Symphony of the Mountains presents “Isotone: A Collision of Science and Music” at the Renaissance Center Theater, Kingsport, Tennessee, Saturday, Feb. 4, 7.30 p.m. Isotone concerts have delighted audiences for over 12 years, including performances in New York City and Vancouver, Canada. The concerts originated in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as a collaboration of the American Museum of Science and Energy and the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association.
The ensemble premieres a new work by Larry Spivack, “Chemistry Suite,” commissioned to celebrate Kingsport’s own Eastman Chemical Company. Eastman employee Dr. Stephen Orth joins percussionist Scott Eddlemon in a performance on chemistry glass labware, “Labware Leggiero.” Other works include “Spallation Quartet” for violin, cello and percussion and “High Flux Isotope Reactor” for electric violin, electric cello, electric guitar and electric percussion. The concert also includes a rendition of the “Sodium Iodide” love song performed by New York’s “True Outcomes” duo of Adam Howard Schneider and Christina Germaine.
Becky Ball, concert reviewer, wrote in the March 2010 issue of The Oak Ridger: “This out-of-the-box program fed our brains with fascinating information and our musical souls with unique rhythms, dynamics and timbre.” Matt Weber, reviewer for “I Care If You Listen” wrote of the New York City première concert “Isotone captured the excitement, energy, and humor, as well as the dangers, of physics.”
The Isotone ensemble of five musicians includes Susan Eddlemon, violin, ETSU cello professor Sean Hawthorne, Scott Eddlemon, percussion, New York artists Larry Spivack, percussion and Adam Schneider, guitar.
In addition to the Kingsport concert, Spivack teaches a Master Class Feb. 6 for ETSU percussion students, and the concert will be repeated in the Martin Center Recital Hall that night at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $20 for adults. As with all Symphony of the Mountains concerts, children and students are admitted free of admission courtesy of the Ty and Julann Warren Family Foundation. To order your tickets, call Symphony of the Mountains Box Office at (423) 392-8423 or visit symphonytix.com.
