UK Arts & Culture News

UK Chorale performs "O Nata Lux" in Bologna, Italy. A transcript and translation of the lyrics can be found here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 20, 2013) — The sounds of the University of Kentucky School of Music are being featured on international stages this month in China and Italy as the UK Symphony Orchestra and UK Chorale tour miles away from their home stage.

UK Chorale wrapped up a six-day trip to northern Italy on May 11. During their European tour, the ensemble was able to perform for audiences in Milan, Lake Como, Padua, Bologna, Ferrara, Venice and Verona. In addition to performing in such celebrated venues as St. Mark's Basilica, UK Chorale also participated in a clinic with composer, jazz pianist and educator Ivo Antognini in Lugano, Switzerland.

The UK Chorale is the premier mixed choral ensemble at UK. It consists mostly of upperclassmen and graduate students. While a majority of the singers are music majors, there are a number of other academic disciplines represented. UK Chorale prides itself in performing a wide variety of choral literature from Renaissance to 21st century. The 44-voice ensemble, the recipient of regional and national awards, has toured extensively over the years with performances in France; Washington D.C.; the Bahamas; and New York City. UK Chorale has collaborated with numerous artists including The King's Singers, violinist Mark O’Connor, the Boston Pops Orchestra and tenor Ronan Tynan.

UK Chorale performs under the direction of Jefferson Johnson, director of UK Choral Activities.

To see photos and video of performances from the trip, visit the UK Chorale's Facebook page for the tour: www.facebook.com/UkChoraleGoesToItaly. 

Three days after UK Chorale departed, UK Symphony Orchestra boarded an airplane for its own 12-day tour of China. The trip includes performances at five of China's premiere concert halls, including a final concert at the National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing. The last concert will be broadcast live throughout the country by China Central Television. UK Symphony Orchestra's concert program for the tour features American music by such popular composers as George Gershwin, Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein. It also includes New World Symphony by Czech composer Antonín Dvořák, who wrote the work in 1890 when living in New York.

Since UK Director of Orchestras John Nardolillo took the conductor's podium of the UK Symphony Orchestra, it has enjoyed great success accumulating recording credits and sharing the stage with such acclaimed international artists as Itzhak Perlman, Lynn Harrell, Marvin Hamlisch, as well as Pink Martini and the Boston Pops. UK Symphony Orchestra has also received acclaim for recording projects, including the live recording of In Times Like These with folk icon Arlo Guthrie. UK Symphony Orchestra is one of a very select group of university orchestras under contract with Naxos, the world's largest classical recording label.

The UK School of Music at the UK College of Fine Arts has achieved awards and national and international recognition for high-caliber education in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as for music education, composition, theory and music history.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 8, 2013) — The public is encouraged to attend an open forum hosted by the University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts and the search committee for the next director of the Art Museum at the University of Kentucky at 6 p.m. Friday, May 17, in the Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall.

The search committee has been appointed to select the new director of the Art Museum at UK. Kathy Walsh-Piper, the museum’s current director, announced her retirement effective Aug. 16, 2013.

During the forum, the search committee will seek community input and discuss the hiring process. The committee will also take questions and comments from the audience. Michael Tick, dean of the College of Fine Arts, will serve as moderator to facilitate the forum.

Questions or comments can be submitted during the forum via twitter at the College of Fine Arts Twitter account, @UKFineArts. Feedback can also be submitted following the forum online at http://finearts.uky.edu/museumdirector. All feedback to the search committee should be submitted by Friday, June 14.

The members of the search committee are:

• Co-chair Michael Tick, dean of the UK College of Fine Arts;
• Co-chair Mary John O’Hair, dean of the UK College of Education;
• Sonja Brooks, teacher outreach coordinator at the Art Museum at UK;
• Peggy Collins, chair of the Art Museum at UK Collectors Committee;
• Bobbie Engle, chair of the Art Museum at UK Advisory Board;
• Jeff Fugate, executive director of Lexington Downtown Development Authority;
• Stephanie Harris, executive director of Lexington Art League and founder and director of Contemporary Dance Collective;
• Barbara Lovejoy, registrar of the Art Museum at UK;
• Andrew Maske, associate professor of art history at UK School of Art and Visual Studies;
• Ebony Patterson, associate professor of painting at UK School of Art and Visual Studies; and
• Jane Shropshire, chair of the Art Museum at UK Docent Steering Committee.

The mission of the Art Museum at UK, part of the UK College of Fine Arts, is to promote the understanding and appreciation of art to enhance the quality of life for the people of Kentucky through collecting, exhibiting, preserving and interpreting outstanding works of visual art from all cultures. Home to a collection of more than 4,500 objects, including American and European paintings, drawings, photographs, prints and sculpture, the Art Museum at UK presents both special exhibitions and shows of work from their permanent collection. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 3, 2013) — Graduating University of Kentucky art studio senior Andrea Clark, of Bowling Green, Ky., has been awarded a Windgate Fellowship by University of North Carolina at  Asheville's Center for Craft, Creativity & Design. The fellowship is awarded to 10 graduating college seniors who have demonstrated exemplary skill in craft. Each Windgate Fellow receives $15,000 — one of the largest awards offered nationally to art students. The selection process presents a rare opportunity to survey the best and brightest emerging makers in the field of craft.

"The Windgate Fellowship program gives us a glimpse of the best emerging talent in the field of craft," said Stephanie Moore, executive director of the Center for Craft, Creativity & Design. "The funds generously provided by the Windgate Charitable Foundation are critical and impact these artists in profound ways."

Four judges reviewed a national pool of 115 applicants from 68 universities on the basis of artistic merit and the potential of each applicant to make significant contributions to the field of craft. The selection panel advanced 25 candidates to the final round for further consideration. During the in-person meeting on April 4, the panel reviewed each proposal by these 25 candidates, deliberated the online score results, and selected this year's 10 Windgate Fellows.

The 2013 panel included: Dustin Farnsworth, 2010 Windgate Fellow and Penland resident artist; Jayson Lawfer, creator and director of The Nevica Project; Julie Muñiz, associate curator of design and decorative arts at the Oakland Museum of California in Oakland, Calif.; and Mark Leach, executive director of the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem, N.C.

As an artist, Clark has been experimenting with various materials and processes from a young age. A recipient of two Research and Creativity Grants through UK, she expanded her creative process through workshops at the Penland School of Crafts, the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and Shanghai University. Clark said she is thrilled to be recognized for her work in ceramics and will be able to further her research with the funding. The Windgate Fellow also has a minor in art history. 

"The fellowship will fund my continued research on the vast capabilities of the ceramic material by sourcing equipment and providing for visits to both the European Ceramic Workcentre (the Netherlands) and the International Ceramic Design Symposium (Budapest) to contextualize my work within the field of contemporary ceramics,” Clark said.

Since 2006, the Center for Craft, Creativity & Design has awarded the Windgate Fellowships to 80 graduating seniors working in craft representing more than 68 colleges and universities. The center's mission is to advance the understanding of craft by encouraging and supporting research, scholarship and professional development.

The UK School of Art and Visual Studies at the UK College of Fine Arts is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the fields of art studio, art history and visual studies and art education.

Clark’s solo exhibition A light matter is on display through May 3, at the Tuska Center for Contemporary Art, located in UK's Fine Arts Building. A reception for Clark's show, which is free and open to the public, will run 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 3, at the same location. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

"A Woman is a Sometime Thing" performed by Reginald Smith Jr. in UK Opera Theatre's production of "Porgy and Bess." Video courtesy of Smith. A transcript for this video can be found here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 3, 2013) — Just over five years ago an aspiring young vocalist traveled by Greyhound bus from Atlanta to the University of Kentucky to audition for the School of Music. Now, graduating choral music education and vocal performance senior Reginald "Reggie" Smith Jr. returns to campus by airplane from Germany to walk in UK Commencement ceremonies Sunday, May 5, before heading to a new adventure with the Houston Grand Opera.

Growing up in Georgia, the singing bug first bit Smith in church where he sang in the choir. "I grew up singing in the church under the best choir director I ever had, my mother of course! You can't cut corners when your mother is the director," Smith said.

And, it was his mom's guidance that would also bring the world of opera eventually into her son's consciousness, though he had no other formal music training.

"Fortunately, my mother always taught us to respect all people and their customs. We were encouraged to try and experience new things," Smith said. "So, my brother and I joined the elementary choir at the same time. After some years, my brother stopped singing in school choirs, but I kept it up. It was because of a choir trip to see Tosca at the Atlanta Opera, starring now UK faculty member Cynthia Lawrence, that I saw my first opera in 10th grade. I fell in love with everything about it. I was bitten by the opera bug, and the rest, as they say, is history."

As Smith began to consider colleges, he considered who was teaching, how the program was perceived, and what their alumni were doing after graduation. "I knew I wanted to study with Dr. Everett McCorvey because he is one the best voice teachers in America and runs one of the best opera programs in America, too. His students and many other UK Opera Theatre alumni are singing all over the world."

But realizing a good music degree can be expensive, he also paid close attention to scholarship funding that was available and traveled to UK by bus to audition for the program and compete in UK's Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition in hopes of getting some financial relief. "When I was told that I won first place in the competition and a tuition waiver, it meant the world to me. As a youth from a low-income home in the inner-city of Atlanta who dreamed of studying music, I was flabbergasted and truly amazed to see that someone who I never met before believed in my dream so much that they, along with the university, would pay my tuition in college."

As an undergraduate, Smith chose to major in both vocal performance and choral music education to help make a difference.

"Growing up, I was always interested in teaching. I knew I wanted to be a teacher," Smith said. "It wasn't until I went to high school that I realized I could be a music teacher. Around my junior year of high school, my voice teacher in Atlanta told me that I should consider being a voice major in college. So, for a while I thought about how I would choose one or the other until I decided that I love doing both equally. I love to sing for people. I love to teach people music and see them 'get it.' For me, regardless of singing or teaching, I love to share my joy and passion for music to all people. These degrees simply give me a variety of ways I can impact someone's life. I could do it on the stage or in the classroom. Both ways are A-OK with me."

To hear more about Smith's UK experience, click play below.

Video by Amy Jones and Kody Kiser/UK Public Relations and Marketing.

When he wasn't in the classroom, Smith could be found on both local and international stages showcasing his talents. "I have so many great memories from performing at UK. I have done a slew of choral concerts, recitals, several operas and even a few plays with the Department of Theatre. I enjoyed singing in the Bahamas with UK Chorale. That was a great opportunity. But I think my favorite role at UK in the opera department was Falstaff in Verdi's Falstaff. It is such a fun role to sing. I look forward to singing it again, and building on the skills I have learned at UK."

To see a piece of Smith's performance in UK Opera Theatre's production of Falstaff, click play below. 

Video courtesy of Smith. 

As he finished his classes, Smith chose to do his student teaching this spring in Germany to expand his skills. Already well familiar with the public school systems in America, he wanted to know what else was out there.

"I think the way we teach music in America is great. However, I wanted to broaden my knowledge of the content areas and have more tools in my toolbox, if you will. So, I chose to go to Germany because they had such a rich culture and musical history," Smith said. "I can listen to Beethoven on a CD and tell my students this is how it goes, or I could go to Bonn, Germany, visit Beethoven's house, see his piano where he wrote many of his famous works, hear these works performed in the same place where he heard these works performed, and then I can tell my students about that."

Though at times it was challenging, Smith wouldn't change his student teaching experience. "As the Germans would say, it was 'wunderbar!' I had a wonderful experience in Cologne, Germany. There were some challenges at first with the language, but, fortunately, I studied German at UK for two years before going. Unlike most students that go abroad, students in the COST (Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching) Program at UK through the education department are actually teaching in schools instead of just attending them. This creates an interesting and exciting dynamic to learn, grow, and become a better global citizen."

Returning to campus just this week, Smith will participate in the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony for the Colleges of: Arts and Sciences, Communication and Information, Design, Fine Arts, Health Sciences, and Social Work at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 5. Then after a few summer performances, he will head for his new home in Houston and the Houston Grand Opera Studio Program.

Like many graduating opera/voice students, Smith spent much of the fall auditioning for opera companies and summer programs. He auditioned for Houston Grand Opera's Studio Program in the fall and was asked to come back and sing at their finals competitions. However, the finals were taking place while Smith was doing his student teaching.

"Fortunately, I was able to go to Houston and do a final audition before flying to Germany," he said. "After the finals were over in Houston, I got an email offering me a position in the studio program. It was late at night when I got it in Cologne. So, I thought that maybe it was a dream. When I woke up the next morning, I went to see if the email was still there. It was there indeed, and I was accepted in the Studio Program at Houston Grand Opera."

As a studio artist in Houston, Smith will have the opportunity to work this fall with some of the best vocal coaches, conductors and operatic staff members in America. He will have language classes, voice lessons, potentially some piano lessons, and more, including opportunities to perform. "What I find to be the coolest part is the studio artists also sing roles in their main stage productions with, as I often think of them, the 'opera stars.'"

The baritone added, "I will try not to be star-struck on stage. The show must go on!"

All UK Commencement ceremonies — the graduate and professional ceremony as well as the two undergraduate ceremonies — will take place in Rupp Arena. The schedule is as follows:

9 a.m. — Graduate and Professional Ceremony

1 p.m. — Undergraduate Ceremony for the Colleges of: Agriculture; Business and Economics; Education; Engineering; and Nursing.

6 p.m. — Undergraduate Ceremony for the Colleges of: Arts and Sciences; Communication and Information; Design; Fine Arts; Health Sciences; and Social Work.

More than 2,000 undergraduates and 500 graduate and professional students are expected to participate in Sunday's exercises; approximately 2,840 undergraduate,1,040 graduate and 460 professional degrees have been submitted to the UK Board of Trustees for approval.

All Commencement ceremonies will be streamed live online at www.uky.edu/uknow, the university’s daily news website. Videos of each ceremony will also be uploaded to the university's YouTube channel, during the week following Commencement.  UK's cable channel 16 will air rebroadcasts of UK Commencement ceremonies at a later date.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 2, 2013) — John Cody Birdwell, director of bands at the University of Kentucky, has been elected into the membership of the American Bandmasters Association (ABA). Founded in 1929, with John Philip Sousa as honorary life president, the organization recognizes outstanding achievement on the part of concert band conductors and composers.

The current membership of the ABA is comprised of approximately 300 band conductors and composers in the U.S. and Canada, who are elected into the organization through a selective and rigorous nomination process. Birdwell was nominated by ABA past presidents James Keene, director of bands emeritus at the University of Illinois, and Paula Crider, associate director of bands emeritus at the University of Texas, and current ABA President David Waybright, director of bands at the University of Florida. The ABA induction ceremony will take place in March 2014, in Montgomery, Ala.

Birdwell is a native of New Mexico and has served as director of bands at UK since 2004. At UK, his primary responsibilities include conducting the UK Wind Symphony, supervising doctoral and master degree programs in wind conducting; teaching graduate courses in instrumental conducting, history and literature; and supervising the administration of the UK Bands program in the School of Music at UK College of Fine Arts. Prior to his appointment at UK, Birdwell served as director of bands at Texas Tech University, director of bands at Utah State University, assistant director of bands at the University of Illinois, and director of bands at Northern Michigan University.

Under Birdwell’s leadership, the UK Wind Symphony performed at the 2013 National Conference for the College Band Directors National Association in Greensboro, N.C., and in May 2008 the ensemble successfully completed a 10-day concert tour of the People’s Republic of China as part of festivities leading up to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Several of the UK Wind Symphony recordings have been nominated for Grammy consideration.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 29, 2013) — The University of Kentucky School of Art and Visual Studies is presenting a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) solo exhibition featuring the work of art studio senior Andrea Clark. Clark's A light matter will be on display April 29-May 3, at the Tuska Center for Contemporary Art, located in UK's Fine Arts Building. A reception for Clark's show, which is free and open to the public, will run 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 3, at the same location.

As an artist, Clark has been experimenting with various materials and processes from a young age. A recipient of two Research and Creativity Grants through UK, she expanded her creative process through workshops at the Penland School of Crafts, the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and Shanghai University.

Through delicate porcelain works, Clark communicates a personal history through clay and explores how light acts to veil or reveal the most genuine residual forms of memory. In this vein, she seeks to gain acceptance of the past and awareness in the present.

For more information about A light matter, contact Andrea Clark by email to adclar3@gmail.com.

The UK School of Art and Visual Studies at the UK College of Fine Arts is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the fields of art studio, art history and visual studies and art education.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 26, 2013) — As part of Earth Week, one of the University of Kentucky's Core courses is employing its students creativity to bring awareness to environmental concerns through artwork. The students' banners will be on display through May 3, on the fence around the CentrePointe block, located between Vine and West Main St. in downtown Lexington.

In partial fulfillment of their "Pathways to Creativity" coursework, collaborative groups of students researched, designed and painted murals on the theme of the environment under the direction of Beth Ettensohn, lecturer of art education; Bryan Reinholdt, part time instructor of art; and Marty Henton, senior lecturer of art education. The project features work from around 120 UK students.

The UK Core classes began installing their work at CentrePointe April 24 and completed the display yesterday.

As a part of their intellectual inquiry through the Core curriculum, every UK student is required to complete coursework in the area of arts and creativity. “Creativity adds to the vitality and relevance of learning and will translate into graduates who are better prepared to face the challenges of a dynamic society.” (UK CORE Curriculum, 2010).

UK Core is the university's general education program, containing a set of requirements that must be completed by students of all majors in order to graduate. These requirements are focused on critical thinking, writing, reasoning, ethics and global understanding, which faculty of the university feel are essential for students to compete in the global marketplace. The "Pathways to Creativity" course as discussed above is focused on expanding student creativity and aims to prepare students for a range of disciplines.

Ettensohn and Henton are members of the faculty at the UK School of Art and Visual Studies in the UK College of Fine Arts, where Reinholdt serves as a teaching assistant in art education. The school is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the fields of art studio, art history and visual studies and art education.

For more information on the environmental campaign or the "Pathways to Creativity" course, contact Beth Ettensohn at beth.a.mosher@uky.edu or Marty Henton at marty.henton@uky.edu.   

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, 859-257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 25, 2013) — Land of Tomorrow (LOT) Gallery presents Red Herring, an exhibition of work by several MFA (Master of Fine Arts) students produced as part of a class led by instructor and Lexington artist Joel Feldman. There will be a closing reception for the show at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at the LOT Gallery, located at 527 East Third St., Lexington.

Red Herring will include work from graduate students Jackson Bullock, Peggy Coots, Michael J. Hamilton, Ivy Johnson, Trey Jolly, David N. Martin and Mayuresh Moghe. Each of the artists in this exhibition and their instructor often explore issues of red herring in terms of art making, both consciously and unconsciously.

A red herring is a fallacy in which an irrelevant topic is presented to divert attention from the original issue. Although the artists individually explore their own red herring and how it relates to their art making, they acknowledge that their understanding of the term may differ from one another, the instructor and their audience. The title of this exhibition can possibly be viewed as the group's communal red herring.

LOT is a project space created to facilitate the making and showcasing of experimental work in the fields of art, design and music in Kentucky. Through exhibitions, performances, artist talks, work documentation and other activities, LOT fosters an open dialogue with the regional and international creative communities.
 

The MFA students are enrolled in the UK School of Art and Visual Studies in the UK College of Fine Arts. The UK School of Art and Visual Studies is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the fields of art studio, art history and art education.

For more information about Red Herring, contact Will Sizemore by emailing will@landoftomorrow.org or visit the gallery website at www.landoftomorrow.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

Video courtesy of UK Department of Theatre. A transcript of this video can be found here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 23, 2013) — The University of Kentucky's Department of Theatre is presenting the Tony award-winning Spring Awakening: A New Musical. This rock musical is a provocative exploration of the journey from adolescence to adulthood. Spring Awakening storms the Guignol Theatre stage for four more performances April 25-28.

Based on the play by Frank Wedekind, the book and lyrics for Spring Awakening were written by Steven Sater and music was by Duncan Sheik. The musical is a set in 19th century Germany and chronicles the explorations of teenagers while singing "a love song to sex, drugs, and rock and roll."

Be advised this production contains mature themes, strong language and sexual content.

Tickets for the last four performances of Spring Awakening can be purchased for $15 general admission and $10 for students. To reserve tickets, call the ticket office at (859) 257-4929 or visit online at scfatickets.com.

To see a video with cast members talking about their experience working on Spring Awakening and meeting and working with Jonathan Groff, the Tony-nominated actor who originated the lead role of Melchior, click play below.

Video by Jenny Wells/UK Public Relations and Marketing. A transcript of this video can be found here.

The UK Department of Theatre at UK College of Fine Arts has played an active role in the performance scene in Central Kentucky for more than 100 years. Students in the program get hands-on training and one-on-one mentorship from a renowned professional theatre faculty. The liberal arts focus of the bachelor's degree program is coupled with ongoing career counseling to ensure a successful transition from campus to professional life.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 22, 2013) — Several University of Kentucky School of Music students took home honors, including wins in six categories, at the 2013 Mid-South Region of the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition held April 5-6, at Western Kentucky University, in Bowling Green, Ky. UK vocalists competed against singers from schools in Kentucky, Tennessee, Iowa, Georgia, North Carolina, Indiana, Arkansas and other areas.

UK students taking honors at the competition were:

· vocal performance junior Gabrielle Barker, a soprano from Lexington, placed third in the Upperclass Music Theater Division;

· music senior Phillip Bullock, a baritone from Berea, Ky., placed first in the Advanced Singers Division;

· vocal performance freshman Alyssa-Marie Detterich, a soprano from Orange, Calif., placed first in the Freshman Women, Classical Division and the Music Theater Underclass Division

· doctoral candidate Thomas Gunther, a baritone from Muscatine, Iowa, placed first in the Post Advanced Singers Division;

· vocal performance junior Evan Johnson, a tenor from Pine Island, Minn., placed first in the Junior Men, Classical Division and the Music Theater Upperclass Division; and

· vocal performance and arts administration freshman Mary-Catherine Wright, a soprano from Lexington, placed second in the Freshman Women, Classical Division and the Music Theater Underclass Division.

Barker, Detterich, Gunther and Johnson study under Endowed Chair, Professor of Voice Cynthia Lawrence. Bullock and Wright study under Angelique Clay, assistant professor of voice.

Other UK opera students that competed at the regionals were: vocal performance freshman Elizabeth Frodge, a soprano from Richmond, Ky.; vocal performance and political science freshman Tanner Hoertz, a baritone from Lexington; arts administration junior Key'Mon Murrah, a tenor from Louisville, Ky.; vocal performance junior Lakin Simons, a soprano from Paducah, Ky.; and vocal music education junior Joseph Utter, a baritone from Chicago.

Frodge, Hoertz and Simons study with Clay, Murrah studies with Lawrence, and Utter studies with Mark Kano.

The National Association of Teachers of Singing Inc. (NATS) encourages the highest standards of the vocal art and of ethical principles in the teaching of singing and promotes vocal education and research at all levels, both for the enrichment of the general public and for the professional advancement of the talented. Founded in 1944, NATS is the largest association of teachers of singing in the world and boasts more than 6,500 members in the United States, Canada and more than 25 other countries around the world.

The UK School of Music at the UK College of Fine Arts has achieved awards and national and international recognition for high-caliber education in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as for music education, composition, theory and music history.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 19, 2013) — Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate, is presenting its first-ever Arbor Celebration and will feature the critically acclaimed University of Kentucky Wind Symphony, under the direction of John Cody Birdwell, in a free concert of works inspired by nature as well as traditional band music. Ashland's Arbor Celebration is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 21. The event is free and open to the public.

Ashland's 17 acre estate in the center of Lexington has more than 400 trees, some of which date back to the 1800s when Kentucky statesman Henry Clay lived there. Arbor Celebration festivities begin at 1 p.m. and will include Free Tree Talk and Tours on the half hour with arborist Dave Leonard; an Adopt a Tree program featuring 100 Ashland trees that individuals may adopt for $50, $100, $250 or $500, which will help maintain a tree for a year; and Graeter's ice cream. 

The UK Wind Symphony concert will begin at 3 p.m. on Ashland's back lawn. The program will include an assortment of popular traditional band music selections, like John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever," as well as other marches, patriotic pieces, overtures and family-oriented concert selections. Many of the pieces performed will be inspired by nature in honor of Ashland's Arbor Celebration. In case of rain, this concert will be moved to the Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall.

The UK Wind Symphony is made up of the finest wind and percussion performers in the UK School of Music in the UK College of Fine Arts. As the centerpiece of a band program that has served the Commonwealth of Kentucky for more than 100 years, the UK Wind Symphony is considered to be one of the finest university concert bands in the United States. Several of the recordings of the UK Wind Symphony have been nominated for Grammy Award consideration in recent years, and during the summer of 2008, the ensemble participated in a 10-day concert tour of the People's Republic of China and performed for thousands of Chinese citizens in the cities throughout the country in celebration of China's hosting of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Most recently, UK Wind Symphony was one of nine ensembles selected to perform at the 2013 College Band Directors National

Association.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 18, 2013) — More than 300 performers from the University of Kentucky School of Music and the community will present Benjamin Britten’s powerful War Requiem at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 19, at the Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall. The free public event brings together UK's finest musical and vocal talents in a rare combined performance.

Under the direction of John Nardolillo, Marcello Cormio and Lori Hetzel, conductors, with assistance from Jefferson Johnson, the UK Symphony Orchestra, the UK Chorale, the Lexington Singers and the Lexington Singers Children’s Choir will come together in a performance of Britten’s work, 100 years following the composer’s birth. Joining the orchestra and choirs for this performance will be guest vocalists doctoral candidate Catherine Clarke Nardolillo, soprano; alumnus Justin Vickers, tenor; and doctoral candidate Thomas Gunther, baritone.

War Requiem was written in 1962 for the dedication of the new cathedral building at St. John’s in Coventry, England. The original building was built in the late 14th century and destroyed in a German air raid in 1940. Britten was a passionate pacifist, and War Requiem demonstrates his statement against war. He set the Latin requiem mass honoring the dead, in the tradition of Mozart and Berlioz, and inserted excerpts of poems by Winfred Owen, an English poet and solider who was killed during World War I. The work requires a large group of performers, making it a rarely seen piece.

“We don't think the War Requiem has been performed previously in Lexington, and certainly not in the last 20 to 30 years,” Nardolillo said. “It calls for three conductors, a large chorus and orchestra, a chamber orchestra, three vocal soloists, organ and children's choir.”

Britten, born in 1913, was an English composer, conductor and pianist perhaps best known for Peter Grimes and The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. Britten composed in a variety of genres from orchestral to opera to film.

Since Nardolillo took the conductor's podium of the UK Symphony Orchestra, it has enjoyed great success accumulating recording credits and sharing the stage with such acclaimed international artists as Itzhak Perlman, Lynn Harrell, Marvin Hamlisch, as well as Pink Martini and the Boston Pops. UK Symphony Orchestra has also received acclaim for recording projects, including the live recording of In Times Like These with folk icon Arlo Guthrie. UK Symphony Orchestra is one of a very select group of university orchestras under contract with Naxos, the world's largest classical recording label. UK Symphony Orchestra is one of several ensembles housed at the UK School of Music in the UK College of Fine Arts.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Whitney Hale, 859-257-8716 or whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 17, 2013) — The University of Kentucky Department of Theatre in collaboration with UK's Russian Studies Program and the Department of History will present Bulgakov's Dreams, a drama on the life of the Soviet writer. The performance will begin 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 20 and 21, at Reynolds Building No. 1.

Mikhaíl Afanasyevich Bulgakov was a Soviet writer and playwright active in the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his novel The Master and Margarita, which has been called one of the masterpieces of the 20th century. Bulgakov's Dreams is a historical drama that follows the life of the Soviet writer. Throughout the play, the audience will be taken on a journey not only through writer's novella Heart of a Dog and play The Days of the Turbins, but also through his own story of overcoming censorship.

Bulgakov’s Dreams, written and directed by Herman Daniel Farrell III, associate professor of playwriting, is based on primary and secondary sources that chronicle the life and work of Bulgakov.

The play is being produced by students in Farrell's Staging History course, a UK Core course in arts and creativity. The play will be presented utilizing an environmental staging technique that will require the audience to stand and walk through parts of the performance. The performance will also be wheelchair accessible.

The cast includes Patrick Camp as Bulgakov; David Alan Clark as Sharik/Dog/Talberg/Committee Member; Chandler Hostin as Doctor Philipovich/OGPU Agent; Kaitlyn Noble as Narrator/Myshlaevsky/Stanislavsky/Stage Manager; Caryn Beister as Narrator/Sudakov; J.T. McCoy as OGPU Agent/Nikolka Turbin; Paul DiSilvestro as Alexei Turbin/Repertkom Member/Chef; and Alexis Slocum as Elena Turbin/Liubov Bulgakov. Cheyenne Holbert is the production's stage manager.

In addition to the Saturday and Sunday performances, there will be an open dress rehearsal 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 19. Those interested in attending the rehearsal or performances should make reservations by contacting uky.bulgakov.reservations@gmail.com.

Bulgakov's Dreams is the product of an on-going collaboration between UK Theatre and the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures.

Originally conceived by Professors Nancy Jones and Suzanne Pucci, these collaborative endeavors were designed to open the world of live theater to language and literature majors and allow each group to benefit from each other's expertise. This enterprise continued this year with the collaboration between Farrell and Cynthia Ruder, associate professor of Russian studies, whose courses have been designed to complement each other. Ruder's course on Bulgakov's plays has focused on the literary, historical and cultural context of the early works of Bulgakov so that her students can lend their expertise to staging a production that is produced in cooperation with Farrell's Staging History class.

Bulgakov's Dreams is presented as part of Reimagining Russia's Realms programming, part of the College of Arts and Sciences' Passport to the World initiative, sponsored by the A&S Advisory Board.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

Video by UK Public Relations and Marketing

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 15, 2013) — After three months of rehearsal and working with a team of Broadway professionals, University of Kentucky's Department of Theatre will mount its own production of the popular Tony award-winning Spring Awakening: A New Musical April 18-28, at the Guignol Theatre.

A rock musical, Spring Awakening is a provocative exploration of the journey from adolescence to adulthood. The musical is  set in 19th century Germany and chronicles the explorations of teenagers while singing "a love song to sex, drugs, and rock and roll."

While set in a very different time, the message of Spring Awakening began captivating Broadway audiences in 2006 with its timeless story.

"I kind of considered Spring Awakening to be my generation's Rent, it really speaks to my age group," said theatre senior Michael Sheehy, who portrays Melchior. "The situations and the problems that these characters are going through in the play are so relevant and current to the issues myself, the rest of my class, and the rest of my friends are currently facing."

Castmate Lindsey Austin, a broadcast journalism junior who plays Ilse, agrees. "It is a mature matter that is still relevant today. Kids are still going through puberty and still trying to figure things out. And parents are still unsure of what to tell them. I hope that people take away how open we are being about it."

UK's cast had lots of help to prepare to take on and communicate such heavy, often unspoken topics. From preparing to sing rock and roll rather than traditional musical fare to making the characters their own and tapping into raw emotions, the cast was able to learn from the knowledge of such professionals as Jonathan Groff, Alexander Rovang, Sheri Sanders, Jeromy Smith and Lyndy Franklin Smith, all of whom have tasted success at the Broadway level.

In February, Sheri Sanders presented a two-day workshop on rock musicals for the cast. The actor, singer and audition coach is the author of Rock the Audition, which prepares musical theatre performers for musicals that utilize a more radio-based soundtrack.

Video courtesy of UK Department of Theatre. A transcript of this video can be seen here.

The next month, the cast welcomed to campus Tony-nominated actor Jonathan Groff, who originated the role of Melchior for Spring Awakening. The visit gave the UK students the opportunity to get tips on how to make the characters their own, but gave them invaluable insight on the genesis of the musical.

"I was front of center, two feet from them, and they were completely fearless and just in it. It was really unbelievable to watch," said Groff. "And I was a total wreck. I just, pretty much from the minute it began, started like openly weeping. Halfway through I was thinking I am going to have to get up and leave, because I feel like I am hyperventilating because I was so emotional."

The visit was also powerful for the students. "We got to learn things that you wouldn't be able to learn from anyone else who was doing a tour or had been the second cast, because he was there when it started and workshopping it. There were things he told us that we would have never known," said theatre senior Abby Sheridan, who portrays Anna.

UK's Melchior had a similar experience, even if it was a little intimidating at first to perform in front of the actor who played his role. "He (Groff) gave me great advice afterwards, where he told me 'Try not to watch what I have done, try not to do what I do. I am watching what you're doing, and what you're doing is beautiful. Try to make Melchior your own,'" Sheehy said.

In addition to visits from Sanders and Groff, the UK cast has also benefitted each day from the expertise of their directors, Jeromy Smith and Lyndy Franklin Smith, who were Broadway actors and dancers, as well as roommates of Groff around the same time he appeared in Spring Awakening. The couple currently serves as adjunct faculty at UK in musical theatre and directors of Town and Village School of Dance.

"It is so inspirational, because the reason why I am in school is to eventually become what they have done, to be able to be on Broadway, to be able to move to New York and to do all this stuff. And to be able to have direct one-on-one contact with them every day is the best experience, not only for the networking and the people they know and the fact that they've done it, but just the stories they have, the advice they have to give, the life experience they can share, what it's like to be in New York, what it's like to audition for these shows. It's this completely different beast than what I am used to. So having exposure to that before I go out there, it's comforting," Sheehy said.

Rounding out the team molding this cast is Musical Director Alexander Rovang. Rovang's recent credits include the Chinese tour of Fame, Sawdust Palace with Susan Marshall & Co., Monkey: Journey to the West at the Spoleto Festival, and John Mercurio’s multi-award winning show Academy.

And all the time, work, mentoring, and yes, even blood, sweat and tears, seem to have prepared the UK cast for opening night.

"To be here with this cast that is doing it at UK, there is something that is very special about this group and special about the kids doing these parts. They're just nailing it. The audiences aren't ready for what's about to happen to them when they come see this play," Groff said.

Based on the play by Frank Wedekind, the book and lyrics for Spring Awakening were written by Steven Sater and music was by Duncan Sheik.

Please be advised this production contains mature themes, strong language and sexual content.

Tickets for Spring Awakening can be purchased for $15 general admission and $10 for students. To reserve tickets, call the ticket office at (859) 257-4929 or visit online at scfatickets.com.

To see a trailer for the UK Theatre productio of Spring Awakening, click play below. 

Video courtesy of UK Department of Theatre. A transcript of this video can be found here. 

The UK Department of Theatre at UK College of Fine Arts has played an active role in the performance scene in Central Kentucky for more than 100 years. Students in the program get hands-on training and one-on-one mentorship from a renowned professional theatre faculty. The liberal arts focus of the bachelor's degree program is coupled with ongoing career counseling to ensure a successful transition from campus to professional life.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 12, 2013) — As graduation approaches, three University of Kentucky art studio seniors will present their Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) solo exhibitions this coming week. Michele Daigle, Erin Eldred and Chad Sines will open three separate shows today. They are free and open to the public.

A native of Waddy, Ky., Daigle's show, "An Other Time, An Other Place," is a mixed-media exhibit of paintings, photographs and sculpture. The exhibition will be on display April 12-19, at Barnhart Gallery, located in Reynolds Building No. 1, Room 206. A closing reception for the show will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 15, in the same location. For additional information about "An Other Time, an Other Place," contact Daigle by email at macadnet2@aol.com.

A native of Lexington, Eldred's exhibition, "Sown," is primarily fiber-based and will feature weavings, soft sculpture and crocheted objects. Her exhibition will be on display April 12-19, at LOT (Land of Tomorrow) Gallery, located at 527 East Third St. The closing reception for Eldred's exhibition will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 19, in the same location and will be part of the LexArts Gallery Hop. For more information on "Sown," contact Eldred by email at erin.eldred@gmail.com.

A native of Heath, Ohio, Sines' show, "Erection," will explore the spatial relationships between materials that occupy the space between architecture and art. Sines' exhibit will be on display April 12-19, in Reynolds Building No. 1, Room 140. A closing reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, April 15, in the same location. For further information about "Erection," email Sines at chadsines@yahoo.com.

All senior solo BFA exhibitions are sponsored by the UK School of Art and Visual Studies in the UK College of Fine Arts. The UK School of Art and Visual Studies is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the fields of art studio, art history and art education.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 11, 2013) — The Hepcats Swing Dance Club and the University of Kentucky School of Music invite the public to get hep to the jive and boogie woogie on down to this spring's Big Band Swing Dance. Dancers, nondancers and music aficionados of all ages are welcome to attend the event beginning at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at the UK Student Center Grand Ballroom.

Music showcased at the dance will include original arrangements of the great big bands of the big band swing-era, including charts from Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Fletcher Henderson, Jimmie Lunceford, Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw.

The Kentucky Jazz Repertory Orchestra (KJRO) will be the featured band for the Big Band Swing Dance. KJRO consists of the finest and most talented faculty, alumni and musicians from Kentucky area colleges and universities and is directed by Miles Osland, director of UK Jazz Studies and professor of saxophone, and Dick Domek, recently retired professor of music theory, in the UK School of Music. The 17-piece big band is especially suited for and highly skilled at recreating authentic swing era arrangements.

Featured vocalist for the event is Kristina Ploeger, a UK doctoral student in choral conducting. Ploeger has performed at many jazz residencies and is well versed in jazz repertoire. She’ll perform such classics as "Do Nothin’ ‘til you Hear From Me," "I’m Beginning to See the Light," "The Lady is a Tramp" and "Don’t Get Around Much Anymore." 

The Big Band Swing Dance will also showcase the talents of the Rhythm Cats, a Lindy Hop performance group sponsored by the Hepcats and led by Mike and Mary Richardson. The Rhythm Cats have performed and competed at regional and national level swing dance competitions. The group specializes in the original swing dance styles of the 1930s and 40s, Lindy Hop and Balboa. The event will also feature a dance contest, sure to please those in attendance with lots of tricks, dips and high flying maneuvers.

The evening’s festivities will begin with free swing dance lessons at 7:30 p.m., and then music and dancing will begin at 8:30 p.m. and run until midnight. Complimentary refreshments will be provided. Tickets to the dance are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.

For more information on the Big Band Swing Dance or the Hepcats, visit the Hepcats' website at www.Luv2SwingDance.com or contact Mike Richardson by phone at 859-420-2426 or by e-mail at info@Luv2SwingDance.com.

The UK School of Music at the UK College of Fine Arts has achieved awards and national and international recognition for high-caliber education in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as for music education, composition, theory and music history.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 9, 2013) — For its third year, University of Kentucky Opera Theatre (UKOT) is able to present a double-bill performance featuring the university's undergraduate opera students' talents. There will be two one-act operas, Arthur Sullivan’s "Cox and Box" or "The Long-Lost Brothers" and Giacomo Puccini’s "Suor Angelica." The performances will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 12 and 13, at the First Presbyterian Church, located at 171 Market St. in downtown Lexington.

Sullivan's "Cox and Box," an English operetta set in Venice, features five talented men of the undergraduate program. Junior Jacob Waid and senior Philip Eschweiler, who last appeared as the Phantom and Raoul in UKOT’s main stage production of "The Phantom of the Opera", play the title characters, who each rent a single room to Sergeant Bouncer, played by senior Markel Reed, unbeknownst to the other. "Cox and Box" is co-directed by Gregory Turay, artist-in-residence and UK alumnus, and Patrick Joel Martin. Music direction is being provided by John Greer, principal vocal coach for UKOT.

Puccini's "Suor Angelica," sung in Italian with English supertitles, is performed by 13 women of the undergraduate program. "Suor Angelica" recounts the fall, redemption and final transfiguration of its central character, performed by Brittany Nicole Jones, winner of the 2012 Alltech Outstanding Transfer Award. The opera is directed by Professor in Voice and Endowed Chair for Vocal Performance Cynthia Lawrence and music direction is by Marcello Cormio, a doctoral candidate in conducting. Twelve players from the UK Symphony Orchestra will perform the opera's music under the baton of Lucia Marin, a doctoral candidate in conducting.

Tickets for "Cox and Box" and "Suor Angelica" are $9 for students and $13 for adults. A processing fee will be added upon transaction. Tickets are available through the Singletary Center Ticket Office in person, by calling 859-257-4929, or visiting www.scfatickets.com. For more information call 859-257-9331.

The UK School of Music at the UK College of Fine Arts 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

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 8, 2013) — The University of Kentucky School of Music, the UK Department of American Studies and the Appalachian Association of Sacred Harp Singers welcomes special musical guests Tim Eriksen, of "Cold Mountain" fame, and Trio de Pumpkintown for a campus residency this week. The community can take in a Trio de Pumpkintown concert and learn more about shape-note singing from Eriksen at free public events scheduled for April 11.

Eriksen and his trio, featuring Peter Irvine on percussion and Zoe Darrow on fiddle, will perform songs from his latest album, "Josh Billings Voyage." The Trio de Pumpkintown concert will begin at noon Thursday, April 11, in the Niles Gallery, in the Lucille C. Little Fine Arts Library and Learning Center.

Later that day in the Niles Gallery, Eriksen will also lead a shape-note singing school from 7 to 9 p.m. Everyone is welcome to learn to sing and lead early American shape-note music from the "Sacred Harp" tunebook from one of the genre's most acclaimed instructors.

Eriksen, best known for the soundtrack for the film "Cold Mountain," is celebrated for transforming American tradition with his startling interpretations of old ballads, love songs, shape-note gospel and dance tunes from New England and the Southern Appalachia. He combines hair-raising vocals with inventive accompaniment on banjo, fiddle, guitar and bajo sexto, a 12 string Mexican acoustic bass. Eriksen creates a distinctive hardcore Americana sound that ranges from the bare bones of solo unaccompanied singing to the lush, multi-layered arrangements on his latest album "Josh Billings Voyage."

As an ethnomusicologist and teacher, Eriksen's work includes extensive research on shape-note music in New England and the venerable Sacred Harp four-part harmony tradition. He is a founder of what is currently the world's largest Sacred Harp singing convention, in Northampton, Mass. In the words of Paste Magazine editor Josh Jackson, "No one has done more to help revive Sacred Harp singing among a younger generation."

Eriksen has taught hundreds of workshops and seminars in shape-note harmony singing, American music history, ballad singing and instrumental accompaniment. He has worked at festivals, universities, museums and arts centers, including appearances at the Smithsonian Institution, Harvard University, the Society for Ethnomusicology Conference, Colours of Ostrava Festival in the Czech Republic, and the Early Music Festival in Jaroslaw, Poland. His students have ranged from kindergarteners to Nicole Kidman, Elvis Costello, Sting, a group of 50 Romanian extras in the film "Cold Mountain," and the senior citizen members of the Young at Heart Chorus.

"Josh Billings Voyage" is a collection of multicultural folksongs from an imagined New England village called Pumpkintown. Combining love songs of the sea, fiddle tunes, ballads, shape-note and Afro/Celtic gospel, much of the trio’s music comes from Pumpkintown’s diverse early inhabitants; Yankees, Africans, Native Americans, Irish, Scottish and Germans. Also influential are the sounds of the cotton trade, which brought many of the town’s youth to Southern India via Zanzibar and back.

For those who cannot make it to the UK events on April 11, Eriksen and the Trio de Pumpkintown will also be performing 7 p.m. Friday, April 12, at Willie’s Locally Known, in Lexington.

For more information about the UK events, call (859) 257-4912 or email Donna Kwon, assistant professor of ethnomusicology, at donna.kwon@uky.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 5, 2013) — The Art Museum at the University of Kentucky will be presenting three events this weekend, Community Day at the Lyric, "Animal Sanctuary: Portraits of Rescued Farm Animals" and "Artful Sunday: Creative Critters," all dedicated to animal-related fun and education.

From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center, the Art Museum at UK will host a free day of family fun featuring Candy Mountain Music by Sarah Smitha, a 4PAWS-UK service dog demonstration, storytelling, a Seed Leaf demonstration on raising city chickens, a drawing for a free chicken coop and animal-themed craft activities. The Youth Art Month exhibition "Animal Magnetism" will also be on display. The Lyric is located at 300 East 3rd St.

Community Day is made possible with support from the UK Office of Community Engagement.

At 2 p.m. Sunday, April 7, the Art Museum at UK will present "Animal Sanctuary: Portraits of Rescued Farm Animals, "a public lecture by animal sanctuary photographer, Sharon Lee Hart, a lecturer in the UK School of Art and Visual Studies. This lecture is free, but donations are suggested.

As a child, Hart noticed that the farm animals she encountered were not treated with the same love and respect that most people give their dogs, cats and other domestic pets. After researching the subject, she learned that farm animals were among the most mistreated animals on the planet.  

In search for further information, Hart visited 10 farm animal sanctuaries where she found farm animals that had been rescued and rehabilitated with love and kindness to provide lifelong care. She was inspired to create portraits of the animals, depicting them in the dignified manner they deserved, to allow people to see their personalities.

While Hart is glad people are noticing her work, she also reminds them that her photographs depict the fortunate ones who have escaped abuse, while approximately 10 billion other animals each year will not be so lucky. Her portraits are her plea to help those animals still in need while showcasing their lovable qualities.

"Artful Sunday" will also begin at 2 p.m. and run to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, April 7, at the museum. Families will have the opportunity to have a guided tour of the "Art and the Animal" exhibition and create imaginary creatures. This event is free.

This animal-themed weekend is offered as part of the "Art and the Animal" exhibition. This diverse collection of imaginative artwork creatively explores the majesty of animals from around the world, and will be showcased at the Art Museum at UK through April 28. Admission to "Art and the Animal" is $8 for general admission, $5 for senior citizens and free for all students, UK faculty, staff and alumni. The exhibition is also free on Friday nights from 5 to 8 p.m.

The mission of the Art Museum at UK, part of the UK College of Fine Arts, is to promote the understanding and appreciation of art to enhance the quality of life for the people of Kentucky through collecting, exhibiting, preserving and interpreting outstanding works of visual art from all cultures. Home to a collection of more than 4,500 objects, including American and European paintings, drawings, photographs, prints and sculpture, the Art Museum at UK presents both special exhibitions and shows of work from their permanent collection.

For more information regarding any of these events, contact the Art Museum at 859-257-5716 or visit the website at www.uky.edu/ArtMuseum.

The Art Museum at UK is located in the Singletary Center for the Arts at Rose Street and Euclid Avenue. The hours are 12 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and 12 to 8 p.m. on Friday.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu

LEXINGTON, KY. (April 4, 2013) —Join the University of Kentucky School of Music for the spring World Music Concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at the Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall. The concert is free and open to the public.

This spring's World Music concert will feature music and dance from areas around the world, including China, Korea, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Ireland and Appalachia.

To begin, Allison Duvall and the McTeggart Ceili Club will get your toes tapping with their Irish set dances including both soft and hardshoe numbers. A performance by virtuosic Chinese erhu and pipa players, Xiaowan Chu and Melinda Lio, is also on tap for the evening.

From the university, the UK Bluegrass Ensemble will perform traditional Appalachian, gospel and folk favorites under the direction of Tanner Jones. The UK "Performing World Music" classes, led by Erin Walker, a lecturer in the School of Music, will play several Caribbean calypso tunes on steel pans.

Additionally, Donna Kwon’s UK Korean Ensemble will showcase a dazzling "samulnori-style" piece. This ensemble performs mainly percussion-based music on the janggo (hourglass drum), buk (barrel drum), jing (large gong) and swe (small gong). Kwon is an assistant professor of ethnomusicology in the School of Music at UK.

Finally, the World Music Department will include, for the first time, the guitar talents of Andrew Rhinehart, and the acrobatics of the UK Capoeira Club performing the Brazilian martial art, capoeira.

The UK School of Music at the UK College of Fine Arts has achieved awards and national and international recognition for high-caliber education in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as for music education, composition, theory and music history.

For more information on the World Music Concert, call Erin Walker at 859-257-4900 or email at ewalk@uky.edu. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu