Hunger

1 in 8 people in our country do not have enough food to eat. In East Tennessee the numbers are worse: 1 in 6 people will go hungry tonight. In Knox county alone there are over 16,000 children who are at risk for hunger. Many people struggling with hunger are members of the “working poor.” They fall in the crack of being too wealthy to qualify for many social services but too poor to make ends meet.

No one should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. You can help. Tonight and tomorrow the Knoxville Symphony is one of 240 orchestras across the country that are participating in a nation wide food drive. Helping is easy. When you come to our concert, bring a can of non-perishable food with you. Heck, bring as many cans as you can carry! We DO live in the Volunteer state, after all. Wouldn't it be great if we all filled the lobby of the Tennessee Theater with donations? What might seem like a small gesture to you will make an enormous difference to someone in need.

The concert, by the way, will be awesome. Elena Urioste is an amazing and dynamic violinist. Her playing is powerful and she's fun to watch. The rest of the program is equally impressive. There is no piece that demonstrates the sheer force of the orchestra like a live performance of Bolero. I can't describe it, it's something you just have to experience. A recording does not do the piece justice. Come, and bring a canned good. You won't be sorry.