“25 years sure have gone by fast,” said Orchestra Kentucky Founding Music Director and Arts of Southern Kentucky President and CEO Jeffrey Reed. “When I started Orchestra Kentucky as a chamber ensemble with a few close friends, I could not imagine what it would become and how this generous community would embrace and nurture it. I am grateful beyond words and hope that our 25th season lives up to the artistic vision we established long ago — to provide something for everyone.”
Origins of Orchestra Kentucky
Orchestra Kentucky was founded in the summer of 2000 with no funds and just a vision of two friends, Jeff Reed and Mike Thurman. Both are musicians who saw the need in the Bowling Green community for an orchestra of professionals. They contacted several friends, some who were musicians — some not — and met several times to discuss the possibility of starting an orchestra.
Those friends were Duncan McKenzie, Evan Walters, Chuck and Janet Smith, and Greg and Helen Motter. The decision was made to organize and start an orchestra with Jeff Reed as music director. Mike was elected president. Chuck was elected treasurer and Helen secretary. The group chose the name Bowling Green Chamber Orchestra to reflect its small size. On Jan. 22, 2009, the group was renamed Orchestra Kentucky to reflect its larger size and increasing reach into the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Local musicians were contacted and rehearsed every Monday evening for several weeks at Royal Music Company before the first concert on Sept. 11, 2000. The first concert was presented at Christ Episcopal Church in Bowling Green. Approximately 150 people attended the concert, which included the music of Wagner, Handel, and Mozart. Two businesses contributed enough money to get the group started (Republic Bank and Jim Johnson), but several musicians agreed to play without being paid. Enough funding was found to take the group through the first season, a constitution was written, the orchestra was incorporated, 501(c)(3) status was obtained, goals were set, and the orchestra was on its way.
A milestone in the orchestra’s history was the decision to present a rock band and vocalists with the orchestra. Jeff organized a group of local rock musicians, later named The Rewinders, and had Pam Thurman and Chuck Smith transcribe the orchestral parts. The first concert of Beatles hits sold 450 tickets, with nearly 2,000 tickets sold in the sixth year of the show. New shows have been added since then.
Excerpts from WNKY Weather Chief Chris Allen interview with Orchestra Kentucky Founding Music Director Jeff Reed.
Tell us how Orchestra Kentucky began.
“We gave our first concert at Christ Episcopal. It was sold out, and we quickly had to move to Living Hope, and we filled that. And then we went to Van Meter and the Capitol, and then finally with SKyPAC — this is our home.”
When you started Orchestra Kentucky, did you have any idea what it would become?
“I did not envision it being this successful. My life has been a fairy tale for somebody who wanted to be a conductor. When I was taking seventh grade music class in Wabash, Indiana, we did a unit on conducting. The teacher taught us the conducting patterns, and I said, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ I thought I would end up being a high school band director. There’s nothing wrong with that — you can impact a lot of students’ lives through teaching. I thought Orchestra Kentucky would be a nice little community group that would have a few followers. It’s turned into a thousand subscribers, and me getting to conduct with some remarkably talented people. It’s been a dream, and I’m very thankful for that.”
Which concerts stand out the most to you?
“The first Beatlemadness concert was important. That was the thing we did that first got the community’s attention and got us some recognition. The other was 9/11. We did a free patriotic concert, and I think that was the moment when the community came together and saw us in a different light. I was thinking the other day about Jimmy Webb — one of the greatest songwriters in history — was here. I got to spend a few days with him. What a genius. Glen Campbell — Neil Sedaka, who took me to Europe and all over the United States as a conductor. The main joy that I’ve gotten out of it is entertaining audiences. When you look out over the theater, and you see people genuinely enjoying themselves — that is the payoff.”
What about the future?
“Eventually, I see myself handing the baton off to someone much more talented than I am who can take it to another level — someone who is a community member and conscious of the need to be part of the community. I see everything continuing to grow. If you’re not growing, you’re dying. There is no such thing as the status quo, I don’t believe in the arts. Onward and upward — that’s where I want to go.” GN
