LOUISVILLE, KY (WHAS11) – It’s gone under a few different names in its history; but, in one form or another the Louisville Civic Orchestra has been bringing passions together and music to the masses in Kentuckiana for more than a century. This weekend, the group will kick off its 2018-2019 season with Beethoven’s 7th Symphony.
The magic of the group, if you ask its members, comes from its diversity. Drop in on a performance or a rehearsal, and you’ll find players from every age range, race, and background. And they’re definitely not vulnerable to accusations of greed—they’re all volunteer, and they give the tickets away for free.
“People come to play because they love to play,” said artistic director Jason Ruff. “They want that outlet, and they want to express something beautiful to their community.”
Joining the Louisville Civic Orchestra for its performance of Beethoven’s 7th is violinist Andrew Sords. His career has taken him across the globe, into concert halls in Australia, Guatemala, Scotland, and more. Dropping by Louisville, though, brings him close to his roots—he hails originally from Ohio—and he said he was instrumental (pun intended) in picking the repertoire for the concert.
“Beethoven sort of thrusts you into this alternative world for the 42 minutes of the piece,” Sords said of the score. “You have the entire range of human emotions.
“When the audience comes, for 45 minutes, if they forget what’s going on in the rest of their day then we’ve done our job.”
The Louisville Civic Orchestra’s performance of Beethoven’s 7th Symphony is Saturday, October 20, 2018 at 7:00 PM at the Holy Spirit Church on Lexington Road. Tickets are free, but those planning to attend are encouraged to register online ahead of time on the orchestra’s website.
►Contact reporter Rob Harris at rjharris@whas11.com. Follow him on Twitter (@robharristv) and Facebook.