Newswise — Does today's college musician's "To Do List" look something like this: make orchestra, record CD, book Carnegie Hall with music icon? For some University of Kentucky student musicians it does. The University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra will appear this weekend at New York's famous concert hall at the invitation of legendary folk artist Arlo Guthrie. The concert performance is only the most recent major accomplishment garnered by the talented student musicians.
Over the last couple of years at the UK School of Music, student musicians in the UK Symphony Orchestra have been rewarded with a number of prestigious opportunities. And, the young musicians continue to rise to each musical test placed in front of them. UK Symphony Orchestra had even signed a number of rare college orchestra recording contracts, including a contract with Naxos, the world's largest classical label.
In March 2006, the working relationship between UK Symphony Orchestra's conductor John Nardolillo and Guthrie presented another unique opportunity for the students. After performing numerous concerts of his music in orchestral arrangements with Nardolillo serving as conductor of a diverse selection of professional orchestras, Guthrie agreed to perform with UK Symphony Orchestra. After a week in residence at the school and rehearsals, Guthrie felt he had found just the right sound to record the concert.
The CD "In Times Like These," recorded by Guthrie and UK Symphony Orchestra almost entirely live at the UK Singletary Center for the Arts concert, was released this summer and has received positive feedback and reviews from audiences and critics far and wide.
The Carnegie Hall concert will feature work from the original concert, as well as a performance of "Appalachian Spring." The work from composer Aaron Copeland is especially fitting as it highlights the career of Guthrie's mother, Marjorie Mazia Guthrie, a dancer with the Martha Graham Company who performed in the premiere of the Copeland piece. UK Symphony Orchestra appears on the international stage at the request of Guthrie, who performs annually on Thanksgiving weekend at Carnegie Hall.
Nardolillo, director of the UK Symphony Orchestra, has made conducting appearances throughout the U.S. and Europe, leading major American orchestras in concerts, tours, and television and radio broadcasts. He has been working with Guthrie since 1997 on a project of orchestral arrangements of American folk music spanning more than 75 years of American folk history.
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