October 12, 2016
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra held auditions in early September for four open positions and has named the following musicians to the Knoxville Symphony roster. They are: Elise Blake, violin; Zofia Glashauser, violin; Johanna Gruskin, Principal Flute; and Brian Winegardner, Second Trumpet. All four artists will join the KSO for the Masterworks performances of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons on October 13 & 14 at the Tennessee Theatre.
Music Director Aram Demirjian said: “I had the important task of auditioning many talented candidates from around the U.S. during my first few weeks in Knoxville. I am thrilled to welcome these artists to the ranks of our extraordinary orchestra. They will definitely feed in to the momentum we have experienced already in the 2016-17 season, and I believe they will be wonderful additions to our ensemble.”
Elise Blake
Violinist Elise Blake joins the KSO for a one-year, full-time appointment as a core musician in the Knoxville Symphony. She has previously performed with the Annapolis, Baltimore, Delaware, Harrisburg, Maryland, Richmond, Roanoke, and Virginia symphonies, the Rhode Island Philharmonic, the IRIS Orchestra, and the Sarasota Opera Orchestra. Originally from New England, Elise holds a Masters of Music degree in Violin Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. She completed her undergraduate training at Boston University’s School of Music.
Violinist Zofia Glashauser joins the KSO for a one-year, full-time appointment as a core musician in the Knoxville Symphony. She is the Concertmaster of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, the Assistant Concertmaster of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra and a member of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. Zofia is also a very active chamber musician, playing violin with the acclaimed Michigan City Chamber Music Festival and the South Bend Symphony String
Zofia Glashauser
Quintet. Ms. Glashauser was born in the beautiful and historically rich city of Krakow, Poland.
Flutist Johanna Gruskin joins the core orchestra of the KSO as Principal Flute. She was previously principal flutist of the Young Musician’s Foundation Debut Orchestra and has also performed with the San Antonio Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, and the New World Symphony. She was a fellowship student at the Tanglewood Music Center and the Aspen Music Festival and School. Johanna attended the Colburn Conservatory, the New England Conservatory (Master of Music), and the Eastman School of Music (Bachelor of Music) studying with Jim Walker, Elizabeth Rowe, and Bonita Boyd, respectively. Johanna is originally from
Johanna Gruskin
Duluth, Minnesota.
Brian Winegardner continues his career with the KSO as Second Trumpet after having won a one-year position as Second Trumpet for the 2015-16 season. He is currently the Second Trumpet for the South Carolina Philharmonic and the Symphony Orchestra Augusta, and was previously the Principal Trumpet with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. He holds a Master of Music and Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance with High Honors, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts in Trumpet Performance from the University of Miami.
Brian Winegardner
About the KSO
Established in 1935, and now under the leadership of Music Director Aram Demirjian, the KSO has contributed to the cultural life in East Tennessee continuously for 81 years, providing excellence in musical and educational programs. The Orchestra consists of 72 professional musicians and performs 300 programs throughout the region each season, reaching audiences of more than 200,000 people. The KSO performs in traditional venues such as the Tennessee Theatre, Bijou Theatre and the Civic Auditorium as well as non-traditional places like hospitals, schools, city parks and churches. For more information regarding the KSO, please visit www.knoxvillesymphony.com or call 865-291-3310.
