Calendar of Events

Knoxville Opera is delighted to announce its first annual concert that will bring together local African-American church choirs and soloists with Knoxville Opera and UT Opera Theatre artists in a unique presentation of gospel, Broadway and opera music. The program will include gospel selections All the Glory, You've Been So Faithful, I am God, and Thank you Lord, hymns How Great Thou Art and Precious Lord, and excerpts from Porgy and Bess, Carmen, The Magic Flute and Candide. Soloists will include WBIR's LaSaundra Brown, UT Opera Theatre's Denisha Ballew, local soloists Amy Coleman, Tara Davis, Pamela Deathridge, Evelyn Jack, Michael A. Rodgers, Daniel H. Taylor, Jr., and the UT Opera Theatre in a performance of “Jesus my consolation” from their November production of The Crucible. At Greater Warner Tabernacle A.M.E. Zion Church, 3800 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37914. Admission is free. 865-524-0794 or www.knoxvilleopera.com

"A Taste of Crescent Bend House & Gardens" - An Open House for Special Events. This event is free and open to the public. You are cordially invited to attend "A Taste of Crescent Bend House & Gardens" an Open House for special events. Built 175 years ago in 1834, historic Crescent Bend house museum and its three acre terraced botanical gardens overlook the Tennessee River and can be used as the backdrop for many special occasions including Holiday Parties, Lunch and Learns, Weddings, Receptions, Rehearsal Dinners, Bridesmaid Luncheons, Birthday Parties, Anniversary Parties, Teas, Picnics, Business Meetings, Client or Employee Appreciation Parties, and Family Reunions. For the Open House the property will be set up as though an actual event was to take place. Local area special event vendors to include Caterers, Photographers, Transportation Company, Musicians, Entertainers, Bridal Shops, Floral Designs and Rentals will be on hand to assist you as you plan for your special event at Crescent Bend. 2728 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Information: 865-255-1834, judy@CrescentBend.net

Saturday, October 24, 10am to 5pm; Sunday, October 25, 11am – 4pm. This traditional country fair, which continues to draw thousands of visitors year after year, features quality antiques and collectibles from knowledgeable dealers, antique appraisals, folk art, traditional crafts, plants, heirloom seeds, garden ornaments, gourmet foods, antique appraisals, live music, and much more! Antique appraisals will be provided by John Case. Other attractions will include old-fashioned wagon rides, a silent auction, children's train rides, a cakewalk, door prizes, interpretive tours, and heritage garden talks. This year, Ramsey House is pleased to have Neal Denton and Master Gardeners from the Knox County Extension Master Gardener's Program, along with Jon Damron, from the Sevier County Master Gardener's Program (and Ramsey House's favorite volunteer gardener!), to discuss various aspects of gardening with visitors. Also joining Country Market this year will be special guest, Bill Landry. Offered for the 2nd year at Country Market will be special "Behind the Scenes Tours." Parking at the event is $5. Proceeds from Country Market are a major source of support for the preservation and maintenance of the historic house museum, its decorative arts collection, educational activities, and the 109-acre farm and heritage gardens. These proceeds also help to keep the site open six days a week year-round, make possible reduced admission for educational groups; enable the delivery of program services that interpret the cultural, agricultural, and material history of early East Tennessee; and help bring outstanding exhibitions and special events to the people of our region. At 2614 Thorngrove Pike, Knoxville, TN 37914. Info: 865-546-0745, www.ramseyhouse.org

On Saturday, October 24 at 7:30pm and Sunday, October 25 at 2:30pm and 7:30pm, Momentum Dance Lab, Knoxville's premiere dance collective, will present its Fall show, Ghosts at the Window at the Clarence Brown Lab Theater. Admission is $15 for the general public, $10 for faculty and children, and $5 for UT students. Tickets may be purchased at the door or by visiting knoxtix.com (www.knoxtix.com or 865.523.7521). Artistic directors Cara Bradshaw and Leah Pinder are proud to present Ghosts at the Window, a collection of works from Momentum Dance Lab (MDL) choreographers Roderick Beverly, Cara Croslin Bradshaw, Shannon Efteland, Leah Pinder, Jackie Sobel, and Jamie Swanson and guest contributions from choreographer and founding MDL member Wayles E.S. Haynes. Please join MDL and guests for what promises to be a celebration of dance and a showcase of local talent in the dance community. The choreography for this show was inspired by events in our lives that are impressionable, both good and bad. Shannon Efteland played on emotions: feeling invisible, questioning oneself, and being self critical versus acceptance and self discovery. Rodderick Beverly allowed his works to grow organically from the music, exploring possibilities with space and texture, while Jackie Sobel uncovers perception of one circumstance through the eyes of three. As well as musicality, Ghosts at the Window will envelope the audience with reaction to moments and movement. This is a show you won't want to miss! Momentum Dance Lab was founded in August of 2007 with the mission of creating an adult contemporary dance collective striving for excellence in dance through artistic exploration, performance, and education. Momentum is comprised of seven Knoxville area dancer/choreographers sharing a passion for quality contemporary and modern dance. MDL offers classes in Advanced Modern technique, as well as special workshops and class series. Visit www.momentumdancelab.com or call 865-670-2748.

Mountain Makins is a folk life/crafts festival celebrating the traditions of Appalachia through traditional music and dance, storytelling, regional authors, fine art, juried crafts, skilled demonstrations, a variety of delicious food, children's activities and more. The festival takes place inside and outside the Rose Center, an 1892 school building which is now an historical museum and cultural arts center, on Saturday, October 24 from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and Sunday, October 25 from 11:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. Information: 423-581-4330 or www.rosecenter.org

Recent photographs by Lui Ho-Jang. Opening reception & Meet the Artist, Friday October 23, 6-9pm. Consisting of large digital photographs, this exhibition of recent work by Liu Ho-Jang offers the Knoxville community the unique opportunity to experience the art of one of Taiwan's leading contemporary artists. Liu Ho-Jang has an extensive international exhibition record. His visit to Knoxville is sponsored by the UT School of Art. 106 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Wed-Fri 11-6, Sat 10-3. Free Parking in the Jackson Ave Lot. Information: 865-673-0802 or www.ewing-gallery.org/New_Downtown/Index/DT_Index.html#

A series of weekend multimedia events centered on the life and career of writer James Agee sponsored by the University of Tennessee and others.
October 23-25: The James Agee Film Festival. Films, lectures, readings, exhibits. November 1: An Afternoon in Agee Park. Lecture, readings, refreshments. November 6, 14 & 15: James Agee, Walker Evans, and Abraham Lincoln. Lectures, exhibits, reception.
November 20-22: One Last Weekend with Jim. Lectures, music. For more information, visit http://web.utk.edu/~english/news/agee100.html or http://www.knoxlib.org/agee100

Workshop/Special Event
James R. Cox Auditorium, Alumni Memorial Bldg.
This year's celebration is packed with exciting events for violists of all ages and abilities, including a series of master classes with renowned violists, an introduction to eurhythmics, a seminar on performance issues in the Bach Suites, a faculty recital, a Suzuki workshop for younger violists, viola related exhibits, and of course, the popular All-Viola Orchestra! There is something for every violist at the Viola Celebration, and all events are FREE, so come join the fun! Register by September 30th to receive practice parts in the mail and ensure your place in master classes and the orchestra. For more information and online registration, see www.music.utk.edu/violacelebration.

Held at the Knoxville Expo Center, Tinsel and Treasure will feature over one hundred merchants selling some of the most sought after gift items for the holidays, including jewelry, handbags, pewter serving items, and holiday decorations.

Knoxville artist Russell Briscoe's paintings reflect the work of a historian, as well as an artist, and cover some 190 years of the region's past. Subjects include "Clinch and Gay, 1896," "Christmas Morning," "First Train in Knoxville, 1855," and "The 1897 Gay Street Fire." Information: 865-215-8830, www.east-tennessee-history.org

Join us for a wine and cheese reception and exhibition of high resolution photographs featuring Discover Life in America's All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory on Monday, October 19, from 5:30-7:30 PM. DLIA is involved in a quest to identify and understand all the species of life within an 800-square-mile ecosystem in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Researchers seek knowledge about the components, abundance, and diversity of life, from spiders in the soil to slime molds in the forest canopy. The primary tool of DLIA is the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, which brings scientists from around the world to inventory the estimated 100,000 species of living organisms in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. These captivating illustrations capture the beauty and diversity of the species discovered in our region and celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Admission to the reception and display is free, but reservations are requested. In addition to the reception, the photos will be on display throughout the month of October in the Garden Office. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. In the Stone Greenhouse at the Knoxville Botanical Garden, 2743 Wimpole Avenue. Information: 865-862-8718 or www.knoxgarden.org

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg will present "Women in Wood," an exhibition to bring light to the exceptional quality of work being created by women artists working in the medium of wood - both woodturning and constructed wood. The public is invited to the opening reception in the main gallery and lecture presented by nationally renowned studio wood sculptor Betty Scarpino on Friday, Oct. 16, at 6:00 pm. The exhibition runs October 16-January 2, 2010. The guest lecturer Betty Scarpino will also be teaching a weekend master class that weekend at the school. She has a background in industrial arts, sculpture, and design, all of which she teaches and writes about. Her work is represented in many public and private collections including The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and the Mobile Museum of Art. Her work was included in the recent book, New Masters of Woodturning: Expanding the Boundaries of Wood Art. She is currently the editor of American Woodturner, journal of the American Association of Woodturners. For more information: 865-436-5860 or www.arrowmont.org