Newswise — When the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra joins the legendary Boston Pops in concert at Rupp Arena on Oct. 15, the event won't only celebrate 75 years of racing at Keeneland. The concert, "Post Time with the Pops," will also help raise funds for an endowment that takes music into schools and communities across the Commonwealth.
In 2009, Maker's Mark and Keeneland pledged a three-year commitment to raising money to establish an endowment to fund a unique extension program highlighting music outreach in schools throughout Kentucky.
The outreach program brings music to Kentucky's schools via both chamber and orchestra concerts, as well as provides complimentary tickets to kids for UK Symphony Orchestra concerts at the university. In addition, some visits around the state even include orchestra concerts open to the entire community. Since taking the stage in Ashland in March of 2009, the program has played for at least 10,000 students across the state and more than 40,000 citizens.
"We had dozens of requests from all over the state to come and do concerts, and those requests continue to come in," says John Nardolillo, director of the UK Symphony Orchestra. "When we announced an educational concert at Singletary Center for 1,500 students, it was full within several hours."
Events like the upcoming Boston Pops concert and sales from three Maker's Mark collectible bottles have been vital to the music outreach program's ability to serve the state. While visits by chamber groups comprised of four to six musicians are fairly easy to schedule, the larger orchestra visits to schools and their surrounding communities are quite a production. The cost of transportation, meals and at times overnight accommodations for more than 80 orchestra members can range from $1,500 to $7,500 a trip.
While it can be quite expensive to stage orchestra concerts around the state, missed opportunities for Kentucky's youth and citizens to experience a concert can be just as costly. For many, these outreach concerts may be the only time people in rural communities will ever get to see an orchestra perform.
"Our ability to do the concerts is only limited by the funds available and the schedule of the students," says Nardolillo. "There is a tremendous need and hunger for this outreach."
In the summer of 2011, the endowment was renamed the Lee T. Todd, Jr. and Patricia B. Todd Music Outreach Endowment.
The upcoming Keeneland tribute, "Post Time with the Pops," is the next opportunity for orchestra patrons to help support this important music outreach endowment while taking in a concert with the legendary Boston Pops. The concert scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at Rupp Arena, will take place exactly 75 years from the date Keeneland opened.
"Post Time with the Pops" will feature music that references the horse showcased in three distinct performance segments, as well as vignettes related to Keeneland's 75-year racing history. The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra will perform under the direction of Keith Lockhart and UK Symphony Orchestra will perform under the direction of John Nardolillo. Each orchestra will also perform one piece under the direction of the other conductor. The evening will conclude with both orchestras playing together.
The Boston Pops Orchestra was founded in 1885 as a subsection of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO), founded four years earlier. Since its debut, BSO has established itself as one of the great orchestras of the world. Prior to Lockhart taking over the conductor's podium, the Boston Pops had been headed by the charismatic Arthur Fiedler and famous film score composer John Williams.
Since Nardolillo took the conductor's podium of the UK Symphony Orchestra, it has enjoyed great success racking up recording credits and sharing the stage with such acclaimed international artists as Lynn Harrell, Gil Shaham, Mark O'Connor, Sarah Chang, Marvin Hamlisch and Itzhak Perlman. The 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 orchestra is housed at the award-winning UK School of Music in the UK College of Fine Arts.
Founded in 1936, Keeneland is the world’s largest and most prestigious Thoroughbred auction house with four sales each year in January, April, September and November. It also conducts two of the premier racing meets each year in North America, in April and October. Moreover, Keeneland’s foundation has contributed nearly $20 million to equine research and safety efforts as well as health and education initiatives in Central Kentucky.
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