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Beethoven and Beginnings – Symphony of the Mountains
Symphony of the Mountains Opens 80th Anniversary Season with “Beethoven and Beginnings” in Two Concert Venues
Eight decades after its first program, the Symphony returns to where its story began — and invites everyone to be part of what comes next.
BRISTOL/KINGSPORT, TENN. — Eighty years ago, Symphony of the Mountains began its musical journey with Beethoven. This season, the orchestra returns to that beginning.
Symphony of the Mountains will open its 80th anniversary season with “Beethoven and Beginnings,” a program celebrating the orchestra’s history, its place in the region and the possibilities that lie ahead.
The concert will be held at Paramount Bristol in Bristol, Tennessee, on Saturday,
October 3 at 3 p.m., followed by a performance at the Kingsport Farmers Market in Kingsport, Tennessee, on Sunday, October 4 at 3 p.m.
The afternoon begins with Beethoven’s “Ruins of Athens Overture,” a work with a remarkable connection to Symphony of the Mountains. The overture was performed on the Symphony’s very first program 80 years ago. Its return to the stage creates a musical thread between the orchestra’s earliest days and the beginning of its 80th anniversary season.
From that historic opening, the program moves to Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, featuring Symphony of the Mountains Principal Clarinetist Victor Chavez as soloist. The concerto’s warmth, lyricism and expressive beauty will place the clarinet at the center of the afternoon before the program concludes with Beethoven’s energetic and forward-looking “Symphony No. 2.” Together, the works offer a meditation on beginnings, tradition and transformation — making “Beethoven and Beginnings” a fitting way to launch this milestone season.
This anniversary is not only about looking back. It is also about considering who gets to experience orchestral music today and what the next 80 years of music in the region might look like.
As part of Symphony of the Mountains’ commitment to making live orchestral music more accessible, “Beethoven and Beginnings” will be presented through the Symphony’s Pay What You Can ticket model. Patrons are invited to reserve tickets and contribute at the ticket level that feels most comfortable for them.
The initiative reflects a simple belief: great music should be open to everyone. By removing cost as a barrier to attendance, Symphony of the Mountains hopes to welcome longtime concertgoers alongside first-time listeners, families, students and anyone curious to experience a live symphony.
The concert will be experienced in two distinctive spaces that reflect the character of the region. Paramount Bristol offers the atmosphere and beauty of a restored historic theater, while the Kingsport Farmers Market provides a vibrant contemporary setting for an afternoon of orchestral music.
Two venues. Three masterworks. Eighty years of history. And a new beginning.
Tickets for “Beethoven and Beginnings” can be reserved at mysotm.org
Concert Information
Symphony of the Mountains presents: “Beethoven and Beginnings”
Featuring:
- Beethoven — “Ruins of Athens Overture”
- Mozart — Clarinet Concerto, featuring Principal Clarinetist Victor Chavez
- Beethoven — “Symphony No. 2”
Paramount Bristol
Bristol, Tennessee
Saturday, October 3 at 3 p.m.
Kingsport Farmers Market
Kingsport, Tennessee
Sunday, October 4 at 3 p.m.
Pay What You Can: Patrons are welcome to reserve tickets and select the ticket level that feels most comfortable for them.
Tickets: mysotm.org
About Symphony of the Mountains
Symphony of the Mountains is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the region through exceptional orchestral performances, innovative programming, education and community engagement. The organization brings musicians and audiences together through the transformative power of live music, creating meaningful experiences for the communities it serves. Symphony of the Mountains is dedicated to entertaining, educating and enriching regional audiences by uniting and uplifting the Appalachian Highlands through exceptional live music. Maestra Cornelia Laemmli Orth, who is in her 20th season, serves as the orchestra’s music director and conductor.
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