Kimberly Powell, host and producer of Performance Oklahoma, has been selected by the Oklahoma Arts Council as a recipient of the 2013 Governor’s Arts Awards, Media in the Arts category, for her contributions to the Oklahoma arts community.
Kimberly will receive the award along with sixteen individual recipients and two organizations being honored at the 38th Annual Governor’s Arts Awards ceremony Nov. 13 at the state Capitol.
This award is the third Governor’s Arts Award to be presented to KCSC 90.1 FM, Oklahoma City's premiere classical music public radio station. She is KCSC’s mid-day host, Director of Production and Syndication.
Kimberly will be recognized largely for her development of “Performance Oklahoma,” KCSC’s weekly radio broadcast showcasing concerts and recitals presented across the state, which airs Wednesday evenings in Oklahoma City and Saturday evenings from 8-10 p.m. on Public Radio Tulsa’s Classical 88.7-1 KWTU.
The program features the Oklahoma City Philharmonic’s Classics Series and performances from the OK Mozart International Festival, Armstrong Auditorium, Brightmusic Society of Oklahoma, Chamber Music in Oklahoma, Canterbury Choral Society, and guest artist series offered at Oklahoma colleges and universities, including the University of Central Oklahoma, KCSC’s licensee.
This past year Kimberly added concerts from Chamber Music Tulsa and Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Musical Arts Series, offered two new breakout series, “OK Youth in Classical” and “Community!” and will host Tulsa Opera’s 2013-14 productions in three special broadcasts.
“In the more than five years Kimberly has been with KCSC, she has forged a new standard of quality for local programming and established strong ties between the radio station and performing arts organizations state-wide,” said KCSC General Manager Brad Ferguson. “We are proud of her work and excited that she is receiving this award from the State of Oklahoma, recognition she truly deserves.”
Kimberly grew up in Oklahoma City and earned her bachelor and master degrees in music from Northwestern University. She worked for 25 years as a professional collaborative pianist and coach, appearing with artists and performers in concerts across the United States and on American Public Media’s “Performance Today.”
“Our station has long assumed a leadership role in supporting and promoting the fine arts throughout Oklahoma communities,” Kimberly said. “I am inspired to continue this tradition in all that I do and honored to be recognized for an endeavor central to the core of KCSC’s mission.”