The Shows Must Go On-- Extra-Curricular Activities (Updated)

“Looks like snow.” Those words are daunting to arts management organizations dependent on last-minute sales to meet attendance quotas. The KSO has been lucky; in my 28 years here, in that no concerts have had to be cancelled due to snow or ice, and just a few shows have even had to contend with heavy weather. The Blizzard of '93 fell at a time when there wasn't much going on with the orchestra, so not much was affected, although I recall that the circus was in town then, and they were devastated. (I remember this because the following week we performed Beethoven's 9th Symphony at the Civic Auditorium, with circus animal odors still fresh in the tunnel to the Auditorium stage). I seem to remember a low turnout due to weather at a mid-2000's concert featuring Beethoven's 5^th Symphony. Attendees at former Knoxville Opera Company director Robert Lyall's return engagement (in February of 1996, with Dvorak's New World Symphony and Edgar Meyer performing his own Bass Concerto) were greeted with a skim coat of packed powder; THAT was an interesting drive home from work.

Gross weather doesn't usually give us performers pause when scheduling events in the relatively tame winter months here in Knoxville and so we go on faith that some will show up in their muffs and mukluks to see what we do. I am speaking of TONIGHT at 6:00 pm, when violinists Jeffrey Brannen and Ilia Steinschneider will present a concert in room 32 of the Alumni Memorial Building on the UT campus. They will delve into the rich lode that is the Bartok Violin Duos, then Jeff will perform Shostakovich's 2^nd Violin Concerto. That is, his SECOND CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN, not his Concerto for Second Violin. Pianist Immanuelle Bizien will assist. Jeff lives in The Fort, so he can just walk there. But even if he lived far away, snow and ice would not stop him, because he is from Boston. Ilia is from Moscow. Need I say more?

UPDATE!!! Due to the weather and the closure of the UT campus, this recital has unfortunately been postponed.  : (

It's too soon to tell about the weather on March 9, but don't let much stop you from driving down to Maryville to see the Vivaldi Four Seasons solos performed by KSO violinists Ruth Bacon, Sean Claire, Rachel Loseke and Sara Matayoshi. (I guess this is the order of the seasons each of them is playing, that's how they appear on this link to the event). The concert will also contain music by Arturo Marquez and Sibelius, and will be under the direction of cellist, Maryville High School Orchestra director, and all-around great guy, Matt Wilkinson. That will be at 7:30 on the 9^th at the Clayton Center on the MC campus.

Speaking of all-around great guys, pianist Kevin Class has given the chamber music scene a good shot in the arm by scheduling a pair of concerts in his ongoing series of Brahms piano chamber works, focusing this “spring” on the Piano Trios. Starting on February 23^rd, Kevin will host Ruth Bacon and UT Professor of cello, Wesley Baldwin in the passionate B Major Trio, and violinist Rachel Loseke and hornist Gray Ferris for the Horn Trio. The cycle will be completed on March 30^th when I will join Kevin and Sara Matayoshi in the op. 87 C Major Trio. This is a first for me. I've always admired the work from afar, but now its time has come. Then the moody C Minor Trio will be played by Kevin, Concertmaster Gabe Lefkowitz and  Wesley Baldwin. Closing out the show will be the epic Clarinet Trio, with cellist Stacy Miller and UT Professor of clarinet, Victor Chavez. These concerts are both at the Powell Recital Hall on the UT campus and start at 8:00.