Western Piedmont Symphony Presents The Clarinet Queen Of New Orleans Doreen Ketchens

Western Piedmont Symphony will present MASTERWORKS: SYMPHONY SWINGS on Saturday, February 22, featuring guest artist Dr. Doreen Ketchens, the "Clarinet Queen of New Orleans."

This season, the regional professional orchestra celebrates 60 years of music in the foothills of western North Carolina with more than seventeen concerts featuring music from across the centuries, from Bach to Beethoven, Stravinsky to Ravel, Gershwin to Ellington, and more.

This MASTERWORKS concert celebrates some of the greatest award-winning American composers of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Leonard Bernstein, Duke Ellington, and Jessie Montgomery. All of these composers were influenced by Jazz, which is America's most important musical contribution. This is where the Symphony meets swing and the sounds of New Orleans with the amazing clarinet and vocal artistry of Dr. Doreen Ketchens, performing classic American songs "Amazing Grace," "Basin Street Blues," "Caravan," "When the Saints Come Marchin' In," and more.

"Doreen Ketchens is an American treasure. Her unique and virtuosic performances place her in a category all her own," noted WPS music director Matthew Troy. "I hope to see the entire Hickory and Catawba Valley community supporting this amazing artist bringing her talents to our region and state."

MASTERWORKS tickets are $20, $30, $40, $50 for adults, and $10 for students with valid ID. Concert start time is 7:30 p.m. To purchase tickets, visit wpsymphony.org, call 828.324.8603, or visit the WPS Box Office, located on the SALT Block at 243 Third Avenue NE, Hickory, NC, 28601. Box Office hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Wed. - Fri. P.E. Monroe Auditorium is located at 775 6th St. NE, Hickory, NC 28601 (on the campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University).

Please note: All programs, artists, venues, prices, and dates are subject to change.

About the artist:

Dr. Doreen Ketchens is a clarinetist who performs traditional jazz music. She has been called "Lady Louie", "Miss Satchmo" and "The female Louis Armstrong" for her virtuosity, personality, and commitment to traditional jazz music. She has performed in concert halls, music festivals, and U.S. embassies and has nearly 35 years of weekly performing experience in the French Quarter of New Orleans at the Royal Street Performing Arts Zone with her band "Doreen's Jazz New Orleans." She has performed for four U.S. presidents and has been described by Nola.com as one of the cultural ambassadors of New Orleans traditional music. A pioneer for women in the music scene around New Orleans, Dr. Ketchens was one of the first female bandleaders and music educators in and around the city. Dr. Ketchens has performed with Ellis Marsalis, John Faddis, and Trombone Shorty, to name a few. As a featured soloist, Dr. Ketchens has performed with the University of Mississippi Wind Ensemble, Michigan State University Wind Ensemble, University of Texas at Austin Wind Ensemble and Marching Band, and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.

Classically trained, Dr. Doreen Ketchens attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) before enrolling in music programs at Delgado Community College, Loyola University, and, eventually, the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Connecticut. After the passing of her father-in-law, Dr. Ketchens moved back to New Orleans and began playing traditional jazz with her husband, the late tubist Dr. Lawrence Ketchens. She immersed herself in the traditional jazz she grew up around, learning tunes and solos by the greats of that music and gigging with her band 12 hours a day, 4 days a week. Dr. Ketchens' extensive classical training combines with her passion for and expertise in traditional jazz music in unique and exhilarating ways, thrilling audiences around the globe.

About Western Piedmont Symphony:

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