KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra has completed its KSO1x1 Project, which features compositions by composers from Knoxville all the way to Belgium and Tanzania.
The KSO1x1 Project paired a KSO musician with a donor who sponsored the composition of a short solo piece. In total, 24 pieces from 25 composers were created and premiered digitally between February and August.
“This project started as a creative way to feature the individual talents of our KSO musicians, and it sparked enthusiasm among our musicians, supporters and followers beyond anything we could have hoped for,” KSO Music Director Aram Demirjian said. “There is a piece for nearly every instrument in the orchestra, and the composers come from a wide range of backgrounds, musical styles and years of experience.
“I am so grateful to the composers for their inventiveness and collaboration, our musicians for their artistry, our staff for their extensive behind-the-scenes work and our donors – many of whom were commissioning new music for the first time.”
Some highlights from the project include “Smoky Mountain Air” by Grammy Award-winning East Tennessee native Jennifer Higdon, “Reflection and Groove” by Grammy Award-winning composer and bassist John Clayton and “Within” by pianist and NPR personality Lara Downes. The videos can be found on KSO’s Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and website.