LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 17, 2009) – The University of Kentucky Symphony Band invites the public to its first-ever interactive musical experience at UK. Audience members will be encouraged to participate via their own laptops during the performance program. “Symphony Band 2.0,” presented as UK Symphony Band's annual spring concert this year, is one of the first interactive concerts of its kind to take the stage at UK. The concert, which is free and open to the public, is at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 19, in the Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall.

"Symphony Band 2.0" is a unique, interactive experience that will include a live online chat session, moderated by a band graduate teaching assistant. The chat session, which will begin just before the concert at 2:30 p.m., will allow up to 250 audience participants to ask questions and make comments related to the music being performed.

“In the past our concerts have been traditional, with the musicians performing and the audience listening and passively participating in the performance,” said George Boulden, conductor of the Symphony Band, “By breaking down the fourth wall, and encouraging audience interaction, I believe our concerts have the potential to reach a whole new audience."

"Symphony Band 2.0" will feature music by contemporary composers Scott Boerma of the University of Michigan, Travis Cross of Virginia Tech University, and the late Alfred Reed of the University of Miami. The band will close the first half of the program with a performance of one of David Maslanka’s most recent works for band, “Unending Stream of Life,” based on the hymn “All Creatures of our God and King.” In the second part of the interactive concert program, guest conductor Joe D. Moore will conduct the eclectic concert march “The January February March” by Don Gillis. The event will close with Reed’s poignant composition “Praise Jerusalem.”

For more information about the UK Symphony Band event "Symphony Band 2.0," call UK Bands at (859) 257-BAND or by e-mail.