One of Murfreesboro’s hidden gems, the Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra, brings the magic of classical music to life, right here in Rutherford County. TPO President Jane McNulty wants to keep this rich symphonic tradition thriving, inspiring audiences of all ages to experience the power and beauty of live orchestral performances.
“The music touches your soul,” McNulty said. “You are in the room feeling the percussion and the strings. There is nothing like being there.
“There are some who believe that classical music and symphonic music is on its way out. I don’t believe that. It is so important to this community to fight for it, to keep it growing and expand it to the next generation. It is important and sometimes it gets lost in the priorities of money.”
So far, the Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra has performed Latin and classical concerts this season. Its February performance will be a jazz show.
“We play to our community with songs people know and will recognize,” McNulty said. “Sometimes a concert might be half and half—with one half being classical songs you have heard, and the other half maybe more pop music. We also try to stay current.”
TPO is a professional orchestra; all musicians have auditioned to perform as part of the orchestra and are contracted and paid.
“Our orchestra is a diverse group, and we try to show that through our music and our programming,” McNulty said. “We try to make sure we are grounded and that we offer things to everyone.”
Conductor and musician Dr. Lawrence Harvin founded the orchestra, originally called the University Community Ensemble, in 1981. It was originally part of MTSU, though Harvin changed the symphony’s name a few times to diversify the group and attract talent across the county and internationally. The symphony is now recognized as the Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra.
Harvin served as the conductor for 35 years and still sometimes conducts now, McNulty said.
“We don’t have a full-time conductor right now,” she said. “We have been enjoying musical guests from all over. It has been really enjoyable to bring in people with different styles. Conductors have individual style, and three conductors might conduct in three different ways.
McNulty said it’s not hard to find a conductor “because they enjoy leading this orchestra.”
TPO Board of Directors President Dr. Steven Payne says he hopes more musicians who performed in the orchestra before the COVID pandemic can return to perform again.
“COVID did a lot of things to a lot of people in this country, and one of things it did was affect symphony music,” Payne said. “Worldwide, we have about 20 percent less orchestras now. A lot of orchestras just couldn’t make it. It’s hard to ask for money when you aren’t having any performances. It has been financially difficult.
“Our orchestra has recovered from it, but not all the people who were in the symphony before [COVID] have rejoined us yet.”
Payne said it is a credit to the TPO donors and the board of directors that the orchestra was never in the red financially during the pandemic.
“Ticket sales for the year cover about 10 percent of our budget,” he said “That means that our donors are critically important to us. Any symphony and most nonprofits depend on donors.”
Donors can support the orchestra as a whole seasonally, as a sponsor for a musician, or by supporting TPO in the Classroom, a program that raises money for student instrument purchase, the STEAM experience, and master classes.
TPO in the Classroom is a thriving educational outlook program, part of Murfreesboro City Schools’ STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) program for grade school students.
The program covers many topics including the history of music and the physics of sound—and then the students play the instruments, Payne said.
“We try to make it to every second-grade class,” McNulty said. “We have a wonderful director of education. Donna Wehofer is a retired teacher who does amazing things for the students. TPO for the Classroom will be at over 20 schools this year. We hope more schools reach out to us to expand the program. It takes all of us to encourage and inspire future generations in music. That is why we visit the students in second grade, so hopefully in fifth grade they will pick up an instrument and then we will try to support them all the way.”
Upcoming Performances
This month’s concert is the Valentine’s Concert on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. This jazz performance will be held at The View at the Fountains of Gateway, an indoor, fourth-story performance hall overlooking the fountains, located at 1500 Medical Center Pkwy. Ste. 4D.
The following show is the Music Excellence Awards. TPO will honor the music students of Rutherford County. All music teachers (instrumental and vocal) will have the opportunity to nominate their most talented music students. This is a free concert open to the public, with a special invite to the students and their family members. The event is scheduled for Saturday, March 1 at 11 a.m. in the Belle Aire Baptist Church, 1307 N. Rutherford Blvd.
Dr. Brian Russell will conduct April’s season finale, A Spring Spectacular. Ethos Children’s Choirs, a youth choir that Russell conducts, will perform with the orchestra in the concert that will also feature their new concertmaster, Andrea Dawson. This concert is set for April 24 at 7 p.m. at Belle Aire Baptist.
To find out more about the Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra, visit tnphil.org or email info@tnphil.org. The TPO has three more concerts this season.
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TPO Photos Courtesy of Ken Norberg
