Confessions of a Bachophile — Chapter 17 In my review of the Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra’s February concert that included the J.S. Bach Concerto for Two Violins, I stated—humorously, I thought—that it seemed listeners simply could not get enough of…
Sergei Rachmaninoff, We Hardly Knew Ye
BY ALAN SHERROD This week—specifically Saturday, February 17—marks a rather ironic claim to fame for Knoxville. In Knoxville on that date in 1943, 75 years ago, the Russian composer and pianist, Sergei Rachmaninoff, gave the last public performance of…
Review: KSO Brings Ecstasy and Enlightenment with Bach and Shostakovich
After Sunday afternoon’s Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Chamber Classics concert, several things should now be readily apparent to the KSO’s audience.
Strad and Rad: KSO Brings Two Stradivarius Violins To Knoxville for Bach, Shostakovich, and Schnittke
Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra’s Chamber Classics Conductor: Aram Demirjian Schnittke: Moz-Art à la Haydn Golijov: Last Round (Muertes Del Angel) Bach: Concerto For 2 Violins (Soloists William Shaub and Edward Pulgar) Jessie Montgomery: Starburst Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony Sunday, February 4,…
Review: KSO Tests New Territory with “Bohemian Rhapsodies”
As I suggested in my preview of this weekend’s Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Masterworks concerts, the conversation on what constitutes the future of classical music is not a new one. While it has been a regular topic for years for national…
KSO This Week: PROJECT Trio Joins the Orchestra for “Bohemian Rhapsodies”
Put a group of classical music musicians or listeners together for any extended period, factor in an alcoholic beverage or two, and the conversation will inevitably find its way to the question—“what’s the future of classical music?”
KSO Heats Up A Cold January With a Full Schedule
In a perfect world, a willingness to follow the arts should not vary with the seasons, nor should uncomfortable short-term weather issues affect attendance at events. However, Knoxvillians, inhabiting coordinates barely halfway between tropical Florida and wintry New England, suffer…
Preview: KSO Welcomes Guest Conductor Joshua Gersen and Violinist Paul Huang to Masterworks Series
Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Masterworks: “Beethoven Violin Concerto” Guest conductor: Joshua Gersen Guest violinist: Paul Huang Beethoven: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major Richard Strauss: Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration) Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet Overture-Fantasy 7:30 PM, Thursday and Friday,…
Review: KSO’s ‘Red, Hot, & Bolero’ – A Feast for the Eyes and Ears
Every symphony concert is like a bubbling cauldron of ingredients, a mixture of music, performers, and performances that takes on a dynamic life of its own. Add or remove one ingredient, or alter the mixture’s balance, and something new emerges.…
KSO and CBT To Team Up Again in 2018 With Bernstein’s ‘Candide’
(Above: CBT Artistic Director Calvin MacLean and KSO Music Director Aram Demirjian) Artistic collaborations may seem like natural extensions of a performing arts scene, but they aren’t necessarily that easy to accomplish for a number of reasons. However, in a…