Contact: Whitney Hale

Left to right - UK faculty soloists Scott Wright, clarinet; Nancy Clauter, oboe; David Elliott, horn; and Peter Simpson, bassoon

Listen to the famous opening measures of “Carmina Burana,” as performed by the UK Choristers and Lexington Children’s Chorus in 1993. ((2.4MB MP3)

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 19, 2005) -- Carl Orff’s spectacular choral piece, “Carmina Burana,” will headline a concert gala event sponsored by the UK Friends of Music to benefit the University of Kentucky School of Music scholarship fund. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 22, in the UK Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall.

Prior to the performance, the audience can enjoy the music of small ensembles playing throughout Singletary Center’s lobby.

The concert will begin with the “Roman Carnival Overture” by Hector Berlioz and a presentation of “Sinfonia Concertante” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The Mozart piece includes the interplay of a virtuoso solo woodwind ensemble with the orchestra. UK’s production will feature soloists Nancy Clauter on oboe, Scott Wright on clarinet, Peter Simpson on bassoon, and David Elliot on horn, all faculty of the UK School of Music under the direction of UK Symphony conductor John Nardolillo.

The concert will conclude with a full performance of “Carmina Burana” by nearly 300 performers. Orff’s stage piece sets music to 13th century Latin and German poems by the monks of Benediktbeuern ( Germany). The dazzling and popular work, with opening measures that are heard on countless movie soundtracks and TV commercials as well as UK Wildcat football home games, will be performed by UK Combined Choirs, UK Symphony Orchestra, Lexington Singers Children’s Choir, and vocal soloists Darla Ditz, soprano; Andreas Kirtley, tenor; and Corey Crider, baritone, under the baton of UK Choral Director Jefferson Johnson.

The concert will raise money for scholarships for School of Music students. General admission ticket prices are $20, $16 for seniors, $14 for UK faculty and staff, and $5 for students and children.

A benefit dinner is scheduled at UK’s newly renovated Main Building prior to the concert at 5:45 p.m. April 22; tickets are $75.

Tickets for the concert and dinner can be purchased at the UK Singletary Center for the Arts by calling (859) 257-4929 or visiting online. For more information on the School of Music and its events, visit the Web site .