The Central Kentucky Concert Band is a premier adult community concert band dedicated to bringing together talented wind and percussion musicians who share a passion for making music. The ensemble provides a welcoming and rewarding artistic outlet for adult musicians from diverse backgrounds, creating opportunities for lifelong musical growth, collaboration, and performance.

Committed to musical excellence, the CKCB presents a diverse repertoire spanning traditional wind band classics, contemporary compositions, pops concerts, and featured solo performances. Through engaging concerts and educational programming, the band strives to enrich the cultural life of Central Kentucky while inspiring audiences through the power of live music.

The Central Kentucky Concert Band fosters a community where musicians perform for the joy of music-making, build lasting friendships, and share exceptional musical experiences with audiences throughout the region.

The Central Kentucky Concert Band was founded in February 1976 by Peter Martin and Dennis Van Horn, who envisioned an ensemble for the many adult wind and percussion musicians who wished to continue performing after their school and collegiate years. As Peter Martin remarked in a 1976 interview with the Lexington Herald-Leader, the band was created for those who participate simply because of their love of music.

Originally established as the Bluegrass Concert Band, the organization was soon renamed the Central Kentucky Concert Band as its membership expanded beyond the Bluegrass region to include musicians from across the Commonwealth, as well as southern Ohio and West Virginia.

Over the past five decades, the CKCB has earned a reputation as one of Kentucky's premier adult concert bands. The ensemble has been supported throughout its history by organizations including the Kentucky Arts Council, LexArts, the Scott County Council of the Arts, Georgetown College, Asbury College, and Transylvania University.

The band has maintained an active performance schedule, presenting regular concert seasons, summer pops concerts, and performances featuring distinguished guest artists and accomplished musicians from within its own membership. Its repertoire has continually reflected the breadth of the concert band tradition, ranging from classic masterworks to contemporary compositions.

The Central Kentucky Concert Band is a member of the Association of Concert Bands and has been guided by a distinguished succession of conductors:

1976–1977: Peter Martin & Dennis Van Horn
1977–1979: Peter Martin
1979–1980: James Curnow
1980–1985: John Anderson
1985–1992: Ben Hawkins
1992–1993: Harry Clarke
1993–1994: Les Anderson
1994–2014: Peter LaRue
2014–2025: Ben Hawkins
2025-Present: Lawrence Spell

Today, the Central Kentucky Concert Band continues to build on its rich tradition of community music-making and artistic excellence, serving audiences and musicians throughout Central Kentucky and beyond.

• Performing Arts

The Central Kentucky Concert Band requests $5,000 to support one of its three free 2027 Summer Concerts, planned for the Moondance Amphitheater, if available, or a similar outdoor performance venue in Lexington, providing a free public performance featuring a diverse repertoire of concert band music.

The concert is expected to take place on July 10 or 11, 2027, pending venue availability. Because reservations at Moondance Amphitheater cannot be confirmed until February, the band is unable to guarantee the performance location at the time of this application. The band hopes to present the concert at Moondance and will select a comparable outdoor venue in Lexington if necessary. Regardless of the final venue, the concert will provide a free, high-quality cultural experience for the community, welcoming audiences of all ages to enjoy live music in an accessible outdoor setting. Performed by the band's volunteer musicians, the event will highlight the Central Kentucky Concert Band's commitment to providing meaningful arts experiences and expanding access to live performances throughout the Central Kentucky region.

Planning and implementation will include coordination with the selected venue, marketing and promotion, and all production logistics necessary to present a high-quality performance. Grant funds will be used primarily to support venue rental and related facility expenses, helping ensure the concert is professionally presented while remaining free and accessible to the public.

The 2027 Summer Concert at the Moondance Amphitheatre, if available, or a comparable outdoor venue, will increase access to high-quality live music by offering a free performance in a welcoming outdoor setting. The venue's visibility and accessibility make it an ideal location to engage both longtime supporters and first-time attendees, encouraging broader participation in the arts.

By presenting the concert in a prominent community setting, the Central Kentucky Concert Band will strengthen connections with audiences throughout the region while supporting the local arts community through a collaborative performance experience. The project also highlights the talent and dedication of the Central Kentucky Concert Band's volunteer musicians, demonstrating the value of lifelong participation in the performing arts and fostering continued appreciation for community-based music programs.

The band uses a variety of communication strategies to promote its programs and engage audiences throughout the region. The band's primary communication platforms include its website and Facebook page, where concert announcements, event details, and promotional materials are shared with current supporters and the broader community. The band also partners with Infinite Industries to support its digital presence and outreach efforts.

Additional promotion is achieved through printed concert programs, posters, and announcements of upcoming performances included in each concert's program. Word-of-mouth promotion from volunteer musicians, audience members, and community supporters remains an important tool for reaching new attendees. The band seeks to expand its audience through performances in accessible community venues, partnerships with local arts organizations, and collaboration with regional media and community partners.

The Central Kentucky Concert Band's target audience is broad and inclusive, encompassing individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of musical experience. The band seeks to engage anyone with an appreciation for live music, from longtime concert band supporters and music enthusiasts to families, students, and community members experiencing this type of performance for the first time.

Through accessible programming and diverse musical selections, the CKCB strives to create concerts that appeal to a wide range of listeners. Performances are designed to welcome both dedicated arts audiences and casual attendees, providing an opportunity for the entire community to experience the enjoyment, connection, and inspiration that live music can provide.

The band engages diverse artists by bringing together adult musicians from a wide variety of ages, backgrounds, professions, and life experiences. The ensemble is made up of individuals who share a passion for music while representing many different paths and perspectives. Members include college students, local music educators, lawyers, healthcare professionals, engineers, business owners, retirees, and individuals from many other professions.

The band also reflects the diversity of the Central Kentucky community itself. Some members have deep roots in Kentucky, while others have relocated from different states and joined the ensemble as a way to build connections and find a welcoming artistic community in their new home. Musicians of varying ages and levels of experience collaborate side-by-side, creating an inclusive environment where lifelong musicians, current students, and those returning to performance can contribute their talents.

The Central Kentucky Concert Band has a long history of collaborating with arts organizations, educational institutions, and community partners to support the growth of music and the performing arts throughout Central Kentucky. The organization has benefited from partnerships with the Kentucky Arts Council, LexArts, the Scott County Council of the Arts, Georgetown College, Asbury College, and Transylvania University.

Our most significant and ongoing partnership is with Transylvania University, which serves as the band's home base for weekly rehearsals and provides performance space for two of the band's annual concerts in the university's auditorium. This relationship fosters a strong connection between a community-based ensemble and a higher education institution, enabling both organizations to support and enhance music opportunities in the region.

The Central Kentucky Concert Band's director also serves as the band director at Transylvania University, creating additional opportunities for collaboration between the ensemble and university music programs. Transylvania students benefit from observing and participating in a larger adult wind ensemble setting, gaining valuable experience beyond traditional classroom instruction. Students have opportunities to experience the rehearsal and performance process of a community concert band and, when appropriate, participate in conducting opportunities that help prepare future music educators.

Through these partnerships, the Central Kentucky Concert Band strengthens the local arts community by connecting professional educators, college students, community musicians, and audiences.These collaborations provide meaningful opportunities for artistic development, mentorship, and engagement while strengthening the presence of wind band music throughout Central Kentucky.

The project goal is to provide a free, high-quality live music experience that connects musicians and audiences. This outdoor performance will showcase the ensemble’s artistic excellence while expanding access to the performing arts for community members of all ages.

The band brings together volunteer musicians from across the region who share a commitment to musical excellence, collaboration, and community engagement. This project provides an opportunity for these musicians to share their talents through a professionally presented performance while creating a welcoming and meaningful experience for audiences.

The project goals are to increase access to live music, expand awareness of the concert band tradition, and reach new audiences through an inviting performance setting. The concert celebrates community musicians of all ages and backgrounds while promoting lifelong participation in music, creativity, collaboration, and appreciation for the performing art.

The Central Kentucky Concert Band will evaluate the success of the 2027 Summer Concert through audience attendance, engagement, and community response. Attendance estimates will be collected to measure the reach of the performance and determine the effectiveness of outreach efforts in attracting audience members. As a benchmark for community interest, the band typically has over 100 people in attendance at performances. The 50th Anniversary Concert at the Lexington Opera House in spring 2026 was estimated to have attracted more than 300 attendees.

The band will track social media engagement related to the event, including post reach, interactions, shares, and audience responses, to assess community interest and awareness. The organization will also review promotional efforts, concert programs, photographs, and other event documentation to evaluate the effectiveness of communication strategies and audience engagement.

Audience feedback, when available, will be gathered through informal comments and word-of-mouth from attendees, musicians, and community members to better understand the impact of the concert. The band will also track donations collected at performances as an important measure of community support and the public’s investment in sustaining the organization’s free concert programs. Success will be measured by the band’s ability to provide a well-attended, accessible, and meaningful live music experience that connects the community with the performing arts.