A Musical Road Trip
Behind the Repertoire of the 2025 Young People’s Concerts
This week, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra presents one of its most cherished traditions: the Sheena McCall Young People’s Concerts, specially designed for students across East Tennessee. This year’s event includes three performances — one on October 29 and two on October 30 — all held live at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium, followed by two more in Greeneville, Tenn., on Nov. 5 at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.
Each 50-minute concert, performed by the full orchestra, offers elementary and middle school audiences an engaging introduction to the magic of symphonic music.
Students await the start of the Sheena McCall Young People’s Concerts.
This year’s program — Road Trip USA — takes students on a musical journey across the country, from the Liberty Bell of Philadelphia to the canyons of the American West, the banks of the Mississippi River to the streets of New Orleans… and even a moonlit flight with E.T.
From the outset, KSO Music Director Aram Demirjian had several works in mind that evoked a strong sense of place. “Grand Canyon Suite was an obvious one,” he said. “Liberty Bell came to mind quickly — I knew I wanted to pass through at least one of the cities foundational to the creation of America.”
The final program is a celebration of American musical identity in all its variety: concert marches by John Philip Sousa, cinematic brilliance from John Williams, folk standards like This Land Is Your Land, and jazz- and spiritual-inspired works from composers such as George Gershwin, Florence Price, and William Grant Still.
“That’s one of the great things about American music — it has so much breadth,” Demirjian said. “The sound of Gershwin is as American as the sound of Copland, even though they’re colossally different. And in this concert, we get to touch on many threads of the American musical story — marches, folk songs, spirituals, movie scores, and more.”
The Sheena McCall Young People’s Concerts are open to public, private, and homeschool groups throughout East Tennessee. Public school groups are eligible for the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Student Ticket Subsidy program, which helps cover the cost of tickets and transportation.
More than a field trip, the concert is often a first orchestral experience for thousands of students — and a way to make music education come alive through geography, history, and storytelling.
“The kids are the best audience we have. They’re honest — they only applaud because they’re genuinely excited,” said Demirjian. “Sometimes I get thank-you letters or drawings from students afterward that are very special to me. You can tell they were really listening, they were really engaged.”
The Sheena McCall Young People’s Concerts are made possible through the support of Knox County, the City of Knoxville, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the Knoxville Arts & Culture Alliance, Rotary Club of Knoxville, and the Akima Club of Knoxville.
2025 Young People’s Concerts Repertoire
Road Trip USA includes music from and about iconic locations across America:
Ward – America the Beautiful
Sousa – The Liberty Bell
Gershwin – Gershwin in Concert
Gilbertson – Fanfare for the Founding Father
Trad./arr. Bullock – Shenandoah
Daugherty – Alligator Alley
Trad./arr. Holcombe – When the Saints Go Marching In
Price – Mississippi River Suite (excerpts)
Guthrie/arr. Epple – This Land is Your Land
Copland – Hoedown from Rodeo
Still – Grand Teton
Grofé – On the Trail from Grand Canyon Suite
Williams – Flying Music from E.T.
Bryant – Rocky Top