250Lex: concert for Lexington

Sunday, September 7
Singletary Center for the Arts
Free

Program

Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras and Uniting Voices Lexington

Marcello Cormio (arr. William C. White) - Unbridled
William C. White - We the People (Excerpt)

Lexington Philharmonic

Julia Perry - Short Piece for Orchestra
Shawn E. Okpebholo - A Mighty Long Way (world premiere)

Intermission

Ben Sollee + LexPhil

Joslyn & The Sweet Compression + LexPhil

Join us on Sunday, September 7, for 250Lex: Concert for Lexington, a celebration of the City’s 250th anniversary, featuring an all-star lineup of Lexington artists!
Conducted by Music Director Mélisse Brunet, the Lexington Philharmonic honors Lexington’s rich musical legacy with a work by trailblazing composer Julia Perry and a world premiere by Shawn E. Okpebholo, co-commissioned by the City of Lexington and the Blue Grass Community Foundation for this occasion.
The celebration continues with another world premiere performance by the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras and Uniting Voices Lexington, showcasing the next generation of Lexington’s vibrant musicians and singers.
In the second half of the concert LexPhil joins forces with songwriter and cellist, Ben Sollee, and caps off the night with a joyous collaboration with Joslyn & The Sweet Compression for a powerful and uplifting tribute to our city.
Come be part of this unforgettable afternoon of music and hometown pride!
Prior to the concert, join us for a free celebration at 1PM on the Singletary Center for the Arts lawn featuring a performance by M’Power Rhythm and Bruce Lewis, conversation with Music Director Mélisse Brunet and guests, interactive activities by the Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning and the Living Arts & Science Center, refreshments, and more.
Thanks to the support of the 250Lex Commission, 250Lex: Concert for Lexington is completely free. Register now for the Recital Hall simulcast. Registration and the waitlist for the Concert Hall are now closed. Tickets will be scanned for entry into both halls.
If you register and are no longer able to attend, please contact the LexPhil Box Office to turn back your ticket for others that wish to attend. LexPhil is the only verified issuer for all tickets and does not support any verified resale options. By registering, you give consent for LexPhil to share your name and email with our venue partner, the Singletary Center for the Arts.
Whether you’re a new visitor or a regular, we’re excited to welcome everyone to the Singletary Center! Check out our Know Before You Go to plan your visit including directions, parking, what to expect, and more. There is no valet parking for this event.

Date

Sunday, September 7

Times

Pre-Concert Activities at 1PM
Concert Begins at 3PM

Cost

Free with Registration

Venue

Singletary Center for the Arts
405 Rose Street
Lexington, Kentucky
40508

About 250Lex

Learn More

Recital Hall Simulcast

Concert Hall Tickets

Registration and the waitlist for the Concert Hall are now closed.

Meet the Artists & Composers

Lexington Philharmonic

Mélisse Brunet, Music Director
Originally named the Central Kentucky Philharmonic Society, the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra (LexPhil) was created in 1961 and was made up of about 65 volunteer musicians from surrounding colleges and universities.
Over its six decades of history, LexPhil has had five Music Directors & Conductors with Mélisse Brunet being appointed in 2022—the first woman to hold the position.
More at lexphil.org/mission.
Shawn E. Okpebholo

Composer
Named the 2024 Chicagoan of the Year in Classical Music by the Chicago Tribune and one of Musical America's Top 30 Professionals of 2023, Nigerian-American composer Shawn E. Okpebholo's music resonates globally, earning widespread acclaim from critics and audiences alike.
Former LexPhil Saykaly Garbulinska Composer-in-Residence, NPR selected Okpebholo’s art song "The Rain" as one of the 100 Best Songs of 2021, one of only a few classical works to make the ranking. His compositions are featured on twelve commercially released albums, three of which are GRAMMY®-nominated.
More at shawnokpebholo.com
Joslyn & The Sweet Compression

Guest Artist
After cultivating her dynamic voice and performance skills in backup roles and stage plays, Joslyn Hampton teamed with her stepfather, Marty Charters, to compose a captivating set of tunes and assemble an ace band.
Joslyn & The Sweet Compression combine to deliver a hook-filled mix of funk and soul on their self-titled debut album, released in 2019 and their sophomore album Bona Fide.
More at joslynandtsc.com.
Ben Sollee

Guest Artist
Kentucky musician and composer Ben Sollee, has been blurring boundaries with his musical style and career for nearly two decades – his latest album, Long Haul (2024) is no exception.
Drawing on tonal influences from the American and global south, Sollee’s vocals and unique cello style thread through each track binding seemingly disparate chapters of his journey – the Long Haul.
More at bensollee.com.
Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras

Guest Artists
Marcello Cormio, Music Director & Conductor
The Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras (CKYO) is one of the oldest, independently chartered youth orchestras in the United States, with a tradition dating back to 1947.
Over 450 students gather from 15 counties and 60 area schools to participate in CKYO.
More at ckyo.org.
Uniting Voices Lexington

Guest Artists
Dr. Michael Preacely, Founder & Artistic Director
Uniting Voices Lexington empowers and unites youth from diverse backgrounds to find their voice and celebrate their common humanity through the power of music.
The program is the first local chapter outside of Chicago for Uniting V oices, an organization founded at the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement and rooted in the belief that music is a vehicle for fostering empathy and respect between young people of all lived experiences.

More at unitingvoiceslexington.org
Julia Perry

Composer
Julia Perry was an American composer, conductor, singer and teacher born in Lexington, Kentucky on March 25, 1924.
She studied voice, piano, and composition at Westminster Choir College from 1943-48 earning both an undergraduate and graduate degree. In 1951, she studied composition at the Berkshire Music Center in Tanglewood.
Awarded two Guggenheim Fellowships and a student of Nadia Boulanger, Perry’s full catalogue of works were published in 2024 after being lost for nearly fifty years to the orchestral repertoire.
More at lexphil.org/juliaperry