Former KSYO student shapes the next generation When Kathy Hart first joined the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestras as a high school violinist, she had just moved to Knoxville from upstate New York. It was a new city, a new experience, and a moment of uncertainty that would quietly shape the direction of her life. “You […]
Category: Community & Outreach
Bringing Music to Young Learners
How the KSO Crafts the VYPC Concert Experience In February, the KSO will welcome more than 3,500 kindergarten through second-grade students to three sold-out performances of its Very Young People’s Concerts (VYPC). These 45-minute shows, designed especially for early-elementary learners, blend narration, visual storytelling, dance, and live orchestral music. For many children, it is their […]
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 […]
Crafting a Soundscape
Composer Meilina Tsui’s Masterclass at UT As part of her visit to Knoxville for the Tennessee premiere of her new orchestral work, composer Meilina Tsui met with music composition students at the University of Tennessee’s Natalie L. Haslam College of Music for an engaging masterclass. The session was presented in collaboration with the KSO, whose […]
Where Technique Meets Expression
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]