Conductor pianist collaborator
Performances: Friday, April 21, 2023 7:30pm; Saturday, April 22, 2:30pm; Saturday, April 22, 7:30pm; Sunday, April 23, 2:30pm
James Marvel, Stage Director
UT Opera Orchestra
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata No. 4 in A minor
ALEXANDRA BRYANT TAVANI: Selections from “The Open” for Violin and Piano
GEORGE FREDERIC HANDEL: Passacaglia for 2 Violins (arr. JOHAN HALVORSEN, second violin arr. JASCHA HEIFETZ)
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN: String Quartet No. 12
Beethoven’s “Late Quartets” are legendary pieces that inspired countless composers and artists alike since their composition. They are also the most challenging string quartets ever written, performed almost exclusively by touring professional String Quartets who may “live” with them side by side over time. Yet here in Knoxville, we so rarely hear them performed: something I cannot accept! Together with my colleagues in the KSO, I am thrilled to perform the String Quartet No. 12, op. 127. A heavenly piece that has moments of fantasy, high romanticism, and even a touch of ballet, this piece was innovative from the day it was written and remains “forever modern,” to borrow from Igor Stravinsky’s famous commentary on the Late Quartets. Beethoven’s ground-breaking spirit always inspires me to program his music alongside an extraordinarily talented composer of today; and preceding the string quartet, Kevin Class and I will perform Alexandra T. Bryant’s “The Open” for Violin and Piano. Bryant’s composition vividly illustrates scenes from everyday life that we see in nature, with high fantasy taking a back seat to the most beautiful images of real life, from “the cool breeze across the lake” to “we stepped out onto our new lawn.” – William Shaub
ROBERT SCHUMANN: Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor
SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR: “Deep River”
WILLIAM KROLL: Banjo and Fiddle
JOHANNES BRAHMS: “Horn Trio”
In a program we have titled “The Call of the Hunt,” pianist Kevin Class and I explore nature and the Romanticism of its sounds with KSO Principal Horn Jeffery Whaley. Together, the three of us tackle Brahms’ epic “Horn Trio,” a piece with so much depth and power that at moments, it sounds like a full symphony orchestra is performing at the Museum. Indeed, “the call of the hunt” title comes from the gorgeous horn calls in this piece, which are so memorable and evocative. Before we are joined by Jeffery, Kevin Class and I will perform delightful miniatures by William Kroll (Banjo and Fiddle) and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s arrangement of “Deep River.” But to understand Brahms, you need his friend and peer composer Robert Schumann, who leads our program with his popular Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor. A sonata rich with unforgettable chords, imagery, and passion, it is one of my very favorite sonatas precisely for these reasons, and it leads beautifully to the rich harmonies of Brahms. – William Shaub
Performances: Friday, November 4, 2022 & Sunday, November 6, 2022
Dean Anthony, Stage Director
Knoxville Symphony Orchestra
PABLE de SARASATE: “Carmen” Fantasy
GIACOMO PUCCINI: “O mio Babbino Caro” from Gianni Schicchi
CHRISTOPH WILLIBALD GLUCK: Melodie from Orfeo de Euridice
ENNIO MORRICONE: “Gabriel’s Oboe” from “The Mission”
DMITRI SCHOSTAKOVICH: Piano Quintet in G minor
Perhaps the most iconic Opera of all time, and the one with tunes found in everything from early films to modern rom-coms, Bizet’s “Carmen” was as popular in the 19th century as it is today. Just five years after its scandalous premiere, violinist Pablo de Sarasate was writing his very own “Fantasy” based on themes from Carmen. A legendary virtuoso from Spain, Pablo de Sarasate’s rendition for violin is exactly the way I love to open our Concertmaster Series Season: virtuosic, irresistibly catchy, and a wild ride. Followed by Carmen, we perform beautiful mini-selections for violin and piano from great Operas with phenomenal pianist Kevin Class. We conclude with Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet, written in 1940 and a winner of the “Stalin Prize.” One of the most intensely dramatic pieces for String Quartet and Piano, this drama is clearly inspired by Opera and the many characters and scene changes that the genre offers. It is pieces like this that inspire me deeply at the beginning of the KSO season, and I cannot wait to share this program with our audience as we kick off 2022-2023 at the Knoxville Museum of Art. – William Shaub
A program featuring works steeped in words and narrative, combined with community “Visualizing the Score” activities and art exhibition. This program will feature Joseph Bologne’s effervescent Symphony No. 2, Hugo Wolf’s playful Italian Serenade, Frank Ticheli’s poignant “Rest “for String Orchestra, the U.S. premiere of Ryan Cayabyab’s hauntingly beautiful “Suscipe” for Chorus & Orchestra, Handel’s majestic Zadok the Priest, Menotti’s rambunctious Preludio to Amelia al ballo, Jessie Montgomery’s scintillating Starburst, and Mendelssohn’s dazzling and poetic Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64
Oak Ridge, Tennessee First United Methodist Church
https://www.orcma.org/
Noa Naamat, director
Saluzzo Opera Academy
Saluzzo Opera Academy Orchestra
www.saluzzooperaacademy.com
Performances August 17-20
Courtyard of la Scuola APM
Susan Stone Li, director
Saluzzo Opera Academy
Saluzzo Opera Academy Orchestra
Saluzzo, Italy
www.saluzzooperaacademy.com
Exact performance dates and times TBD
Courtyard of la Scuola APM
James Marvel, director
The University of Tennessee Opera Theatre
UT Opera Orchestra
Friday, April 8, 2022 7:00pm
Saturday, April 9, 2022 2:00pm
Saturday, April 9, 2022 7:00pm
Sunday, April 10, 2022 2:00pm
World’s Fair Park Amphitheatre
Wednesday, March 30, 2022, 7:00pm
Thursday, March 31, 2022 7:00pm
The Concertmaster Series, featuring the new KSO concertmaster William Shaub and various guest artists, will take place at the Knoxville Museum of Art, located at 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive. Intimate performances held on Wednesday and Thursday evenings in the KMA’s Ann and Steve Bailey Hall – seating is general admission.
WORKS INCLUDE:
CARLOS SIMON “Loop” for String Trio
CLAUDE DEBUSSY Claire de Lune
CLAUDE DEBUSSY Violin Sonata
ROBERT SCHUMANN Piano Quintet in E flat major
Knoxville Museum of Art
We will adhere to local health guidelines and policies set forth by the venues we rent and promise to promptly communicate any changes that impact the audience experience or performance schedule.
Wednesday, January 26, 2022 7:00pm
Thursday, January 27, 2022 7:00pm
The Concertmaster Series, featuring the new KSO concertmaster William Shaub and various guest artists, will take place at the Knoxville Museum of Art, located at 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive. Intimate performances held on Wednesday and Thursday evenings in the KMA’s Ann and Steve Bailey Hall – seating is general admission.
INCLUDED WORKS:
BELA BARTOK Romanian Folk Dances
JESSIE MONTGOMERY “Rhapsody” No. 1
BELA BARTOK Selections from “The 44 Duos for Two Violins”
FRANZ SCHUBERT Piano Quintet in A major, “Trout”
Knoxville Museum of Art
We will adhere to local health guidelines and policies set forth by the venues we rent and promise to promptly communicate any changes that impact the audience experience or performance schedule.
The University of Tennessee Opera Theatre, Kevin Class, Music Director & Conductor.
Friday, November 12, 2021 8:00pm
Saturday, November 13, 2021 2:30pm
Saturday, November 13, 2021 8:00pm
Sunday, November 14, 2021 2:30pm
Bijou Theatre. Knoxville, Tennessee
www.music.utk.edu/opera
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 7:00pm
Thursday, October 7, 2021 7:00pm
The Concertmaster Series, featuring the new KSO concertmaster William Shaub and various guest artists, will take place at the Knoxville Museum of Art, located at 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive. Intimate performances held on Wednesday and Thursday evenings in the KMA’s Ann and Steve Bailey Hall – seating is general admission.
INCLUDED WORKS:
FRITZ KREISLER Praeludium & Allegro
FRITZ KREISLER Liebeslieid
NICCOLO PAGANINI Cantabile
ENNIO MORRICONE “Theme” from Cinema Paradiso
FELIX MENDELSSOHN Viola Quintet No. 2 in B flat
Knoxville Museum of Art
We will adhere to local health guidelines and policies set forth by the venues we rent and promise to promptly communicate any changes that impact the audience experience or performance schedule.
Nina Brazier, Stage Director
Saluzzo Opera Academy
Saluzzo Opera Academy Orchestra
Saluzzo, Italy
www.saluzzooperaacademy.com
Performances August 25, 26 & 29, 2021
Courtyard of the Scuola APM
Rebecca Jo Loeb, Stage Director
Berlin Opera Academy
Berlin Opera Academy Orchestra
Gemeindesaal, Kandersteg, Switzerland
www.opernfest.com
www.berlinoperaacademy.com
15. Juli 18:00 Uhr // 16. Juli 18:00 // 17. Juli 15:00 Uhr
Gemeindesaal, Kandersteg
The University of Tennessee Opera Theatre, Kevin Class, Music Director/Conductor, resume live, in-person performances with the presentation of four chamber operas at the Amphitheater in Knoxville’s World’s Fair Park.
The program includes Martin Hennessy’s An Incident in Sutton Square, Russell Smith’s Unicorn in the Garden, Dan Shore’s An Embarrassing Position, and Kamran Ince’s Abandoned.
Conducted by Kevin Class, with members of the UT Opera Orchestra.
Masks and social distancing required.
Performances are free but tickets are required.
To reserve tickets please email: utotix@gmail.com
Four performances:
Saturday, April 10th at 1:00 and 4:00pm
Sunday, April 11th at 1:00 and 4:00pm
A setting of poetry by Rebecca Parr, “From Last Year….” is a cycle of four songs and an Interlude described as “ a colored sketch of a portrait of a woman’s life; a journey from muse to reality, and how the world outside changes who you are.” The four poems of the cycle provide glimpses of stages of life and circumstances that shine an awareness on concerns of mental health.
This collaboration of four individuals, in two different hemispheres of the globe, is intended to demonstrate the spirit of working together despite the distance and restrictions imposed by a global pandemic, to utilize technology in the service of artistic partnership, and to illuminate the creative process in bringing a new work to life in performance.
This YouTube Premiere event will feature a short documentary about the work and about the collaboration between Rebecca Parr, Kevin Class (composer and pianist), and Stefanie Quintin-Avila, soprano, and Alegria O. Ferrer, director. The long-distance musical collaboration between Kevin and Stefanie, in workshopping and recording the work, results in an artistic/interpretive film by Alegria O. Ferrer presenting the song cycle in its entirety.
This project is a collaborative effort between the University of the Philippines College of Music and the School of Music of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
L’Atelier Class YouTube channel. Link to view: https://youtu.be/_RUHDDv0ZZo
Composed mostly in 2011 (completed in 2020), Pictures from an Exhibitionist was a work conceived sarcastically, with a wink-wink and a nod to Anthony Wiener, to whom the work is dedicated. While the titles of the individual movements may be suggestive, they are also intended to challenge the listener to hear past the preconceived notions that we make about a work based on its title. Just as Anthony Wiener could not be sure that was a picture of His wiener, can we be sure we hear what we think we hear in the character and emotion of a piece of music? It's more contemplation that the piece probably deserves, to be honest.
This performance is the first complete representation of the collection of pieces and is the introduction of l'Atelier Class - a concept and channel devoted to the process of workshopping, studying, discussing, and preparing music rather than the polished presentation of finished products (performances). This is probably obvious by the out-of-focus camera work and clumsy editing!
www.italyoperaviva.com
Session I June 14-July 5, 2020
Session II July 12 - August 2, 2020
Cancelled due to COVID-19
Please join us at BOA in 2021
www.berlinoperaacademy.com
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 7:00pm
Thursday, April 30, 2020 7:00pm
Gershwin: Summertime for Violin and Piano (arr. Heifetz)
Gershwin: It Ain’t Necessarily So
Ponce: Estrellita
Stravinsky: Suite Italienne for Violin & Piano
Korngold: Piano Quintet in E Major, Op. 15
Knoxville Museum of Art
Friday, April 17, 2020 8:00pm
Saturday, April 18, 2020 2:30pm
Saturday, April 18, 2020 8:00pm
Sunday, April 19, 2020 2:30pm
University of Tennessee Opera Theatre
Bijou Theatre. Knoxville, Tennessee
www.music.utk.edu/opera
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, the Edison Piano Trio performs the Piano Trios. Program II of II featuring the Op. 70 trios including the “Ghost” and “Archduke.”
Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall
Natalie L. Haslam Music Center
University of Tennessee School of Music
Knoxville, Tennessee
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, this program will feature the 5 Sonatas for Piano & Cello performed in one evening.
Concert will begin at 6:00pm with a 30 minute intermission
Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall
Natalie L. Haslam Music Center
University of Tennessee School of Music
Knoxville, Tennessee
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, the Edison Piano Trio performs the Piano Trios.
Program I of II featuring the Op. 1 trios.
Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall
Natalie L. Haslam Music Center
University of Tennessee School of Music
Knoxville, Tennessee
Wednesday, January 22, 2020 7:00pm
Thursday, January 23, 2020 7:00pm
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 7 in C Minor
Haydn: Piano Trio No. 39, Mvt. III (Gypsy Rondo)
Beethoven: Piano Trio No. 1 in D Major, Op. 70 “Ghost”
Knoxville Museum of Art
Friday, November 8, 2019 8:00pm
Saturday, November 9, 2019 2:30pm
Saturday, November 9, 2019 8:00pm
Sunday, November 10, 2019 2:30pm
Bijou Theatre. Knoxville, Tennessee
www.music.utk.edu/opera
Program including works by Beethoven, Schubert and Liszt’s Annees de Pelerinage - Italie (complete)
Masterclasses for Pianists and Instrumentalists and Piano Recital (Liszt: Annees de Pelerinage - Italie)
