Oak Ridge Today

Holiday concert on Sunday features Oak Ridge Symphony, Chorus, Sound Company

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Sound Company Children's Performing Choir

The Sound Company Children’s Performing Choir of Oak Ridge is pictured above singing in an earlier concert. (File photo)

The Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra will join Sound Company and the Oak Ridge Chorus to “ring in” the holiday season during a concert on Sunday.

The concert starts at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center.

The holiday concert is presented by the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association.

The orchestra, under the direction of Dan Allcott, will open the concert with the “Hanukah Festival Overture,” composed by Knoxville’s own Lucas Richman. Music from “Mass of the Children,” and “Colors of Christmas,” will feature the children and the civic choruses. The performance will be dedicated to the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Connecticut last year. [Read more…]

ORHS Madrigal Singers at library at lunchtime Friday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Shepards Pipes

The Oak Ridge High School Madrigal Singers will perform at the Public Library at noon Friday.

“These students sing routinely in many languages and perform music from many time periods, Renaissance to modern,” a press release said. “Several participate in All East and All State choirs, and many receive college scholarships to help them pursue their music studies.”

Choir director Amanda Ragan is a graduate of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and has a bachelor’s degree in music education, and she has her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. She has been teaching at ORHS for the past 15 years, and her choirs are well-known and consistently earn superior ratings at local, state, and national competitions, the press release said. [Read more…]

Christmas sing-along at First Baptist on Sunday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Community Band

The Oak Ridge Community Band performs at the Dec. 6 Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at the Civic Center. (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge Community Band and Wind Ensemble has a Christmas sing-along concert on Sunday.

The free concert is at 7 p.m. Sunday at the First Baptist Church at 1101 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

The concert will be held in the church sanctuary, dress is casual, and song books will be handed to the audience members to sing familiar Christmas carols along with the band, a press release said.

Another highlight of the concert will be several selections performed by the band including Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride,” Johann Bach’s “If Thou Be Near,” Gustav Holst’s “Christmas Day” featuring a medley of carols, and “The Little Drummer Boy” arranged by former Oak Ridge Community Band director Steve “Doc” Combs and former band member Glenn Bigelow. [Read more…]

What’s happening in Oak Ridge from Dec. 12-18

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Here is a summary of events happening in Oak Ridge starting Thursday, Dec. 12, and continuing through Dec. 18.

This weekly listing of events is compiled by the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau: [Read more…]

‘Hang out with Artists’ at Greenwich Village Mall on Saturday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Stained Glass

Greenwich Village Mall has a “Hang out with Your Local Artists” event on Saturday.

It’s scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The mall is on the first floor of Jackson Square, next to the Soup Kitchen at 109 Towne Road.

The event will include a stained glass demonstration by Vicki Poe. The Locally Grown Gallery will have a 15 percent discount on hanging art, and photographs will be discounted.

Spencer’s Visions will offer 10 percent off prints and 20 percent off framing and matting.

Besides artists, the event will also include door prizes. Call (865) 483-9115 or (865) 696-8078 for more information.

Oak Ridge Community Orchestra plays seasonal music on Saturday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Community Orchestra Bass and Viola Sections

The bass and viola sections of the Oak Ridge Community Orchestra are pictured above. (Photos courtesy of Travis Witherington)

In its free concert at 2 p.m. Saturday, the Oak Ridge Community Orchestra will play well-known music associated with traditional celebrations in December.

“Everyone will immediately recognize the dashing ‘Sleigh Ride’ by Leroy Anderson, and the Christmas carols captured by William Burkhart in his special arrangement, ‘While in the Fields,'” a press release said. “You can savor the traditional Russian flavor with ‘Polonaise’ from the ‘Christmas Eve Suite’ by Rimsky-Korsakov, and ‘Russian Christmas Music’ by Alfred Reed. Moreover, you will enjoy the lilting style of traditional Jewish music in ‘Festive Sounds of Hanukah’ by Bill Holcombe.”

This eclectic mix of celebratory seasonal music will be performed at 2 pm. Saturday in the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Oak Ridge, on the corner of the Oak Ridge Turnpike and LaFayette Drive. Admission is free. But, modest donations at the door to support the orchestra’s routine operating expenses will be appreciated. [Read more…]

Sponsored: Music Arts studios move to Robertsville Baptist, lessons make great gifts

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Music Arts Michael Johnston and Warren Clark

Trumpet teacher Warren Clark, left, and student Michael Johnston, a junior at Oak Ridge High School, practice at Music Arts’ new studio space at Robertsville Baptist Church.

Music Arts, a longtime Oak Ridge music school, has moved across town to a larger space at Robertsville Baptist Church.

Its two dozen professional instructors continue to offer top-quality instruction at competitive prices. They offer private lessons on all instruments and also teach voice lessons, jazz improvisation, and music theory and composition.

Music Arts moved to Robertsville Baptist Church in October. The school had been at Oak Ridge Alliance Church. Lessons are offered Monday through Saturday.

“We offer instruction in a wide variety of instruments,” Music Arts says. “Our faculty have been educated at such schools as the University of Tennessee, Peabody, Indiana University, Cleveland Institute of Music, and Hartt School of Music.” [Read more…]

Shephard’s Pipes to perform Renaissance carols at Oak Ridge library

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Shepards Pipes

Come in out of the cold and enjoy talented musicians at the Oak Ridge Public Library.

On Dec. 19, from 7:30-8:15 p.m., Shephard’s Pipes will perform Renaissance carols in the Oak Ridge Public Library auditorium.

A recorder consort, Shepard’s Pipes was started in the 1980s by Phyllis Shepard, a music teacher and early music enthusiast in Oak Ridge, a press release said. When she returned to her home state of Vermont in 2001, the then-current members decided to continue on their own. They meet weekly to play the music that they love and they specialize in early music, usually defined as from medieval times through the Renaissance and into the Baroque, a period when much music was composed specifically for recorders. [Read more…]

Varying Degrees performs final concert at Oak Ridge Library

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Varying Degrees Christmas 2011

Varying Degrees is pictured above during Christmas 2011. From left are Marsha Howard, Betsy Abernathy, Judy DiGregorio, Kathy Gillenwaters, Amy Souleyrette. (Submitted photo)

Varying Degrees—a vocal group composed of Amy Souleyrette, Betsy Abernathy, Judy DiGregorio, Kathy Gillenwaters, and pianist Marsha Howard—will perform their final concert on Tuesday, Dec. 17, from 7-7:30 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Public Library.

The group has sung together for six years and has appeared on WBIR-TV, “Rock to Bach,” the Tennessee Mountain Writers’ Conference, Holiday Lights at Methodist Medical Center, and numerous area churches and civic groups. The group thanks the public for their past support and invites everyone to come hear their Christmas concert, which is free of charge.

Elks Lodge dance on Friday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Elks Lodge is inviting adults 21 and older to be their guests at a dance on Friday that features the Jay Storm Project. The dance will be held from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Lodge located at 684 Emory Valley Road in Oak Ridge. There is no admission fee.

“Join friends for an evening of fun dancing to the sounds of the popular Knoxville based band, the Jay Storm Project,” a press release said.. “Described as a mix of as a mix of rhythm and blues, rock, funk, and soul, their music is the perfect combination to get any crowd moving on the dance floor.”

Guests must sign in at the door. No one under 21 will be admitted. A cash bar will be available.

For more information, call (865) 483-3510.

Political activist, pro wrestler ‘Kane’ talks politics at Roane State on Thursday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Glenn Jacobs

Glenn Jacobs

You know him for his signature chokeslam.

What you may not know is that WWE wrestler Kane is a political activist, an accomplished author, and a student of history, politics, and economics.

Glenn Jacobs, known as “Kane” in professional wrestling, will speak at Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5. Call it the Clash in the City Room or the Rumble at Roane State if you wish, but Jacobs will not be talking about half-nelsons. Instead, he’ll share his views on a variety of political issues.

Presented by Roane State’s Arts and Lectures Committee, Kane’s lecture will be held in the City Room, and food will be served. The event is free and open to the public, but seating will be limited. [Read more…]

Atomic City Journal Club meets on first Thursdays

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Atomic City Journal Club is a very informal group of science writers and communicators who meet up to exchange story ideas and to discuss new trends in the field of science communications. The group meets at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at Panera in Oak Ridge.

Anyone interested in enhancing their science communication skills is welcome to join the group, a press release said. Join the Facebook Group to stay updated on events at https://www.facebook.com/groups/atomiccityjournalclub/.

Panera is at 471 S. Illinois Ave.