Learning Through Art, Inc. produces Sounds From The River, an interactive, immersive concert that traces the historical development and migration of musical genres of diverse populations that traveled along the Ohio River.
America’s River Roots Festival will debut Sounds From The River, a groundbreaking educational production created by Kathy Wade and Learning Through Art, Inc. as part of LTA’s three-time Emmy® winning performing arts literacy program, Books Alive! For Kids®. The program brings to life the music and stories born along America’s great waterways and will premiere as part of the five-day festival, Oct. 8-12, 2025, before becoming part of a national curriculum that will share the river’s stories with students across the country.
This immersive stage experience will be filmed at the prestigious Aronoff’s P&G Theater, with an audience of Cincinnati Public School sixth graders kicking off ArtsWave’ s More Art, More Kids field trip program. The outdoor concert version at Yeatman’s Cove continues to honor the Ohio River as both a cultural thread and living ecosystem, blending artistry with history to showcase how rivers shaped the nation’s music and migration.
Sounds From The River features a powerhouse creative team and talent lineup, including:
A 12-piece band directed by Jason Holmes, Associate Director of Choruses, May Festival
Revolution Dance Theatre, Choreography by David Choate. Technical Direction and Design by David Choate Productions
A vocal trio from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s, Classical Roots Community Choir
National storyteller, Omope Carter Daboiku
Stage direction and script by Emmy® winner, Rico Bruce Wade
Filming by Drew Thomas (Abbott Elementary) and Carissa Ray (Director of GreenCraft Media, former Today Show Digital Supervising Producer)
Musicologist, Dr. Tammy Kernodle, of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio
Producer and Artistic Director, Kelly Jo Asbury, Learning Through Art, Inc.
Executive Producer and CEO, Kathy Wade, Learning Through Art, Inc.
Extending Beyond the Stage
Following its debut at America’s River Roots, Sounds From The River will become part of the national America250 celebration. The program will be available for distribution to classrooms nationwide and internationally with a free companion curriculum, STEAM kits, craft activities, songbook, cross-curricular connections, Ohio state standards, supplemental resources, multilingual vocabulary, and streaming episode to inspire future generations.
“Sounds From The River is about honoring the voices and rhythms that the river carried throughout history,” said Kathy Wade, executive producer. “This production connects audiences to the cultural migration and creative spirit that continue to shape who we are today.”
