BLINK IN THE BALLROOM

BLINK is back! From October 13 to 16, 2022, Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky will once again be the setting for the nation’s largest light, art and projection-mapping experience. Artists from around the globe will fill thirty city blocks with astounding art installations. 

Music Hall will be aglow too! The acclaimed Rose Window will be lit using new technology, while BLINK in the Ballroom, presented by Friends of Music Hall and Cincinnati Arts Association, will showcase the talented theater organist, Trent Sims, playing a medley of new and classic songs on the 1927 Mighty Wurlitzer Organ from 7 - 10 p.m. each night. Guests will also experience two remarkable Music Hall models – one built of LEGO® bricks by Cincinnati-resident Mark Clark and one made with botanical materials by Applied Imagination in Alexandria, KY, which will later be displayed at Krohn Conservatory’s annual holiday exhibit. 

The event is free and open to the public. No ticket or reservation is required. Concessions will be available for purchase and restrooms will be open. Stop by BLINK in the Ballroom before or after a performance of CSO Proof: SunDogs in Springer Auditorium. 

L to R. FMH Board members Alex Lucke, Peter Koenig, Thea Tjepkema and Laura, Stephanie and Ava with Applied Imagination

Prior to the pandemic, Owen Lee, principal base player in the CSO, contacted his friend, FMH board president, Peter Koenig, about this lack of representation. “Music Hall was embarrassingly and conspicuously absent from the Krohn Conservatory’s holiday display,” says Peter. “And that is why I’m so happy we are doing it now. Making up for lost time. It will be spectacular!” 

Thanks to Peter’s leadership and the work of Mindy Rosen, FMH executive director, and Thea Tjepkema, FMH archivist, the team at Northern Kentucky’s Applied Imagination, a thirty-year-old company founded by Paul Busse and now run by his daughter, Laura Busse Dolan, is currently at work on Music Hall in miniature. 

Recently, FMH board members viewed the model in progress. Set down amidst a sprawling and botanical real display of its own sits the workshop of Applied Imagination. Inside, fantastical pollinating creatures, lizards, and windmills, come to life thanks to seed pods, nut shells, barks, and moss. On the shelves, the other buildings for the Krohn display await their return. But most notably, an 8-feet long model of Music Hall, decorated with many elements of nature, sprawls across a table. Board members were treated to conversations with the artisans, and a better understanding of how they bring this magic to our city, and to other attractions across the country, such as the Biltmore and Washington D.C., every year. 

With funding provided by Friends of Music Hall, this December, our entire region will have the opportunity to see the work firsthand. Peter says, “I’m so happy we are doing it now. Making up for lost time. It will be spectacular!” Be sure to set aside time for the latest addition to the Krohn Conservatory annual show. Or, become a member today, and receive an invitation for a private showing of this marvelous and necessary contribution to one of our city’s most beloved traditions.  

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INDOOR TOURS OF MUSIC HALL

Book a tour of Music Hall today. Led by knowledgeable guides, the 75-minute tour goes behind-the scenes in this magnificent National Historic Landmark building. Tours are offered throughout the week.