The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts

5 Questions with Kentucky Center Governor's School for the Arts alum, Caleb Hudson

Caleb Hudson (Instrumental Music, GSA 2005) is the youngest musician ever invited to join the prestigious Canadian Brass. He spoke recently with GSA staffer Morgan Eklund about his career and the impact GSA had on his artistic development.

GSA: Describe your career path thus far.

Caleb Hudson: I attended GSA in the summer of 2005, in between my two years as a student at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. Upon graduating from Interlochen, I entered Juilliard, where I completed my Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in six years. After graduating Juilliard in 2012, I decided to remain in NYC as a fellow of Carnegie Hall’s Academy program, which is the resident chamber ensemble of Carnegie Hall. Eight months later, I was offered the position in the Canadian Brass.

GSA: How did the Kentucky Center Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA) Summer Program affect your development as a musician?

CH: Programs like GSA are creative incubators that offer artists the environment and the means to explore their artistic potential. In every musical institution that I’ve been a part of, it is the artist that takes full advantage of this opportunity that succeeds. So much can be learned from immersing yourself in a new perspective. For me, I prioritize this creative exploration, no matter the situation or location.   

GSA: What is your favorite memory from the GSA Summer Program?

CH: GSA is a showcase of the best artistic talent that KY has to offer. The most valuable experience of GSA is in meeting new friends from various artistic disciplines, and collaborating in a way that expands one’s creative potential. The guest artists were particularly inspiring. I remember the DiMartino-Osland Jazz Orchestra gave a thrilling performance that brought everyone to their feet.

GSA: You recently performed at The Kentucky Center and held a master class for local musicians. What was that like?

CH: Last month, the Canadian Brass performed with the Louisville Orchestra at The Kentucky Center. This was my first performance in Kentucky since joining the ensemble a year ago. It was a very meaningful concert, a “homecoming” of sorts. I had so many family members, friends, and teachers in the audience, and it reminded me of the incredible support I experienced while growing up. In this career path, you can’t do it alone. It’s important to recognize this and to be grateful for the sacrifices people make when they believe in one’s potential.

 

Video: Canadian Brass perform Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee" during Kentucky Center master class

GSA What advice do you have to the recently- accepted GSA class of 2014?

CH: Take full advantage of this incredibly unique environment. You won’t experience this level of artistic community very often. There are so many opportunities to be inspired and learn from your colleagues.

Learn more about The Kentucky Center Governor's School for the Arts by visiting www.kentuckygsa.org.

Kentucky Center Governor's School for the Arts alum publishes debut novel, "Breakfast Served Anytime"

Congratulations to Kentucky Center Governor's School for the Arts (GSA) alum Sarah (Van Arsdale) Combs, (Drama, 1993)! Sarah just published her debut Young Adult novel, titled BREAKFAST SERVED ANYTIME (Candlewick Press). The novel focuses on the experiences of a group of Kentucky teenagers at “geek camp” and draws largely on her experiences at the GSA Summer Program! 

The plot synopsis on Amazon.com reads:

When Gloria sets out to spend the summer before her senior year at a camp for gifted and talented students, she doesn’t know quite what to expect. Fresh from the heartache of losing her grandmother and missing her best friend, Gloria resolves to make the best of her new circumstances. But some things are proving to be more challenging than she expected. Like the series of mysterious clues left by a certain Professor X before he even shows up to teach his class, Secrets of the Written Word. Or the very sweet, but very conservative, roommate whose coal-industry family champions mountaintop removal. Not to mention the obnoxious Mason, who dresses like the Mad Hatter and immediately gets on Gloria’s nerves — but somehow won’t escape her thoughts. Beautifully told by debut author Sarah Combs, this honest and touching story of growing up is imbued with the serene atmosphere of Kentucky’s natural landscape.

The Candlewick Press site includes this description as author’s comments: “Sarah Combs leads writing workshops at a nonprofit literacy center in Lexington, Kentucky, where she lives with her two young sons, two pacifist bird dogs, and her modern-day Atticus Finch of a husband, whose acquaintance she first made at a geek camp not unlike Gloria’s.”

Learn more about how The Kentucky Center Governor’s School for the Arts nurtures and supports Kentucky’s brightest and most creative student-artists by visiting www.kentuckygsa.org.

Kentucky Center President Kim Baker talks to The Voice-Tribune about passion, innovation,and accessiblity

Kentucky Center President Kim Baker is featured in today's issue of The Voice-Tribune. In the interview, Kim talks about experiences that fed her passion for the arts and live entertainment, and the importance as an arts leader in prioritizing innovation and accessibility. 

Here are a few excerpts from the interview. You can read the full story here. You can also converse with Kim on Twitter @KyCtrPrez.

What are your objectives as president of the Kentucky Center and how do you hope to achieve your goals?

Kim Baker: There are of course many things I want to tackle, but I have been very strategic and purposeful in prioritizing my objectives, with the underlying goal to continue making the arts accessible to everyone.

In doing so, I want to communicate the profound expertise of the staff of The Kentucky Center, especially as we just celebrated our 30th anniversary season. Innovation is also critical – making sure that as an institution, we remain leaders and arts innovators. Certainly our programming is important as we continue to bring world-class artists to Kentucky while showcasing our talented regional and local artists. Through arts education, we hope to open doors and help students access the arts, and we need to emphasize diversity through outreach to every county and corner of the state. And through our dedicated volunteer corps and great customer service, I hope that once those who have gained access to the arts will return as the result of a wonderfully fulfilling and positive experience.

I hope to truly encourage, along with the leadership of our incredible board of directors, that wonderful culture of philanthropy in our community that enables us as an arts organization to serve with such enthusiasm and purpose. Part of our mission is to bridge the gap and support our community through the arts.

You mention accessibility often. What exactly do you mean by that?

Kim Baker: Accessibility is important because it refers to so many different initiatives. For example, The Kentucky Center’s Access Services department does an incredible job making sure that people with disabilities, physical limitations or impairments such as sight or hearing can enjoy the arts too. We take special care of people who contact us in advance and ask for assistance when attending a show. But accessibility also refers to programs like ArtsReach, which taps into community centers and youth organizations to ensure that underserved communities are exposed to the arts. ArtsReach Kentucky does that on a statewide level, going far across that state to bring the arts to every county. Through Kentucky Center School Programs, we partner with Jefferson County Public Schools to bring the arts into the classroom, opening the kids up to a world which could very easily change their lives. Our innovative Arts in Healing program brings the arts to healthcare facilities using art as a way of helping the sick, injured and ailing to heal.

Finally, accessibility is all about connecting, communicating and interacting with our patrons and guests. So I hope everyone will reach out to us on Facebook, and I am on Twitter at @KyCtrPrez. I want to create an environment where the arts are accessible to everyone, and I want to start by using social media as a way to create an ongoing conversation about the arts, the amazing things we do, our shows and the great people who work at The Kentucky Center. By doing so, I hope to demonstrate that the arts really are for everyone.

StageOne presents "Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly" May 10 & 17; Sensory Friendly performance May 10

StageOne Family Theatre presents

Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly

Saturday, May 10, 11 a.m., 2 p.m.

Saturday, May 17, 11 a.m., 2 p.m.

The Kentucky Center, Bomhard Theater

501 W. Main Street, Louisville 40202

Recommended for ages 4+

Book, Music and Lyrics by Joan Cushing. Adapted from the books Diary of a Worm, Diary of a Spider, and Diary of a Fly by Doreen Cronin. Illustrations by Harry Bliss.

StageOne invites you to take a look at the world from a bug's perspective and see that their lives are not so different from your own! Is Spider getting too big for his own skin? Will Fly find her superhero powers in time to save her Aunt Rita from peril? Will Worm learn to stand on his own two feet...even though he doesn't have feet? This hilarious musical captures all of the humor and whimsy of the wildly popular books, set to a toe-tapping rock-n-roll score.

Online Ticketing and Details: Tickets are $14.75, general admission seating, fees apply.

Special Guest! Join StageOne on May 10 for a special post-show meet-n-greet and book signing after both performances with author Doreen Cronin. Activities will take place in the main lobby outside the Bomhard Theater.

The May 10, 11 a.m. performance is Sensory Friendly, designed to create a safe and nurturing environment for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other individuals with sensory sensitivities. While this performance has a fluid atmosphere, it is open to the general public and can be a learning opportunity regarding the typical theatre experience.

Accommodations for this performance include keeping the theatre lights dimmed, providing extra space between patrons, freedom to vocalize and move/switch seats, and allowing patrons to exit and enter during the performance. Additional space with remote video viewing will also be available. Trained Kentucky Center volunteers will also be on hand to assist with patron needs and requests.

LION KING musical celebrates 15 record-breaking years! Returns to The Kentucky Center in 2015

 

Disney's "The Lion King" is the highest-grossing musical EVER, bringing in over $5 BILLION worldwide to date. Believe it or not, the story about  a lion cub, a monkey, and a flatulent warthog was originally considered a major risk  when discussions started about adapting it for the stage.

The breathtaking production, celebrating "the circle of life," returns in March 2015 to The Kentucky Center in Louisville. PNC Broadway in Louisville 2014-2015 season packages are available now.

Guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela booked for Louisville's Iroquois Amphitheater; tickets on sale April 25.

Internationally-acclaimed musicians Rodrigo y Gabriela return to Louisville to perform their mesmerizing blend of acoustic rock, ripe with heavy metal, jazz, and world music influences.

With career sales in excess of 1.2 million albums, blockbuster move scores, and sold-out tours worldwide, Rodrigo y Gabriela have certainly made their mark. Their new recording, 9 Dead Alive, is scheduled for release on April 28.

Known for their intense live performances, Rod y Gab will perform at Louisville's Iroquois Amphitheater on August 10 as part of the WFPK Rock N Stroll, a fundraising 5k walk to benefit Louisville Public Media which operates radio stations 91.9 WFPK, 90.5 WUOL, and 89.3 WFPL.

We recommend the Rock-N-Stroll ticket which includes premium seating for the show, participation in the walk, and a free t-shirt. A concert-only ticket is also available for $35.

Tickets go on sale to the public Friday, August 25, at 10 a.m. online and by phone at 877.987.6487.

This event is co-produced by The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts and Production Simple.

Programming Manager Nick Covault named to LEO Weekly's "Watch List"

We're so proud of Nick Covault! Nick, Programming Manager at The Kentucky Center, has been named to LEO Weekly's inaugural Watch List, recognizing young innovators and collaborators who are doing amazing things in our community.

In Nick's defense, donuts are NOT how he usually fuels himself for the day...we surprised him with a box of sugary goodness to celebrate his success.

Earlier this spring, LEO assembled a panel of representatives from various local organizations — Greater Louisville Inc., Metro Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Louisville Center, Louisville Independent Business Alliance, Sullivan University and Young Professionals Association of Louisville. From these meetings, guidelines for The Watch List were created — proven dedication to community, a positive attitude about themselves and Kentuckiana. LEO then asked the public for nominations, and the panel narrowed down the entries into our inaugural Watch List class.

Get to know Nick in this excerpt from the article below - and read about other Watch List achievers here.

Name: Nick Covault

Age: 28

Occupation: Programming Manager for The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts

College: University of Kentucky

Community Organization Involvement: Governor’s School for the Arts, Kentucky Opera, Dare to Care Food Bank, Louisville Public Media, Gilda’s Club, Rex Robley VA Hospital

How do you raise the bar for yourself?

I embrace optimism and the collective strength and potential of those around me. Raising the bar requires one to accept that it’s OK to dream, and to be led by those dreams (which often involve calculated risks). Raising the bar is not always a comfortable experience, but as a mentor recently said to me, it’s best to lead yourself toward abundance (proactive and forward thinking) rather than away from scarcity (reactive and fear-based).

If you were the mayor of Louisville, what would be your top priority?

Hopefully I would hit the ground running, but in the process of doing so, a huge first priority would be simply to listen. Meet people and listen — people with experience in government, people outside of the system, people from various neighborhoods, generations and lifestyles. Personally, I could only lead a city if I understood it from the inside out — what challenges are out there, what makes Louisvillians proud and what are our dreams for the place in which we live?

Describe why Kentuckiana is near and dear to your heart.

Fundamentally, its pace, balance and sense of discovery. I can keep up with Kentucky, yet it is constantly surprising me, and I feel like I have so much to discover here. It seems there is always a new park, show, neighborhood or restaurant I have never heard of. I can be in the middle of Bernheim Forest one afternoon, and seeing groundbreaking theater downtown three hours later (with time for an amazing meal in between). The sense of history here — whether in the architecture of Old Louisville or the paths of the Olmsted Park system — can make any afternoon stroll a stunningly inspirational experience. There is an amazing system of diverse grassroots culture here that is thrilling to experience as well. Louisville is full of characters, diversity and people who love living here ... and I’m sure I’ve not even discovered half of them.

Kentucky Center president Kim Baker featured in FACES of LOUISVILLE series

If you are lucky enough to know Kentucky Center president Kim Baker, you KNOW she is a powerful source of energy and optimism. But even those of us who have worked with Kim for years learned a few new things about her in this wonderful Style Blueprint interview.

From the article:

The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts recently announced that for the first time, it was promoting from within for its President’s position. Their pick is Kim Baker, a woman with almost 20 years of experience. She is the first woman and the first Kentuckian to hold the job. She’s also a breast cancer survivor, so to say that she is up to the challenge of running a venue that’s been voted best in the state for music, theater and dance would be an understatement.

What do you do for a living?

I help people create a lifelong relationship with the arts. Some would call that being the president and CEO of The Kentucky Center.

How does it feel to be the first woman and the first Kentuckian to ever have that job?

It feels like an awesome responsibility. And it feels AMAZING. I wish my grandmother, who was such a strong woman, were alive to see this. I am glad my mother is alive to see this; for she has supported me every single step of the way.

Have you always worked in the performing arts?

I have, except for when I did some babysitting in the seventh grade. Oh, and I waited tables through college.

You are a breast cancer survivor. How has this focused you?

As a survivor, you become keenly aware of priorities, both personal and professional. And my ability to be empathetic has skyrocketed.

How do you balance your job and your personal life?

I don’t! A great deal of my job is being in tune with the cultural beat of the community. So I try and involve friends and family in experiencing cultural events as often as I can. There definitely is not a 40-hour workweek in my future, but having done this for over 20 years I don’t know any other way!

What is the biggest life lesson you have learned?

Pay attention to your body. Your health is everything.

Read the full interview here.

Keep up with Kim by following her on Twitter.

Photo credit: Adele Reding

Bill Maher brings stand-up routine to The Kentucky Center; tickets on sale April 18.

The Kentucky Center Presents

BILL MAHER: Live Stand-Up Tour

Saturday, August 16, 8 p.m.

The Kentucky Center, Whitney Hall

- Mature Content -

For the past eighteen years, political satirist Bill Maher has set the boundaries regarding where funny political talk can go in America, first on "Politically Incorrect," and then on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher." "Religulous," Maher's unprecedented swipe at organized religion, is one of the highest-grossing documentaries of all-time, and he has also written four best-selling books, including his latest "The New New Rules." Maher started his career as a stand-up comedian and still performs at least fifty dates per year in Las Vegas and sold-out theaters across the country.

Tickets start at $35 and go on sale to the public Friday, April 18, at 10 a.m.

The Kentucky Center box office is the OFFICIAL ticketing service for this performance. Tickets are available online, by phone (502.584.7777), and in-person at the box office (501 W. Main Street).

Kentucky Center Members, donors at the $100 level and above, are first in line for tickets and savings for every performance sold through our box office. Learn more about Membership.

Check-out our upcoming Kentucky Center Presents performances. New shows are scheduled throughout the year.

Kentucky's own Tessa Lark selected for 2014 Leonore Annenberg Fellowship

The Kentucky Center congratulates violinist Tessa Lark of Richmond, Kentucky (a Gheens Great Expectations artist in 2012) on being one of seven young artists selected to receive a 2014 Leonore Annenberg Fellowship for the Performing and Visual Arts. 

From The New York Times: 

The Leonore Annenberg Fellowship Fund for the Performing and Visual Arts, a 10-year program now in its seventh year, will award fellowships to seven young artists from diverse backgrounds, including a violinist who grew up in rural Kentucky and has won several important classical music prizes, but also doubles as a bluegrass fiddler, and a dancer with American Ballet Theater who began his career path when, as a 14-year-old in Florida, he auditioned for a performing arts high school on a whim.

The fellowships are for “young artists of exceptional promise,” and include grants of $50,000 a year for up to two years. The fund maintains partnerships with several schools and arts organizations – among them, the Metropolitan Opera, the Yale School of Drama, the New England Conservatory of Music, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and Ballet Theater – which recommend potential recipients of the fellowships. Read more…

 

Lark was born and raised in rural Kentucky. At age six, she began studying the violin with Cathy McGlasson. At age 11, she began six years of violin studies with Kurt Sassmannshaus at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (CCM) through the Starling Preparatory String Project. Through June 2006, Tessa was concertmaster of the Starling Chamber Orchestra at CCM, toured southern China with them in 2001, performed with them at Aspen in 2002 and 2004, and performed with them in Germany, Austria, and Russia in 2003 and in London in 2004. This impressive classical training was complemented by her extensive experience performing Appalachian folk music while growing up. This includes playing with Narrow Road, a Kentucky Gospel Bluegrass Band, and attending the Mark O'Connor Fiddle Camp near Nashville in 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2006. Read more about Tessa…

Learn more about The Kentucky Center Gheens Great Expectations concerts series and artist residencies by visiting our website.