The ETSU Department of Music announces that Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster William Shaub has been
named co-director of the ETSU Chamber Music Festival.
After two seasons of the festival that have demonstrated “exceptional success” in
drawing talented students and renowned faculty, organizers said, Shaub will replace
Dr. Sean Hawthorne, who helped found the festival with Dr. David Kovac in 2019. The
move is designed to help propel the Chamber Music Festival to even greater national
recognition.
In addition to serving as concertmaster of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Shaub
serves as a frequent guest concertmaster all around the world. But he hasn’t been
a stranger to ETSU and has performed alongside the faculty in Johnson City since his
arrival in 2017.
A major draw to the festival, he said, is what makes it unique.
“We have something that students need to experience: a truly gorgeous concert hall
(at the ETSU Martin Center for the Arts), a week of fun yet intense work and a faculty
that’s working around the clock like a family to help you grow each day,” he said.
“This combination is something that David and I profoundly believe in for the students.”
Shaub said that his experience studying with the legendary Takacs Quartet at the Music
Academy of the West inspired his vision for the festival.
“They worked with students like a supportive family, each member trying to build you
up. That’s what we want to do as a faculty at the Chamber Festival: we want to build
the students up and send them out into the world even more confident than when they
came to us,” he said.
He added: “At the Chamber Festival and during the academic year, I have witnessed
the university grow, and the chamber festival is a crowning achievement of David,
Sean and the Department of Music. I couldn’t be more proud and excited to help it
continue to grow and develop into the national treasure that it can become, especially
given the level of students we attract and the caring, nationally renowned faculty.”
The 2023 edition of the Chamber Music Festival is June 18-24. Additional details will
be announced in the coming weeks.