Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Aram Demirjian Accelerate 9 for 90 Commissioning Project

 In celebration of the KSO’s 90th Anniversary Season, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra (KSO) and Music Director Aram Demirjian created the 9 for 90 season-long commissioning initiative that welcomes the world premieres of nine works, each composed specifically for the KSO and performed across the full range of its artistic programming. 

With two world premieres already performed this season, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s 9 for 90 commissioning project now enters its most active phase, as seven additional world premieres unfold in rapid succession from March through May. Rather than concentrating the commissions in a single series, the project is woven throughout the season, spanning the KSO’s Masterworks, Chamber, Q Series, Youth Ensembles, and Concertmaster series.

"9 for 90 celebrates the KSO's recent history and looks to the future by investing deeply in a core aspect of our mission: driving the symphonic art form forward through artistic invention and collaboration,” said Demirjian. “I am so proud that when we perform new music at the KSO, we center it, and our audience now seeks out the chance to discover something new.”

That philosophy is reflected in the range of composers participating in the project and in the broad engagement across the organization. “We have emerging stars to established international voices, some of whom are old friends of the KSO, and others with whom we are working for the first time. It means so much to me, too, that three major pillars of our organization - the musicians, the board, and the staff - have played vital and active roles in bringing 9 for 90 to fruition,” said Demirjian.

"From the beginning, our board was excited to support the opportunity to bring new music to life,” said KSO CEO Rachel Ford. “We’re proud to stand behind Aram’s artistic vision and to help make these nine new works possible. While 9 for 90 marks a milestone season, it’s ultimately forward-looking and reflects how the KSO continues to invest in the artistic life of this community.”

The commissioning initiative was made possible through a board-led fundraising effort that raised approximately $110,000 to support the creation and presentation of the new works, including composer travel and residency expenses.

The 9 for 90 project builds on a decade of sustained commitment to new music under Demirjian’s leadership. Over the past ten years, he has introduced 115 works to the KSO’s repertoire, including 70 by living composers and representing a wide range of contemporary voices. During that time, the orchestra has commissioned or co-commissioned 41 works, including projects such as Michael Schachter's Violin Concerto: Cycle of Life, a collaboration between the KSO, Schachter, Knoxville Museum of Art, and glass artist Richard Jolley, and Between Suns: A Concerto for West African Drums and Orchestra by Derrick Skye developed in partnership with Knoxville-based drum ensemble Indigenous Vibes.

The first two premieres of the current season - XC Blast by Jennifer Higdon in September and Sing to the Moon by Kevin Day in December - marked the launch of the 9 for 90 project. Beginning in March, the remaining seven commissions will receive their world premieres over an eight-week period. 

Higdon, who has been a frequent collaborator with the KSO, emphasized the importance of new work in shaping the future of the art form. “New music gives people alive today a reflection of their own time, their energy, and their sound world,” said Higdon. “New compositions are how music history moves forward. It’s the way it has always been. Even Beethoven was once considered radical.”

Demirjian describes 9 for 90 as a collaborative effort, shaped not only by his artistic vision but also by the musicians who will bring the works to life. In several cases, KSO musicians played a direct role in identifying composers whose voices and styles they admired. Members of the KSO Principal Brass Quintet, for example, recommended composer and jazz pianist Kevin Day, whose genre-blending approach they felt would resonate with both performers and audiences.

For KSO horn player Kelsey Bentley, a member of the Brass Quintet, that involvement has been especially meaningful. “We’re very excited to be part of 9 for 90 and to bring our audience into the process of creating new work,” Bentley said. “It’s a meaningful way to connect performers and listeners with contemporary music.”

The upcoming world premieres include works by Gala Flagello, Guido López-Gavilán, Saad Haddad, Jonathan Leshnoff, Sky Macklay, Robert Paterson, and Nicky Sohn, presented across multiple venues and ensemble formats. Several of the composers are expected to be in Knoxville to rehearse with the orchestra and attend their premieres, reflecting the project’s emphasis on direct artistic engagement.

That dynamic was evident earlier this season when Higdon was in Knoxville for rehearsals and the premiere of XC Blast, offering musicians the opportunity to shape the work alongside its creator. This spring, that spirit of collaboration continues, in some cases through long-standing artistic relationships.

"What I love about 9 for 90 is that we’re bringing renowned composers from the international community to Knoxville,” said KSO Concertmaster William Shaub. “Saad Haddad, a friend since Juilliard, and I have spent hours on Zoom shaping his Violin Sonata. That kind of direct collaboration sparks my creative vision and inspires our musicians here at the KSO. That’s what makes this project so meaningful.”