By Alan Sherrod It is fair to say that the last dozen years or so have seen a rise in enthusiasm for choral music in the United States, both on the performance side and in audiences. What could possibly…
Review: Knoxville Chamber Chorale Beguiles With ‘Alone In The Night’
By Alan Sherrod The award for most evocative concert theme of the season certainly goes to the Knoxville Chamber Chorale and its conductor John Orr for their latest outing this past Thursday evening, “Alone in the Night.” Happily, though,…
Most Memorable Classical Music Performances of 2018
By Alan Sherrod Although every music season differs in the performers involved and their artistic choices, each year has its unmistakable trends and distinctive personalities. Themes emerge, certain composers or music become trendy for one reason or another, and…
Review: A Feast of Variety in “Classical Christmas” from KSO and Knoxville Chamber Chorale
By Alan Sherrod In 2015, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra took a chance and moved its November Chamber Classics concert to the weekend following Thanksgiving and titled it “Classical Christmas.” That incredibly popular concert took a different direction from the…
Review: John Orr Leads Knoxville Choral Society in Handel ‘Masterworks’
By Alan Sherrod Ask a classical music listener to describe the Baroque Period in music and a generic answer will invariably gravitate to two composer’s names—Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel. While the pair was born only a…