SONGFEST Premieres in Tennessee with Knoxville Symphony Orchestra

The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, led by Music Director Aram Demirjian, will present the Tennessee premiere of Leonard Bernstein's complete Songfest on Oct. 15–16 at the Tennessee Theatre. The program also features Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 and Julia Perry's anthem Ye, Who Seek the Truth, which will be heard in an arrangement for strings and harp by Jannina Norpoth.

For Demirjian, programming Songfest served as the starting point for a broader exploration of poetry and the spoken word throughout the KSO's 2026-27 season.

'Songfest is really where the idea of exploring American poetry throughout this season began,' Demirjian said. 'It brings together poetry that reflects a breadth of perspectives on the American experience, encompassing a wide range of backgrounds and identities.'

That exploration extends across several KSO performances and programs this season and includes the appointment of former Knoxville Poet Laureate Rhea Carmon as the KSO's first poet-in-residence, reflecting Demirjian's longtime interest in the connections between poetry and music.

'Alongside the Bernstein, I'm so pleased to share one of Tchaikovsky's masterworks and a sacred choral work by Julia Perry. Perry was a fascinating composer whose music is thankfully gaining greater notice now, nearly a half-century after her death,' said Demirjian. 'The original text of Ye, Who Seek the Truth draws on scripture, but in this program, the instrumental version acts as a broader meditation on searching for truth, as all poets and artists do.'

Nearly 50 years after its 1977 world premiere, the rarely performed Songfest will be heard in its entirety in Tennessee for the first time. Written for six vocal soloists and orchestra, Songfest is a cycle of 12 songs setting the words of 13 American poets spanning three centuries. Originally commissioned in celebration of the United States Bicentennial, the work became Bernstein's wide-ranging musical exploration of American life and identity through poetry.

Bernstein began Songfest as a Bicentennial commission but did not complete it in time for 1976. The full work premiered the following year at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with Bernstein conducting the National Symphony Orchestra. Its texts include poetry by Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes, Edgar Allan Poe, E.E. Cummings, Edna St. Vincent Millay, June Jordan, Julia de Burgos and others.

The complete Songfest brings together six vocal soloists and orchestra across its 12 songs, with the singers performing both individually and in ensembles throughout the cycle and the orchestration expanded to include less conventional symphonic instruments like electric keyboard and Fender bass. The KSO performances will feature soprano Raquel González, mezzo-soprano Cierra Byrd, alto Renée Tatum, tenor John Overholt, baritone Stephen Salters, and bass David Crawford.

For complete information about the KSO's 2026-27 season, visit knoxvillesymphony.com/202627-season-preview.

Event Information

Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony

Oct. 15-16, 2026 | Tennessee Theatre

Link: https://knoxvillesymphony.com/concert/tchaikovskys-5th-symphony/

Aram Demirjian, conductor
Raquel González, soprano
Cierra Byrd, mezzo-soprano
Renée Tatum, alto
John Overholt, tenor
Stephen Salters, baritone
David Crawford, bass

JULIA PERRY: Ye, Who Seek the Truth
Leonard Bernstein: Songfest (Tennessee premiere)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5

The concert is part of the MoxCar Marketing + Communications Masterworks Series and is sponsored in memory of Whit Hodges by his loving family. Tickets and information are available at knoxvillesymphony.com.

About Aram Demirjian

Winner of the Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award from The Solti Foundation U.S., conductor Aram Demirjian has built a reputation as an insightful interpreter of the symphonic repertoire and drawn praise for his 'rejuvenating' (Washington Post) leadership as Music Director of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra (KSO). Widely considered a compelling, 'even electric' (San Francisco Classical Voice) presence on the podium, he is sought after for his 'graceful, energetic direction' (Sarasota Herald Tribune), dynamic programs that broaden the idea of what one can expect to see on the symphonic stage, and distinctive ability to speak to, cultivate, and connect with audiences.

As the eighth Music Director of the KSO, Aram has led the orchestra to new artistic heights and national distinction for its achievements. A devoted champion of American music, he has grown the ensemble's repertoire through bold programming with broad audience appeal, and he has made new music and commissioning central to the orchestra's artistic identity. Aram is also increasingly in demand as a guest conductor, particularly for his interpretation of Handel's Messiah, which he has led in recent years with the Kansas City Symphony, Nashville Symphony, and the Seattle Symphony in a debut that was praised as 'a winning combination of vocal excellence and imaginative interpretation… no ordinary Messiah performance' (Seattle Times). Further guest conducting highlights include recent or upcoming debuts with the Charlotte, Colorado, Houston, North Carolina, San Diego, and Utah symphonies; the Rhode Island and Rochester philharmonics; the Florida Orchestra; and frequent appearances with The Philadelphia Orchestra. Following the completion of the KSO's landmark 9 for 90 project, celebrating the orchestra's 90th anniversary with 9 world premieres across a single season, the 2026-27 season sees Aram lead the KSO in a season-long exploration of American poetry and American music.

The proud child of an immigrant family, Aram is American-born and of Armenian descent. He holds a joint Bachelor of Arts in Music and Government from Harvard University, and a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from New England Conservatory. www.aramdemirjian.com.

About Knoxville Symphony Orchestra