From left: cellist D. Scot Williams, Maestro Lucas Richman, violinist Sean Claire and cellist Bruce Wilhite perform as a barbershop quartet. My favorite piece: "Wait for the Beep," which Richman composed as his answering machine message!
There are all kinds of fancy fundraisers for the Knoxville Symphony: the elegant Crystal Ball, dinners and lunches in fine homes, and special private performances by visiting guest artists.
But my favorite one of all is a simple pot luck supper held in a church meeting hall early on a Sunday night. Florescent lights, paper napkins and all.
Yikes! Willene Chalmers, charged with introducing the music segment of the evening, almost loses track of time
“Symphony Soiree,” as it is called, is organized by the musicians, led by violinist Sean Claire. The musicians, who constitute a virtual United Nations right here in Knoxville, prepare and bring their favorite dishes and then entertain with short (sometimes out of character) pieces.
This year’s Symphony Soiree was this past Sunday at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral downtown. The dishes included Thai red curry and rice, low country chicken bog, Brown Derby chicken curry, shrimp rotini, beef pork noodles, wild rice salad and a huge steaming pot of borscht, among many others. Seventeen musicians brought the food.
The music was just as eclectic. There were two classical pieces, but also a three-piece set of gypsy jazz and three pieces by a barbershop quartet made up of three KSO musicians and conductor Lucas Richman.
The Symphony Soiree is part of the Elegant Dining series produced by the Knoxville Symphony League. At $50 per ticket, it is among the least expensive of the offerings. Last year the League, through all its activities, contributed $205,000 to the Symphony’s operating fund, which in this economic downturn is a godsend. There are still some Elegant Dining events left and I encourage you to sign up for some of them. But whatever you do, don’t miss next year’s Symphony Soiree. See you there!
Violinists Ilia Steinschneider, left, and Sean Claire, get the bread on the table
Soup's on! Polly Anna Harris, left, and Nan Sweitzer help themselves to some borscht
Thai red curry and rice: yum!
Jeff and Karen Wilkinson, right, surprised their friend Sandi Lowe by bringing her to the event for her birthday. She said she was very puzzled when they pulled into the church parking lot.
Cellist Stacy Miller, who brought wild rice salad, and bassist Steve Benne, who performed, pass the time after dinner
Oboist Ayca Yayman and violinist Ilia Steinschneider wait for their cue to go on
Knoxville Symphony League Past President Willene Chalmers welcomes guests
It was great seeing Steve Benne and the other musicians in casual attire rather than their tuxes
Cellist Andy Bryenton, right, played gypsy jazz with his band, the Johnson Swingtet
I knew Lucas could sing, just didn’t know he had an impromptu Barbershop Quartet. Those guys should auction off their answering machine message for someone’s home answering machine, a la Carl Kassell of Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me on NPR. That would be so much fun. I’d bid!
That’s a great idea, Annette! I’d bid, too!