Symphony Orchestra, Women's Choir Get Great Review
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- , (859) 257-1754, x229
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 20, 2009) − The University of Kentucky Symphony
Orchestra, conductor John Nardolillo, and
featured guest performers the UK Women's Choir under the
direction of Lori Hetzel,
received great reviews for the CD “Epoch - An American
Dance Symphony," featuring the work of composer George Frederick McKay. The most
recent review can be found in the March/April issue of Fanfare magazine.
The full-page review by Ronald E. Grames compliments the UK Symphony Orchestra and Women's Choir saying, "The performance by Nardolillo and his presumably student orchestra is first-rate. If I had not known, I would have assumed both the orchestra and chorus to be professional." The UK students earned further praise from the critic who described the CD as “Not edgy or avant-garde in any way but music of great imagination, skill and integrity.”
Read the review in full on Fanfare magazine's Web site.
"Epoch" was recorded in 2007 at the Singletary Center for the Arts. The CD from the recording was released in September 2008 by the Naxos record label.
UK is home to one of only a few college orchestras to have been signed to a recording contract with Naxos, the world's largest classical label. The recording contract was offered to UK Symphony Orchestra upon suggestion of Fred McKay, the son of George Frederick McKay, and based on the group's "Music of the Horse" CD, recorded in 2006 for Keeneland, as well as the strength of Nardolillo’s leadership as a conductor. The group also recorded the critically acclaimed CD "In Times Like These" featuring folk music icon Arlo Guthrie. Additionally, the UK Symphony Orchestra has performed at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center and with such noted classical musicians as Lynn Harrell and Gil Shaham.
Nardolillo has made conducting appearances throughout the U.S. and Europe, leading major American orchestras in concerts, tours and television and radio broadcasts. He has conducted major symphonies in such locales as San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, Detroit and Dallas. Nardolillo has also conducted at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and Philadelphia‘s Kimmel Center and is the founder and music director of the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. He earned a bachelor’s degree in violin from the Cleveland Institute of Music and master’s degrees in both violin and conducting from the Peabody Conservatory.
The UK Women's Choir is an auditioned choir of approximately 100 undergraduate and graduate students conducted by Hetzel, the associate director of UK's choral ensembles. The Women's Choir has been invited to perform at both the National Association for Music Education (MENC) and American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Southern Division Conventions, as well as the 2003 ACDA National Convention in New York City, and will be touring Italy this summer.
The full-page review by Ronald E. Grames compliments the UK Symphony Orchestra and Women's Choir saying, "The performance by Nardolillo and his presumably student orchestra is first-rate. If I had not known, I would have assumed both the orchestra and chorus to be professional." The UK students earned further praise from the critic who described the CD as “Not edgy or avant-garde in any way but music of great imagination, skill and integrity.”
Read the review in full on Fanfare magazine's Web site.
"Epoch" was recorded in 2007 at the Singletary Center for the Arts. The CD from the recording was released in September 2008 by the Naxos record label.
UK is home to one of only a few college orchestras to have been signed to a recording contract with Naxos, the world's largest classical label. The recording contract was offered to UK Symphony Orchestra upon suggestion of Fred McKay, the son of George Frederick McKay, and based on the group's "Music of the Horse" CD, recorded in 2006 for Keeneland, as well as the strength of Nardolillo’s leadership as a conductor. The group also recorded the critically acclaimed CD "In Times Like These" featuring folk music icon Arlo Guthrie. Additionally, the UK Symphony Orchestra has performed at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center and with such noted classical musicians as Lynn Harrell and Gil Shaham.
Nardolillo has made conducting appearances throughout the U.S. and Europe, leading major American orchestras in concerts, tours and television and radio broadcasts. He has conducted major symphonies in such locales as San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, Detroit and Dallas. Nardolillo has also conducted at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and Philadelphia‘s Kimmel Center and is the founder and music director of the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. He earned a bachelor’s degree in violin from the Cleveland Institute of Music and master’s degrees in both violin and conducting from the Peabody Conservatory.
The UK Women's Choir is an auditioned choir of approximately 100 undergraduate and graduate students conducted by Hetzel, the associate director of UK's choral ensembles. The Women's Choir has been invited to perform at both the National Association for Music Education (MENC) and American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Southern Division Conventions, as well as the 2003 ACDA National Convention in New York City, and will be touring Italy this summer.
Hetzel, who
teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in secondary methods and conducting, was the
recipient of UK's "Great Teacher of the Year" award in 2000 and has published
articles in College Music Symposium and Southeastern Music Education Journal. Holding a
doctoral degree in choral conducting from Michigan State University, Hetzel is an active
clinician and guest conductor who has appeared at music conferences in Arkansas, Florida,
Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Montana, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and
Virginia.
Next up for both UK Symphony Orchestra and UK Women's Choir is the UK School of Music Sixth Annual Scholarship Benefit Concert featuring Beethoven's First and Ninth Symphonies. The benefit concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 24, at the Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall. Tickets for the concert are $20 for general admission, $16 for seniors and UK faculty/staff, and $5 for students and children. Processing fees may be applied upon purchase and are available from the UK Singletary Center for the Arts ticket office at (859) 257-4929 or online. Proceeds from the benefit concert support scholarship opportunities at UK School of Music.
Next up for both UK Symphony Orchestra and UK Women's Choir is the UK School of Music Sixth Annual Scholarship Benefit Concert featuring Beethoven's First and Ninth Symphonies. The benefit concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 24, at the Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall. Tickets for the concert are $20 for general admission, $16 for seniors and UK faculty/staff, and $5 for students and children. Processing fees may be applied upon purchase and are available from the UK Singletary Center for the Arts ticket office at (859) 257-4929 or online. Proceeds from the benefit concert support scholarship opportunities at UK School of Music.