LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 11, 2011) − Looking for a music concert to attend? Plenty of musical options are on tap from the award-winning University of Kentucky School of Music at the UK College of Fine Arts. Check out these upcoming concerts featuring the UK Wind Ensemble, several of UK's jazz groups and the UK Symphony Band at the Singletary Center for the Arts.
UK Wind Ensemble to Play with Guest Conductor James Keene
First up, UK Wind Ensemble will present a concert with guest conductor James F. Keene at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, at the Singletary Center Concert Hall. Under the direction of John Cody Birdwell, UK Wind Ensemble will present a traditional program of concert band music including "Celebration" by Edward Gregson, "Sketches on a Tudor Psalm" by Fisher Tull, Aaron Copland’s "Variations on a Shaker Melody," "Liebestod" by Richard Wagner, "Zion" by Dan Welcher, and John Philip Sousa’s "Convention of the Cordials."
From 1985 to 2008, Keene served the University of Illinois as professor of music and director of bands. During his time at Illinois, he initiated and cultivated a series of international outreach programs, including guest conducting and lecture appearances on four continents. Keene was awarded the Grainger Medallion in 1995 by the International Percy Grainger Society for his devotion to and exemplary performance of Grainger’s music. In recognition of his extraordinary service to the musical community, he was presented with the Diploma of the Sudler Order of Merit from the John Philip Sousa Foundation in 1997. He was elected president of the American Bandmasters Association in 2002 and later named an honorary life member of the Texas Bandmasters Association, becoming only the sixth person to be so honored in the 55-year history of the organization. In 2009, he was inducted into the Bands of America Hall of Fame in Indianapolis.
Tickets to the UK Wind Ensemble concert are $7 for general admission and $5 for students, children and senior citizens.
UK Jazz Makes a Spectacle of Itself
This weekend, UK's jazz groups will come together to perform as part of the UK Jazz Spectacular scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, at the Singletary Center Concert Hall. The concert will feature performances by the UK Jazz Ensemble, directed by Raleigh Dailey; the UK Jazz Lab Band, directed by Dieter Rice; UK Mega-Sax and the UK Jazz Combo. This concert is free and open to the public.
UK and UofL Bands Team Up in Concert
The UK Symphony Band will team up with the University of Louisville Symphonic Band for the fifth annual College Invitational Concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, at the Singletary Center Concert Hall.
For the College Invitational, UofL Symphonic Band will perform under the direction of Amy Acklin, assistant director of bands at UofL. UK Symphony Band will perform under the direction of George Boulden, associate director of UK Bands, and guest conductor and UK graduate student Kenneth Iyescas. The program will feature performances of "Black Granite" by James L. Hosay, "Symphonic Prelude" by Mark Camphouse and Symphony No. 2 by John Barnes Chance. The ensembles for UK and UofL will close out the concert playing "America, the Beautiful" together.
Tickets to the fifth annual College Invitational Concert are $7 for general admission and $5 for students, children and senior citizens.
Tickets for the UK Wind Ensemble and UK Symphony Band concerts can be purchased at the Singletary Center ticket office by calling (859) 257-4929, visiting online at www.singletarytickets.com, or in person at the venue. For more information on any of these concerts, visit the UK School of Music website at www.uky.edu/FineArts/Music/calendar/index.php.
MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716 or whitney.hale@uky.edu
