Julia Aubrey Named Interim Director of Ford Center for Performing Arts

Julia Aubrey, an associate professor of music at the University of Mississippi, is now the interim director of the Ford Center For Performing Arts.

Julia Aubrey

Aubrey has been involved with the Ford Center for many years and is heavily involved in Opera, Musical Theater, Vocal Performance, and running a youth music theater workshop every summer. She follows Norm Easterbrook, who was appointed Director of the Ford Center in 2004.

“I’m very excited about the new position. I’ve worked with the Ford Center staff before, but now I’m learning how to administer them. I get to learn how the Ford Center operates in a way I’ve never seen before,” Aubrey said.

Aubrey got involved in music as a child and earned a masters in vocal performance and a Masters of Arts in theater from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Recently the cast and crew of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, traveled to Prague, Czech Republic to present the European premiere of the opera.

“We just went to Prague and presented a new opera based on Hamlet, and that was our signature event from the past year. We premiered it first at the Ford Center in April,” Aubrey said.

Aubrey hopes that people will come out to experience the different programs that Easterbrook put into place.

“Take the chance and see different productions because you just might be amazed. Many times students come dragging their heels, and then leave impressed.”

Also an associate artistic director of the Oxford Shakespeare Festival, Aubrey and her husband, Robert Aubrey, designed a Youth Music Theater Workshop during the summer for students age 10 to 17. The program encourages skill development in singing, acting and movement for musical theater. The performances of the group include original works and children’s versions of operetta musicals.

“It’s important to me that children are exposed to the arts. It builds a confidence for the rest of their lives, whether it’s public speaking or presenting in a board meeting,” Aubrey said.

Aubrey’s favorite thing about Oxford and Ole Miss is that there is a huge artistic community. “I love that Oxford is a family atmosphere and there are so many opportunities here for students and our community to work together. Everyone here appreciates the art and that is really important to me.”

For more information on the upcoming season at the Ford Center, visit their website fordcenter.org, or you can find them on Facebook under Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts.

Kathryn Winter is a social media editor and staff writer for HottyToddy.com. Email her at kathryn.winter@hottytoddy.com