“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” For most businesses, planning for the holidays begins early, even before Autumn. So in October and November, people ask the musicians if we’ve started working on the music for the Christmas concert. Because we don’t see the music until about ten days before the first concert, it’s […]
Category: Orchestra
Holiday Greetings from the Maestro
December means tradition, family and music. As we renew our KSO tradition with the 32nd Annual Clayton Holiday Concerts, we are immensely grateful for you, our audience, and for our extended musical family here in Knoxville, from the Knoxville Choral Society to Go! Contemporary Dance Works, and our sponsors, the Clayton Family Companies, especially Jim […]
Casting a vision for the next three years
KSO announces extension of Aram Demirjian contract The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra announced on Monday, Nov. 12 that the KSO Board of Directors has extended Maestro Aram Demirjian’s contract as Music Director for three years beyond the current three year contract that began in 2016. This extension takes Maestro Demirjian through the 2021-2022 season. Highlights of […]
Four Notes
Four notes. That’s how many notes it takes to get a gasp out of the audiences when we play music from Harry Potter. It’s such a wonderful moment and it makes us remember the power of music. The KSO performs the Young People’s Concerts annually at the Civic Auditorium for more than 8,000 elementary students […]
Musician Spotlight: Stringy Business
KSO Cellist and Owner of Wilhite Strings rents instruments to area students, furthers their music education Bruce Wilhite has played cello with the Knoxville Symphony for more than 25 years. He was a full-time core member from 1980-2003 at which point he transitioned to a per service member of the cello section. He opened […]
Music Under Stalin’s Shadow
Music composed under Stalin’s regime provides emotional escape Most people have deadlines for work, an annoying boss, and feel underpaid. The Soviet era composers, artists and writers, including Dmitri Shostakovich and Sergei Prokofiev had to deal with all of that plus the fear of winding up in a labor camp or being shot for displeasing the dictator Joseph […]
Double (Viola) Trouble, Part II
MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: Megan Kehren, KSYO conductor and KSO Violist Many music teachers tell their students, “I was once where you are.” In Megan Kehren’s case, she was EXACTLY where her students are – taking her seat as a violist in the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra (KSYO), and now as an adult, she leads a youth […]
Double (Viola) Trouble, Part I
Musician Spotlight: Erin Archer, KSYO conductor Erin Archer has been involved with the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra (KSYO) since her family moved to Knoxville in the early 90’s. As a college student at the University of Tennessee, she became a KSYO rehearsal assistant. She also plays with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra as a substitute viola […]
Orchestra Member “Stretches” into New Territory
KSO Flutist also acts as mom, teacher, yogini Jill Bartine is regularly recognized in the Knoxville community, whether it’s from playing the flute on stage with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra or teaching yoga at a local studio. A wife and mother of twins juggling multiple jobs, Jill is constantly trying to find “balance” – both literally […]
Return to Rachmaninoff
If you’ve been keeping up with the symphony, you know that some of the members have been busy with Candide at the Clarence Brown Theatre. It’s been fantastic to be playing Bernstein’s music and to have the privilege of watching the amazing actors around us for eight shows a week. How do they memorize all of […]