Kansas News -

 Location of 2010 Symphony in the Flint Hills Announced
Texas/Kansas Rancher to Share Private Land with the Public
Jan. 13, 2010, Topeka, Kan., … Edward Bass, a rancher with extensive interests in Texas and Kansas, will host the fifth anniversary of the Symphony in the Flint Hills on his picturesque tallgrass pasture in Chase County.

“The Flint Hills are blessed with some of the most magical, natural landscapes of our continent,” said Bass. “Most of the time it’s only a small band of cowboys that get to experience their full beauty though. The Symphony in the Flint Hills will allow several thousand people to become immersed in a remarkable nature setting enhanced by a celebration of musical arts. I am enormously proud to help make this happen.”

Bass’ “South Clements Pasture” is seven miles south of Cottonwood Falls and eight miles west of Bazaar. This is the first time Bass’s ranchlands have been open to the public.

“We appreciate Ed Bass opening his property to 7,000 enthusiasts of nature and the arts,” said Emily Hunter, executive director of the Symphony in the Flint Hills. “This land provides spectacular prairie vistas just as! they would have appeared over 8,000 years ago. It is a truly magnificent location – perfect for our fifth anniversary of celebrating the Flint Hills.”

The fifth anniversary also marks the fifth year in a row that the governor of Kansas has served as the event’s honorary chair. In keeping with tradition, the Kansas City Symphony will also be back for a fifth year to perform the sunset concert and UMB returns for a third year as a major presenting sponsor. One element that changes each year, however, is the theme. This year, the symphony has selected “Ranching on the Tallgrass Prairie” as the theme.

“Good ranching is integral to the continuation of the tallgrass prairie, and we will emphasize this in a number of ways during the event – from the location of the event to the afternoo! n presentations featuring ranchers talking about present-day ranching life to Flint Hills cowboys riding herd,” said Hunter.

Historically cattle trails, then railroads and now highways have brought Texas cattle to the lush grasslands of the Kansas Flint Hills. Bass will join local ranchers in telling the story of how cattle grazing on the unique tallgrass prairies of the region has evolved over a period of 150 years to incorporate sustainable practices that emulate the natural migrations of the bison herds that once populated America’s heartland.

While event organizers are committed to telling the story of the Flint Hills through the event, they also focus on helping the local economy. More than 7,000 people will visit Chase County the day of the symphony – more than tripling the resident population. Of the $3 million that will have been spent over five years producing the concert series, 74 percent will have gone di! rectly to Flint Hills’ rural enterprises and services.

The 2010 Symphony in the Flint Hills will be held on Sat., June 12, 2010. Tickets are $63 and will go on sale March 8. To learn more about the event, or to sign up to receive an e-mail about where to purchase tickets, visit www.symphonyintheflinthills.org.


About the Symphony in the Flint Hills
The Symphony in the Flint Hills is an annual outdoor concert series that debuted in June 2006 and has sold out every year since. The symphony moves each year to a different site in the Flint Hills, providing an opportunity for the public to visit private ranchland. The event is organized by Symphony in the Flint Hills Inc., a grassroots non-profit organization with a mission to heighten awareness and appreciation of the Flint Hills! . To learn more, visit www.symphonyintheflinthills.org.


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