Keep Louisville Symphonic Plans Third Concert

The Keep Louisville Symphonic organization will have its third concert this weekend.KLS was founded by the members of the Louisville Orchestra, which is currently undergoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The organization is meant to show that there is support for a 71-member orchestra, despite requests by orchestra management to trim the official ensemble by several members to cut costs.The last two KLS concerts have been fundraisers for the group, but proceeds from Saturday's event will go to tsunami and earthquake relief in Japan. The previous concerts were also full orchestra performances, but spokesperson Donna Parkes says the next concert will feature smaller chamber ensembles made up of orchestra musicians."This [the tsunami] was an event, obviously, that no one foresaw and something that we wanted to respond to quickly. To do that, to put on a full symphony concert, takes a great deal of organizing and time. This was our way to respond as quickly as we could to the crisis and try to raise some funds for those in need," she says.Parkes says there will likely be a full symphony performance later in April and two in May.The orchestra management must submit a financial reorganization plan in court by the end of May. That's when the musicians' contract expires. Parkes says the musicians are still being paid with a grant from the ensemble's endowment.