The Louisville Orchestra (LO) is bringing its In Harmony tour to Cumberland Falls State Resort Park on Sept. 19, offering a full day of music and art with a free concert featuring a world premiere specifically created for the Falls.
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park Director Maggy Monhollen said this was going to be a “huge day.”
“We are beyond excited to host the Louisville Orchestra,” Monhollen said. “We are the only state park who will be hosting the orchestra, and I feel like this is a great opportunity for Kentucky State Parks to bring a cultured event to southeast Kentucky, not only for our guests, but for all of the local communities.”
The Cumberland Falls stop is part of the LO’s In Harmony Tour, led by Music Director Teddy Abrams, which includes six locations in Kentucky: Shaker Village, Beattyville, Hazard, Campbellsville, Cumberland Falls, and Harlan. Five of these performances will feature Grammy Award-winning artist Sam Bush.
The LO is all about access. “The mission behind the tour and behind the orchestra as a whole is making sure that there are no barriers to see this type of world class performance. Regardless of where you live in this state, you have access to really wonderful music,” said Louisville Orchestra Tour Manager Elizabeth Etienne. This vision is credited to Music Director Teddy Abrams of what an orchestra really should be for the people.
The day will include more than just a concert. The LO will debut a brand-new piece created specifically for the Falls from LO Creative Corps resident Anthony R. Green. The piece, Thirteen Parts for the Falls, is an “interactive piece of music where we have 10 musicians stationed down past the Visitor Center on the lawn, near the falls. They will be spread out and people can walk through the musical experience,” Etienne said. “The music was specifically written to complement the sounds you hear around the falls.”
In addition to the concert, the LO is collaborating with local visual artist Lacy Hale, who created the #nohateinmyholler artwork. “She is going to have some interactive visual art experiences for both adults and kids to participate in while they listen to this piece of music down at the Falls,” said Etienne. There will be two performances: the first one on Sept. 19 at 4 p.m. and the second one on the following day, Sept. 20, at 10 a.m.
Etienne wanted to inform readers to bring your own chair to the event.
That evening, the orchestra will perform a 7:30 p.m. concert on the Blair Patio outside DuPont Lodge.
“That’ll be with a group of about 25 of our musicians,” Etienne said.
The evening concert will feature Copland’s Hoe-Down, Appalachian Spring Suite for 13 instruments, the first movement of Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, and a collection of bluegrass mandolinist Sam Bush originals, including Eight More Miles to Louisville, Revival, and Gold Heart Locket.
“We’re very, very excited to present a concert that has so many various types of music on one program,” Etienne said.
Though the orchestra performed at the Corbin Arena in Feb. of 2024, this will be their first appearance at the Cumberland Falls.
“We had such a tremendous response at the Corbin Arena,” Etienne said. “It was clear we needed to come back to the Corbin area soon because it is such a special place. We were so welcomed. We’re excited to come back and present something a little bit different this time.”
Monhollen said that special VIP tickets still remain for the event, despite the event being sold out. These tickets are being sold for $50 and include access to a private reception with Music Director Teddy Abrams at the DuPont Lodge. For more information on purchasing a VIP ticket, contact the park by phone at (606) 528-4121.
Monhollen stressed that, even if guests are not able to attend the Louisville Orchestra Performance, there will be plenty of other unique opportunities on the day of the show.
“We have taken the partnership with the orchestra, and expanded it into a full day of celebration of the arts in general,” Monhollen explained, adding that a local art show will also be offered from 3-8 p.m. inside the DuPont Lodge.
In addition to the art displays, the Lodge’s Riverview Restaurant will be offering an Appalachian-themed buffet dinner from 5-8 p.m.
“This is literally going to be the event of the year at Cumberland Falls State Park,” Monhollen said. “As we head toward shutting down the Lodge for the $10 million renovation project, I feel like we are really going out with a bang.”
Monhollen said the Lodge is scheduled to close its doors on Nov. 1 to begin undergoing the extensive planned renovation process. She said she plans to provide regular updates on that process via the park’s official Facebook page.
September is Arts Appreciation Month at the Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, with events like Ronnie Deaton’s Book Signing Event titled, “The Ghost Bride of Cumberland Falls” on Sept. 6 from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. at the Gift Shop, Robert Cook’s Trebors Woodshop on Sept. 13 from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. at the Gift Shop, the Louisville Orchestra Creators Corps on Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. at the Falls area, and LaDonna Durham Open Window Scents on Sept. 27 from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. at the Gift Shop.
About In Harmony
“In Harmony – the Commonwealth Tour of the Louisville Orchestra” began in 2022 when the organization was awarded $4.3 million by the Kentucky Legislature to build community and promote more equitable cultural and well-being throughout the Commonwealth, according to the LO’s news release.
Since 2022, the Louisville Orchestra has travelled to over 40 Kentucky counties, offering free performances.
The tour is made possible through a partnership with the Kentucky General Assembly in conjunction with the Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet, according to the news release. Additional support is provided by Eleanor Bingham Miller, Brook and Pam Smith, Lindy B. Street, and anonymous donors, according to the news release.
For more information on the Louisville Orchestra, visit their social media pages.
