Kentucky Historical Society
String Musicians from the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music to Perform at KHS

FRANKFORT, KY. (Aug. 31, 2009)— Museum guests will be given the chance to enjoy the music and expertise of string musicians from the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music on Saturday, Sept. 5 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History in downtown Frankfort.

This story-to-song workshop is the last in a series of instrument workshops offered as part of “Made to be Played: Traditional Art of Kentucky Luthiers,” an exhibition dedicated to showcasing the art of people who make or repair stringed instruments. The exhibition is presented by the Kentucky Folklife Program, a partnership of the Kentucky Historical Society and the Kentucky Arts Council.

During the workshop, guests will enjoy performances by Don Rigsby, Jesse Wells and students from the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music. Patrons will be invited to join the fun with an introductory lesson and are encouraged to bring their own stringed instruments. This hands-on event is appropriate for all ages. 

Established in June 2000 in support of the cultural, educational and economic development missions of Morehead State University, the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music strives to preserve traditional music through the collection and display of artifacts, sponsorship of public programs of education and performance and the nurturing of musical artists and luthiers.

In addition to the hands-on workshops, a masters concert series accompanies the exhibition. The Fiddle Masters Concert will be held on Friday, Sept. 11.

“Made to be Played” features the rich and fascinating history of Kentucky luthiers—people who make or repair stringed instruments—and tells the stories of Kentucky master luthiers and their handcrafted guitars, fiddles, banjos, mandolins, dulcimers and other original stringed instruments. The exhibition will remain on display until closing festivities on Sept. 26.

Admission, which includes all exhibitions on the Kentucky Historical Society history campus, is $4 for adults, $2 for youth (6-18) and complimentary for children five and under. KHS members receive complimentary admission.

“Made to be Played” was developed through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and is on display thanks to the generosity of the Dupree family, in memory of Clara Galtney Dupree. The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Homer Ledford, a Kentucky luthier and musician who was renowned for the quality, beauty and uniqueness of his works.

To find out more about programming and artifacts related to “Made to be Played,” visit www.history.ky.gov/luthiers. 

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An agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, the Kentucky Historical Society, since 1836, has provided connections to the past, perspective on the present and inspiration for the future. KHS operates the Old State Capitol, the Kentucky Military History Museum and its headquarters, the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History.  Since 1999, the thirty-million-dollar Center has welcomed more than one million visitors. For more information about the Kentucky Historical Society and its programs, visit the Web site at www.history.ky.gov.