Groundbreaking Held for Vocal Arts Center
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 24, 2008) – Vocal performance took the stage today on
campus as community leaders and the University of Kentucky celebrated the beginning of
renovations on a vocal arts center. Local and university officials came together to break
ground Friday for renovations to the Koinonia House, home to UK Opera Theatre. The start of renovations,
being made possible by a gift from William E. Schmidt, a native of Irvine, Ky., and the William E. Schmidt Foundation, will more than
double the facility's space and provide UK with a center large enough to house its entire
successful voice faculty. In honor of Schmidt's gift, the center will be renamed the William E.
Schmidt Vocal Arts Center.
The Schmidt Vocal Arts Center, located on the corner of Rose Street and Rose Lane on the UK campus, is a two-floor facility that will eventually house four practice rooms, two rehearsal studios, a vocal research room, and seven teaching studios for UK School of Music voice faculty in addition to office space.
UK Opera Theatre hopes these renovations will bring the already successful program closer to their goal of being the best opera program for young singers in the country.
"This new facility promises to be state-of-the-art and provide the foundation we need to make UK Opera Theatre the best opera program in the nation," said Everett McCorvey, director of UK Opera Theatre. "We are extremely excited about the continuing growth our program has achieved and are grateful to Mr. Schmidt for his generous gift and support of our faculty and students."
"Thanks to the Schmidts the future generations of vocal music students will learn their art and their craft, and receive training in a world-class vocal program," added Ben Arnold, director of the UK School of Music. "We are delighted to re-name the K-house the William E. Schmidt Vocal Arts Center as a testament to the faith the Schmidts have in our vocal program and School of Music."
The Schmidt Vocal Arts Center renovations were made possible as part of a $1 million gift presented to UK Opera Theatre last October by William E. Schmidt and the William E. Schmidt Foundation. The gift set aside $500,000 toward the renovations at the facility. An additional $2.2 million will be raised by UK Opera Theatre to completely outfit the entire facility.
Schmidt's $1 million gift also pledged $250,000 to endow UK Opera Theatre and Lexington Opera Society's touring outreach program, and another $250,000 to establish the William E. Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition in Kentucky.
The UK Opera Theatre and Lexington Opera Society outreach program, now known as the Schmidt Opera Outreach Program, takes opera into approximately 100 of Kentucky's primary and secondary schools annually.
The Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition is a high school vocal competition available to a select group of 10th, 11th and 12th graders with vocal talent in Kentucky, Indiana and Florida and their surrounding states. This year's Schmidt Vocal Competition in Kentucky will be presented Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Singletary Center for the Arts.
For more information on the Schmidt Vocal Arts Center or to donate to the renovations at the facility, please contact Everett McCorvey at (859) 257-9331 or by e-mail.
The Schmidt Vocal Arts Center, located on the corner of Rose Street and Rose Lane on the UK campus, is a two-floor facility that will eventually house four practice rooms, two rehearsal studios, a vocal research room, and seven teaching studios for UK School of Music voice faculty in addition to office space.
UK Opera Theatre hopes these renovations will bring the already successful program closer to their goal of being the best opera program for young singers in the country.
"This new facility promises to be state-of-the-art and provide the foundation we need to make UK Opera Theatre the best opera program in the nation," said Everett McCorvey, director of UK Opera Theatre. "We are extremely excited about the continuing growth our program has achieved and are grateful to Mr. Schmidt for his generous gift and support of our faculty and students."
"Thanks to the Schmidts the future generations of vocal music students will learn their art and their craft, and receive training in a world-class vocal program," added Ben Arnold, director of the UK School of Music. "We are delighted to re-name the K-house the William E. Schmidt Vocal Arts Center as a testament to the faith the Schmidts have in our vocal program and School of Music."
The Schmidt Vocal Arts Center renovations were made possible as part of a $1 million gift presented to UK Opera Theatre last October by William E. Schmidt and the William E. Schmidt Foundation. The gift set aside $500,000 toward the renovations at the facility. An additional $2.2 million will be raised by UK Opera Theatre to completely outfit the entire facility.
Schmidt's $1 million gift also pledged $250,000 to endow UK Opera Theatre and Lexington Opera Society's touring outreach program, and another $250,000 to establish the William E. Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition in Kentucky.
The UK Opera Theatre and Lexington Opera Society outreach program, now known as the Schmidt Opera Outreach Program, takes opera into approximately 100 of Kentucky's primary and secondary schools annually.
The Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition is a high school vocal competition available to a select group of 10th, 11th and 12th graders with vocal talent in Kentucky, Indiana and Florida and their surrounding states. This year's Schmidt Vocal Competition in Kentucky will be presented Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Singletary Center for the Arts.
For more information on the Schmidt Vocal Arts Center or to donate to the renovations at the facility, please contact Everett McCorvey at (859) 257-9331 or by e-mail.