Townsend Symposia on Music Philosophy and the Arts

All events are FREE and open to the public

2026-2027 Townsend Symposia on Music, Philosophy, and the Arts

David Kim
Concertmaster, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Distinguished Artist at the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings

Thursday, September 17, 2026
3:30 p.m.
Fickling Hall

Violinist David Kim was named Concertmaster of The Philadelphia Orchestra in 1999. Hailing from Carbondale, Illinois, he started playing the violin at the age of three, began studies with the famed pedagogue Dorothy DeLay at the age of eight, and later received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School.

Mr. Kim serves as Distinguished Artist at the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. Each year, he presents masterclasses around the world at conservatories and schools such as the Australian National Academy of Music, the Curtis Institute, the Juilliard School, the Shanghai Conservatory, and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. He also serves as an adjudicator at international violin competitions such as the Menuhin and Sarasate.

Peter Shannon
Conductor, Organist, Healing Arts Advocate

Tuesday, February 2, 2027
7:30 p.m.
Fickling Hall

The Irish conductor Peter Shannon aspires to prove to others that orchestral music can transform communities. Innovative and tireless in his outreach, Shannon embodies the new and growing role of music director. He works to reshape and re-imagine what orchestras are and how they serve their communities both musically and personally.

Beginning his musical career as a professional singer and organist, Peter’s performances focus on the singing aspect of the orchestra. The son of a physician, Shannon hails from a long-line of medical professionals. Combining the performing arts with the healing arts, he has developed performance programs for cancer center patients including children receiving inpatient care and individuals in hospice care. Through a specially developed, evidence-based curriculum focusing on communicating with compassion, Shannon, in collaboration with physician Dr. Jacqueline Huntly, has developed a program to train musicians to work effectively in a healthcare setting. He has adapted Mozart’s The Magic Flute specifically for sick children. A 2015 article in Symphony Magazine drew international attention to this important initiative performed by the Savannah Philharmonic.