The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, in collaboration with the Carpetbag Theatre and the Celebration Choir, will present “A Night with the Arts; A Celebration Concert” in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Monday, Jan. 15, 6 p.m. at the Tennessee Theatre. The concert is free and open to the public.
The concert is sponsored by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Commission of Greater Knoxville, with support from county commissioners Brad Anders, Evelyn Gill, Bob Thomas and Dave Wright.
KSO music director, Aram Demirjian, will conduct the Knoxville Symphony, joined by the Celebration Choir, directed by Aaron Staple. The Program will also include songs and spoken words by members of the Carpetbag Theatre, directed by Linda Parris-Bailey.
Aaron Staple, Celebration Choir director
The Celebration Choir will open the program with a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the first of four songs presented by the choir, including joining the KSO and other performers on the program for the great civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome.”
The KSO will perform several works including “Lyric for Strings,” “Bloody Sunday Walkup” from the film “Selma,” “Make Our Garden Grow,” from Leonard Bernstein’s opera “Candide,” and Beethoven’s “Egmont Overture,” incidental music from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s 1787 play “Egmont,” about a 16th Century nobleman, Lamoral, Count of Egmont, condemned to death for taking a valiant stand against oppression.
The Carpetbag Theatre will present an excerpt from its production “Nothin’ Nice,” as well as spoken words and video stories about the experiences and personal impact of local civil rights leaders.
Linda Parris-Bailey, Carpetbag Theatre artistic director
No tickets are required for the event. Free parking is available in the State Street garage.