Calendar of Events

At the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge. All-Tennessee faculty of presenters includes John Egerton (non-fiction); JT Ellison (fiction); Katy Koontz (editing); Linda Parsons Marion (poetry); and Candie Moonshower (writing for young people). Special sessions presented on Cartooning, Starting a Critique Group, Column Writing, Videography, and Internet Research. Keynote speaker is Sam Venable. For information: 865-671-6046, www.tmwi.org

includes master classes, violin ensembles, concerts, lectures, and technique classes. Guest Artist–Kevork Mardirossian from Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music
Violinists register online at www.music.utk.edu/violinfestival/ to participate.
Free Concerts, open to the public: Saturday, March 27 at 8:00 p.m. - Faculty recital–Kevork Mardirossian and Lee Phillips; and Sunday, March 28 at 4:00 p.m. - Closing Gala featuring faculty, UTVF All-Violin Orchestra, UTVF Advanced Orchestra, James Fellenbaum conducting.

UT School of Music offers over 180 concerts a year, and most of them are free! Unless otherwise noted, all UT School of Music concerts are FREE and open to the public, and are held in the Music Hall Auditorium at the UT School of Music, located at 1741 Volunteer Blvd., or in one of three performance halls in the Alumni Memorial Building located at 1408 Middle Drive on the campus of the University of Tennessee. (The James R. Cox Auditorium is located in the Alumni Memorial Building.) Information: 865-974-5678, www.music.utk.edu/events.

Finally, and by popular demand, three of McMinn County’s finest male voices are joining together to bring an evening of entertainment to the public. Under the direction of Pam Thigpen, the Athens Area Council for the Arts will present Mike Simmons, Rusty Patterson, and Tim Frazier as OUR THREE TENORS on Saturday, March 27, 7:00 PM and Sunday, March 28th at 2:30 at The Arts Center in Athens, Tennessee. The three tenors have performed throughout the region for many years, but never exclusively together on the same stage. Mike Simmons, principal of Athens Junior High School, has played a variety of roles in community musicals, including Camelot, Broadway Babies, Once Upon a Mattress, and Jazzy Little Christmas. Mike has also been a featured soloist with the Knoxville Chamber Orchestra. Rusty Patterson is the PM5 Paper Machine Superintendent with AbitibiBowater whose musical credits began with Hello Dolly and also include Broadway Babies, A Gem of a Show, Jazzy Little Christmas, My Fair Lady, and a recent Tellico Village production of A Cole Porter Review. Tim Frazier is a Quality Technician at Johnson Controls and has been minister of music at Rocky Mountain Baptist Church for 21 years. Tim’s community appearances include performances in Jazzy Little Christmas, The Music Man, and A Gem of a Show. The three tenors’ accompanist is the multi-talented Kay Simmons whose many performing credits began with the extensive experience she received accompanying her father’s voice students at Auburn University. Kay is the founding director of the Athens Area Children’s Choir, and has performed and accompanied in several plays and musicals with the Athens Community Theater. The evening with Our Three Tenors will feature a variety of hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. The doors open at 6:30PM and show time is 7:00 PM in the Sue E. Trotter Theater at The Arts Center, 320 North White Street in Athens. Seating will be at tables by reservation and tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students. Tickets are available by phone at 423-745-8781, on line at www.athensartscouncil.org, and at The Arts Center.

Market Square District Association in Market Square, PO Box 2263, Knoxville, TN 37901. Information: knoxvillemarketsquare@gmail.com, www.knoxvillemarketsquare.com

The Clayton Center for the Arts Grand Opening Gala features performances and displays from a wide variety of the arts. The entire evening will showcase artists and performers with East Tennessee roots. Delores Ziegler, a mezzo-soprano who studied at the University of Tennessee, and John Wesley Wright, a tenor who graduated from Maryville College, are the featured vocalists for the evening. Performances by the Appalachian Ballet Company, Maryville College Orchestra and Band, and other singers, dancers and artists will fill out the program.

502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804. For information: 865-981-8577, www.claytonartscenter.com

The (KAULYP) is hosting its third annual on Saturday, March 27, 9 p.m. at Sobu Lounge, 6213 Kingston Pike.

The event offers a variety of dessert items, including chocolate provided by Godiva, as well as live entertainment by Jaspects, an Atlanta based jazz band. Proceeds benefit the Knoxville Area Urban League Minority Scholarship Program, in honor of Dr. Walter Hardy. The scholarships are given annually to assist minority students pursuing degrees in health professions.

Tickets are $25 for individuals and $40 for couples and are available for purchase from a KAULYP member or online at http://chocolatedreams.vpweb.com.

The Knoxville Area Urban League Young Professionals is an auxiliary organization of The Knoxville Area Urban League. KAULYP is one of 65 affiliates of the National Urban League Young Professionals, a network of young professionals across the country who provide leadership development, economic empowerment and community volunteer opportunities for other young professionals. The organization trains, develops and educates young professionals to take leadership roles within the National Urban League, the civil rights movement and society-at-large.

Jaspects is a two-time Atlanta Jazz Festival “Future of Jazz” winner and was named “Best Atlanta Jazz Band” for 2007 and 2008 by Atlanta’s Creative Loafing magazine. Individually, these six alumni of Morehouse College have collaborated with Grammy-nominated artists such as Janelle Monae, Mary J. Blige, Wyclef Jean, and Carlos Santana. The band was featured in CNN’s 2008 “Black in America” documentary and headlined the 2009 Millennium Stage Series at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. Jaspects has released four independent albums, including their latest, “The Polkadotted Stripe.”

3rd annual fundraiser at Sobu Lounge, 6213 Kingston Pike. The event offers a variety of dessert items, including chocolate provided by Godiva, as well as live entertainment by Jaspects, an Atlanta based jazz band. Proceeds benefit the Knoxville Area Urban League Minority Scholarship Program, in honor of Dr. Walter Hardy. The scholarships are given annually to assist minority students pursuing degrees in health professions. Tickets are $25 for individuals and $40 for couples and are available for purchase from a KAULYP member or online at http://chocolatedreams.vpweb.com.

The Knoxville Area Urban League Young Professionals is an auxiliary organization of The Knoxville Area Urban League. KAULYP is one of 65 affiliates of the National Urban League Young Professionals, a network of young professionals across the country who provide leadership development, economic empowerment and community volunteer opportunities for other young professionals. The organization trains, develops and educates young professionals to take leadership roles within the National Urban League, the civil rights movement and society-at-large. Jaspects is a two-time Atlanta Jazz Festival “Future of Jazz” winner and was named “Best Atlanta Jazz Band” for 2007 and 2008 by Atlanta’s Creative Loafing magazine. Individually, these six alumni of Morehouse College have collaborated with Grammy-nominated artists such as Janelle Monae, Mary J. Blige, Wyclef Jean, and Carlos Santana. The band was featured in CNN’s 2008 “Black in America” documentary and headlined the 2009 Millennium Stage Series at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. Jaspects has released four independent albums, including their latest, “The Polkadotted Stripe.” Contact: Tori Griffin, Event Chair, 865-257-3630.

Ballads from Virginia
From Rural Retreat, Virginia, Elizabeth LaPrelle has been performing Appalachian ballads and old-time songs at public events since she was eleven. Her magnificent voice, her respect for the songs, and her faithful mountain sound and style brought her to the attention of first Ginny Hawker and then Sheila Kay Adams. Sheila says, “She is, in my opinion, one of maybe a handful of young singers able to capture the rhythm, the intensity, the breaks and sighs, that make this style of singing authentic.” She has released two album, Rain and Snow and Lizard in the Spring. Elizabeth’s presentation of these grand old songs recalls the styles of the great mountain singers of the past and gives us hope for the future of the art form. Jubilee Community Arts, 1538 Laurel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37916. For information: 865-522-5851, www.jubileearts.org. For tickets: 865-523-7521, www.KnoxTIX.com

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist John McCutcheon returns to the Grove Theater. McCutcheon has been an East Tennessee favorite for decades. His spellbinding performances feature guitar, banjo, hammer dulcimer, piano, fiddle, and autoharp. He is an engaging songwriter, virtuosic instrumentalist, and charismatic storyteller. He recently released a double CD, Untold, that devotes an entire disc to his famous but rarely-recorded storytelling talents. Proceeds from the concert will begin an effort to build the second of three interior wheelchair ramps at the Children's Museum of Oak Ridge. John's performance at the Grove will be aimed primarily at adults, but children are welcome. Tickets are $18 in advance and $23 at the door, and are available at www.cumberlandmusic.org, at the Ferrell Shop in Jackson Square, at the Children's Museum, and by calling the Museum at 865-482-1074.
Historic Grove Theater, 123 Randolph Rd., Oak Ridge, TN 37830

11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Celebrate spring! Join us for this month's show and tell and get a sampling of the educational opportunities we offer. We'll have three different learning sessions throughout the day. The offering varies, but generally include a live animal presentation, plus an outside activity. Free to all!

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Visitor Center: Monday: by appointment only for tour groups and school trips; Tuesday-Saturday: 9AM-5PM; Sunday: 1-5PM (March 1 - November 30). For information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org

Final workshop readings of four newly developed original works from Lisa Soland's THE ALL ORIGINAL PLAYWRIGHT WORKSHOP will take place in Goins Auditorium at Pellissippi State Technical Community College, 10915 Hardin Valley Road, Knoxville. The event is open to the public, and free parking is available. Please arrive between 11:45 am and noon. A ten-minute play by Knoxville Writers' Guild Board member, Judy DiGregorio, author of Life Among the Lilliputians, is included in the readings. For more information email Lisa Soland at LisaSoland@aol.com or call the AOPW hotline at (818) 973-2262.

Brobee™ and Plex™, two of the friendly toy monsters from the popular Nick Jr. show Yo Gabba Gabba!™, will be making a special appearance at Knoxville Zoo. Fans will have the chance to meet Brobee and Plex, pose for a photo, and say the magic words “YO GABBA GABBA!” with these loveable characters who have become a sensation with the pre-school crowd. Little green Brobee is cuddly and cute, and music, singing and dancing give him the confidence to try new things. Plex is the magic robot who knows how to solve problems, and his special powers allow him to beam guests into Yo Gabba Gabba land, where he loves to make music and teach lessons. Yo Gabba Gabba!™ is a live-action program for children ages one and up that airs on the Nick Jr. cable television channel. Yo Gabba Gabba!™ is a trademark and copyright 2010 of GabbaCaDabra LLC. The chance to meet Brobee™ and Plex™ is included with general zoo admission. For more information, visit Knoxville Zoo’s Web site at www.knoxville-zoo.org or call (865) 637-5331.