LexPhil Proudly Announces Three New Staff Hires
January 14, 2022
For immediate release.
LexPhil Proudly Announces Three New Staff Hires
Top row (L to R): Sarah Thrall (Director of Artistic Operations), Michaela Bowman (Communications Coordinator), Seth Murphy (Production Associate Manager) Middle row (L to R): Alex Chadwell (Learning & Partnership Program Manager), Erin Lum (Patron Loyalty Manager), Allison Kaiser (Executive Director) Bottom row (L to R): Mollie Harris (Director of Marketing & Development), Kelly Corcoran (Interim Artistic Advisor) Rebecca Kiekenapp (Interim Library Coordinator)
The Lexington Philharmonic proudly announces three new additions to the orchestra’s full-time administrative team and other staffing updates in advance of the second half of the 2021-2022 Season. LexPhil is excited to share the talent and knowledge of its newest staff members as it continues to foster excellence and innovation in the performance and presentation of meaningful live music experiences throughout central Kentucky.
“Our staff is one of our greatest assets and as LexPhil continues to evolve and respond to the times in which we live. Their depth of experience, care and initiative is more important than ever. The Covid-19 pandemic has been a challenging period of time for all arts organizations, and it has also presented opportunities for growth. We are grateful to be in a position to grow our team,” says Allison Kaiser, Executive Director. “We are very excited about plans for the future and invite individuals and organizations to connect with our team as they support long-standing partnerships and form new collaborations and initiatives."
Alex Chadwell, is a musician, composer, teaching artist, facilitator, and administrator originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Mannes School of Music (The New School) with a degree in Music Composition, and Minor in Post-Genre Music: Performance and Creation. Alex joins the Lexington Philharmonic as the Learning & Partnership Programs Manager, a newly envisioned position to support and expand LexPhil’s learning and in-school program offerings and partnerships to better serve our community. See below for Alex’s full bio. To connect with Alex, email alex@lexphil.org.
Seth Murphy is an arts administrator and musician, joining the Lexington Philharmonic as Production Associate Manager. Before joining LexPhil, Seth worked for 11 years in the Production Department at the Singletary Center for the Arts, coordinating performances by the UK School of Music, community arts organizations, and nationally touring shows. See below for Seth’s full bio. To connect with Seth, email seth@lexphil.org.
Michaela Bowman, is a spirited and driven arts administrator, advocate, and musician with focuses in communications, public relations, and graphic design. A graduate of the University of Kentucky with a degree in Arts Administration and Digital Media and Design, Michaela joins the Lexington Philharmonic as Communications Coordinator to support the growth and expansion of LexPhil’s social media and digital marketing. See below for Michaela’s full bio. To connect with Michaela, email michaela@lexphil.org.
In addition to these three full-time positions, LexPhil announces three additional staffing updates.
Lexington Philharmonic cellist, Rebecca Kiekenapp, has joined the administrative team as Interim Library Coordinator.
Erin Lum (new email: erin@lexphil.org) has been named Patron Loyalty Manager.
Mollie Harris (new email: mollie@lexphil.org) has been named Director of Marketing & Development.
Sarah Thrall (new email: sarah@lexphil.org) has been named Director of Artistic Operations.
2021/2022 Season: STORIES
The Lexington Philharmonic resumes performance at the Singletary Center for the Arts and the search for LexPhil’s next Music Director & Conductor on Friday, February 25, 2022. This concert will be the first performance at the Singletary Center since the onset of the pandemic in February 2020. The February 25 concert Transfigurations will be led by LexPhil Music Director & Conductor finalist Julia Tai. Click here to view all of the events of the 2021/2022 Season: STORIES.
Alex Chadwell
Learning & Partnership Programs Manager
Alex Chadwell is a musician, composer, teaching artist, facilitator, and administrator originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and currently based in Lexington, Kentucky.
His work as a composer is centered around the notion of genre-fluid music. The musical structures, harmonic language, instruments, and technology he utilizes come from a wide array of genres. His music integrates non-musical and pre recorded sounds, innovative production methods, and storytelling.
As a teaching artist, he has facilitated residencies and classes with Brooklyn Arts Council, St. Nicks Alliance, the New York Philharmonic's Very Young Composers program, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the Center for Arts Education, Highbridge Voices, and PrimeLife Arts Learning. In the summer of 2021, he was selected to participate in the Arts Education Partnership's Arts and Literacy Thinkers Meeting Series and currently serves on their Equity Working Group.
Prior to joining the Lexington Philharmonic as the Learning and Partnership Programs Manager, he worked as an administrator at The New School's College of Performing Arts.
He is currently a Civic Saturday Fellow at Citizen University. Chadwell attended West Chester University and Mannes College of Music (The New School). He is a member of ASCAP.
Seth Murphy
Production Associate Manager
Seth graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Arts Administration and emphasis in Music Performance. Before joining the Lexington Philharmonic, he worked for 11 years in the Production Department at the Singletary Center for the Arts, coordinating performances by the UK School of Music, community arts organizations, and nationally touring shows.
During the summer, Seth takes seasonal work to produce concerts for homegrown festivals and Kentucky nonprofits such as the Bluegrass Hall of Fame and History Museum (Owensboro), the Yeiser Arts Center (Paducah), and the Tahlsound Music Festival (Lexington). When not assisting in production, Seth plays cello, records, and tours with several independent songwriters throughout the Midwest.
Michaela Bowman
Communications Coordinator
Michaela Bowman is a spirited and driven arts administrator, advocate, and musician with focuses in communications, public relations, and graphic design. Michaela is the Communications Coordinator for the Lexington Philharmonic where her primary responsibilities include strategizing and creating compelling digital content, graphic design, internal and external communications, and online audience expansion and development. Prior to joining the Lexington Philharmonic, she worked as the Marketing and Communications Assistant for the University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts Marketing Team and Public Relations Officer for the Wildcat Marching Band as well as Administrative Coordinator for the UK Healthcare Central Clinical Trials Unit.
She graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Arts Administration and Digital Media and Design during which she was a member of various instrumental and choral ensembles as well as serving as President of the Eta Zeta Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma and Treasurer of the Delta Omega Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota. Michaela is from London, KY and a former member of the Kentucky Student Voice Team with whom she now serves as a Yoda Corps Advisor.
Rebecca Kiekenapp, M.M.
Interim Library Coordinator
Rebecca Kiekenapp, a native of Faribault, Minnesota, earned a B.M. summa cum laude in cello performance from the University of Minnesota as a pupil of Tanya Remenikova. She moved to Lexington, KY in 1995 to attend the University of Kentucky where she earned a master's degree in cello.
Ms. Kiekenapp has extensive orchestral and chamber music experience. She has participated in the Aspen Music Festival, Bravo! chamber music program at the University of MN, and the National Orchestral Institute. As a member of the Niles String Quartet at the University of Kentucky, she attended the Audubon String Quartet seminar, participated as a semifinalist in the Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition, and was heard in live performance on the Woodsong Radio Hour. Ms. Kiekenapp served as principal cellist of the University Symphony for several years, also performing as a two-time winner of the UK concerto competition. She performs regularly as a member of the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra and in other area concerts.
Her teaching background includes serving as faculty at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, the Governor's School for the Arts, and with the Festival of Strings music camp in Lexington, where she is also co-director. Currently a doctoral candidate in cello performance at UK, Ms. Kiekenapp also maintains a private studio in Lexington.
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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The Lexington Philharmonic is supported by the Lexington Philharmonic Foundation.
All Lexington Philharmonic programs are made possible through the generous support of LexArts. In 2021-2022, the Lexington Philharmonic received $90,000 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 Singletary Center for the Arts hosts the core of LexPhil’s Season Series programs, and is a valued institutional partner of the Lexington Philharmonic.
Dupree Initiative for Innovation supports LexPhil’s commitment to innovation and artistic excellence.
The Hamilton Saykaly Garbulinska Foundation funds LexPhil’s commitment to continued artistic growth and community engagement.
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.