Tim King has come out of retirement twice to support the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra. King, currently the Executive Director of the orchestra, is from Central Kentucky and received his bachelor’s degree in music education from Eastern Kentucky University and his Master of Music degree from the University of Louisville.
“In Louisville, Kentucky, I was an educator for a while and I was involved with the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts for several years. Then, I was with the Louisville Orchestra for 13 years, and for five of those years, I was executive director of the orchestra,” King said. “I spent 32 years between music education and arts administration in Louisville, Kentucky in my last position before I retired to come up here. I was director of Performing Arts for the Jefferson County Public School System.”
King retired in 2011 and moved to La Porte County with his husband, Kevin Nolan, to get away from the hot Kentucky summers. When he got to the area, he wanted to ensure he attended an orchestra but expected to have to go to South Bend.
“Having been with the orchestra in Louisville for so long, I wanted to make sure that I attended an orchestra somewhere but I really thought I'd be going to South Bend. I didn't even know La Porte County had a symphony,” King said.
In January of 2013, King met longtime supporters of the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra, Leigh and Marcia Morris, and Michael Drayton. These three community members found out about King’s old profession, reached out to him, and encouraged him to attend the orchestra.
“I was impressed with the sound because the budget size is relatively small compared to others, but the quality of the orchestra was much much higher than what they were getting paid. So I became a volunteer with the orchestra and enjoyed it very much,” King said. “In 2015, their executive director resigned and so they asked me to step in and I did so for nine months.”
Three years after King stepped in for the first time, he was asked to do so again. He agreed to help out for six months, but six months ended up turning into four and a half years because of an ongoing music director search, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the orchestra’s 50th anniversary.
“I handled the majority of the music director search and then of course the pandemic happened. I thought, ‘Well, I can't leave now.’ We did hire a new music director named Dr. Carolyn Watson and we are thrilled with her. Once Carolyn was hired, it dawned on me that the 50th anniversary of the orchestra is next season, which will go from August 2022 to July 2023,” King said. “I thought, ‘Well, I can't leave now, the big anniversary is coming up.’ So, I have told the board that I will stay through the end of the 50th anniversary. We're planning lots of wonderful concerts and activities for that. But, July 31 of 2023 is when I am going to return to retirement.”
King explained what a milestone this anniversary is for the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra. He explained that typically, orchestras begin to be supported once a population reaches at least a quarter or half a million people. As of 2019, LaPorte County has a population of just below 110,000 people.
“It really is a credit to La Porte County that they have supported an orchestra for the fast past 50 years. We really want to celebrate that this coming August and all through the next season, so I want to stick around for that. Then, of course, after I leave, I'm not going anywhere. I'm still here, so I’ll still be a committed volunteer and help them out any way I can,” King said.
Being in the music industry is not just a career. King emphasized the passion that comes along with being a musician and explained that the reason he will always be involved in the orchestra is because of that passion.
“Music is a passion. It's almost like you don't have a choice. People who aren't musicians don't quite get it. It's not a choice to be a musician, it's a life calling practically,” King said. “The orchestra was a way for me to stay in the field because, lots of times people get a degree in something and then they go into it and they think, ‘Oh, this isn't what I want to do,’ so they do something else instead. I feel really lucky that I was able to stay in the music field. Plus, I get to hear great music all the time.”
For more information about the LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra, visit www.lcso.net.