Grit and Glitz: William Shaub and Friends Release Album

Since William Shaub’s arrival in Knoxville in 2017 at age 24, I’ve watched his musical and personal evolution with fascination. He’s always been a great violinist, which is why he won the Concertmaster position with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, presumably beating a sea of candidates. 

Which brings me to a realization I had all those years ago – there are many great violinists, due in large measure to the exemplary training given at universities around the country (including Will’s alma mater, Juilliard). But here’s the “but.” There are far fewer violinists who are also strong leaders, innovators, and community-minded individuals. That’s what Knoxville wanted and needed, and that’s what Shaub has delivered.

Knoxvillians are used to seeing Shaub in KSO’s primo seat, where he leads the orchestra with precision and skill. We’re also fans of his Concertmaster Series – an opportunity to both hear him play and speak eloquently about the music he hand-selects. Now we get to see Shaub as a really cool guy on a very cool album cover. 

His latest project, an album titled Grit and Glitz, features Shaub’s superb playing along with four other classical musicians from East Tennessee: Gordon Tsai, Joshua Ulrich, Adam Ayers, and Kevin Class. A truly generous colleague, Shaub routinely looks for opportunities to let others take the spotlight. This album, based on my 7-year observation period, is exhibit number 347 in that category.

 Available now live on Spotify, Apple Music, and anywhere you stream, “Grit and Glitz” will launch on CD  on June 15. The album features César Franck’s Piano Quintet in F Minor, Dosia McKay’s Grit and Glitz for String Trio, and Carlos Simon’s Loop. For those like me who don’t stream but still have a built-in CD player in the car, don’t despair. The CD version will be released on June 15. What’s more, it will be performed live as part of the Cathedral Concert Series in August.

According to Shaub, Franck’s piano quintet was a favorite piece of famed violinist Jascha Heifetz and is recorded in loving memory of Heifetz’s legacy. Grit and Glitz, says the Knoxville-based composer McKay, “is a high energy, show-off piece, venturing out into the territory of catchy pop and rock melodic gestures.” Simon, currently Artist-in-Residence of the Kennedy Center, was privileged to have Loop premiered by members of the New York Philharmonic during the pandemic – a nod to “going loopy” in isolation. The repertoire is an eclectic mix of classic and new, which is akin to the way I view Shaub as both an individual and an artist.

Knoxville continues to gain prominence as a musical center and this album brings Shaub’s adopted city one step further on that path.