compete at the highest level, reflecting a leadership style grounded in clarity, accountability, and belief in the group.
Learn more about the video here.
