Public performances, meet-and-greet to be held during four-day residency
Doreen Ketchens
The University of Central Arkansas will host internationally celebrated jazz clarinetist Doreen Ketchens for a four-day residency Thursday, Oct. 1, through Sunday, Oct. 4, with events showcasing her mastery of Dixieland and traditional jazz and her work as a performer and educator.
âWe are so fortunate to have the opportunity to host the âQueen of Clarinetâ â Ms. Doreen Ketchens,â Dominic Talanca, associate professor and director of bands, Department of Music, said. âDon’t miss your chance to experience a performance by the BTÌìÌĂWind Ensemble featuring this American icon who has made her mark in music, television and film.â
Ketchensâ residency will feature a series of student-focused events, including a session with the Studio Jazz Ensemble, a clarinet master class and an open rehearsal with the BTÌìÌĂWind Ensemble. The residency will also include a public performance and meet-and-greet in downtown Conway, as well as a public concert featuring Ketchens as guest soloist with the BTÌìÌĂWind Ensemble. All events are located on or near the BTÌìÌĂcampus, open to the public and free of charge.
The full schedule for Ketchensâ residency is as follows:
- Thursday, Oct. 1, 12:15 p.m. â Student Event: Session with Studio Jazz Ensemble, Recital Hall, Snow Fine Arts Center.
- Friday, Oct. 2, 11 a.m. â Student Event: Clarinet Master Class, Concert Hall, Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts.
- Friday, Oct. 2, 2:30 p.m. â Student Event: Open Rehearsal with Wind Ensemble, Concert Hall, Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts.
- Friday, Oct. 2, 5:45 p.m. â Public Event: Performance and Meet-and-Greet, âNeighbors, An Art Show,â The Brick Room, 1020 Front St., Conway. This event is presented in collaboration with Engage Managementâs annual community art exhibition and Create Conwayâs October Art Walk.
- Sunday, Oct. 4, 5 p.m. â Public Event: BTÌìÌĂWind Ensemble in Concert Featuring Guest Soloist Doreen Ketchens, Concert Hall, Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 2150 Bruce Street. While this is a free event, reservations are required. Tickets are available at uca.edu/go/doreenketchens.
Born in New Orleansâ historic TremĂ© neighborhood, Doreen Ketchens is an internationally celebrated jazz clarinetist renowned for her mastery of Dixieland, or traditional jazz, with a vibrant style that emerged in the early 20th century. She has often been called âLady Louie,â âMiss Satchmoâ and âThe Female Louis Armstrong,â and Ketchens channels Armstrongâs virtuosity, charisma and exuberant stage presence while forging a musical voice entirely her own.
Her performances combine extraordinary technical skill, emotional depth and infectious energy. Equally at home in gospel, blues, R&B, classical music and jazz, Ketchens brings remarkable versatility to the clarinet. Her work has appeared in HBOâs âTreme,â Comedy Centralâs âDrunk History,â Tyler Perryâs âTemptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor,â âJimmy Kimmel Live!â, and âCBS News Sunday Morning.â A recent Instagram video of Ketchens performing âYou Are My Sunshineâ for her grandchildren received more than 18 million views.
More information about the residency is available by contacting Talanca at dtalanca@uca.edu.
The BTÌìÌĂArtists in Residence program is funded by the Fine and Performing Arts Fee paid by all students, with additional support from Engage Management and Pyramid Art, Books, and Custom Framing. More information about the Artists in Residence program is available at uca.edu/go/artistsinresidence or by contacting Dr. Gayle Seymour, associate dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, at gayles@uca.edu.