Young at Heart Big Band
Tuesday, December 2
Noon – 1 pm
Boyle County Performing Arts Center
Art Center of the Bluegrass will welcome back the Young at Heart Big Band as part of its Lunch with the Arts series on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at the Boyle County Performing Arts Center. The concert begins at noon. Admission is $10, with proceeds supporting educational and free community arts programming at the Art Center.
Based in the Lexington area, the Young at Heart Big Band performs throughout Central Kentucky, introducing audiences to the classic sounds of swing-era big band music. Their holiday concerts feature familiar tunes that will get you into the spirit of the season!
The group began in 1980 as part of the Donovan Scholars Program at the University of Kentucky under the direction of Dr. Jessica Davidson. Originally including a chorus and folk music ensemble, the band left the Donovan Program in 1989 and reorganized as the Davidson Senior Music Group of Central Kentucky. In 2001, it became the Young at Heart Jazz Band, continuing its mission to share big band music with audiences across the region. Dr. Davidson, a dedicated pianist and director, left the program due to illness and moved to Texas to be near family.
The Young at Heart Big Band includes 16 to 20 senior musicians who perform at nursing homes, veteran centers, churches, schools, civic events, and charity fundraisers. The average age of the band’s members is 80. The band has entertained audiences at more than 120 venues, playing 30 to 40 times each year. All members are volunteers. Funds raised by the band are used to provide instruments for young musicians in area schools and to support other youth music initiatives.
In 2005, the Bluegrass Area Jazz Association honored the group with its first-ever Community Service Award. The band has also been featured at the Norton Center for the Arts and received the Friend of Music Award from District Seven of the Kentucky Music Educators Association. In 2015, it was nominated for Best Big Band by the Lexington Music Awards.
Discounts for groups, seniors, and students are available by calling 859-236-4054.