Harmony in the Hills Louisville Orchestra Comes to Ashland

Harmony in the Hills

Louisville Orchestra Comes to Ashland

Gideon Thompson

The Ashland Beacon

Ashland, Kentucky is home to an established and continuously growing arts community, thriving today as the city did in the 1930s. With a newly revived arts district full of life and color, the area is set for this year’s participating artists. Spanning four blocks through Ashland’s downtown area, the arts district awaits visitors with inviting murals and a beautiful plaza for those who would enjoy a stroll through the city. The district is home to several locally owned art-driven businesses and other establishments awaiting your arrival. Whether strolling through Broadway Square, Art Alley, or visiting the Paramount Arts Center nestled at the feet of the Ben Williamson and Simeon Willis Memorial bridges, the Ashland Arts District is the place for excitement.

The Paramount Arts Center hosts an array of events each year, including children’s shows, live music, and even the “Festival of Trees” that we have all grown to hold dear. This spring, The Paramount Arts Center will be hosting The Louisville Orchestra while on their “In Harmony Tour” as they travel from city to city across Kentucky, playing music and spreading joy along the way. The “In Harmony Tour” will carry the Louisville Orchestra to locations such as Shelbyville on Saturday, April 26; Prestonsburg, April 29; Ashland, April 30; Mount Sterling, May 1; Glasgow, May 8; Elizabethtown, May 9; Muhlenberg, May 10; Shaker Village located in Harrodsburg, May 11; Beattyville, May 12; Bardstown, May 13; Campbellsville, May 18; Cumberland Falls Corbin, May 19; and Harlan, May 20.

The event will cover classical pieces like Hungarian Rhapsody by Liszt and the 1812 Overture, while also performing new pieces from Baldwin Giang, such as his newly composed Pipa Concerto. Performing with the Louisville Orchestra is bluegrass band Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, who are well renowned for their songs Orange Blossom Special and Leaving Town. The program for this event will include conductor Teddy Abrams along with Michael Cleveland as they warm the spring air with well-known pieces such as Flourishes and Gallop, Symphony No. 1, Movement 1, Danzon No. 2, Baldwin Giang’s Pipa Concerto, and 1812 Overture, Op. 49 by Tchaikovsky. Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper are set to perform Tall Fiddler, Too Late for Goodbyes, Sunny Side of Town, Blue Violet Waltz, For Your Love, and Orange Blossom Special. These musical numbers will be performed with a full orchestrated ensemble ranging from strings to percussion and anywhere in between, making for a magical experience for all.

Senior tour manager Elizabeth Etienne established that this tour has now been running for three years and is a joy for the entire crew. Traveling across the state, the orchestra and partners make stops along the way outside of their events, such as at schools, libraries, civic centers, and anywhere that will have them. Expected as an extra stop will be The Mill in Ashland, KY and a performance at 4 p.m. from the woodwind quartet at the Midland Branch of the Boyd County Public Library. The shows played at extra stops will be comprised of smaller groups of the orchestra and those who will be playing with them, allowing for the gift of music to be shared at as many places as possible and with those who may not have been able to attend the main events.

Since the beginning of the In Harmony Tour, established in 2022, the Louisville Orchestra has performed 159 total events across 43 counties and has shared their well-rehearsed performances with 33,000 attendees. All performances of the In Harmony Tour have been made possible by Kentucky State Legislation, as it is funded directly by the state of Kentucky and the Kentucky General Assembly through the Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet.

This event is free to attend and is set for Wednesday, April. 30 at the Paramount Arts Center. As this show is free, seating is expected to fill quickly, and due to limited availability, reservation for the event is advised and may be done by contacting the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland, Kentucky. For those who may not reserve in time or have prior obligations, there will be an opportunity to see the Louisville Orchestra at The Mill, the Midland Branch of the Boyd County Library, or in other counties along their tour.