If You Go* What: East Tennessee Symphony Orchestra’s “Red, White and Blue” concert.* When: 8 p.m. Sunday.* Where: Collegedale Greenway at Veterans Memorial Park on Apison Pike.* Admission: Free.* Website: www.etsomusic.org.
Fireworks will color the Collegedale skyline Sunday night when the East Tennessee Symphony Orchestra plays its annual Fourth of July concert.
The ETSO is a volunteer community orchestra of 60 musicians ranging in age from 16 to late 60s, according to Richard Hickam, conductor and president of the ETSO board of directors.
The orchestra’s biannual concerts on the Collegedale Greenway are highly anticipated events that begin drawing crowds hours before showtime.
Musicians set up near the veterans memorial on the greenway, and the crowd fills the remainder of the greenspace, even spilling across the street to the parking lots of Imagination Station and the former Winn-Dixie.
“Folks start showing up in late afternoon. There are a number of vendors on hand from which they can purchase food or drink,” said Hickam. Families also may bring a picnic supper.
Hickam said that at 8 p.m., emcee Bill McCallie will introduce local dignitaries and welcome the crowd before the music starts.
This year’s program theme is “Red, White and Blue” and includes patriotic toe-tappers as well as inspirational pieces.
ETSO will play two selections by John Williams, “The Patriot” and “Summon the Heroes.” The musicians also will play Chris Tew’s “Winds of Freedom,” Michael Kamen’s “Band of Brothers Suite” and Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.”
After a short break, the musicians will resume playing at about 9:30 p.m. while fireworks light up the night sky. Hickam said in keeping with the patriotic spirit, the orchestra will accompany the pyrotechnic display with Sousa marches and songs representing branches of the Armed Forces.