The Lexington Philharmonic Announces Updates for the 2020/2021 Season: CONNECT
The Lexington Philharmonic Announces Updates for the 2020/2021 Season: CONNECT
The Lexington Philharmonic, in response to the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis, announces program updates and new initiatives for the 2020/2021 Season, CONNECT. After careful consideration the Lexington Philharmonic is reimagining program offerings and the traditional subscriptions and ticketing models in the upcoming 2020/2021 season to safely and creatively engage with central Kentucky orchestral music fans.
"The pandemic is pushing everyone, including the Lexington Philharmonic, to reimagine how we connect with our community,” says Colmon Elridge, III, Lexington Philharmonic Board President. “For decades we have been honored to convene audiences to experience live orchestral music, but now we are honored to bring great musical experiences to our community wherever they may be. The upcoming season, like so much of our lives, will be different. We are committed to safely connecting with our community through unconventional and exciting programs. As President of the Board of Directors, I invite you to come on this journey with us. I promise you, the best is yet to come."
The 2020/2021 Season: CONNECT will not feature a traditional season of performances, scheduled many months in advance, at traditional orchestral venues. Instead, the Lexington Philharmonic is planning a series of smaller, accessible and safe concert programs, to bring music directly to people’s neighborhoods, outdoor venues and virtually, into their homes. The Lexington Philharmonic is working with an Artistic Advisory Committee (AAC) that includes LexPhil musicians to consult on concert repertoire and programs for the 2020/2021 Season. “This season gives us an opportunity to explore memorable and unique ways of making music together and connecting with our community in an integrated way.” stated Sarah Thrall, General & Personnel Manager.
In April of 2020, the Lexington Philharmonic announced the cancelation of the remainder of the 2019/2020 Season due to the Covid-19 public health crisis. Transfigurations (April 17, 2020) and Beyond the Sky (May 16, 2020) were both originally scheduled to host the final two Music Director and Conductor candidates, Julia Tai and Keitaro Harada, for a week of activities in Lexington, culminating in their audition performances.
“We were so disappointed to cancel both of these concerts, and to pause our search for a new Music Director and Conductor,” says Carol McLeod, Chair of the LexPhil Conductor Search Committee. LexPhil will reassess the Music Director & Conductor Search before the end of 2020.
Highlights of the 2020/2021 Season: CONNECT will include:
Safe ensemble concerts, in new venues and local neighborhoods.
Establishment of the IDEA Task Force (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility), including musicians, board members, staff, and community members, to create an institutional plan for building a culture that advances inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. We recognize that these types of plans are often used lightly as a way to “check-box” in the nonprofit industry. LexPhil is devoted to working intentionally to continue to build an organization that actively challenges and dismantles systemic racism. We recognize that the orchestral industry has been complicit in perpetuating systems of inequality which have contributed many injustices in the past and that continue today. We stand ready to listen, learn, take action, and support those in our community and throughout our nation who are fighting structural racism and inequality.
New music education resources both virtually and in person, once LexPhil teaching artists are permitted to work in the schools again.
The possibility of presenting the beloved annual A Cathedral Christmas concert at the Cathedral of Christ the King, potentially with live, but reduced audience capacity.
The possibility of presenting concerts at the Singletary Center for the Arts, in the spring of 2021, potentially with live, but reduced audience capacity.
Continued connection with audiences online, through the #LexPhil Living Room series.
Like many arts organizations in Lexington and throughout the country, the cancellation of concerts and events severely impacts LexPhil’s operations and ability to develop income. Because of the need to reduce the scope of concerts due to health safety concerns going forward, LexPhil is reducing operations in other financially prudent ways. The administrative, marketing and artistic staff will be furloughed for the month of July and will work at reduced capacity when they return in August.
“Looking forward, we still don’t know when LexPhil will be able to safely resume large-scale concerts in our traditional venues such as the Singletary Center for the Arts. We have been deeply moved by the generosity of our audience members, donors, and musicians. Their support has helped us to buffer the initial shock of the pandemic,” said Allison Kaiser, Executive Director. “We need the on-going support of our donors and audience members to navigate the long-term turbulence caused by the pandemic, so LexPhil can continue to be a major cultural resource for central Kentucky.”
LexPhil is introducing a new Membership program to encourage donations to the organization.
There will be new benefits aligned with what the organization can do during the health crisis and opportunities to engage with the organization will be added as plans become finalized. More information about the Membership program is available at www.lexphil.org/connect.
VISION: LexPhil believes in the transformative power of live orchestral music and envisions a culture of curiosity for the creation and performance of great music and the essential role it plays in a vibrant community and education system.
VALUES: LexPhil is guided by an unwavering commitment to its core values of artistic excellence, innovation, collaboration and accessibility.
MISSION: To foster excellence and innovation in the performance and presentation of great music; to enrich the lives of our diverse citizenry; to educate current and future audiences and to bring distinction to our community through the orchestra’s presence and standing.
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All Lexington Philharmonic programs are made possible through the generous support of LexArts. In 2019-2020, the Lexington Philharmonic received $170,000 in unrestricted support.
The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, provides operating support to the Lexington Philharmonic with state tax dollars and along with federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Hamilton Saykaly Garbulinska Foundation funds LexPhil’s commitment to continued artistic growth and brings world-renowned artists to perform with LexPhil and participate in outreach for the Lexington community.
Special thanks to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government for its continued partnership in ensuring a flourishing future for the arts in Lexington and central Kentucky.