Members of the Louisville Orchestra will perform a free concert on Tuesday, July 11 at Newport’s MegaCorp Pavillion, 101 West 4th Street, as part of a two-year journey across Kentucky: “In Harmony — The Commonwealth Tour of the Louisville Orchestra.”
The tour, made possible through a budget appropriation from the Kentucky General Assembly, allows members of the Louisville Orchestra to connect with communities and neighbors throughout Kentucky using the undeniable power of music. Free tickets for the performance are available at louisvilleorchestra.org/inharmonytour.
Under the baton of Music Director and Conductor Teddy Abrams, the Louisville Orchestra brings an exciting program of orchestral favorites to Northern Kentucky. It’s a concert of overtures – kicking off with Bernstein’s hugely popular Overture to Candide, Abrams conducts the overture to his ground-breaking rap opera about Muhammed Ali, a bit of “Hi Ho Silver” from Rossini’s William Tell Overture, and wrapping up with Tchaikovsky’s rousing 1812 Overture.
Along the way, audience members will float down the Moldau River through the Czech countryside, experience contemporary pieces by two composers of the LO’s Creators Corps – TJ Cole and Kentucky native Tyler Taylor, sing along to an arrangement of “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” and revel in the jazz themes of Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue.
Members of the orchestra will also deliver special children’s “Once Upon on Orchestra” performance on Tuesday, July 11 at 3 p.m. at the Kenton County Public Library’s Covington Branch, 502 Scott Street in Covington.
The performance is free and open to the public; no ticket is required to attend.
“We are a community-centric orchestra, striving to foster artist-driven civic leadership and cultural well-being throughout the Commonwealth,” said Graham Parker, the Louisville Orchestra’s Chief Executive. “Meeting people where they are is a key part of bringing people into the arts, and that is what we hope to accomplish through this statewide tour.”
Nearly 20 cities across Kentucky will host the Louisville Orchestra performances, which will include community events like small ensembles, musician meet-and-greets, and musical instructions. The July leg of the tour will also include performances in Ashland, Glasgow, Somerset, and Bardstown.
Abrams said he is excited to build connections across the state through the arts.
“With the ‘In Harmony’ tour, the Louisville Orchestra becomes the only orchestra in the United States committed to traveling to every corner of its state to partner in performance with artists across our communities,” Abrams said.
“There is no so-called urban-rural divide in music. Art and music transcend geographic boundaries. We couldn’t be more excited to share our treasured work with our fellow Kentuckians in their hometowns and home counties.”