For nearly 40 years, the Lake Houston Musical Arts Society has cultivated the talent of local aspiring musicians, while simultaneously making world-class performances accessible to the Kingwood community.
The framework
Originally founded as the Kingwood Musical Arts Society in 1988 by Dudley and Melanie Cavanaugh, LHMAS serves as the sponsor organization for the Kingwood Chorale—also founded in 1988—and the Kingwood Jazz Orchestra, which was founded in 2004 as the Kingwood Big Band.
Made up of both community musicians and student musicians, the Kingwood Chorale has about 80-100 members, while the Kingwood Jazz Orchestra has 18 members. The groups each typically have one 2.5-hour rehearsal per week and have one major performance each semester, though officials noted additional performances through collaborations with other groups often occur.
“We try to make this as rich of an experience as we possibly can that’s still accessible to community members with lives other than playing [music] and singing,” said Dennis Eichler, Kingwood Jazz Orchestra conductor and adjunct professor at Lone Star College-Kingwood.
Behind the scenes, the LHMAS provides the funding and logistics needed for both groups to perform, while also fostering opportunities for local student musicians.
The impact
In 1996, the LHMAS formed a partnership with LSC-Kingwood to not only include students in performances, but to also further their education through scholarships. Over the past 30 years, officials said the organization has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships.
“We wanted to give back so we developed that scholarship program, which I think has been a very big success in bringing really top-notch young musicians to the college and by extension to the Chorale and to the Jazz Orchestra,” said Jim Stubbs, LHMAS chair and retired music faculty and dean of Arts & Humanities at LSC-Kingwood.
In addition to the scholarship program, LHMAS also supports high school and college student musicians by funding camps and clinics hosted by guest artists.
How it works
While performances by the Kingwood Chorale and Kingwood Jazz Orchestra are ticketed events, Stubbs said they try to keep prices as affordable as possible, offering discounts to both students and seniors. As a result, ticket sales only cover about 25% of the organization’s expenses.
“We want to make it as accessible as we can,” Stubb said. “We’re very, very proud to have developed these groups to the level that we think they’re comparable to what you drive downtown for, but it’s our hometown.”
Stubbs noted the organizations rely heavily on program advertising and patron donations to cover the remaining costs. Additionally, group leaders said they’re thankful for volunteers from the Kingwood Women’s Club that provide front-of-house support during performances, as well as neighboring churches, such as Strawbridge United Methodist Church and First Presbyterian Church Kingwood, that often serve as performance venues.
Stay tuned
Nearly 40 years after its founding, LHMAS leaders said they’re looking forward to continued growth and an upcoming season filled with collaboration with groups such as the Texas Medical Center Orchestra and the Texarkana Regional Chorale. Additionally, guest artists this season will include soprano Nancy Curtis and saxophonists Rick Condit and Eric Marienthal.
“Music is a gift to the world, and I think the mark of a good society is to have music around, not just in a church setting, but in our community and that’s really why the LHMAS exists ... for the betterment of the community,” said Todd Miller, Kingwood Chorale conductor and chair of the Music Department at LSC-Kingwood.
