Alan Sherrod
863 Articles11 Comments

Drawing from a career background in music, motion pictures, and theatre, Alan Sherrod has been writing about Knoxville's diverse art and music scene since 2007 — first as the classical/new music writer for the alternative weekly Metro Pulse, then later in the same capacity for the Knoxville Mercury. After the closure of Metro Pulse in 2014 by its parent company, Sherrod created ARTS KNOXVILLE to provide a home for Knoxville arts journalism. In August, 2017, he expanded ARTS KNOXVILLE into the site it is today — a site dedicated to continuing the arts journalism legacy of those alternative weeklies. In addition to covering Knoxville's arts scene, he has also contributed music content to the Nashville Scene and other arts and entertainment publications around the U.S, including the website, Classical Journal. Mr. Sherrod was a recipient of a 2010 Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts — the Arts Journalism Institute in Classical Music and Opera — under the auspices of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. In 2019, Sherrod was inducted into the East Tennessee Writers Hall of Fame.

Review: Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Turns In A Sublime Beethoven Ninth To Open 2025-26 Season

BY ALAN SHERROD   It came as no real surprise that Maestro Aram Demirjian chose to open the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s 2025-26 season with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. After all, the work is perfect for celebratory occasions, in this case, the…

Review: CBT’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’

Although there is peril in describing the current attention devoted to English novelist Jane Austen as a mania, that seems like an almost unavoidable conclusion. From the popularity of Jane Austen Regency Balls, Jane Austen Festivals in the UK and the U.S., not to mention a plethora of film and television projects in addition to the literature itself, the author’s fanbase is arguably second only to The Bard in the 21st Century. The fact that 2025 is the 250th anniversary of Ms. Austen’s birth has only added fuel to the fire of that attention.

Review: River and Rail Theatre Co. — A Feast of Performances in Ijames ‘Moon Man Walk’

There is nothing in the dramatist’s rulebook that says a play can’t be simple and complex at the same time. Those are certainly the traits of James Ijames’ Moon Man Walk, which opened last weekend for a three-week run at River & Rail Theatre Company.

On Sunday: UT Symphony Orchestra Opens 2025-26 Season With Rossini and Beethoven

The University of Tennessee Symphony Orchestra, a part of UT’s Natalie L. Haslam College of Music, opens its concert season this Sunday afternoon, September 14, at 4:00 PM in the Cox Auditorium in the Alumni Memorial Building on the UT…

KSO To Open 90th Season with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and a World Premiere

The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra opens its 90th season with a World Premiere by Jennifer Higdon, ‘XC Blast’; Aaron Copland’s ‘Old American Songs’; and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

On the Wall/Off the Wall: September Exhibition Openings

At last, Downtown Knoxville’s First Friday is upon us. Arts & Culture Alliance / The Emporium The Emporium, 100 S. Gay Street. Gallery hours: Mon-Fri 9-5; Sat 10-1; Additional hours: Fridays Sep 12, 19 & 26, 5-7 PM  •  Givin’…

Amadeus Concert Ensemble Announces 2025-26 Season

The Amadeus Concert Ensemble has announced its 2025-26 season of free Sunday afternoon concerts that are a part of the ongoing Cathedral Concert Series at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville. ACE Artistic Director and…

Review: National Tour of ‘Les Misérables’ — Showstopping Relevance in the 21st Century

A current National Tour of ‘Les Misérables’ is making an 8-performance stop in Knoxville through August 3 at the Tennessee Theatre. Read the review.

A Glimpse Ahead: 2025-26 Knoxville Music and Theatre Season

Waiting anxiously in the wings for its entrance cue, the 2025-26 season of theatre and music is yet another one packed with classics and new works—gems of both history and the latest efforts of playwrights, composers, and authors. Subscriptions to…

Marble City Opera Announces Ryan Colbert as Associate Executive Artistic Director

Marble City Opera has announced that Ryan Colbert will be joining the company as its Associate Executive Artistic Director. She will begin her new role with MCO effective August 1, 2025. Founding Executive Artistic Director of MCO, Kathryn Frady offered:…

Arts Knoxville Article Archive
Stay Up To Date On Arts Knoxville

Enter your email address to receive notifications of new articles by email.

© 2017 - 2026, Arts Knoxville & Alan Sherrod • All Rights Reserved