“For their first-ever tour—a trip to Atlanta for the National Orchestra Festival on the weekend of March 9-11—the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra did themselves and their supporters very proud,” reads an unsigned report in last Monday’s (3/19) Knoxville News Sentinel (Tenn.). “ ‘Not only did they play spectacularly,’ says James Fellenbaum, in his seventh year as their music director and conductor, ‘but they represented the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra Association and the City of Knoxville with poise, professionalism and sincere support of the other orchestras in the NOF competition.’ … And they took home a prize—a first-place trophy in the Youth Orchestra division. ‘The Youth Orchestra performed in Atlanta at the highest level we’ve heard them play,’ … says Kathy Hart, KSYOA manager for the last 22 years and conductor of the Sinfonia group within the association.… Renae Dishman, the orchestra’s principal clarinet player, says, ‘It was a great experience, a lot of fun and a great bonding opportunity.’ … The National Orchestra Festival is an annual festival held in conjunction with the American String Teachers Association National Conference…. Competition categories include Youth Orchestras, Middle School Orchestra and High School Orchestras.”
Posted March 26, 2018
