The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra performed "The Adventures of Guac and Cheese," inspired by Acheley East, a 13-year-old trombone player from Bearden Middle School fighting leukemia. The performance, part of the Free Symphony on the Square event, highlighted both the music and Acheley's story of resilience and creativity, according to WBIR.
The song was created in collaboration with the East Tennessee Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Sing Me a Story Foundation. Due to bad weather, the event was moved to First Presbyterian Church Knoxville and included classics like "The Barber of Seville" overture and "Radetzky March," according to WBIR.
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra was proud of the community connection fostered by the event. Trianne Newbrey from KSO highlighted their commitment to community outreach, saying, "This is a pillar of what we do," as reported by WATE.
The concert, starting at 7:30 p.m. yesterday, aimed to engage families and encourage local participation in the arts. The event highlighted East's personal journey, including his wish granted earlier in the summer to visit Walt Disney World. Inspired by his favorite squishmallows, Guac and Cheese, and a dog named Fluffy, East crafted a narrative full of humorous escapades and a quest for sushi. "The Adventures of Guac and Cheese" became a musical piece that embodied both East's struggle and his cheerful spirit. Trianne Newbrey stated to WVLT 8, "It just follows them on an exciting adventure where they get into all kinds of shenanigans on the quest for sushi."
Acheley East expressed his astonishment and gratitude, saying, "It was really shocking. I didn’t know this would happen. It was a very surprising experience," according to WATE. Donations were encouraged to support Make-A-Wish East Tennessee and The Sing Me a Story Foundation.
