Calendar of Events

Chamber Classics Series
Sunday, April 6, 2025, at 2:30 p.m.
Bijou Theatre

From the three pieces by modern composers Garrop, Assad and Herron that open the program to Vivaldi’s tour de force “The Four Seasons,” Baroque influence radiates from the Knoxville Symphony’s concluding Chamber Classics Series concert.

Aram Demirjian, conductor
Sean Claire, violin
Zofia Glashauser, violin
I-Pei Lin, violin
Kyle Venlet, violin

STACY GARROP: Spectacle of Light
CLARICE ASSAD: Suite for Lower Strings
MOLLY HERRON: Spin, Span, Spun
ANTONIO VIVALDI: Four Seasons

Knoxville Symphony Orchestra: 865-291-3310, www.knoxvillesymphony.com

All our events are free to 18 and under and we do offer special codes for FREE tickets for college students also! All ticket and subscription prices are available for purchase online at https://www.orcma.org, by phone at (865) 483-5569, by email at office@orcma.org, or at the door.

April 6th at 6pm @ Oak Ridge Performing Arts Center
The Symphony, Chorus, and Knoxville Opera will join together for a dynamic concert as an "Ode to Oak Ridge" featuring Gabriela Lena Frank's 'Pachamama Meets an Ode,' blending the earth goddess Pachamama with Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy.' The evening continues with Beethoven's iconic Symphony No.9, Op.125, the 'Choral' Symphony, renowned for its profound message of universal harmony and brotherhood.

5 PM with Wesley Baldwin, cello
Works of Bach, Casarrubios, Piatti, Perkinson and Summer

The Episcopal Church of the Ascension
(865) 588-0589 or info@knoxvilleascension.org
800 S. Northshore Dr., Knoxville, TN 37919

Friends of Music and the Arts, a support society for music at Ascension, augments the calendar of liturgical feast-days with concerts and organ recitals throughout the year. https://www.knoxvilleascension.org/foma

The Knoxville Book Festival is a two-day celebration of literature, creativity, and community taking place April 5-6 at the Knoxville Convention Center, 701 Henley Street. Meet your favorite authors, discover new voices, and expand your TBR list while exploring a vibrant marketplace of books, reading accessories, and literary treasures.

Engage in inspiring panels on writing and creativity, participate in hands-on workshops, and connect with fellow readers in a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. Whether you’re here to have books signed, find a new book club, or simply immerse yourself in the world of stories, there’s something for everyone.

Come join us for a weekend filled with books, conversation, and imagination! Experience the magic of books at the Knoxville Book Festival.

Tickets at: https://knoxvillebookfestival.com/product/tickets/

MAIN GALLERY
Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi — Apr. 4 - Jun. 21, 2025 / reception Apr. 4, 2025

PROJECT SPACE
Meg White — Apr. 4 - Jun. 21, 2025 / reception Apr. 4, 2025

Tri-Star Arts at Candoro Marble Building, 4450 Candora Drive, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Tu-Sa 11-5. Information: https://tristararts.org/visit

Growing up in the court of his guardian Sir Ector, Arthur plays at sword fighting, and, although he’s destined to become a Squire to his half-brother Kai, he dreams of becoming a great knight. But when the wizard Merlin arrives, Arthur starts an education that will not only touch his dreams and alter his destiny, it will forever change the lives of his young friend Guenever and the entire Kingdom of England, as well.

https://knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com/tc-events/the-sword-and-the-stone/

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

BY PHILIP DAWKINS
LAB THEATRE

A magical fable with music. This exciting new play tells the story of the Fail family and their seemingly difficult challenge to just stay alive around blunt objects, disappearances and the odd case of consumption. Sometimes you just never see death coming. In this upbeat, tuneful, magical fable you can either worry about the ever-impending death or you can live, love, and sing some songs along the way.

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

Presented by The Standford Eisenberg Knoxville Jewish Day School

Violins of Hope is a collection of over 50 violins that survived the Holocaust, played by Jewish musicians in ghettos, concentration camps, and even as symbols of resistance. Each violin, lovingly restored by Israeli master violin maker Amnon Weinstein and his son Avshalom, carries a powerful story of resilience and survival. These instruments bear witness to the indomitable spirit of their owners, whose music defied the darkness of one of history’s most tragic periods. The Violins of Hope project will feature performances, exhibitions, and educational programs that celebrate the enduring power of music and the human spirit. Through these events, communities will come together to reflect on the past and inspire a future rooted in hope, acceptance, and unity. Join us as we honor these extraordinary instruments and the stories they tell.

*A Big Ears 2025 Exhibition (one of four very special exhibitions of visual art on display during the festival weekend (Mar 27-30) and during the month leading up to it. Extended hours TBA.

Digital Motif, 108 S Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. (865) 214-6367 or https://digitalmotif.com/

Fountain City Art Center is celebrating 20 years of art education. Join us for an exhibit of students' works.

Opening Feb 21, 6:30-8 PM

Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37918. Information: 865-357-2787, www.fountaincityartcenter.com

The Smithsonian’s National Collection of Fishes X-rays represent more than 70 percent of the world’s fish specimens and is the largest and most diverse collection of its kind in the world. Although the X-rays featured in the national collection were made for research purposes, the strikingly elegant images demonstrate the natural union of science and art and are a visual retelling of the evolution of fish. X-Ray Vision: Fish Inside Out, an exhibition from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), showcases these dramatic prints exposing the inner workings of the fish.

The exhibition features 32 black-and-white digital prints of different species of fish. Arranged in evolutionary sequence, these X-rays give a tour through the long stream of fish evolution. The X-rays have allowed Smithsonian and other scientists to study the skeleton of a fish without altering the specimen, making it easier for scientists to build a comprehensive picture of fish diversity.

The exhibition also includes specimens from the collections of the McClung Museum, the Etnier Ichthyological Collection, and the Vertebrate Osteology Collection to highlight research happening with fish specimens at the University of Tennessee.

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Tu-Sa 9-5, Sun 12-4. Information: 865-974-2144, https://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/

States of Becoming examines the dynamic forces of relocation, resettling, and assimilation that shape the artistic practices of a group of contemporary African diaspora artists in the United States. The exhibition is inspired by curator Fitsum Shebeshe’s 2016 move from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Baltimore, and subsequent firsthand experience with cultural assimilation. States of Becoming is a traveling exhibition curated by Fitsum Shebeshe and produced by Independent Curators International (ICI), New York.

States of Becoming Opening Reception
Friday, January 31, 2025, 6:00-9:00 pm
Members Only Hour, 6:00-7:00 pm
Gallery Talk with Curator Fitsum Shebeshe, 6:15 pm
Reception Opens to Non-Members, 7:00 pm
Musical Performance by Artist Miatta Kawinzi, 8:00 pm
Food by Tarik’s North African + Cash Bar + Specialty Beverage
https://knoxart.org/event/states-of-becoming-opening-reception/

For additional information and updates, follow the Knoxville Museum of Art on social media:
Facebook: Knoxville Museum of Art, Instagram: @knoxvillemuseumofart, X: @knoxart

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tu-Sa 10-5, Su 1-5. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org. Admission and parking are free.

The McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, announces a new exhibition, “Homelands: Connecting to Mounds Through Native Art,” opening to the public on January 25, 2025. The project sets a new standard for collaborative exhibition practices at the McClung and represents the museum's most significant renovation in more than 20 years.

"‘Homelands’ is a defining moment for the McClung Museum. It’s the largest project we’ve undertaken in over two decades, but its impact goes far beyond its scale,” said Claudio Gómez, Jefferson Chapman Executive Director of the museum. “This exhibition has challenged us to rethink how we collaborate, bringing in new perspectives and allowing us to honor Native voices in ways that are both respectful and forward-thinking.”

“Homelands” showcases contemporary art by 17 Native artists to emphasize the enduring ties between Native Nations and Knox County. As a result of the exhibition, the museum has acquired 22 new works for its permanent collection.

https://news.utk.edu/2025/01/07/mcclung-museum-to-open-exhibition-centering-native-voices-and-contemporary-art/

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Tu-Sa 9-5, Sun 12-4. Information: 865-974-2144, https://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/