Calendar of Events

Save the date! March 29, 2015: Civil War Lecture Series. Details TBA.

"Knoxville's Railroad, Connection and Division: Transportation Influences During the Civil War"

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9AM-5PM, Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-974-2144, http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu

Sing traditional shape note music from East Tennessee's own songbook, The New Harp of Columbia. All are welcome to participate or listen. Loaner books are available.
Sunday, March 29, at 2:00PM. Oldhams Creek Missionary Baptist Church, 3629 Boogertown Road, Sevier County.
www.oldharp.org or 865 428-1375 or 865 436-2590.

Marble Springs State Historic Site will host a hands-on basket weaving workshop with Fran Brown on Sunday, March 29, 2015 from 1:30pm until approximately 4:00pm. Participants are invited to bring their favorite Easter treat to share with the group. These baskets will work well as a small Easter basket (approximately 6”x4” base).The cost is $30 per person, and the money will go toward educational programming at Marble Springs. Participation will be limited to 10 individuals, and participants must be at least 10 years old. To register, call 865-573-5508 or email assistantdirector@marblesprings.net. A non-refundable fee of $10 will be due to secure a spot, with the remainder due the day of the workshop. This activity will take place at the Marble Springs State Historic Site: 1220 West Governor John Sevier Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920.

Marble Springs: 1220 West Gov. John Sevier Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920. Information: 865-573-5508, www.marblesprings.net

On March 29, Fort Loudoun State Historic Area Ranger, Hobart Akin will be lecturing on the construction of the Old Stone Fort on Middle Tennessee’s eastern Highland Rim, coincided with shifting lifestyles among the regions ancient inhabitants. Societies that originally revolved around steady migrations began a process of altering their environment in new ways. By cultivating local plants and encouraging their propagation, native societies began a process of genetic engineering that would result in the domestication of numerous species of plants and fundamentally change their societies forever. In an attempt to understand these changes, archaeologists have examined the construction of the Old Stone Fort since 1925. Through their work at this site, we have come to a new appreciation of the complexities in the emergence of agriculture and its impact on society. In this lecture, we will cover the various excavations at the Old Stone Fort their interpretations, and the role of a building agricultural revolution on native society in the prehistoric South East.”

Hobart Akin is originally from Louisville, Tennessee, a small community on the banks Tennessee River in the Tennessee Valley. He graduated for the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 2006 with a degree in Classics and a concentration in Latin Translation. After graduation, he moved to Clark, Wyoming where he worked on a cattle ranch with at risk teens until 2007. In 2008, Mr. Akin began working at Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park in Manchester, Tennessee as a seasonal interpretive Ranger, and in 2010 became a full time Ranger there. Currently, Mr. Akin works at Fort Loudoun State Historic Area in Vonore, Tennessee, where he has been since 2012. In addition to his work for parks, Mr. Akin is also pursuing a master’s degree in Public History from Middle Tennessee State University.

These lectures are free and open to the public and are sponsored by the museum. For more information or in case of inclement weather check our website at www.sequoyahmuseum.org, our Facebook page “Sequoyah Museum”, or contact the museum at 423-884-6246.

THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN BLUES SOCIETY proudly presents DINNER AND THE BLUES featuring The Nick Moss Band on Sunday March 29 at Barley’s Taproom in historic downtown Maryville, TN. The evening starts at 6pm with a full bar and special menu available in a NON-SMOKING atmosphere. Dinner and show tickets are all inclusive at $20 and show only are $6, available at the door.

www.smokymountainblues.org

2015 Spring Juried Art Exhibition
Show of top 20 works: March 27 - April 21, 2015
Reception and Awards: March 27th, 2015 @ 5:30 pm

Save the date! Details TBA.

www.fineartsblount.org

Knoxville Children’s Theatre will present Shrek: The Musical Jr., a new children’s version of the hilarious Broadway musical. The play will be performed March 27 through April 12, Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM; Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM; Sundays at 3 PM. There is no show on Sunday, April 5 in observance of Easter.

Everyone’s favorite ogre is live on stage at KCT! In a faraway kingdom, Shrek finds his swamp invaded by banished fairytale misfits, runaways who’ve been cast off by Little Lord Farquaad, a tiny terror with big ambitions. Farquaad tells Shrek he can get his swamp back if he rescues Princess Fiona from the Dragon-guarded tower. But every fairy tale has its unexpected twists and turns!

TICKET PRICES: $12.
SPECIAL RATE: Any adult & Child entering together = $10 each
RESERVATIONS: by phone at (865) 208-3677, or online at knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com
NEW LOCATION: 109 E. Churchwell Avenue; corner of Central & Churchwell Avenues

Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-208-3677, www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. Reservations: www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com/tickets

We are excited to announce the return of Big Ears Festival to Knoxville on March 27-29, 2015! Big Ears brings together musicians and artists who span generations and transcend genres for dozens of concerts along with installations, exhibitions, film screenings, interactive workshops, informative talks, surprise collaborations, and unexpected connections. More details TBA.

The legendary Kronos Quartet – considered the most celebrated new music ensemble in the world – will serve as our Artists-in-Residence. Throughout the festival weekend, Kronos will weave an array of performances, presenting classic contemporary works and a multi-faceted array of musical collaborations with other festival artists.

Initial lineup:
+ Kronos Quartet
+ Laurie Anderson
+ Terry Riley & Gyan Riley
+ Tune-Yards
+ Max Richter
+ Swans
+ Ben Frost
+ Bryce Dessner
+ The Bad Plus
+ Bill Frisell
+ Jamie xx
+ Perfume Genius
+ Rhiannon Giddens
+ Tanya Tagaq
+ Clark
+ Grouper
+ "Haxan" re-scored by Demdike Stare
+ SQURL
+ Sam Amidon
+ A Winged Victory for the Sullen
+ Nosaj Thing
+ Harold Budd & Keith Lowe
+ Steve Gunn
+ Nels Cline
+ Amen Dunes
+ Jozef van Wissem
+ Hildur Gudnadottir
+ Holly Herndon
...and many more to come!

AC Entertainment: 865-523-2665, www.concertwire.com. For tickets: 865-684-1200, 865-656-4444, www.knoxvilletickets.com

Violin Festival
Workshops, lectures, master classes and performances, with special guest faculty and artist, Kevork Mardirossian, former Concertmaster of the Plovdiv Philharmonic, and Professor of Violin for Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music.
More information: www.music.utk.edu/violinfestival/
Friday-Sunday March 27-29, 2015 at 8:00 a.m.
Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall , Natalie L. Haslam Music Center
Violin Festival Concert
Saturday, March 28, 2015 at 8:00 p.m.
Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall, Natalie L. Haslam Music Center

UT School of Music: Unless otherwise noted, concerts are FREE and open to the public. The Alumni Memorial Building located at 1408 Middle Drive on the UT campus. (The James R. Cox Auditorium is located in the Alumni Memorial Building.) The Natalie Haslam Music Center is located at 1741 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus.
*For individual or small group performances, please check the web site or call the day of the event for updates or cancellations: 865-974-5678, www.music.utk.edu/events

Guest faculty and artist, Kevork Mardirossian, former concertmaster of the Plovdiv Philharmonic, and professor of violin for Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, will present master classes and perform a recital with pianist and fellow faculty member, Lee Phillips. Mardirossian will also join the UT Violin Festival Orchestra for a solo performance, led by UT orchestra director, James Fellenbaum. Several violin workshops and activities will be led by some of the most experienced and knowledgeable violin pedagogues in the East Tennessee region. A grand gala closing concert will include performances by an all-violin orchestra, UTVF chamber ensemble, and the violin festival faculty. Click here for more information.

Friday-Sunday, March 27-29 beginning at 8:00 a.m.
Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall, Natalie L. Haslam Music Center

Guest Artists Recital
Kevork Mardirossian, violin and Lee Phillips, piano
Saturday, March 28, at 8:00 p.m.
Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall, Natalie L. Haslam Music Center

Closing Gala Concert
UT Violin Festival Chamber Ensemble; UT Violin Festival All Violin Orchestra; James Fellenbaum, conductor; and Kevork Mardirossian, soloist
Sunday, March 29 at 3:00 p.m.
Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall, Natalie L. Haslam Music Center

UT School of Music: Unless otherwise noted, concerts are FREE and open to the public. The Alumni Memorial Building located at 1408 Middle Drive on the UT campus. (The James R. Cox Auditorium is located in the Alumni Memorial Building.) The Natalie Haslam Music Center is located at 1741 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus.
*For individual or small group performances, please check the web site or call the day of the event for updates or cancellations: 865-974-5678, www.music.utk.edu/events

Celebrating its 40th Anniversary Season!

by Barbara Lebow; Directed by Terry Silver-Alford
Lab Theatre

“…a tribute to the sustaining power of family and to man’s indomitability.” The New York Times

A powerful and deeply affecting portrait of a family in the aftermath of the Holocaust: two sisters, one a survivor of Nazi concentration camps, the other brought up as an American, meet in 1946 after a separation of almost 20 years.

To enhance the audience experience, the CBT will continue, and in some cases expand, several popular programs in 2014-2015. Open captioned productions also will continue in the new season, taking place on the first Sunday matinee of each show. Talk backs, which are informative discussions with the director and cast, will continue to take place following the second Sunday matinee of each show.

Clarence Brown Theatre / Carousel Theatre, 1714 Andy Holt Ave on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. For information: 865-974-5161, www.clarencebrowntheatre.com. For tickets: 865-974-5161, 865-656-4444, www.knoxvilletickets.com

When Carpetbag describes itself as both a producing and presenting organization many people are confused. Perhaps you know that Carpetbag produces and tours original plays such as Between A Ballad and a Blues and Speed Killed My Cousin or Red Summer and Dark Cowgirls and Prairie Queens. But Carpetbag also brings you unique and important work by some of the best known voices in original theater , music and dance, from across the country and internationally through our presenting program.

This year, we continue to provide the Knoxville area with diverse and stunning performances by the top performers in their field. The world renowned Sandglass Theater from Vermont will share stories of people with late stage dementia and their caregivers, in their puppet theater piece D-Generation: An Exultation of Larks. Puppetry like you haven't seen before will take you into the world of late stage dementia and the creativity that is so key to helping people continue to communicate and share their stories. We will continue our international presenting with Cuban percussionist Yissy and her five piece jazz band, taking us to the new jazz sound emerging from Cuba today! In the fall, we will present Progress Theatre’s new play The Burnin’. We will also feature some of Knoxville's best emerging performers in our Salon series, designed to build patronage for young talent right here where we live.

Our presenting series provides unique performances, lectures and demonstrations, and high quality workshops for the Knoxville area. We serve youth, adults and underserved communities by providing these residency activities as free and low cost offerings.

D-Generation: An Exaltation of Larks is a full-length theater piece based on stories written collaboratively by groups of people with late-stage dementia. The work is performed by three puppeteers (the caregivers) and five puppets (the residents of a care-facility). Set to a compelling original score and striking animated video segments, D-Generation takes us into a world that is all too much a part of our lives.

D-Generation explores the rich creative potential and ability to communicate that exists in people with late-stage dementia. Their words, their images, and their creative imaginations, yield work that is poetic, humorous, and quite mysterious. From these stories, Sandglass Theater forms scenes of the inner life of the characters, and creates a piece that reflects both the stigma and the acceptance, the despair and the joy, that is equally present and possible, in both the person with dementia and in their caregivers and family members.

General Admission $20 and Seniors and Students $15 Group Rate Available for 10 or more. Tickets available TODAY at the Clayton Center for the Performing Arts.

Carpetbag Theatre at Fourth United Presbyterian Church, 1323 N. Broadway Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-544-0447, www.carpetbagtheatre.org