February 6, 2025 - Everett McCorvey (Grand Night for Singing) [ENCORE]

Behind the Blue

LEXINGTON, Ky. (February 6, 2025) – [THIS IS AN ENCORE EPISODE] For over three decades, Everett McCorvey has been the driving force as director of UK Opera Theatre, which is part of the School of Music at the UK College of Fine Arts. The school has earned a national reputation for excellence in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as in music education, music therapy, composition, theory, and music history.

As the first African American to earn a doctoral degree in music from the University of Alabama, McCorvey is personally committed to creating opportunities for UK students from diverse backgrounds to thrive.

One of McCorvey’s most renowned projects is ‘It’s A Grand Night for Singing!’, a vibrant, high-energy musical showcase featuring hits from Broadway and beyond. Since its inception in 1992, ‘Grand Night’ has captivated audiences with its Emmy Award-winning performances, highlighting the best of Broadway both past and present.

On this episode of ‘Behind the Blue’, McCorvey shares insights into his upbringing in Montgomery, Alabama, the experiences that motivated him to pursue both performance and teaching and offers a preview of this year’s ‘Grand Night’ lineup.

Behind the Blue is available via a variety of podcast providers, including iTunes and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

Behind the Blue is a joint production of the University of Kentucky and UK HealthCare. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

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