By Gioia Patton/Arts Insider
The Gospel at the Symphony program opens with Duke Ellington’s New World A-Comin, a work for piano and orchestra featuring Louisville’s own Harry Pickens (pictured), which mixes jazz, gospel, blues and West Indian dance with traditional symphonic music. As Ellington said about the piece in his biography: “I visualized this new world as a place in the distant future, where there would be no war, no greed, no categorization, no non-believers, where love was unconditional, and no pronoun was good enough for God.” The program is rounded out by the rousing gospel music of the celebrated St. Stephen Church Band and Choir, hailing from the world-famous Louisville church led by renowned preacher Kevin Cosby.
Highlighting Gospel at the Symphony is the world premiere of Adolphus Hailstork’s Fourth Symphony, titled Survive.
WHEN: February 12 @ 8pm
WHERE: Kentucky Center, 501 West Main St.
COST: start at $23.40
CONTACT: 502.584.7777, box office, drive-thru window, or kentuckyperformingarts.org
Led by classically trained string players Wil B. (viola) and Kev Marcus (violin), Black Violin uses its unique blend of classical and hip-hop music, often described as “classical boom,” to overcome stereotypes and encourage people of all ages, races and economic backgrounds to join together to break down cultural barriers.
Black Violin released its latest studio album, Take the Stairs, on November 1, 2019. The record debuted at #1 on the Billboard Classical Chart, #1 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Chart, #7 on Billboard’s Top New Artists Chart, and #9 on the Billboard Hip Hop and R&B Chart. NPR praised the band, saying “their music will keep classical music alive for the next generation.” Some of their creative collaborations include Kanye West, Wu-Tang Clan, Wyclef Jean, Lil Wayne, and Alicia Keys.
WHEN: February 16 @ 7:30pm
WHERE: The Brown Theatre, 315 West Broadway
COST: start at $25
CONTACT: 502.584.7777, box office, drive-thru window, or kentuckyperformingarts.org
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Winner of the 2017 Tony Award for “Best Direction of a Musical,” Come From Away is set during the week following the 9/11 attacks, and tells the true story of what transpired when 38 planes were ordered to land unexpectedly in the small town of Gander in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon. The characters in the musical are based on (and in most cases share the names of) real Gander residents as well as some of the 7,000 stranded travelers they housed and fed.
Ben Brantley of The New York Times says, “…even the most stalwart cynics may have trouble staying dry-eyed during this portrait of heroic hospitality under extraordinary pressure.”
WHEN: February 15-20, various performances
WHERE: Kentucky Center, 501 West Main St.
COST: start at $47.39
CONTACT: 502.584.7777, box office, drive-thru window, or kentuckyperformingarts.org
*To gain entry to these events, all patrons must wear masks and provide proof of vaccination or proof of negative COVID-19 test, PCR Test no older than 72 hours from arrival at the event or Antigen Test no older than 24 hours from arrival at the event.
