The historic stage of the magnificent Tennessee Theatre was graced by several hundred young musicians on the evening of November 17. 23 Knoxville Suzuki Academy students performed in the five different orchestras. Three KSA students are principal players: Matthew Miao, Preludium; Marguerite MacDonald, Sinfonia; and Mabelle Zhang, Chamber Orchestra. Several KSA students had solos within the pieces and they performed admirably.

Like a football, basketball or soccer team, an orchestra works as a team, each member focusing their attention on the musical score and conductor. Unlike a sports team, there are no separate winners and losers. Ensemble members fuse their individual efforts into one coherent effort; the better they play as a unit, the more beautiful are the sounds that emerge.

One of the delights of watching and listening to the KSYO orchestras is seeing the students appreciate one another and their conductors. Their attention and devotion is palpable.  Every performance is unique, pulsing with energy and emotion, and its vibrance overshadows any mistakes along the way. The large audience of family and friends was clearly thrilled and their appreciation was long and enthusiastic.