About Lake Houston Musical Arts Society
Mission Statement
The Lake Houston Musical Arts Society seeks to enrich our community by providing high-quality artistic musical performances utilizing local and regional talent, enhancing the lives of its diverse audience members by encouraging a deeper appreciation for live classical and jazz music, supporting local educational institutions through service, collaboration, and fundraising, and serving as an artistic ambassador to communities beyond the Lake Houston area.
Vision Statement
The Lake Houston Musical Arts Society envisions a community that appreciates and supports the power of artistic expression and to that end will provide meaningful musical opportunities for local singers and instrumentalists through which they can continue their lifelong journey to explore the infinite possibilities of human expression.
History
Originally, the Kingwood Musical Arts Society (KMAS), The Lake Houston Musical Arts Society (LHMAS) provides funding for the Kingwood Chorale and Chamber Orchestra and the Kingwood Big Band. LHMAS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has been enriching the cultural arts of Lake Houston area with classical music events and chamber concerts since the formation of KMAS in 1988 by Founding Director, the late Dudley Cavenaugh.
At its inception, KMAS had a specific intent – to organize, educate, and train volunteer participants and the public in an awareness and appreciation of sacred and classical choral and instrumental music through direct participation, financial support, and/or audience participation at community concerts and to advance sacred and classical choral and instrumental music in the Kingwood/Humble area. With the addition of the Kingwood Big Band, the repertoire now includes music made famous by such Big Band-era luminaries as Duke Ellington, Harry James, Stan Kenton, Tommy Dorsey, and others.
Under the batons of Dr. Todd Miller and Dennis Eichler, and in residence at Lone Star College-Kingwood, the Chorale and Big Band are working together with the Arts Department to continue the tradition of providing excellent music for the community.
The Chorale has been featured several times on KUHF Classical Radio and has been professionally recorded. In March 2007, members of the Chorale traveled to New York as part of the Kingwood Area Grand Chorus of more than 160 local singers to perform Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore in the famed Carnegie Hall, with Dr. Miller conducting.
Also in 2007, the Big Band made their European debut, traveling to Italy (Rome and Assisi) and Switzerland, where they participated in the International Jazz Festival in Montreux. While in Rome, the band performed at the Mississippi Jazz Club, becoming part of the club’s 75-year-old history along with many of the jazz greats, including Bennie Golson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Miles Davis! In the summer of 2012, the Chorale traveled to the UK and Scotland representing our community and country in multiple performances. Membership in either of the performing ensembles is by audition. Membership in either of the performing ensembles is by audition.
In 2013, the KMAS Board of Directors approved a name change to the Lake Houston Musical Arts Society to expand our reach to a larger area.
