Oak Ridge Orchestra, violist to pay tribute to trailblazing black, African American composers

The Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra with special guest violist Derek Reeves will pay tribute to trailblazing black and African American composers in Musical Firsts on Sunday.

The concert is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. Sunday, February 9, in the Historic Grove Theater at 123 Randolph Road in Oak Ridge. Tickets are available at ORCMA.org, by phone at (865) 483-5569, or at The Ferrell Shop in Jackson Square. Tickets are also available at the door. Prices are $25 for adults, $10 for young adults ages 19-29, and free for youth 18 and younger through the Penny4Arts initiative.

The orchestra will perform music by acclaimed composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, William Grant Still, Daniel Bernard Roumain, and Jessie Montgomery. Reeves, the soloist, will be featured in the music by Still and also the “Viola Concerto” by Georg Friedrich Telemann before leading area viola students in a master class, a press release said.

“I’ve known Derek since he was a talented undergraduate student at Indiana University,” said Music Director Dan Allcott. “Now a seasoned professional, Derek belongs to that special category of musicians who has the ability to cross multiple boundaries and musical genres to engage all audiences. Oak Ridgers are in for a treat.”

“It is absolutely a treat to have a violist perform as soloist with the orchestra!” said Susan Shor, Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra violist and Oak Ridge-based music teacher. “The entire viola section is especially looking forward to playing this concert.”

On Saturday, February 8, the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association will partner with Oak Valley Baptist Church to present a Black History Month program at the Scarboro Community Center. The theme of the two-part program is Education and Musical Firsts—a facilitated dialogue beginning at 1 p.m. and an interactive musical program and roundtable discussion beginning at 2:15.

“ORCMA is thrilled to collaborate with Oak Valley for this timely program and to provide another opportunity to present Mr. Reeves in the Oak Ridge community,” said ORCMA Executive Director Lisa Muci Eckhoff. The program is free and open to the public, and questions about the program may be directed to [email protected].

Allcott presented a class on the music to be performed at the Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning on Monday.

“It is a rare treat to perform the music of so many often-overlooked composers,” said Christy Graffeo, principal violist of the Oak Ridge Symphony.

The Oak Ridge Civic Music Association said it thanked Pastor and Oak Ridge City Council member Derrick Hammond, Oak Valley Baptist Church, the Holiday Inn Express and Suites, the Historic Grove Theater, the Tennessee Arts Commission, and WUOT 91.9 FM for sponsorship and support. The purchase of Tennessee Specialty License Plates also funds arts programming throughout the state, including ORCMA’s programming, the press release said. Information on specialty license plates may be found at tnspecialtyplayes.org.

Presented by the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association, the 2019-2020 Symphony and Chorus Series also includes “Leap Year and Light Opera” on February 29, and “Native Lands” on May 2 with special guest artist Jeff Midkiff.