Kim Cunningham, left, is the president of the Knoxville Symphony League and was in charge of rallying the troops to make a great success out of a set of challenging circumstances. Other League members, from left: Saundra Daniels, Linda Royston, and Cathy Briscoe.
Those of us involved with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra know that the (mostly) women of the Knoxville Symphony League are capable of producing a wide variety of events under sometimes challenging circumstances.
But a little over a week ago, I really thought the talented and determined group may have met its match. A scant couple of hours before the long-planned outdoor dinner party called “Diner au Blanc et Noir” was to start in the yard of a historic home on Black Oak Ridge in north Knoxville, a violent storm tore through the area.
Here’s one centerpiece that was whisked off the check-in table by the wind and rain less than an hour before start time.
The League sent out text messages for guests to delay their arrival, but few received the word in time. The League volunteers frantically covered the already-set tables in the yard of Ridgefield Manor with plastic tarps to hopefully keep them somewhat dry. And they hearded arriving guests into the home’s carriage house for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres instead of serving them on the porch and the lawn as they had planned. A quartet of Symphony musicians, which were set up to perform on a platform on the lawn, was moved under the cover of the porch.
Thankfully, the storm passed through and moved out with relatively little damage. Some of the linens were slightly damp and some decorative centerpieces got blown to the ground and shattered, but with just a short delay, everything else proceeded as planned.
And you know what? It was even sweeter because of the challenges. There were only eight no-shows for the sold out evening. Bravo, League friends!
Passing time in the carriage house while waiting for remnants of rain to stop.
Josh Thornton, the KSO’s development director, and CEO Rachel Ford.
Alan Carmichael, left, with Maureen and Neil McBride.
Bryan May and Orpha Brink.
The passed hors d’oeuvres were delish.
The view at 7 p.m. after the storm has passed through.
Out on the porch, from left, Angel Fields, Kim Hays, and Maddie Helbling, the KSO’s director of education and community partnerships.
Francine Marasco with Ron Hall, one of the owners of Ridgefield Manor.
Kim Cunningham with Bobby Brown, center, and Todd Richesin.
From left, Steven and Jenny Kitts, Becky Benedict, and Jane Venable.
Fred and Harriet Hodge with Frank Venable, at right.
Margaret Mills, center, with Lyle and Trish Irish.
From left, Sandra Butler, Mardel Fehrenbach, Ron Hall, and Donna Wertz.
Lynn and Fran Morehous.
The quartet playing on the porch.
Kyle Venlet, left, and Tobias Elser.
Jennifer Bloch.
Adam Ayers.
Homeowners Ron Hall, left, and Robert York, right, with Milaray Mann. (Photo by Tinah Utsman.)
Removing the tarps, from left, Ralph Cianelli, Kim Hays, and Rick Fox, the chair of the Symphony Board.
Waiting on the porch to be called to dinner!
The tables looked great, all things considered!
From left, Sheena McCall, Janice Slyman, and Becky Benedict.
Gay Lyons, left, and Jenny Bushkell.
Kristi and Kijon Dunn.
Steve Russell, left, and Chris McKenry.
David Butler, center, visiting with Marga and Jay McBride.
Karen and Reinhold Mann.
Lisa and Kurt Damron.
Bobby Brown, left, and Todd Richesin.
By 7:30, things were looking up, weather-wise, and everyone was in a festive mood.
Here’s the view at 7:30. Definitely clearing up.
Kim Cunningham, left, and KSO Music Director Aram Demirjian surveying the scene. (Photo by Tinah Utsman.)
Dinner, which came from By the Tracks Catering, was beautiful and tasty. Clockwise, from top left: artisan rolls and butter; a salad of local greens, grilled pears, goat cheese crumbles, and candied pecans with apple cider vinaigrette; roasted airline chicken breast with Dijon sauce, risotto, and roasted butternut squash; and apple slab pie with spiced Chantilly cream.
Aram Demirjian stopped by our table to chat. He’s here with Gay Lyons.
Gay with another of our tablemates: Simone Stewart.
Scene at 8:15.
Dinner was finishing as night was falling.
John and Sandra Butler.
David and Lisa Bogaty.
Kim Cunningham made a few comments from the porch as the orchestra was getting ready.
Caraline and Aram Demirjian.
Showtime! Pieces were by Jean Sibelius, Camille Saint-Saens, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Mark O’Connor. Program ended on a lively note with “The Charleston” by James P. Johnson.
From left, Kathryn Gawne, Stacy Nickell, Andy Bryenton, and Bill Pierce.
It definitely was a night to remember.
Thanks, everybody!
Great photos of a fabulous event. It was a [soggy] great time with delicious food & wonderful wines. Kudos to Kim & everyone else who pulled it off. We just had to show up & enjoy. Glad the wind & rain died down.
Gay:Totally agree! Had a blast. Thanks to Kim and the Knoxville Symphony League for a job well done.