Although last evening’s Masterworks concert—Part 2 of the KSO’s Cosmos Festival— had the massive orchestral suite The Planets by Gustav Holst as its focus, there were other attractions to enchant the listener.
Not To Be Eclipsed, KSO Celebrates the Cosmos With A Festival
While Knoxville mostly missed the celestial entertainment of the Total Eclipse this week due to cloud cover and rainy weather, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s Cosmos Festival will not require special glasses or rain gear, but—at most—a ticket or two.
Confessions of a Bachophile: Chenette, Shaub, and Friends Take on J.S. Bach in Concertmaster Series
After the first half of magnificently rendered solo violin works including a movement from the Bach Violin Sonata No.3, the Baroque-inspired Ysaye Sonata No. 4, and Corelli’s variations on La Folia, Shaub was joined by colleagues from the orchestra for two Bach works: the Violin Concerto in A minor, followed by the Concerto for Oboe and Violin in C minor, BWV 1040R. The oboist was KSO Principal Claire Chenette.
KSO Concertmaster Series This Week: Shaub Shares the Spotlight
When there’s an opportunity to hear the concertmaster and principal oboe as a duo, standing mere feet from one another instead of sitting myriad yards apart, it is, indeed, a rare treat. Knoxville audiences will have that opportunity on April 3 and 4 at the Concertmaster Series, where KSO Concertmaster William Shaub and KSO Principal Oboe Claire Chenette will present J.S. Bach’s Concerto for Violin and Oboe, BWV 1060R.
Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Announces 2024-2025 Season
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, led by Music Director Aram Demirjian, has recently announced the program lineups and dates for its 2024-25 season for each of its five main series. Season subscriptions are on sale to current subscribers who want to…
Review: KSO and Guests Deliver Sweeping Scale and Delicious Details in Dvořák and Tchaikovsky
March has been Guest Conductor and Cello month for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. For this weekend’s Masterworks concerts, Conductor Vinay Parameswaran and cellist Tommy Mesa joined the KSO for works by Dvořák (‘Silent Woods’ and Symphony No. 8) and Tchaikovsky (Rococo Variations).
Spotlight: KSO and Guest Conductor Vinay Parameswaran This Week
Knoxville Symphony Orchestra concerts this week feature guest conductor Vinay Parameswaran and cello soloist Thomas Mesa. The program includes Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8 and Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations.
Review: KSO and Violinist Geneva Lewis Present a Detailed and Subtle Beethoven
There are some concert program combinations that are simply too intriguing to pass up, for any number of reasons. Maestro Aram Demirjian and the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra unlocked one of those combinations this past weekend, cutting an enjoyable swath through music history from early Romanticism through turn-of-the-century Impressionism, then finally introducing a compelling new work by a living American composer.
Next for the KSO — Geneva Lewis: Tennis Champ Turned Violin Star
In a tennis family where Lewis’ two brothers were also pros, it’s not surprising that daughter Geneva Lewis would excel at the sport. What is surprising is that she replaced her racket for a violin. And her career rise in the classical music world has been no less stunning than that of her father’s in the sports arena.
A Musical Balancing Act: Studying, Performing, and Listening
It’s both heartening and heartbreaking that our music schools and conservatories are filled to the brim with arguably the most talented generation of music students yet. Heartening that so many understand and value a solid arts education. Heartbreaking that so few will be able to have a career in this field.