Demirjian Renews Leadership Role
The KSO Extends Music Director’s Contract Through 2030
Knoxville, Tenn. (Nov. 19, 2025) – The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors announces that Music Director Aram Demirjian has signed a new four-year contract, extending his leadership through the 2029–30 season. This marks Demirjian’s fourth contract with the KSO and will bring his tenure to 14 years at the conclusion of the term.
“Aram’s leadership embodies both artistic excellence and community-minded vision,” said Rick Fox, Chair of the KSO Board of Directors. “He brings world-class musical skill, a gift for storytelling, and a clear commitment to making the KSO accessible to every corner of East Tennessee. The board is thrilled to secure his continued leadership as we build on the orchestra’s momentum and long-term stability.”
Demirjian is the eighth Music Director in the KSO’s 90-year history.
Reflecting on his decade with the KSO, Demirjian expressed deep gratitude and excitement for the years ahead.
“I am humbled and energized to continue to be able to serve the KSO and share the joy of symphonic music with the people of East Tennessee alongside my supremely talented colleagues in the orchestra and on our dedicated staff, under the steadfast leadership of our board,” he said. “We have made such inspiring strides together over the last 10 years, and I am excited for the road ahead. My family and I love this community, and we are so grateful for how fully Knoxville has embraced us.”
One of the signature artistic milestones of Demirjian’s tenure is 9 for 90, the KSO’s most ambitious artistic initiative to date. The project commissions nine world-class composers to create nine brand-new works in celebration of the KSO’s 90th Anniversary Season. These premieres will appear across the orchestra’s Masterworks, Chamber, Q Series, Concertmaster, and Youth Ensemble performances throughout the year.
“An anniversary shouldn’t just celebrate the past, it should speak to the future,” Demirjian said. “9 for 90 represents everything I believe an orchestra should be: creative, curious, and deeply connected to its audience.”
Aram Demirjian is the eighth Music Director of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and a frequent guest conductor with leading orchestras across the country. He is a past recipient of the Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award from The Solti Foundation U.S., among other honors. A graduate of Harvard University and the New England Conservatory, he previously served as Associate Conductor of the Kansas City Symphony.
###
About the KSO: Celebrating its 90th Anniversary Season, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra shares extraordinary music and meaningful experiences across East Tennessee. Each year, the KSO presents hundreds of performances not only in the concert hall but also in schools, hospitals, parks, libraries, and community spaces, reaching more than 100,000 people. Its Youth Ensembles program serves nearly 500 student musicians from throughout the region. Led by Music Director Aram Demirjian, the KSO is one of the Southeast’s longest-standing orchestras and continues to play a central role in the cultural life of East Tennessee