I first wrote about Gabriel Lefkowitz in 2011, when the then 24-year-old violinist was auditioning for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s concertmaster position. As part of the audition process, Lefkowitz was the …
Guest Conductor Mei-Ann Chen Leads a Joyous KSO Through an Inspired and Eclectic Program
From the first moment guest conductor Mei-Ann Chen stepped onto the stage of the Tennessee Theatre last week for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s February concerts, one sensed it would be …
Jennifer Higdon, One of America’s Leading Composers, Returns to East Tennessee for a Weeklong Residency at UT
Some people chase fame. For others, celebrity seems to chase them—their talents reveal themselves at decisive moments, doors of opportunity swing open unexpectedly, and chance decisions turn into major life …
Knoxville Opera Restores the Drama to Puccini’s Romantic Masterpiece ‘La Bohème’
Despite the stereotypical images that have traditionally surrounded opera and opera singers, the changing reality of opera over the last 30 years or so has been something quite different. While …
KSO Continues Its January Hot Streak With Sibelius and Dvořák
There simply must be a mysterious quality to the air in downtown Knoxville in January. How else can one explain the fact that, over the last several years, the January …