UK Opera Director Active in Equestrian Games in Normandy
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 4, 2014) — As the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ (WEG) 2014 are celebrated in Normandy, France, one of the University of Kentucky's own faculty is proudly participating in the Alltech Music Festival. Director and Executive Producer of UK Opera Theatre Everett McCorvey conducted several performances by the American Spiritual Ensemble, which he founded, at the games.
The American Spiritual Ensemble performed for an estimated 10,000 game visitors on Irish Night Aug. 28th. The festivities featured traditional Irish musician Sharon Shannon and her band as headliners. The ensemble also is sharing the stage with many international and local artists at the heart of the Games Village. These artists include Grammy award-winning R&B group Kool & The Gang, French vocal artist Joyce Jonathan and American singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc.
In addition, the American Spiritual Ensemble, led by McCorvey, performed during the Global Dairy and Beef Conference that took place from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2. This audience included 700 leading international beef and dairy producers and the Presidents' Club, an annual meeting of leading agribusiness executives. These events were also hosted by Alltech in collaboration with the games, taking place in Normandy.
Joining McCorvey and the ensemble in France were three UK Opera Theatre vocalists. Alumni Rebecca Farley and Gregory Turay, who is currently completing his PhD while serving as an Artist-in-Residence at UK School of Music, performed at the festivities as well as ensemble member and alumna Jeryl Cunningham. Tedrin Blair Lindsay, lecturer and vocal coach, provided accompaniment for the vocalists.
Nearly 500,000 visitors are traveling from around the world to experience the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy, which opened Aug. 23 and runs to Sept. 7
The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ are organized every four years and represent the most important equestrian event in the world. To follow the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy and get updates regarding the Alltech Music Festival visit www.alltech.com/games.
The American Spiritual Ensemble, comprised of talented vocalists, performs renditions of classic spirituals and Broadway numbers. The critically-acclaimed professional group has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Houston Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera, Boston Opera and the Atlanta Civic Opera in addition to many venues around the world in England, France, Germany, Japan, Scotland and Spain. To view one of the American Spiritual Ensemble's past performances, visit http://youtu.be/GOTaQ3TFaY4.
McCorvey, a native of Montgomery, Alabama, holds bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Alabama. As a tenor soloist he has performed in various prestigious venues around the world such as Radio City Music Hall and Italy's Teatro Comunale. McCorvey serves as vice-chairman of the Kentucky Arts Council for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
UK Opera Theatre is part of the UK School of Music at the UK College of Fine Arts. The school has garnered a national reputation for high-caliber education in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as music education, composition, and theory and music history.
MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, 859-257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu