As the longtime broadcast partner of the Lexington Philharmonic, public radio station WEKU 88.9 and LexPhil have agreed to broadcast five encore LexPhil performances every two weeks through the end of June.
The first broadcast will feature the orchestra’s 2015 performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 "The Resurrection Symphony" with combined choirs from Transylvania University, Eastern Kentucky University, Asbury University and Berea College. This special program will air Friday, May 1 at 8 p.m. on WEKU Classical channel at WEKU.org and Sunday, May 3 at 8 p.m. on WEKU 88.9 FM.
WEKU Director and General Manager Mike Savage says now was the time to make additional arts programming available to the WEKU audience, which includes many LexPhil patrons and supporters. “With the coronavirus pandemic requiring stay at home measures, these additional broadcasts are a perfect way to bring the orchestra into the homes of Kentuckians,” said Savage.
While the Lexington Philharmonic’s 2019/2020 Season has been cancelled, the WEKU encore broadcasts are one way WEKU and the Lexington Philharmonic are helping Kentuckians connect to the music of their orchestra safely at home. The orchestra has also developed an online platform titled LexPhil Living Room, to share musician performance videos, education videos and resources for families at home, and other national and international music resources to provide the community with ways to keep classical music a part of life at home. The WEKU encore broadcast dates and links to listen will also be hosted at the Lexington Philharmonic website.
“In times like these, it is human nature to want to gather and support each other. This is a different way of gathering for a concert, yet one that is comfortingly familiar,” says Allison Kaiser, LexPhil Executive Director. “WEKU FM has been an important partner to LexPhil for decades and now is a perfect time to introduce additional ways of sharing the resources of this dynamic partnership. We are very grateful for the generosity of spirit, time and commitment from WEKU.”
WEKU encore broadcasts of Lexington Philharmonic concerts will be aired on both WEKU Classical, and WEKU 88.9. Following broadcast on WEKU Classical, listeners will have two weeks to tune in online to listen to the concert stream.
WEKU Concert Encore Broadcast Schedule:
Mahler 2
Originally Performed: September 18, 2015
Singletary Center for the Arts
Scott Terrell, Conductor
Mahler, Symphony No. 2 "The Resurrection Symphony"
Karen Slack, soprano
J’nai Bridges, mezzo soprano with the combined choirs from: Transylvania University, Eastern Kentucky University, Asbury University and Berea College
WEKU CLASSICAL: FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020 at 8m p.m.
WEKU 88.9: SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2020 at 8 p.m.
Beethoven 5
Originally Performed: May 13, 2016
Singletary Center for the Arts
Scott Terrell, Conductor
John Adams, Lollapalooza
Alexandre Guilmant, Organ Symphony No. 1, op. 42
Paul Jacobs, organ Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, op 67, C minor
WEKU CLASSICAL: FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2020 at 8 p.m.
WEKU 88.9: SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2020 at 8 p.m.
Carmen
Originally Performed: February 10, 2017
Singletary Center for the Arts
Scott Terrell, Conductor
Granados, Tres danzas españolas
Piazzolla, Aconcagua: Concerto for Bandoneón
Héctor Del Curto, bandoneón
Piazzolla, Oblivion
Bizet, arr. José Serebrier, Carmen Symphony in 12 Scenes
WEKU CLASSICAL: FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2020 at 8 p.m.
WEKU 88.9: SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 at 8 p.m.
Bernstein & Gershwin
Originally Performed: October 20, 2018
Lexington Opera House
Scott Terrell, Conductor
Bernstein, Suite from Candide
Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue
Ryan Shirar, piano
Bernstein, Trouble in Tahiti - semi-staged opera
Cecelia Hall, mezzo-soprano
Keith Phares, baritone
Timothy Murray, high-baritone
Kentucky Opera Studio Artists:
Reilly Nelson, mezzo-soprano
Thomas J. Capobianco, tenor
WEKU CLASSICAL: FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020 at 8 p.m.
WEKU 88.9: SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2020 at 8 p.m.
Deep Music
Originally Performed: October 25, 2019
Singletary Center for the Arts
Akiko Fujimoto, Music Director & Conductor Finalist
Libby Larsen, Deep Summer Music
Ginastera, Harp Concerto, op. 25
Allegra Lilly, harp
Beethoven, Symphony No. 7 in A Major
WEKU CLASSICAL: FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2020 at 8 p.m.
WEKU 88.9: FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2020 at 8 p.m.
The mission of the Lexington Philharmonic is 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. Through LexPhil’s four core values of artistic excellence, innovation, collaboration and accessibility, LexPhil will continue to grow artistically and purposefully, providing world-class musical experiences and impactful educational opportunities for Lexington, the Bluegrass Region, and beyond.
88.9 WEKU is a nine-station public radio network that serves central and eastern Kentucky on-air, online at WEKU.org and on smartphones and tablets through the WEKU Mobile App. WEKU is a listener-supported public service of Eastern Kentucky University. More information on programming and support options is available at WEKU.org.
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.