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In Mozart Requiem, Teddy Abrams and the Louisville Orchestra look forward to pairing two very different masterpieces of the sacred choral repertoire. Juxtaposing traditional Gregorian chant with the richest, most up-to-date sonorities in a revolutionary synthesis of old and new. Claudio Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 was unprecedented in the grandeur of its scale and exhilarating opulence of its sound. Written more than 175 years later, W.A. Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor was left incomplete at his death, inspiring some of the speculation that fueled the movie Amadeus. Yet behind all the rumor and mythology lie some of the composer’s most dramatic, gripping, and poignant music. Together, these two monumental works provide a compellingly intensive introduction to the genre.
Performed on October 26th at 11 AM as part of the ‘Hilliard Lyons Coffee Series’ and October 27th at 8 PM as part of the ‘Brown Forman Classics Series’, the concerts will be held at the Kentucky Center. Coffee Series concerts offer lower prices and a shorter concert with no intermission (sections from the Vespers of 1610 will be abbreviated) in addition, audience members enjoy coffee service before the concert provided by Heine Brothers. Additional support for these concerts has been provided by an anonymous donor and in memory of Mary, Ed, and Patricia Macior by Jean M. and Kenneth S. Johnson.
LO Concert Talks preview each performance and are led by Classical 90.5 WUOL-FM program host Daniel Gilliam. At 10 AM on Friday and 6:45 PM on Saturday, LO Concertmaster Gabriel Lefkowitz will be the featured guest. The LO Concert Talks are free to ticket-holders and held in Whitney Hall at the KCA.
Tickets start at $20 and are available by calling 502-584-7777 or LouisvilleOrchestra.org.
Kent Hattenberg, chorusmaster, leads the Louisville Chamber Choir and the University of Louisville Collegiate Chorale in these performances. The elite Chamber Choir is comprised of 28 musicians drawn from the Louisville Metropolitan Area and is dedicated to the highest levels of ensemble performances. They will be featured in Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610.
The combined choirs are joined by soloists for Mozart’s Requiem: soprano Jessica Rivera; alto Kendall Gladen; tenor Jesse Donner; and bass Evan Boyer. Each, acclaimed for opera and orchestral work, are extraordinary singers in their own right.
A two-headed copperhead snake born in the wild less than one month ago is now in the care of the Salato Wildlife Education Center and will be available for limited public viewing at the facility in Frankfort.
A Leslie County couple donated the rare snake for educational purposes after discovering it in their yard this month.
“I may encounter a two-headed snake in the wild every two or three years but a two-headed copperhead is a first for me,” said Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources State Herpetologist John MacGregor, a leading expert on snakes in Kentucky. “It is a really interesting animal to have on display and a unique opportunity for the public.”
The copperhead is one of four species of venomous snakes found in Kentucky. The others are the cottonmouth, timber rattlesnake and pygmy rattlesnake. Of those, the copperhead and timber rattlesnake are the most common in Kentucky.
A two-headed copperhead snake is extremely rare and its life expectancy in the wild typically is short because of physical limitations caused by the mutation.
“One big question is if the throat connects to the rest of the intestinal tract,” MacGregor said. “That is sometimes a problem with two-headed animals; neither head is completely formed, and there is no way they can swallow anything. Sometimes one head works and the other head does not. With this snake, both tongues work, so there is a pretty good chance that both are functional.”
The snake’s well-being is a top priority for the Salato Center’s staff.
As long as it appears to be in good health, the snake will be available for public viewing 10 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. starting Friday, Oct. 19.
Public viewing times are subject to change and do not include the Salato Center’s annual Halloween Walk with the Animals event scheduled Saturday, Oct. 27. Viewing times on the day of that event have not been determined.
“Salato is thrilled to host this unique animal,” said Heather “Teach” Teachey, Salato Center director. “We hope the snake will thrive under our care and be an educational ambassador of a native Kentucky species.”
The Salato Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday. It is closed on Sunday, Monday and state holidays. Admission is charged for visitors ages 5 and older. Visitors can confirm if the snake is available for viewing on the day of their visit by calling 1-800-858-1549.
The Salato Center, operated by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, is off U.S. 60, approximately 1½ miles west of the U.S. 127 intersection. Look for the bronze deer statue at the entrance of the main Kentucky Fish and Wildlife campus.
The Salato Center will be closed for the winter after Nov. 21.
Mayor Greg Fischer announced that Louisville has been awarded additional federal funding to increase efforts to help break the cycle of crime and violence among young adults ages 18-24, by connecting them to training, jobs and education.
The $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor will expand the city’s existing Reimage program, targeting an additional 200 young adults who have been involved in the court system. The new grant will fund training to get youth into jobs in key fields including technology, manufacturing, construction and youth development. Participants will also get help with continuing their education, navigating the court system and addressing drug and alcohol issues.
“Connecting with these young people and giving them a second chance is not only the right thing to do, it’s a key part of our strategy for preventing violence and creating safer neighborhoods,” Mayor Fischer said. “Providing rapid training and connecting them to jobs and careers increases their chance for success, while also reducing the odds that they will be further involved in crime and violence.”
Louisville is among five communities receiving grants and joining the national reentry project known as the Compass Rose Collaborative, which is led by FHI 360, an international nonprofit working to improve the health and well-being of people in the United States and around the world. The other communities are Boston, Baltimore, Albany, N.Y., and Southeast Arkansas.
“I’m thrilled to see this federal investment being made here in Louisville to provide at-risk youth and young people involved in the court system with a better shot at improving their lives,” said Congressman John Yarmuth. “The Reimage program’s targeted approach helps lead young people down a path for success through education, job training, and work experience, reducing incidents of crime and violence and promoting a safer Louisville.”
The new funding allows the hiring of four additional Reimage team members, including three Career Pathway Coaches, who will focus on connecting youth to training and jobs in the key business sectors, and providing follow-up and support.
A variety of training will be available to participants. For example, youth interested in manufacturing will be able to join existing classes at the Kentucky Manufacturing Career Center. Those targeting the construction field can enroll in the Kentuckiana Builds program at the Louisville Urban League. In the technology field — the Google IT Support Professional Certificate will prepare young adults for entry level jobs in IT support in about eight months through a combination of online learning and mentoring from a dedicated IT coach.
The social services track will combine internships with participation in a series of professional youth development workshops.
All career pathways will connect with KentuckianaWorks’ existing employer partnerships in manufacturing, construction, technology and youth development.
More than 440 young people have enrolled in Reimage since it began in in September, 2015, and the program has achieved a recidivism rate of less than five percent. Staff with the program do street-level outreach in high-need neighborhoods, including Shawnee, Russell and Park Hill, although eligible youth from all areas of Louisville can participate.
“We appreciate the confidence that FHI 360 has with our record of providing skills and confidence to people of all ages,” said Michael Gritton, executive director of KentuckianaWorks. “I mentor a Reimage participant, and I’ve seen with my own eyes the difference this program can make in the life of a young adult.”
Reimage is a collaboration between KentuckianaWorks and the city’s Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods (OSHN).
“Reimage has been a key part of our goal of helping every young person in every neighborhood have every chance to realize their full human potential,” said Rev. Vincent James, who oversees OSHN as the city’s Chief of Community Building. “This new emphasis on workforce training will provide even greater opportunities for success for these youth and their families.”
In addition to recruitment efforts in the targeted neighborhoods, young people are referred to the program by partner agencies including OSHN, Department of Juvenile Justice, Louisville Metro Youth Detention Services, the Louisville Public Defender, Kentucky Youth Career Center, Restorative Justice Louisville and JCPS. Individuals 18 and over who are interested in being a Reimage mentor or any youth interested in joining the program can call (502) 574- 4115 or go to wearekycc.org/reimage.
The public is invited to a free, family-friendly afternoon to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the opening of Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing on Sunday, October 21 from 1-5 p.m.
The event will feature opportunities to engage with Riverside’s history and with its long-standing public archaeology programming. Visitors can connect with their “inner Indiana Jones” through a public archaeology dig, an artifact identification and processing activity, demonstrations of prehistoric Native American tools, a brickmaking activity, tours of archaeology sites and special historic house tours. There will also be a presentation on historic clothing (and its connection to archaeology) at 1:30 p.m. by Brian Cushing (Historic Locust Grove) and a presentation on “Kentucky Before Boone” by Gwynn Henderson (Kentucky Archaeological Survey) at 3:00 p.m.
A new book about the site, entitled Riverside: The Unfolding Story, written by Historic Site Manager Patti Linn will also be available at the event. This 25th anniversary publication published by Butler Books retails for $30 and features the latest research on Riverside. It also brings its story into the 21st century. All proceeds from the sale of this full color, 8 x 10 inch, 160-page hardcover book benefit Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing and its educational mission.
Finally, at 4:00 p.m. visitors are invited to join the Riverside Management Board and Mayor Fischer for the dedication of the David L. Armstrong pavilion at Riverside. This honor is being given to the late former Louisville Mayor and Jefferson County-Judge Executive because he played such a pivotal role in championing the project to restore the Farnsley-Moremen House and open it to the public.
Directions to Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing from Downtown Louisville: Take I-65 to the Gene Snyder Freeway West. Go approximately 9 miles. Take a left at the stop light onto Lower River Road. The entrance to Riverside will be on your right after about 1/8 of a mile. Historic site is located at 7410 Moorman Road, Louisville KY.
For More Information www.riverside-landing.org
As part of a cultural exchange program initiated by Mayor Greg Fischer and Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram, six teenage boxers and their coaches from the Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABA) are visiting Louisville from October 8-14.
The Louisville-Liverpool cultural exchange is meant to build on the series of iconic photographs showcasing the February 18, 1964 meeting between Louisville’s Muhammad Ali and the Beatles, of Liverpool. In May, local musician Carly Johnson and her band represented Louisville in Liverpool, performing at the Sound City Music Festival and at the iconic Cavern Club.
During their stay in Louisville, the English boxers will train with James Dixon at TKO Boxing, tour area cultural institutions, and visit with area schools to better understand Muhammad Ali’s lasting impact on Louisville. Thanks to a generous $5,000 donation from Danny Wimmer Presents, the boxers will stay at the iconic Galt House Hotel.
“This exchange builds on the connections between Liverpool and Louisville that were initiated with that 1964 meeting of world-changing artists and a barrier-breaking athlete,” Mayor Fischer said. “The Champ and the Fab Four were committed to making the world a better, more compassionate place – a common bond that’s always worth celebrating.”
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram echoed this sentiment: “More than half a century on from the famous photo that brought those two icons together, we are determined to build on those links to create a strong cultural and sporting partnership that will bring our two regions together, paving the way for future cultural and commercial collaborations.”
More than 3.4 million Kentuckians are registered to vote ahead of the General Election on Nov. 6, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes announced Thursday.
Democrats represent the plurality of the electorate with 1.68 million registered voters, or 49.6 percent of voters. Republicans total about 1.41 million, around 41.7 percent of voters, and more than 295,400 voters, about 8.68 percent, are registered with another party or as “Other.”
“We’ve made it easy to get registered to vote in Kentucky,” Grimes said. “At GoVoteKY.com, our one-stop voter portal, folks can register and make changes to their registration online. We’ve seen tens of thousands of Kentuckians getting registered to vote since the Primary Election. That’s only the first step, though. We want all registered Kentuckians to cast a vote in the General Election on Nov. 6.”
The final report of voters for the General Election shows a net increase of nearly 35,000 voters since the May 22 Primary Election.
Each of Kentucky’s six Congressional Districts gained voters since the Primary Election. The 6th Congressional District, where a hotly contested race for the U.S. Representative is underway, saw a net gain of more than 9,100 voters. The Republican Party and other affiliations gained voters in all the districts, while the Democratic Party gained voters in the 3rd, 4th, and 6th Districts.
Since the launch of GoVoteKY.com in 2016, more than 63,000 new voters have registered online to vote. Approximately 27,700 registered as Democrats, 23,500 as Republicans, and 12,200 as some other affiliation. More than 860,000 Kentuckians have visited the portal since it launched with about 200,000 coming since the Primary Election. Nearly 273,000 registration applications have been submitted and processed since 2016.
“This midterm election year in Kentucky is important. On the ballot, Kentuckians will have the opportunity to choose candidates for local offices all the way up to Congress. I join all our election officials – the State Board of Elections, county boards of elections, and our 15,000 precinct election officers – in calling on Kentuckians to go to the polls on Nov. 6.”
Grimes urges Kentucky voters to visit GoVoteKY.com, the Commonwealth’s one-stop elections portal for voter resources, for information on absentee voting, voter registration status, sample ballots, and locating polling places.
Complete registration statistics are available on the State Board of Elections website, elect.ky.gov.
CycLOUvia, the popular event showcasing alternative transportation, is returning to Bardstown Road for the seventh time on Sunday, October 21. The CycLOUvia on Bardstown Road is named in honor of former District 8 Councilman Tom Owen, a lifelong advocate for bicycles and pedestrians in our community.
Bardstown Road from Douglass Boulevard to Broadway will be closed to vehicular traffic from 2-6 p.m. Police will facilitate motor crossings at Grinstead Drive and Eastern Parkway. Many businesses along the corridor will be open and engaging pedestrians with special events.
“CycLOUvia has become a favorite event for all ages to enjoy a car-free, dense, urban corridor,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “Bring your bikes, skateboards and walking shoes while enjoying everything our small businesses have to offer.”
The return to the Highlands marks the fifteenth CycLOUvia event and seventh on Bardstown Road. Previous events have been held on Frankfort Avenue, West Broadway and in Three Points (Germantown, Schnitzelburg and Shelby Park).
Commercial establishments with frontage along the Bardstown Road corridor are encouraged to open their businesses during event hours and to engage participants, creating an atmosphere that is uniquely Louisville.
During CycLOUvia, streets become paved parks where people of all ages, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds can come to improve their mental, physical, and emotional health.
Since 2012, CycLOUvia events have attracted tens of thousands of people to neighborhoods across the city. CycLOUvia promotes healthy lifestyles, alternative transportation, safety and economic development.
For more information, please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/advanced-planning/cyclouvia