Being in the center of the country has its advantages and disadvantages.
Kentucky’s location allows for the perfect blend of country roads and urban cities. However, being at least two hours away from all major cities means the touring map of America usually misses western Kentucky.
The National Symphony Orchestra mapped its course right through Paducah.
The orchestra chose Paducah as one stop on its annual residency trip. The program brings the symphony to a different state each year, allowing it to visit multiple cities and perform for crowds that may otherwise never get the chance to see the orchestra perform live.
“We are the national symphony,” said Brett Mitchell, guest conductor. “We are based in Washington, but we aren’t called the Washington Symphony for a reason. This is about bringing music to the entire country.”
Paducah’s concert — Monday at the Carson Center — will be part of the Paducah Symphony’s “Symphony Weekend.” Events include a night of movie music called “Brilliant,” along with “Beethoven Rocks” with a concert dedicated to the works of Beethoven.
“These are the finest musicians from all over the world,” said Brian Laczko, executive director of the Carson Center. “It’s great to be able to expose our symphony and our community to these sounds and experiences.”
The orchestra will include several local stops as part of its community outreach. Some members will visit Murray State University to give a chamber music concert and master classes, while others will make stops at assisted living facilities and schools for community service concerts.
Because the residency is a sponsored program, the orchestra allows all proceeds from events in Kentucky to go straight into the state’s economy and to arts programs around the state. Parts of the orchestra will visit 30 communities in Kentucky, but the full ensemble will only play in four cities: Paducah, Lexington, Louisville and Owensboro.
“This is huge for our area,” Laczko said. “It really goes far to show this community the power of music.”
Contact Corianne Egan, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8652.
Want to go
- Who: The National Symphony Orchestra
- When: 7 p.m. Monday
- Where: The Carson Center
For tickets and more information, visit thecarsoncenter.org/
