The Kinnor Philharmonic, Kansas City’s Jewish orchestra, announces that the orchestral group will become an “Artist-in-Residence” at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City, beginning in 2017. Beginning with a New Year’s concert, Kinnor’s performances will be held at the Lewis and Shirley White Theatre, on the Jewish Community Campus. All tickets will be sold with assigned seats through the Box Office at The Jewish Community Center, “The J.”
For the past five years, Kinnor has performed at Congregation Beth Torah. The final performance at this venue will be Sunday, June 26.
This new partnership reflects Kinnor’s success in the community, according to Robin Onikul, Kinnor co-founder and board president, who noted that Kinnor now regularly attracts more than 400 patrons to each concert.
“We have grown to the point where we need professional Box Office management,” said Onikul, who has been handling the ticketing. “The Jewish Community Center is really the perfect home for our community’s Jewish orchestra, and we are thrilled that the two organizations can come together to bring our musical offerings to an even larger audience.”
“We are delighted to bring Kinnor into The J as an Artist-in-Residence,” said Tabitha Schmidt, director of cultural arts. “This new partnership is one more way The J is deepening our commitment to bringing top-notch Jewish cultural arts offerings to our community.”
Kinnor was the brainchild of Onikul, who contacted her friend and music director Chris Kelts to plan an orchestra that would fill a void in this community. Kinnor Philharmonic grew out of this meeting and many subsequent ones. The name Kinnor was chosen from Psalm 150. The word “Kinnor” in Hebrew means a stringed instrument such as a harp, lyre or violin.
Kinnor’s board of directors was founded six years ago with a passionate group of committed volunteers, to make Kinnor a reality and to provide visibility, a sense of pride and cultural and artistic unification to the Kansas City Jewish community, as they share this heritage with the entire metropolitan area.
When Kinnor was formed, there were only three symphonic Jewish orchestras in the United States — the L.A. Jewish Symphony, the Portland Jewish Community Orchestra and the Jewish Chamber Orchestra in Boston. As a result, Kansas City’s Jewish community lacked opportunities to appreciate and learn about our rich musical traditions, and the rest of the Kansas City community wasn’t afforded the platform to appreciate this music within its cultural context. Kinnor was formed to bring musical performances to the Kansas City community in an accessible format that showcases the rich diversity of Jewish culture, so that audiences of all ages and all faith traditions can enjoy this important aspect of Jewish heritage.
Kinnor’s first public performance, on January 1, 2012, was highly successful. More than 300 people gathered on New Year’s Day to enjoy an afternoon of classical music interspersed with Broadway show tunes. For the past five years, and moving forward, Kinnor will welcome in the New Year with an afternoon of music on New Year’s Day at the Lewis and Shirley White Theatre. The 2017 schedule includes two performances: one on Sunday, January 1, 2017, and another on Sunday, June 11, 2017. The orchestra looks forward to an even larger audience at the new location.
The 60-member orchestra, comprised of local Jewish and non-Jewish professional and semi-professional musicians, is conducted by Kelts, assistant professor of music and director of orchestral studies at Missouri State University, and former conductor of the Kansas City Civic Orchestra.
“We are very grateful for the long-term hospitality of Congregation Beth Torah and the loyalty of our audience,” said Kelts. “And we are very excited about the prospect of growing even larger with the help and support of our new partners at The J.”
The J is equally enthusiastic and honored to collaborate with Kinnor and to provide a beautiful new venue for its concerts.
“The White Theatre has a tradition of bringing professional and innovative performances to our stage at The J,” said Ace Allen, board chair for the Jewish Community Center. “We believe our members and guests will agree that this is a perfect complement to our wide-ranging variety of artistic and cultural programming at The J.”
President and CEO Jim Sluyter concurs: “The J’s White Theatre is a place that is often filled with music of all genres. Now, as we add Kinnor to our mix, we will be offering even more vibrancy and cultural enlightenment within this exquisite venue.”
Kinnor will continue to be an independent 501(c)3 arts agency, and its “Chai Club” members who provide financial support to the orchestra will continue to receive the same benefits, including complimentary tickets to Kinnor performances.
