Calendar of Events

A Celebration of Jennifer Higdon: Symphony Orchestra
Ensemble concert; featuring Higdon's "The Singing Rooms" and "Fanfare Ritmico" with performances by UT Choirs and Geoffrey Herd-violin
2/19/2017 at 4:00 PM in James R. Cox Auditorium, Alumni Memorial Bldg

A Celebration of Jennifer Higdon: Chamber Music
Faculty and guest artist recital; featuring Wesley Baldwin-cello, Shelley Binder-flute, UT Percussion Ensemble, and guest artists Sean Claire-violin and Melisa Barrick Baldwin-soprano
2/21/2017 at 8:00 PM in Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall, Natalie L. Haslam Music Center

A Celebration of Jennifer Higdon: Higdon Talks Life and Work
Guest artist lecture
2/23/2017 at 12:40 PM in Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall, Natalie L. Haslam Music Center

A Celebration of Jennifer Higdon: All Bands
Ensemble concert; featuring Higdon's "Percussion Concerto," “Mysterium," and "Kelly’s Field" with Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, and soloist Andrew Bliss
2/23/2017 at 8:00 PM in James R. Cox Auditorium, Alumni Memorial Bldg.

Unless otherwise noted, concerts are FREE and open to the public. The Natalie Haslam Music Center is located at 1741 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus, and the Alumni Memorial Building is located at 1408 Middle Drive 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

On February 19, Jie Yuan takes the stage. He is a recipient of the prestigious Artist Diploma from The Juilliard School and has been appointed as the National Arts Youth Ambassador of China by the China State Council. Praise by the New York Times said “his perfect technical and musicality no doubt make him a leader in this generation of pianists,” and he was evaluated by David Dubal as “the indispensable poet of the piano in this new generation of pianists” in the documentary “The Golden Age of the Piano.” Mr. Yuan now holds positions in three major conservatories in China: Chair of the Piano Department at Harbin Conservatory of Music, Vice President and Chair of the Piano Department at JiLin College of the Arts and Vice President and Director of International Affairs at Hangzhou Liangzhu International Arts Academy. His concerts have traversed 5 continents, more than 40 countries and nearly 500 cities. His YPS concert will feature compositions from Chopin, Haydn and Stravinsky.

In the Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall in the University of Tennessee’s Natalie L. Haslam Music Center, 1741 Volunteer Blvd., Knoxville 37996. Tickets/information: 865-408-8083 or www.youngpianistseries.com

​Expand your horizons and enjoy time with fellow gardeners as we showcase documentary and other films of horticulturally-related themes on select Sunday afternoons. Some may be followed by a Q&A session with a UT expert. Concessions are available to add to the fun!

At 2 pm in the Hollingsworth Auditorium in the Ellington Plant Sciences Building on the UT Ag Campus (for directions http://www.utk.edu/maps/). Admission is free.

GardenStory is an in-depth exploration of how gardens change our lives. Neither a travelogue nor a how-to series, GardenStory is a fresh, new approach that features distinguished designers and citizen advocates.

UT Gardens, Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996. Information: 865-974-7151, https://ag.tennessee.edu/utg/Pages/Movie-Series.aspx

Join us as we kick off the Grow Your Garden series! Participants will learn about growing a fruits and vegetables this spring and discuss what to plant, when to plant it, and how to grow a spring edible garden. Pre-registered participants will take home seeds and starter plants provided by CAC Green Thumbs and the Center for Urban Agriculture.

Choose the time and location that works best for your schedule:
9:00 am on Saturday, Feb. 18 at the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum
12:00 pm on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA
5:30 pm on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at SEEED Knox

Registration at http://knoxgarden.org/classes-events/growyourgarden/

The Grow Your Garden series is offered through the Center for Urban Agriculture as a partnership between the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum, the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA, and SEEED Knox in an effort to help people grow food for themselves and others. Your registrations go toward growing the community gardening programs offered at each of these non-profit organizations.

Thank you to Elder’s Ace Hardware and Lowe’s Home Improvement for providing seeds for this series!

Questions? Email cua@knoxgarden.org for more information.

Part of the 2016-2017 Broadway at the Tennessee Theatre season!

CHICAGO, which opened to rave reviews on November 14, 1996, is now in its 20th year on Broadway and is one of the longest running American musicals, showing no sign of ever slowing down! Chicago is the winner of six 1997 Tony Awards® including Best Musical Revival and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording. Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who maliciously murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.

Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For information/tickets: 865-684-1200, www.tennesseetheatre.com, www.ticketmaster.com

Opening reception Feb. 17 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.; artists’ talks at 6:30 p.m.

David Butler was trained as an art historian, but he managed to take a few studio classes along the way. His job entails looking at lots of work by other artists, which he says is a great way to learn but can be intimidating. Because his time to make art is extremely limited, he uses mostly pastel, charcoal, and watercolor because they allow him to work quickly. He is inspired by the landscape of East Tennessee and hopes these works convey how much he loves this part of the world. Butler joined the Knoxville Museum of Art as executive director in 2006 after serving as the director of the Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University; the Swope Art Museum in Terre Haute, Indiana; and the Emerson Gallery at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degree in art history from Florida State University, and his Ph.D. in art history with concentration on seventeenth-century Italian art and architecture from Washington University in St. Louis.

Diane Hamilton finds nature a great inspiration. She says that many times her kids would say "Mom! Get back in the car! We are going to be late for school and you already have a million pictures of the sunrise!" She believes that you can never have too many pictures of something beautiful. She was born in Melbourne, Florida and grew up playing outside as much as possible. A good day would consist of throwing oranges and grapefruits at her siblings, eating lunch under the moss-draped trees, and drawing in the sand. She still likes to draw and paint with pastels, but unfortunately she no longer gets to launch any citrus at relatives.

Alejandro Rodriguez: The Facets of My HeART
Rodriguez uses oils, water color, tissues, alcohol ink, and most recently, pen and ink. His mood dictates where he wants his art to go. The deep religious undertones in his paintings reflect universality within diversity. Sometimes the works are tight, graphic and literal, harkening back to his graphic and architectural training. Others are looser and semi-abstract, when he wants the message to be clear with an impressionistic view. Born on the shores of Fajardo, Puerto Rico, seemingly with a crayon in his hand, it was a winding road that took Alex from Puerto Rico to New York City and then to the banks of the Little River in idyllic Blount County. He graduated from The School of Art and Design in Manhattan, receiving many awards in his four years there. Those were years of intense study with multiple media and techniques. He worked as a graphic designer, carpenter and home renovator. When he relocated to the red clay of Blount County, with cows and horses as neighbors, the art fever returned and Rodriguez began photographing and painting beautiful East Tennessee. As a member of the Knoxville Museum of Art and its guild, Rodriguez participated in the Artist On Location event and contributes works to auctions for the Smoky Mountain Heritage Center, the Hope Center, and Knoxville Jewish Day School among others. He had a successful one-man show in the Paris Apartment in Sweetwater, Tenn.

Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. Gallery hours: M-Th 10-5, Su 10-1. Information: 865-523-4176, www.tvuuc.org

By Bruce Norris, Directed by Ed White

Irreverently climbing through the looking-glass of Lorraine Hansberry's classic A RAISIN IN THE SUN, Act One takes us inside the house at 406 Clybourne street in 1959, as the anxious white neighborhood is roiled by the sale of the home to a black family. Act Two opens in the same house in 2009, as the now black neighborhood struggles to deal with the next wave of change: a white family seeking to raze the house and build a new one. This excruciatingly funny play digs deep to unearth shared demons, and the uncomfortable fault lines between race, community, and so much more.

Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 319 North Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information & tickets: 865-544-1999, www.theatreknoxville.com

Pellissippi State Community College will celebrate women with the upcoming play "Love, Loss and What I Wore," by Nora and Delia Ephron. The play, co-produced with DuckEars Theatre Company, will be at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 10-11 and 17-18 and 2 p.m., Feb. 12 and 19.

"This is a simple but powerful play that showcases the stories of five women who recall seminal moments of their lives through the filter of their clothes," said Theatre professor Charles R. Miller. "These monologues showcase the voice of women." The play, directed by faculty member Steven McBride, will star Chevy Anz, Nancy Duckles, Kathy May Tallent, Jessie Holder Toutelotte and Deborah Webb. Additional cast and crew will include Pellissippi State students and faculty. "Love, Loss and What I Wore," based on the book by Ilene Beckerman, is part of The Arts at Pellissippi State, which features cultural activities for the community -- ranging from music and theatre to international celebrations, lectures and the fine arts.
For more information, visit www.pstcc.edu/arts or call 865-694-6400.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and students. Visit www.pstcc.edu/tickets or purchase tickets at the door. All of the ticket proceeds will benefit the Pellissippi State Foundation's scholarship fund for theatre students. Hardin Valley Campus of Pellissippi State: 10915 Hardin Valley Road, Knoxville, TN 37932. Information: 865-694-6405, www.pstcc.edu/arts

Paintings by a father and son hiding during the Holocaust

In 1944, after being in hiding for two years, Eva Schloss’s entire family was betrayed and put on a train to Auschwitz. It was on this train that Eva’s brother Heinz told her he had hidden paintings that he and their father created while in hiding. After Eva and her mother survived the horrors of Auschwitz, they found the paintings under the attic floor with a note that read: “Property of Eric and Hein Geiringer from Amsterdam, who are in hiding and will collect the items after the war.”

We are thrilled to present an exhibition of prints and original paintings by Heinz and Erich on loan from The Dutch Resistance Museum in Amsterdam.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM, Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org

Each February, the From Africa to Appalachia Foundation for Education and the Arts (FATA) and Rose Center join together to celebrate Black History Month. For this 29th annual celebration, curator Bob Spirko has developed the exhibit “His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” to be featured in the Edith Davis Gallery at Rose Center in Morristown. The exhibit is a tribute to the photography and life of Gregory Manuel Kyle, Jr. (1954-2015) and will feature over two dozen of his photographs and other works. An opening reception and celebration will be held on Sunday, February 5, beginning with the exhibit opening at 2:00 PM and continuing with a program beginning at 3:00 PM. The program will include inspirational music, remarks from FATA Co-President Beverly Lee, and guest speakers including Citizen Tribune publisher Mike Fishman; J.B. Pectol, vice president of communications and marketing at Walters State Community College; and Rev. H Roger Mills, pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church of Whitesburg The music will be provided by Yolanda Treece, Rock of Ages Baptist Church, and Tabernacle Baptist Church.

Serving as a photographer for the Citizen Tribune and Walters State Community College, Kyle was known throughout the area as he documented news stories, sporting events, celebrations, milestones, campus life, and much more. He was a familiar face to many residents of the Lakeway Region who knew him as a friendly, professional, and talented photographer.

The Rose Center, 442 West Second North St., Morristown, TN, 37814. Hours: M-F 9-5. Information: 423-581-4330, www.rosecenter.org

Free admission. Each reading will include a discussion session afterwards with the cast, director and audience and, when possible, the playwright. Readings:

+ Dracula: Down for the Count by Mary Lynn Dobson - A comic retelling of the Dracula story. Think, “Young Frankenstein” meets Count Dracula.
+ Okra by Bill Raulerson - A comic caper set in backwoods Louisiana with a little magic, a few ghosts, and a very inept police force.
+ The Senator’s Wife by C. Robert Jones - When politics and family collide, they can both end up a little worse for wear.
+ When Blackbirds Sing by Gayle Greene - A lifetime prison sentence on a questionable conviction leaves a woman who was more a victim in her own to right to desperately seek a connection with a daughter she never knew.

Upcoming dates:
February 23: 6:00 pm Okra, Farragut

February 25: noon Okra, Lawson McGee
2:30 Dracula, Lawson McGee

February 26: 1:15 Senator’s Wife, Lawson McGee
3:00 Blackbirds Sing, Lawson McGee

Tennessee Stage Company: 865-546-4280, www.tennesseestage.com

The Knoxville Museum of Art announces an exciting new exhibition, Virtual Views: Digital Art from the Thoma Foundation. This electronic media exhibition is presented in conjunction with the 2017 Big Ears music festival. Drawn from the extensive Chicago-based collection of Carl and Marilynn Thoma, Virtual Views explores the growing importance of electronic new media in contemporary art as seen in the work of artists who are pioneers in the use of LEDs (light-emitting diodes), LCD (liquid crystal display), and computer-driven imagery. The exhibition features nine electronic works comprised of synthetic materials and powered by digital technology, yet the rhythms and patterns of its imagery are derived from nature. The featured artists include Jim Campbell, Craig Dorety, John Gerrard, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Alan Rath, Daniel Rozin, Björn Schülke, Jennifer Steinkamp, and Leo Villareal.

Virtual Views is organized by the KMA and presented in conjunction with the 2017 Big Ears Festival March 23-26.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM, Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org