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 80 years, providing excellence in musical and educational programs. The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra is the longest continually performing symphony orchestra in the Southeast. 80 professional musicians perform 250 programs each season ranging from Mozart to Disney to UNtapped performances at unique venues like Cirrus Aircraft 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.