Men’s Chorus Extravaganza Features acoUstiKats
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 19, 2009) - Join the 70-voice University of Kentucky Men’s Chorus for a special concert 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, in historic Memorial Hall on the UK campus. The third annual Men’s Chorus Fall Extravaganza is an event that has quickly become one of the most popular concerts at UK. Featuring the nationally-renowned UK Men’s Chorus and the popular a cappella group, the acoUstiKats, the Fall Extravaganza is a unique and entertaining evening of all-male voices.
Jefferson Johnson, director of Choral Activities formed the acoUstiKats in 1993 during his first semester at UK. They are an all male a cappella ensemble. Each year these 16 talented young men bring their distinctive sounds to events across the Commonwealth. Since its inception, the acoUstiKats have performed nearly 400 concerts for enthusiastic audiences throughout Kentucky and beyond. As a part of the UK Men’s Chorus, this popular group serves to promote and encourage male singing of all ages.
The UK Men’s Chorus has been making national news as one of the elite college choirs in the nation. In the last four years, the group has been selected to perform at national conventions of the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) in Salt Lake City, the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO) in San Antonio, and the Intercollegiate Male Choruses IMC) in Oxford, Ohio. They were also featured at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) conference in Louisville in 2008.
This year’s concert features special guests After Hours, a high school male a cappella group. Coached by UK Choir alumnus Robert Vanover, After Hours consists of 12 talented young men from the award-winning choral program at Lexington Catholic High School. Adam Beeken, another UK Choir alumnus and director of choirs at Lexington Catholic said, "Our young men are very excited to join the UK Men’s Chorus and acoUstiKats for this special concert." In fact, one of the 2009 graduates of After Hours is now an acoUstiKat, Clay Thompson of Lexington.
Fifth Element Creative presents the UK Choirs 2009-10 season with in-kind support provided by Geno’s Formal Affair.
The concert will begin with pre-show music by After Hours at 7:15 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, Tickets for the event are $15 for adults and senior citizens, and $5 for students and children. To purchase tickets, call the UK Student Center Ticket Office at (859) 257-8427 or visit any Ticketmaster location.