Arts in Education Profile: Violinist Zofia

This profile highlights a new KSO violinist and arts educator who spreads joy through music in many ways. Zofia Glashauser joined the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra as a core violinist in the 2017-18 season and has contributed to Education & Community Partnerships programs such as Musical Story Times and Classroom Quartets in addition to lighting up the main stage with her professional and passionate playing. She has shared her personal story of how music education shaped her life path and changed her future, leading her to Knoxville. During the week of Sept. 10-16, Arts in Education week, the KSO is celebrating all arts educators, especially our beloved music educators, including Zofia, by telling their stories.

It is almost impossible for me to imagine life without the influence of the arts. My mother was a professional violinist and teacher. I grew up in Krakow, Poland where I went to a public music school from elementary through high school. At this school, music was not an elective, but the primary focus of

my studies. And so I began playing the violin at the age of seven, the same time I was learning to read and write. As a result, music is a fundamental part of who I am; it has shaped my personality and perhaps even my soul. It has helped me to appreciate the beauty found in the natural world as well as in artistic expression,
and has motivated me towards the pursuit of excellence in all parts of my life. A lifetime of music study has helped me to better appreciate history, style, and the diverse cultures of different countries.

"Music is a fundamental part of who I am...it has shaped my personality and perhaps even my soul."

Music opened my mind to a bigger world from a very young age. As a child, I traveled and performed with my school choir in many European countries. Later, I traveled even more with high school orchestras and an international youth symphony. Although being able to travel was in itself a wonder, meeting many great world class musicians was an eye opening experience. It was the primary reason I wanted to become an even better violinist. And, of course, music brought me to the United States, where I received music degrees from Western Michigan University and Northwestern University.

I can't emphasize enough the importance of learning a musical instrument, even for those who have no intention of pursuing music as a profession. It demands a strong attention to detail, a high level of preparation, and a great deal of personal responsibility. These are all traits that are valuable in most
professions. In my case, violin study helped form me into a bit of a perfectionist who can juggle multiple responsibilities and manage time well in the pursuit of meaningful artistic expression.

Before I joined the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, I was a member of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, the Northwest Indiana Symphony, and I was the Concertmaster of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra. This position in particular gave me some very memorable experiences, including the opportunity to perform as a soloist several times with the orchestra. As a result of the various roles I played in these orchestras, I developed a strong work ethic in my preparation for a performance in addition to a strong understanding of the importance of the role of each member of an orchestra. Whether as a soloist, chamber musician, or as a section member, I am always thinking of being as
prepared as possible to play as beautifully as I can.

This post authored by the KSO communications dept.

This Season's Heavy Hitters

It's September! I think we're all surprised. There's a full musical inbox for the musicians of the KSO, with a season that I can only describe as “hard-hitting.” Every month brings a major repertoire piece with a signature moment for every instrument. Month by month, it's Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances, Ravel Bolero, and in November Strauss' Death and Transfiguration AND Tchaikovsky's tone poem Romeo and Juliet. January starts up with Dvorak 8th, then in February both Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini AND Scheherazade! Carmina Burana will be our March Madness, then Schumann's 2nd Symphony with that ridunculous violin part in the Scherzo. We'll close out the season in May with an all-American concert featuring both Rhapsody in Blue AND Copland's 3rd Symphony.

The Chamber Classics series is no less laden with treasures. Right off the bat, our October begins with Prokofiev's Classical Symphony, which along with the Schumann 2nd are violin audition staples. February 4th brings Bach's cherished 2-violin concerto featuring principal 2nd violin Edward Pulgar and new Concertmaster Will Shaub. The finale of the series looks to be one of the best ever, highlighted by Stravinsky's Dumbarton Oaks Concerto and Mozart's final symphony, the Jupiter.

I have to interject that it happens to be Antonin Dvorak's birthday! What a great canon of works has been left to us, and along with Tchaikovsky, one of two great composers to have spent time in the USA. I'm going to give my best effort at a pronunciation here, "div-OR-Jacques." Our season will include two keystone Dvorak works, the 8th Symphony in January, and his “American” Viola Quintet on the final Concertmaster Series concert in March.  Dvorak is best known for his New World Symphony and his “American” String QUARtet, but there is so much more than that. Recent years have seen KSO performances of his Piano Quintet and Quintet, his Bass Quintet, Symphony No. 6, Carnival Overture, Stabat Mater, and the Scherzo Capriccioso. His compositional style is always highly European, but his stateside stint cast a distinct PENUMBRA on his works, from the New World through to that phat Cello Concerto he wrote. Although I have never performed the concerto in its entirety, the techniques it requires have served me well in countless other musical circumstances, be they jazz, chamber, or orchestral. They force the cellist to learn to play in B Major, which is not a particularly kind key for the cello.

So anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TONY!!

September Songs

Just around the corner lay the 32nd annual Ijams Nature Center Symphony in the Park, on September 10. I have only missed one of these concerts, back in 2014 when I had a broken finger. It's also notable that not one of these concerts has been rained out or even rained upon. Gates open at 5:30, and the music should start around 7:15. These concerts, set in South Knoxville's urban wilderness, have always represented a delightful return to the season. The concert is a fundraiser for the Ijams Nature Center, Knoxville's escape zone from metropolitan drudgery. The guest artists have also been a perennial treat, be they local entertainers (David Keith), UT coaches (Pat Summitt), or public figures (Senator Lamar Alexander). This year's guest will be Knoxville singer-songwriter Zoë Nutt. Check her website out here.

Tickets to the Ijams Nature Center 32nd Annual Symphony in the Park event here.

The KSO's celebration of Knoxville continues on September 21 and 22 with “Knoxville Postcards.” Along with relevant works by Barber, Rachmaninoff and Copland, a world premiere work by Michael Schachter will be offered, entitled Overture to Knoxville. In programming and commissioning the work, Maestro Aram Demirjian said; “...this program isn't just about the past -- it is also about the future, and the future partially depends on bringing new music into the world, which is why we have commissioned a new overture by one of my dearest friends, Michael Schachter. Michael is a composer who was just as endeared by East Tennessee's musical landscape as I was when he traveled here to soak in our city as he was writing the piece...” Mr. Schachter is busy composer, teacher and scholar who resides in Ann Arbor, MI. Here is a link to his website with musical examples.

See you at the symphony for opening night!

2017-18 Season Hits the Ground Running

Hello!  I'm back.  I've had some time this summer to reflect and clean out my mental in-box, and the 2017-18 season looms on the horizon. I hope you didn't miss me too badly! It's going to be fun, with some old musical friends combining with some new musical trends to create a crop of concerts well worth harvesting. Old friends like Carmina Burana, Dvorak's Symphony No. 8, Scheherazade, Rhapsody in Blue, and Bolero. New trends like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone live with orchestra, and “KSO Unstaged, which promises to break the mold of traditional concert venues. All of this, brought to you by “that old gang of mine,” the players of the KSO.

In the first 23 days of the 2017-18 season, we will be performing six comPLETEly different programs from six different series. Our first Masterworks concert, Knoxville Postcards on September 21 and 22, will be dedicated to the influences of Knoxville on classical music. Samuel Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915, narrated by Knoxville's poet laureate, RB Morris; Copland's Tender Land Suite, the composition of which is said to have been inspired by Copland's reading Knoxville writer James Agee's Let Us Now Praise Famous Men; and Rachmaninov's captivating Symphonic Dances are the major players in those shows. Hot on the heels of that pair, on the 27th, will be the first Q Series concert at Market Square's Square Room, with the Principal String Quartet performing works of Mozart, Mendelssohn and Piazzolla.

The opening of the Chamber Classics series will be October 1 at 2:30 the luscious Bijou Theatre. Haydn's Symphony No. 60, “Il distratto” (“The Distraught”), Prokofiev's freaky Classical Symphony, and a theater piece by Austrian composer HK Gruber entitled Frankenstein! New concertmaster William Shaub will then launch his build of the Concertmaster recital series on October 4 and 5 at 7:00 with music by Franck, Sarasate and Brahms at the acoustically spacious Great Room of the Knoxville Museum of Art.

On October 7 and 8 we will tap into one of the most successful series of children's books ever written, when we provide the soundtrack to the first movie based on J.K. Rowling's smash success, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone TM  at the Civic Auditorium. (Tickets to this show are sold through Ticketmaster, not the KSO box office). Then, after going FOUR WHOLE DAYS without a performance, we will host the Classical Mystery Tour, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the release of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album at the Tennessee Theatre at 8:00 p.m.

Hmmm, I'm going to drift into an advanced state of relaxation, as I am exhausted from simply WRITING ABOUT these concerts. Just wait until they actually happen! Check the KSO website for concert times and venues. Hope to see you there!

Single Tickets on Sale Monday, including "UnStaged"

KSO Goes “UnStaged.”

If you like classical music and craft beer, we have good news for you. KSO is launching a new series of events, "UnStaged," where guests can expect to hear the KSO with craft beer in hand or while standing in the midst of the Orchestra in an airplane hangar, with sound “taking flight” all around. Contrary to the typical concert setting and structure, small ensembles of musicians will play several sets of 10-15 minutes of music throughout the night.

The first of these events will take place in November at The Standard at Jackson Row. Crafted for your pleasure, one beer tasting from four local breweries will coincide with each of the four musical sets, all surrounding the theme of “creating” or “crafting.” Click here to find out more or invite your friends on Facebook.

Keep Calm: All tickets go on sale August 14 at 9 a.m.

Monday morning, both season and individual tickets to all KSO concerts will go on sale. Tickets are available by web, phone, or in person. Patrons can buy tickets to an entire series or one singular show. During the week of Aug. 14, handling fees will be waived for purchases made over the phone.

Get Opening Night Tickets for Just $20.

During the week of August 14, patrons may purchase tickets to the KSO Season Opening Concert, Knoxville Postcards on Sept. 21-22, FOR JUST $20 by calling the box office. This special $20 ticket price includes seats anywhere in the Tennessee Theatre pending availability.

Not sure what you’ll like? Here is a quick guide. View the entire KSO concert calendar here.

This post authored by the KSO communications dept.

Concertmaster Chat: Q&A with William Shaub

This September, the KSO will welcome new Concertmaster William Shaub, who accepted the position in May after an audition and two guest appearances on the March and May Masterworks stage. You COULD read his bio here, but it would be more fun to read the Q&A below and hear directly from our newest addition to the KSO family. Enjoy!

Q&A with the new Concertmaster, William Shaub

1. What is the main role of a concertmaster? What does being a concertmaster mean to you?

The role of concertmaster is to serve as a musical representative to the community, on behalf of the orchestra. When the concertmaster first enters the stage to tune, we walk out to greet the audience on behalf of all the musicians; a wonderful tradition! The concertmaster also prepares bowings (making sure all the bows go in the same direction), helps to focus attention on different musical styles, and serves to communicate the artistic ideas of the conductor to the string section. Every once in a while, the concertmaster has a violin solo in a piece, but most of the time, I’m a member of the violin section. To me, serving as concertmaster means overseeing the overall orchestral sound with the intentions of the conductor in mind, and that means attentively listening to everybody’s part and not just my own.


2. What do you wish people knew about playing in an orchestra or being a full-time classical musician?

I think that most people approach music like a hobby, a pastime, or an interest--and that is wonderful. In fact, it’s why we do what we do! But to be a classical musician and performer, we are as precise and serious as a brain surgeon. We take brightening someone’s day with music very seriously. This is somewhat because that service in itself is enormously helpful in society: If you’ve had a hard day, we are here to soothe those stresses with our music. It is also because we are handling some of the greatest works of art ever made, and they deserve the formalities of our professional approach.


3. How often, on average, do you practice? When you’re tired or don’t LOVE a piece of music, what motivates you to keep going?


On average, I practice 4 hours a day and I take a day off about once per month. When I’m not in love with a piece of music, I try to fall in love with a little something about it. Maybe it’s a phrase or two in the piece, or perhaps it’s the end result of playing the work. Some pieces are designed specifically to make you better at your instrument. When I work with students, I often share the importance of starting the practice day (especially a day when you’re not up for practicing!) with a piece that you absolutely love--it could be anything from Star Wars to Schumann’s Piano Quintet. I believe that enthusiasm is a lifelong joy, it’s infectious and completely necessary towards developing an expressive technique.


4. Why Knoxville?

I first learned about Knoxville and the orchestra here when I met Gabriel Lefkowitz at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston (at the beach!) I would later find that this orchestra and this city is growing rapidly, with an energy that is really special. I discovered that the quality and professionalism of our orchestra in both the concert hall and the greater Knoxville region is second to none, and our nationally-renowned commitments to community engagement, education, and innovative programming fit with my vision as an artist. I was excited about the opportunity to be here!


5. Name something you enjoy about each of the following: playing in a small ensemble, playing a solo, playing in full orchestra/leading it as the concertmaster.

In a small ensemble, I enjoy the intimacy and directness of communicating with other players. Playing a solo is wonderful because of the opportunity to fill a hall with my sound--it is an exhilarating mode of expression. When playing in a full orchestra, I get to hear the sounds of other instrument families and really listen to what they have to say. There is nothing like a brass chorale in the middle of a Mendelssohn symphony: you cannot reproduce that kind of magisterial moment with strings!


6. What experiences, in school or otherwise, have prepared you for the position of KSO Concertmaster?

After attending Juilliard in NYC, I was based in Houston for one year prior to coming to Knoxville and I auditioned for a spot on the artist roster of Da Camera Chamber Music and Jazz. With Da Camera, I performed in alternative venues throughout Houston, from hospitals and classrooms to new music and jazz hubs. Outreach became an every-week experience, and reaching new audiences was now a very real part of my life instead of just “a good idea.” I also made numerous recordings of great violin music for Da Camera’s Houston Methodist Hospital Video Series, which will be broadcast to patients on demand--a very heartwarming project. Reaching broad audiences is something I hope to do as a member of our orchestra, and my experience on this artist roster was good preparation.

7. What is something you’d like your fellow Knoxvillians to know about you?

I would like them to know that I am always happy to chat about sports. I am a big Cleveland Browns fan (I am originally from Canton, Ohio), so I am also an expert on the NFL Draft. I have also enjoyed playing tennis from a very young age. I can replicate Andy Roddick’s unique serve but at one-third of the speed! I enjoy watches and watchmaking, and I’m not the only musician to be fascinated by them--singer/songwriter John Mayer has an unbelievable watch collection!

8. A large (and attractive) part of this job will be to program, perform in, and headline the Merchant & Gould Concertmaster Series; three pairs of concerts held at the Knoxville Museum of Art. Can you tell us a little bit about what to expect from that series in 2017-18?

In programming the exciting 2017-2018 Merchant and Gould Concertmaster Series, I chose pieces out of a passion to tell the wonderful stories behind the music. Since many of them are pieces from the chamber music repertoire, I get to do it with my new KSO colleagues. The opportunity to perform with them outside of the orchestra is a great way for me to get to know them intimately as musicians. I get to hear their sounds and their musical voices up close for the first time and establish a chemistry. It’s exciting and many of our collaborations coming up are must-see events for this reason!

(From a gondola in the beautiful mountains at the Breckenridge Music Festival)

View the KSO 17-18 concert calendar.

This post authored by the KSO Communications Dept. and Concertmaster William Shaub.

A Great May

The closing Masterworks concerts were the most well-attended that I can recall in recent memory. It was also the first time in a LONG time that Beethoven's 5th Symphony has had a fair audience, having had some unfortunate coincidences the past two times it was programmed. In March of 2006, the work's performance fell on the same night that the Lady Vols competed in the NCAA tournament, limiting our attendance, and the time previous to that, (not sure of the date) it snowed. It wasn't just the Beethoven that drew a crowd, though. Mason Bates' Mothership, which included soloists Christina Horn and Jorge Variego, attracted a new element of our community by blurring the genre lines between classical and electronica.

Also at those May concerts, a KSO violist was honored for her work in the area of Music and Wellness. Instead of paraphrasing a perfectly good press release, I'm including the release here…

     KNOXVILLE, TN - May ​22, 2017 –

     Eunsoon Lee-Corliss, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Assistant Principal Violist, is one of just five orchestra musicians from across the U.S. to receive the Ford Musician Award for Excellence in Community Service from the League of American Orchestras. The program, made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund, celebrates orchestra musicians and the inspirational work they do in their communities.

     Lee-Corliss will be honored for her exceptional work in the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s (KSO) Music & Wellness program, which places professional musicians into healthcare settings to provide live therapeutic music for staff, patients, and their families to enhance the healing process. She will be presented with her award at the League of American Orchestras’ 72nd National Conference in Detroit, June 6-8, and will discuss her work at an elective session for Conference delegates.

Eunsoon and her husband Scott are enjoying an extended trip to New England before she goes to Detroit to accept her award. New England is very lucky.

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On a beautiful Memorial Day Sunday morning in Poughkeepsie, NY, the Vassar College class of 2017 stepped forth into the future. We were on hand to see our son Richard receive his B.A. in Geography. I can't believe how fast that four years went! An astounding, “small-world” aspect of this Commencement was that Vassar's Interim President turns out to be Jonathan Chenette, the father of KSO principal oboist Claire Chenette! A respected pedagogue and accomplished composer, he has had a work performed by the KSO's Principal Woodwind Quintet at the Q Series. It was truly a treat to hear his opening and closing remarks, and to see him hand out 612 diplomas and shake 612 hands.