UK Men's Chorus, acoUstiKats to celebrate '30 Years in Your Ears'
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 31, 2023) — The University of Kentucky Men’s Chorus kicks off their 2023-24 season with "30 Years in Your Ears," a reunion concert featuring the acclaimed acoUstiKats. Alumni from both choirs will be joining the Men’s Chorus onstage to celebrate 30 years of singing together. The concert will begin 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, in the Concert Hall of the Singletary Center for the Arts.
“Having 100 Men’s Chorus alums fly in from all over the country is extremely gratifying,” says Jefferson Johnson, D.M.A., director of Choral Activities at UK. “These are the men who built our program into one of the top male choirs in the United States. I expect it will be an emotional but rewarding evening.”
About the UK Men’s Chorus
The UK Men’s Chorus is a 70-voice ensemble composed of students who range from freshmen to graduate students conducted by Johnson. These young men represent a variety of musical backgrounds and academic disciplines. Beginning in the fall of 2002, the Men’s Chorus has grown in both size and popularity each semester. The choir’s challenging and diverse repertoire includes literature that spans from Gregorian chant to music of the 21st century. Rehearsing only twice a week, the Men’s Chorus maintains an active performing schedule throughout the state of Kentucky, touring each semester.
The group has achieved several distinguished honors in recent years. The UK Men's Chorus was selected to perform at the prestigious American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Conference in 2011 and in 2015. In 2006 and 2013, they performed at the National Collegiate Choral Organization’s national conference, and they were featured at the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses National Seminars in 2014 and 2016. At each of these appearances the UK Men’s Chorus earned a standing ovation from an exclusive audience of choral conductors.
The Men’s Chorus is dedicated to promoting and celebrating male singing at all stages and for all ages. The group hosts an event each year called “Male Chorus Day” where hundreds of high school and middle school students come to campus and learn male chorus literature and techniques.
About the acoUstiKats
Founded in 1993 by Johnson, the acoUstiKats are a select a cappella ensemble of 16 voices from the Men’s Chorus. They perform numerous concerts each semester for university, church and community functions as well as at every Men’s Chorus concert. Specializing in contemporary a cappella pop styles, the acoUstiKats have recorded two CDs and are one of the university’s most visible ensembles.
The acoUstiKats perform at prestigious events on campus and throughout the state of Kentucky. In 2007, the acoUstiKats were featured at the Kentucky Derby Gala celebration at the Governor’s Mansion. They frequently perform at elementary and middle schools throughout the Commonwealth. In 2013, the acoUstiKats were also featured on national television as a part of NBC’s “The Sing-Off” season four and have performed in countless venues across the United States from the shores of Hawaii to Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee.
Tickets for the UK Men's Chorus Reunion Concert: 30 Years in Your Ears are $14 for general admission and $7 for students with additional ticketing fees. Tickets can be purchased from the Singletary Center ticket office by phone at 859-257-4929, online at www.scfatickets.com, and in person at the venue. Free advance tickets for UK students with a valid ID are available at the Singletary Center ticket office up to the day before the concert during operating hours.
For more information on the UK Men's Chorus Reunion Concert: 30 Years in Your Ears or the UK Men’s Chorus, contact Joshua Golden, administrative assistant to UK Choirs, at joshua.golden@uky.edu.
UK's Men's Chorus and acoUstiKats are 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, music therapy, composition, and theory and music history.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
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