Tucson Pops Concerts in the Park
Sunday, May 11th marks the opening of the spring season of the Tucson Pops Concerts in the Park. The Orchestra, under the direction of László Veres, celebrates its 60th year of performing free concerts in the park. The public is invited to enjoy “Music under the Stars™” at the DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center, in Reid Park, on Sunday evenings beginning at 7 p.m. from May 11 through June 8.
The concert schedule is as follows:
Fourtissimo Saxophone Quartet
May 11: Mother’s Day Concert – Featuring special guests Fourtissimo Saxophone Quartet and Aliyah Powe Tthe Fourtissimo Quartet includes Alex Cohen, Zach Cohen, Andrew Miller, and Colin Potter – all seniors in the band program at Catalina Foothills High School. The dynamic group has performed at numerous events and venues around Tucson, and has excelled in festival performances. They have received numerous awards/accolades including being named Best in Class at the AMEA State Ensemble festival, and 1st place in the Arizona Wind Symphony Youth Ensemble competition. They will perform “Concerto for Saxophone Quartet” by B. Holcombe with the Tucson Pops Orchestra.
Aliyah Powe, 12, has played the violin since she was 3. She has won several competitions, including the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Young Artist competition in 2011 and 2012, and the Civic Orchestra of Tucson Young Artist competition in 2012 and 2014. In January 2014, she participated in a master class with former TSO concertmaster Steven Moeckel. Aliyah has been a member of Tucson Junior Strings, and is currently in her third year as a participant in the Tucson Symphony Orchestra’s Young Composer Project. She will play the 1st movement of Mozart’s “Violin Concerto No.4” with the Tucson Pops Orchestra.
May 18: Featuring the Arizona Balalaika Orchestra,a student ensemble group formed at the UA Russian Department in 1980. Under the leadership of founder and artistic director Mia Bulgarin Gay, the group is one of only a dozen Russian folk orchestras in the US. The Orchestra consists of 4 ” voices” with Balalaikas and Domras, accordions, woodwinds, percussion and a “Gusli” (Russian Harp).
Arizona Balalaika Orchestra
May 25: Memorial Day Concert – featuring the Tucson Pops Orchestra performing stirring patriotic themes including “The Official West Point March,” “Gettysburg,” “Victory at Sea,” “Hymn To The Fallen” and more.
June 1: Jack Neubeck and Crystal Stark, two of Tucson’s most popular vocalists. will highlight this show. Jack, a veteran performer of nearly 20 years in and around New York City, and over 2500 performances on Broadway, including the original Broadway casts of EVITA and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, Jack has lived in Tucson since 1986 where he has been active in the Tucson arts community and performing in theatrical and music productions throughout the year. Recently he toured China with the U of A Jazz Ensemble along with the multi talented Crystal Stark. He currently sits on the boards of the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus and the Tucson Pops.
Crystal Stark
American Idol finalist with a golden voice, Crystal Stark is an award winning r&b/jazz/pop singer who brings a positive message to today’s music scene. Based on her church-singing roots and her teenage success in winning national vocal competitions, she knew that she wanted to pursue a full-time career in music. Crystal attended the University of Arizona where she graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Music Education. The talented duo will perform crowd pleasers including “Young at Heart,” “Someone to Watch Over Me,” Georgia on My Mind,” “What Kind of Fool Am I,” “’S Wonderful,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and more.
June 8: Highlighting the annual performance of the “1812” Overture. Tucson Pops audience members look forward to this classic performance each year during the final concert of the spring series where 9 lucky members get to play the role of the “cannons.” Other numbers performed by the orchestra will include, “A Trumpeter’s Lullaby,” selections from Jerome Kern’s “Show Boat,” “Duke Ellington Fantasy,” “Porgy and Bess” Selections and much more.
The spring 2014 concert series is sponsored by Long Realty Companies, the Friends of the Pops and Tucson Parks and Recreation with additional support from the Arizona Commission on the Arts. The DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center is located off Country Club just north of 22nd Street. Parking is available at the Randolph Park Golf Course parking lot, Alvernon Way just north of 22nd Street with shuttle service to the band shell beginning at 5:30 p.m. For more information on the Tucson Pops Orchestra visit the website at TucsonPops.org. Bios and photos of guest artists are available upon request.
Thanks to David Aguire and members of the Food Truck Roundup – Tucson’s best food trucks are available each Sunday to provide attendees with outstanding picnic fare.
Who: Tucson Pops Orchestra Spring 2014 Concert Season, When: Sundays, May 11, 18, 25 and June 1, 8 at 7:00 p.m., Where: DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center, Reid Park, What: Free concerts under the stars for the whole family.
