Don't miss your chance to attend this free concert featuring The Louisville Orchestra under the baton of Teddy Abrams at MegaCorp Pavilion on Tuesday, July 11th at 7:30pm.
 
In Harmony brings an exciting program of orchestral favorites and thrilling new works to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This Tuesday, Bernstein kicks it off with his hugely popular Overture to Candide, Rossini gives us a bit of “Hi Ho Silver” in his William Tell Overture, and Tchaikovsky wraps up the program with his rousing 1812 Overture. Experience contemporary pieces by two composers of the LO’s Creators Corps: Kentucky native, Tyler Taylor, debuts new composition In Memory’s Safe — featuring fellow Creators Corps composer Lisa Bielawa as vocal soloist – alongside TJ Cole’s original work Megalopolis. Then, sing along with an arrangement of Blue Moon of Kentucky, and revel in the jazz themes of Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue, performed by Teddy Abrams conducting from the piano.
 

Before the concert, join the LO for free 'Once Upon An Orchestra' events at a library near you and experience a live, interactive storytelling of popular works like "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," "Where The Wild Things Are" and "Music of The Sea" set to music by small LO ensembles. Learn More and Reserve Tickets.
 
 We chatted with Chief Executive, Graham Parker prior to their stop at MegaCorp Pavilion on Tuesday, July 11th!

 Tell us what to expect at the In Harmony Tour with The Louisville Orchestra at MegaCorp Pavilion...
 At each Louisville Orchestra concert, our Music Director Teddy Abrams, always strives to bring enjoyment and excitement to our audiences by showcasing the orchestra in ways that are both familiar and new. At the MegaCorp Pavilion this will be no different! Perhaps for some this might be the first time hearing a full symphony orchestra and for others, this is a regular occurrence. For both groups we aim to leave you stimulated and enriched.

The program has some tunes that may be quite familiar to audiences of all ages, including The William Tell Overture, made famous in cartoons. We celebrate America’s rich musical language with a piece by Leonard Bernstein that is a total dazzle for the orchestra, and then Teddy will do double-duty as conductor and pianist in Gershwin’s unforgettable “Rhapsody in Blue”. The opening specifically has been used in so many films and TV commercials, you are very likely to be humming along.

The Louisville Orchestra has always been proud to bring you music that was written very recently, and so for the MegaCorp Pavilion, we bring you the world premiere performances of “In Memory’s Safe,” a gorgeous reflection on the sounds and stories of Kentucky captured by our Creator-in-Residence, Tyler Taylor.

I don’t want to ruin all the surprises, so be prepared to be on your feet for the encores and you will want to be marching for joy!

I love the idea of taking the Orchestra out of the typical venues and into music venues. What prompted the tour for In Harmony?
 The Louisville Orchestra, at its very core, is about service and access. We play for you as we hope that listening to some of the greatest orchestral music in the world, will make a positive impact on your day, your week and even your life. That is actually the possibility of music – to deliver profound and lasting change.

So, as we thought how we can be more equitable about how we share our music making and offer the change that only music can provide, we reflected on the reality that for much of our history, our music-making has been focused in Louisville. And that discussion led us to doubling down on reminder that we are not only here for the people of Louisville, but as one of the greatest orchestra’s in the world, we must be there for all the people of the great Commonwealth of Kentucky.

We were extremely fortunate to have received a significant financial boost from the KY General Assembly to support of two years of touring, and we hope moving forward that our presence in all corners of Kentucky becomes a more regular and consistent event.

You bring to the Louisville Orchestra a wealth of knowledge in the industry, how does working at The Louisville Orchestra compare to being at Universal Music Group?
 I actually started my career in the music business as an assistant at the New York Philharmonic, so orchestras are in my blood. I started playing the flute as a kid and went on to perform with many orchestras. I also got the conducting bug at high school and was fortunate to continue conducting all the way through college and a bit beyond that too.

Before coming to Louisville, indeed I had worked at UMG, and before that ran the biggest classical radio station in the US, so I love the breadth of experience I bring to this incredible orchestra. The Louisville Orchestra is so distinct in its history, in its successes and its outlook on service and access. And to top it all, we are led by one of the most brilliant musicians in the world, Teddy Abrams. The partnership with Teddy is one of the icing-on-the-cake reasons I agreed to take this job and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. The people of Louisville and Kentucky have been so welcoming to me and my family and I look forward to expanding my friends across the Commonwealth and exploring more of the gorgeous hikes, lakes and expanses of the state.

What is next for In Harmony and The Louisville Orchestra as a whole?
 Our In Harmony tour continues through March 2024, and we already making plans for where the tour will continue in the Fall of 2024 and Spring of 2025. Orchestras plan very far in advance, so whilst I can’t share all the details yet, you can be assured we won’t be a stranger to Newport, KY again!

For the Louisville Orchestra, we are always striving to fulfill our highest goals of being of service to our community, bringing joy and life-inspiring concerts to all we can, regardless of familiarity with orchestras or the ability to pay. The music we play is for everyone, of all ages and of all background. That is a beauty of orchestral music and we want as many people to know about.