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Harlan County High School is set to be the location of a rare musical event in Harlan County. The Louisville Orchestra will perform at the facility on May 19.

Harlan County Schools Superintendent Brent Roark mentioned the upcoming concert during a recent Harlan County School Board meeting.

“That’s going to be a big day for Harlan County and a big day for our performing arts department,” Roark said. “We’ve never had anything of that magnitude at Harlan County High School.”

According to a news release, the Louisville Orchestra is bringing its “In Harmony” tour of the commonwealth of Kentucky to HCHS for a concert to be performed free to the public. The performance will feature special solos by Tessa Lark.

The material to be performed by the Louisville Orchestra will consist primarily of works that appeal to audiences of all ages and tastes in music while also shining a light on the rich musical heritage of Kentucky. The concert will additionally feature homegrown Kentucky performers and compositions at each venue on tour.

Once the performance is completed, the Louisville Orchestra musicians will be available to meet the audience and discuss “exploring the arts through musical and educational collaborations,” states the release.

The Louisville Orchestra’s website, www.louisvilleorchestra.org, explains the “In Harmony” tour is a two-year undertaking kicking off in May. The historic trek is intended to bring orchestra musicians to dozens of communities across Kentucky. The tour is designed to bring an artistic and economic boost to all parts of the state and provide an exciting orchestra concert experience for those who attend.

Along with Harlan, the tour has scheduled performances in other Kentucky communities, including Prestonsburg on May 17, Pikeville on May 18, then on to Ashland on July 18, Newport on July 11, Glasgow on July 12, Somerset on July 13, and Bardstown on July 16.

The orchestra’s website states it was founded in 1937 through the efforts of Dann C. Byck, Sr., and Mary Helen Byck and other business leaders following a devastating flood in the Louisville area. That same year, Robert Whitney was invited to conduct the orchestra, then known as the Louisville Philharmonic.

The Louisville Orchestra concert at Harlan High School is free of charge.

To obtain tickets, go to www.my.louisvilleorchestra.org/ky-tour-may/harlan-county-high-school

For more information on the Louisville Orchestra, go to www.louisvilleorchestra.org.