BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) - Even amid the coronavirus pandemic, Orchestra Kentucky is staying busy.
Whether it is honoring its members, providing new music for the Fourth of July or preparing for what lies ahead, Orchestra Kentucky has remained active, trying to continue to serve the musical needs of southcentral Kentucky.
“We had to take a step back as an orchestra when all of this occurred and try to figure out what we were going to do during the pandemic and how we were going to stay in front of our audiences,” Orchestra Kentucky board member Mandy Hicks said. “Also during this time of unrest, whether it be the pandemic or everything else going on in our cultural environment, we know that music is still a thing that can bring us together.
“We wanted to give our patrons an opportunity to be able to still experience music, still be able to connect to the orchestra and still stay relevant to them,” she said.
That includes the release of a new patriotic song, “Indivisible.” The song featuring multiple award-winning artists and orchestra members is a celebration of America from songwriters Dick and Melodi Tunney. Numerous artists from the gospel music community are also part of the song including vocalists Sandi Patty, Larnelle Harris and Steve Green, award-winning group First Call, popular worship leader Alicia Williamson-Garcia, vocal group Veritas, award-winning trio The Booth Brothers and Gaither Homecoming singers Reggie and Ladye Smith.
“We are so gracious to Dick and Melodi Tunney, who created this song specifically for Orchestra Kentucky,” Hicks said. “When we went to them and asked to put together something like this, they were completely on board from the beginning. Once we started recruiting the musicians, they all wanted to be part of something that we could do to bring people together right now. Music is a prime way to do that. Without having concerts available, how can we still bring music into the lives of people in a way that is moving and touching and will hopefully help people to feel a little bit better about what is going on right now and hopefully remind them where we have come from, the obstacles we’ve overcome before, and where we are moving toward.”
In addition to the song, Orchestra Kentucky recently announced recipients of its annual awards.
The announcement was originally supposed to take place during the May 16 Music of John Williams concert, but the show was postponed due to the pandemic. Orchestra Kentucky pivoted, opting to honor this year’s winners during last month’s board meeting.
Rita Scott received the Conductor’s Award, with Lora and Howell Patton honored with the Orpheus Award. Sylvia Kersenbaum was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement in Arts and Humanities Award.
Orchestra Kentucky also honored Tom Boussard for his service as board president for the past year while welcoming new president Steve Wheeler.
“We still wanted to make sure that we recognized those individuals because Orchestra Kentucky relies a lot on its volunteers,” Hicks said. “We have been extremely blessed to have such dynamic, passionate, intelligent people who have really done everything they could to be able to forge the way for the orchestra to exist right here in Bowling Green. We have one of the best orchestras, if not the best orchestra, in the state of Kentucky.”
The awards and “Indivisible” are just the start of what Orchestra Kentucky hopes is a busy few months, with Hicks telling the Daily News that it hopes to have three more big announcements within the next month.
“We are doing everything we can to be able to continue to move forward, to be able to provide live orchestral music back to our patrons and hopefully future patrons as soon as we possibly can,” Hicks said. “We are not looking backward. We are looking forward and looking to do what we can in the safest and healthiest way that we possibly can.”
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