Cellist Zlatomir Fung’s Masterclass at UT The day before his Knoxville Symphony Orchestra debut, internationally-renowned cellist Zlatomir Fung led a captivating masterclass at the University of Tennessee’s Natalie L. Haslam College of Music—a collaboration made possible through the KSO’s Community & Education program and its ongoing partnership with the university. In front of an attentive […]
Author: Knoxville Symphony
A Powerful Season Opener
KSO launches 90th Anniversary Season with Beethoven’s Ninth The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra opened its 90th anniversary season with a program that celebrated both contemporary creativity and symphonic grandeur. Led by Music Director Aram Demirjian, the concert began with a burst of energy in the form of XC Blast by Jennifer Higdon — the first commission […]
A New Era for KSO’s Chimes
For more than three decades, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s chimes have been part of its musical voice: marking triumphant moments, adding sparkle to holiday favorites, and ringing out like church bells in Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. But after 30-plus years of service (and hundreds of miles on the road), our trusty chimes had reached the end […]
A Joyful Celebration of Community and Country
On July 4, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra brought patriotic spirit and musical joy to the World’s Fair Park Amphitheater for its 41st Annual Independence Day Concert, presented by the Lawson Family Foundation. Thousands gathered with lawn chairs and picnic blankets as part of the City of Knoxville’s Festival on the Fourth. Music Director Aram Demirjian […]
A Powerful World Premiere: Between Suns Debuts with KSO
In May 2025, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra presented the world premiere of Between Suns, a groundbreaking new concerto for West African drums and orchestra, composed by Derrick Skye and performed by Obayana Ajanaku and Indigenous Vibes. The KSO-commissioned work was met with enthusiastic applause at the Tennessee Theatre, where audiences experienced an electrifying fusion of […]
Honoring Dr. King Through the Music of Mahalia Jackson
In January 2025, , the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra presented its Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Concert to a full house at the Bijou Theatre. The free performance, presented in partnership with the Beck Cultural Exchange Center and the Bijou, honored the enduring legacy of Dr. King through the powerful music of gospel legend Mahalia […]