Composer

This concert is in partnership with the Warren County Commission for the  250th Anniversary of the American Revolution

American Portraits

Glens Falls High School

John Harbison, one of Boston’s musical luminaries for the fifty-odd years that he has lived here, is the composer of a large, extraordinarily varied body of work. Many of music’s highest honors have come his way—the Pulitzer Prize for music and a commission from the Metropolitan Opera among them. The BPYO plays his incandescent Remembering Gatsby (Foxtrot for Orchestra) for the first time since the senior Boston Philharmonic Orchestra played it in 1995.

EPSG:4326

Harbison / Gershwin / Copland

Boston Symphony Hall

Two Frenchmen meet in Miami for a concert that includes Gershwin’s An American in Paris. Among the world’s finest pianists, Jean-Yves Thibaudet joins NWS for The Age of Anxiety, a Bernstein parable about chasing happiness.  

Denève, Thibaudet, Bernstein & Gershwin

New World Center

Guest conductor Donald Lee III leads a tribute to an iconic musical genre.

Gershwin All That Jazz

University of Nevada

To close out the year, this program is a showcase of the exceptional students of the School of Music. George Gershwin's wonderfully colorful inspired work, American in Paris, will kick things off. Winners of the Dean's Concerto Competition will solo with the orchestra-highlighting both graduate and undergraduate talent. The evening closes with an orchestral showpiece for every instrument, Ravel's Bolero.

LSU Symphony Orchestra: Gershwin & Ravel

Louisiana State University

Diana Tishchenko likely still has fond memories of her last performance with the Duisburg Philharmonic : In June 2024, the Ukrainian-born violinist, who was born in Crimea, played a violin concerto by the Ukrainian composer Yevhen Stankovych – and received enthusiastic applause from the audience for this politically powerful statement. Now she returns as a chamber musician and, together with her piano partner José Gallardo, who returns after his Duisburg debut in the 2024/2025 season, will present European composers who have played with the soundscape of America. The Frenchman Ravel incorporated elements of jazz, which was still new and exciting at the time, into his violin sonata. Jazz harmonies and sophisticated rhythms can also be heard in the concert fantasy that Igor Frolov compiled on themes from George Gershwin's opera "Porgy and Bess," including the catchy tune "Summertime." César Franck, for his part, composed his violin sonata—still a classic in the repertoire today—as a wedding gift for the Belgian violin virtuoso and fellow composer Eugène Ysaÿe. Ysaÿe, too, dedicated his sonata to a famous colleague: the Romanian composer George Enescu, with whom he once performed together.

Sound worlds between Europe and America

CityPalais

A note from the Maestro: In paying tribute to the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, our programming was chosen to represent a wide berth of compositional contributions from various corners of the U.S. Pairing Joan Tower’s Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman with Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man gives us a unique opportunity of reflection across the decades. Valerie Colman’s Umoja (Anthem of Unity) is now a staple in concert halls across the nation, and the New England Triptych by William Schuman takes us on a musical journey to a New England of the not-so-distant past. Our season finale concert culminates in a suite of much-beloved music from George Gershwin’s opera, “Porgy and Bess.”

Our American Story

University of Maine

Aiden Hong, Clarinet

The Juilliard School

Founded in 2007, this Brazilian initiative's Orchestra of Excellence has made a name for itself internationally as part of a major government programme to expose young people in South America to music and culture. The Youth Orchestra has already given more than 300 concerts around the world, and in April it will add another prestigious venue to its list of venues: the Alte Oper. The opening concert of the Youth Orchestra Festival is dedicated to the young musicians of Neojiba - around 100 talented musicians aged between 13 and 27. With the drive of George Gershwin's 'Cuban Overture' and their own energy, they set the mood for the evening and for a festival in which the next generation is leading and playing. The same was true of the Nationaal Jeugd Jazz Orkest concert that followed. The Dutch collective sees itself as a big band for - so much Dutch is obvious - 'aanstormende supertalenten' up to the age of 26. Led by guitarist and composer Reinier Baas, the NJJO plays a repertoire of arrangements of pieces that have inspired the band members, and the young talents are always invited to write for the band. The result is a very coherent programme, despite the many influences, with music ranging from avant-garde to danceable grooves.

Neojiba Orchestra

Alte Oper

Lose yourself in the effortless cool of Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, where bluesy harmonies, and bursts of orchestral color blur the lines between classical elegance and jazz-inspired groove. Then, brace for the full-throttle thrill of Stravinsky’s Firebird, a whirlwind of shimmering magic and raw power that blazes from mysterious whispers to an explosive, triumphant finale.

Flames of Renewal

Cape Henlopen High School

The Grand Opera House

One of the most sought-after pianists of her generation, Michelle Cann joins your Colorado Symphony to deliver a double-header piano showcase of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue – a uniquely American standard occupying the intersection between classical music, jazz, and Broadway – and Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement. Price’s Late Romantic background and her deep understanding of African-American spiritual combine for stop-in-your-tracks-beautiful moments, which Cann brings to life in a work that was almost lost to time before being reconstructed from manuscripts just fifteen years ago.

Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue with Michelle Cann

Denver Performing Arts Complex

A century after its debut, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue still crackles with energy—its opening clarinet glissando an unmistakable call to the thrill of jazz-age America. Teddy Abrams leads the Louisville Orchestra in this timeless fusion of classical and jazz idioms.

The program also features the world premiere of a new work by Anthony Green, marking the culmination of his yearlong residency with the Louisville Orchestra Creators Corps. Rooted in community and collaboration, Green’s work reflects the voices and stories of Louisville, bringing a fresh and personal dimension to the evening.

Rhapsody in Blue

The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts

Clemens Schuldt invites us to come in jeans to this concert without musical boundaries, where classical music opens up to other styles and is aimed at everyone! As a preamble, Brahms transcends the academic argument of his Overture Op. 80 , intended for the anniversary of the University of Heidelberg, to draw us into a romantic universe where rejoicing and lyricism coexist. The German virtuoso cellist, Julian Steckel, radically changes tone with the electrifying Concerto by Friedrich Gulda, a "rock concerto" composed in the "Seventies" at the request of Rostropovich.

An American in Paris

Grand Théâtre de Québec

Join us for the CU Boulder Symphony Orchestra's final spring concert, guest conducted by Scott O’Neil. The program includes Gershwin’s rhythmic "Cuban Overture," Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 5 performed by concerto competition winner Ohad Nativ, and Schumann’s symphonic fantasy, Symphony No. 4 in D minor.

Symphony Orchestra: Gershwin, Prokofiev + Schumann

University of Colorado Boulder

First performed from memory by Aurora in 2023, The Rite of Spring is one of the most influential pieces of the 20th century. Taking away the music stands allows us to communicate more intensely with each other and the audience, an orchestra breathing as one with no barriers.

The Rite of Spring – International Tour

Berliner Philharmonie

‘Tremendous’ declared one critic when Nadine Benjamin made her Glyndebourne debut, and this dazzling British soprano has a voice that has to be heard to be believed. Today she joins the London Philharmonic Orchestra to bring all her radiance, her insight and her effortless dramatic flair to Eastbourne. How to follow that? Rising star (and LPO Fellow Conductor) Nefeli Chadouli explores the epic vistas and northern forests of Sibelius’s First Symphony: a young genius in a new nation, pouring all his imagination into music as wild as a winter storm and as wonderful as the Northern Lights.

Sibelius’s First

Congress Theatre

Jeffrey Biegel returns to the ESO with a new piano concerto by Peter Boyer, Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue. Commissioned by the Rhapsody National Initiative, a consortium of orchestras, including the ESO, this will be the Illinois premiere. It is inspired by the anniversary of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. Mr. Biegel and the ESO will perform both pieces. Rounding out this concert is Gershwin’s short piece called “Promenade, (Walking the Dog)” written for the movie Shall We Dance, Leonard Bernstein’s “Suite” from the film score for On the Waterfront, and Samuel-Coleridge Taylor’s Petite Suite de Concert. The program will be hosted by WFMT’s LaRob K. Rafael.

Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue

Northwestern University

CMS is proud to present the Shanghai Quartet, an esteemed ensemble which has set the standard for string quartet performance in Asia for over forty years, in their only New York City appearance this season. Easily bridging borders, the Shanghai offers a program of cross-cultural pollination, from Haydn’s “Rider” (composed after an inspiring trip to London), to Dvořák’s “American” (written in a Czech community in Iowa), and into the 20th century with Chinese-American composer Tan Dun’s Feng-Ya-Song, a piece that launched his international career.

The Shanghai Quartet

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

When jazz met impressionism, it sparked a bold new sound that reshaped orchestral music across continents.

Orchestra Toronto presents: Pardon Our French: Music from Ravel & Gershwin

Meridian Arts Centre

Two American musical icons meet on the sixth Masterworks program of the season. Copland’s Shaker-influenced Appalachian Spring and Gershwin’s jazz-infused An American in Paris bookend the concert. Heitzeg’s Symphony In Sculpture celebrates the Pappajohn Sculpture Park through its musical evocation of Des Moines’ favorite sculptures. Margaret Bonds’ Music from the Montgomery Variations reflects the struggles and triumphs of the Civil Rights Movement.

Hope – Copland & Gershwin

Des Moines Civic Center

An American In Paris

Granada Theatre

An all-American season end! Go On the Town with Leonard Bernstein! Plus the world premiere of Orchestra Lumos’ celebratory truly commission, Copland’s Appalachian Spring and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue!

America 250

The Palace Theatre

DPAA’s Artistic Directors collaborate on a blockbuster celebration of American music and dance. From Copland’s lively “Hoe-Down” and folk-inspired Old American Songs to Bernstein’s jazz-infused dances from Fancy Free and West Side Story, this program pulses with the rhythms, voices, and moves of American music. Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” dazzles with its seamless jazz-classical fusion, while the timeless elegance of Strayhorn and Ellington shines!

DPAA Directors Present: American Soundscapes

Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center

An all-American spectacular caps off the season as we celebrate our country’s 250th birthday. The best of our nation’s music is represented in this program, from jazz to ragtime to Broadway, crowned by Ferde Grofé’s grand symphonic masterwork, the Grand Canyon Suite, celebrating the amazing natural wonder in our own backyard.

POPS Concert:  America 250 Celebration

Sedona Performing Arts Center

A native of Los Angeles, Norman Krieger is one of the most acclaimed pianists of his generation and is highly regarded as an artist of depth, sensitivity and virtuosic flair.  As the Los Angeles Times put it “Krieger owns a world of technique-take that for granted.  He always knows exactly where he is going and what he is doing.  He never for an instant miscalculates.  He communicates urgently but with strict control.  He is alert to every manner of nuance and at every dynamic level his tone flatters the ear.”

An American Celebration

TAMU-CC Performing Arts Center

Blessed with “poetic and sensitive pianism” (Washington Post) and a “wondrous sense of color” (San Francisco Classical Voice), Grammy Award-nominated pianist Joyce Yang captivates audiences with her virtuosity, lyricism, and interpretive insight.

Joyce Yang, piano

New England Conservatory of Music

The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra and Dance Kaleidoscope return to the Schrott Center for the Arts for a thrilling collaboration that brings together bold music and electrifying dance. Feel the pulse of John Adams’ Shaker Loops as choreographer Joshua Blake Carter translates the work’s driving rhythms and shimmering textures into a kinetic, mesmerizing display of movement. Then, step into the bustling streets of 1920s France with Gershwin’s An American in Paris, brought to life through the vibrant choreography of David Hochoy. The program also features the second movement of Glass Pieces by Philip Glass, a hypnotic and meditative work that evokes ritual and reverence, with choreography by Sean Aaron Carmon. This high-energy program blends contemporary and classic American voices in music and dance for a dynamic, can’t-miss experience.

American Sound with Dance Kaleidoscope

Butler University

Feiyi Liao, piano

Northwestern Bienen School of Music

Piano Night

Chamber Music Palisades

Accordion star Martynas Levickis travels across the Atlantic and back to Europe. His Lithuanian roots connect him to Philip Glass and Aaron Copland, and his fascination with jazz with George Gerswhin. For his musical journey to North America, he has the perfect partners: the New York ensemble The Knights, led by brothers Colin and Eric Jacobsen. They are enthusiastic about playing and experimenting, and just like Martynas Levickis, they love to blend classical music with folk and jazz elements to create exciting programs. The focus is on Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, one of the first works to make jazz suitable for the concert hall. Today, it's an absolute classic!

The Knights / Martynas Levickis

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

George Gershwin wrote his Concerto in F in 1925 amidst the pulsating New York City. The work combines the elegance of classical forms with the exuberant energy of jazz – a music reflecting the city itself: loud, vibrant, full of surprises. From the first drumbeat to the final cadenza, the concerto sparkles with joy of life. Gershwin knew how to tell stories – and Boris Giltburg, Artist in Residence, brings them to life. With his delicate balance of virtuosity and sensitivity to nuances, he unfolds the full color spectrum of this extraordinary work. With his First Symphony composed in 1935, William Walton holds up a mirror to its time of creation: between urgent rhythms and sonic depths, one can feel the restlessness of the 1930s – intense, dark, but also overwhelmingly beautiful. In the first three movements, a gripping blend of energy, drama, and melancholy unfolds – from dark intensity to delicate, lyrical moments. The final movement, completed later, brings about the triumphant resolution. The symphony is considered one of the most significant works in British music, impressing with its emotional depth and orchestral power.

Giltburg with Gershwin

Palace of Culture

Childhood memories of the music of the Sinti and Roma in his homeland inspired Zoltán Kodály's "Dances from Galánta," while Melanie Bonis's Suite en forme de valses exudes French lightness and elegance. This dance-like quality contrasts with the suspenseful music of Paul Dukas, who set Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's ballad of the same name to music in his "The Sorcerer's Apprentice."

Magic & Dancing

Gershwin and Dvořák

Downtown Ithaca Alliance (The Ithaca Commons)

Saenger Theatre

Rhapsody in Red, White & Blue features an eclectic selection of Americana music sure to get you in the mood for the upcoming 250th Anniversary celebration! First up is the world premiere of American Patriot Hymn by Composer in Residence Jeff Lippencott, followed by Duke Ellington’s musical depiction of 1950’s Harlem. Grammy Award-winning pianist Michelle Cann is featured on Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

Rhapsody in Red, White & Blue

Cheyenne Civic Center

A concert of Symphonic Preludes, including "Les Preludes" by Liszt, "Norfolk Rhapsody" by Vaughn-Williams, and Gershwin's "American in Paris".

American in Paris

Performing Arts Center of Rapid City

We begin with Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 1, celebrating the 100th anniversary of its premiere. In the second half, William Grant Still’s Serenade reflects American folk music. Then, listen for elements of jazz, blues, and ragtime as pianist Terrence Wilson performs Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F Major.

Shostakovich, Still, & Gershwin

The Oncenter Civic Center Theaters

What happens when classical meets jazz? George Gershwin achieved exactly that with his "Concerto in F." A concert that sounds like New York in the 1920s: vibrant, pulsating, full of energy. Gershwin, a true jazz prodigy, became an overnight star with his piece "Rhapsody in Blue." But with the "Concerto in F," he proved that he could not only write for the stage and clubs but also for the concert hall. Right from the start, the piano takes the listeners on a rapid run, almost like a wild taxi ride through Manhattan. The music tells of everything that inspired Gershwin: jazz clubs in Harlem, crowds on Broadway, and the pure excitement of a city that never sleeps. It's a bit like a musical adventure: from cheerful melodies that invite you to sway along, to emotional passages that go straight to the heart. Gershwin shows that classical music can be anything – cool, captivating, and full of surprises.

abgeFRACKt: Two Worlds, one Groove

The Bochum Symphony Orchestra's orchestra course offers talented musicians aged 15 and up the opportunity to gain valuable experience in orchestral playing and is a fantastic opportunity for musical development.

Final concert of the BoSy orchestra course

Bochumer Symphoniker

Music can transport a listener anywhere. Take a musical journey to the early 20th century with the Charleston Symphony inspired by American jazz and the beauty of Rome. At the height of his popularity (following the success of Rhapsody in Blue), George Gershwin tackled his most significant undertaking in the orchestral genre—his Piano Concerto. Pianist Maxim Lando, who last performed with the Charleston Symphony in 2024 to much acclaim, will return as guest pianist. A superbly talented musical leader and conductor, Ming Luke has made a name for himself, attracting worldwide audiences with performances of both symphonic and theatrical works.

Gershwin’s Piano Concerto

Gaillard Center

Pianists Wu Qian and Juho Pohjonen journey from Bach’s brilliance to Rachmaninoff’s volcanic Symphonic Dances on two grand pianos.

Double Forte: Two Pianos

Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

This program is a sonorous journey through the diverse musical landscapes of America: with George Gershwin and Glenn Miller, iconic representatives of American jazz and blues are on the program. On the saxophone, soloist Severin Neubauer delights with pieces such as Waignein's Rhapsody for saxophone, an abridged version of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and the Hawaiian one-hit wonder Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Dvořák's 9th Symphony, which is set in the cultural context of the USA, rounds off the listening experience in classical style: it reflects the Czech composer's experiences during his three-year stay in New York City at the end of the 19th century.

Rhapsody & Saxophone in Concert

BAUAkademie Salzburg

Celebrate 250 years of American spirit with the Magic Philharmonic Orchestra! Guest conductor Dr. Paul Pugh, Burley Junior High band and strings director, will lead an unforgettable evening of patriotic favorites and iconic American music. From The Star-Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful to Porgy and Bess, Wicked, The Greatest Showman, and more, this concert spans the heart and soul of America — from its earliest tunes to its modern Broadway sound. Bring the whole family for a night of music, patriotism, and fun!

America and All That Jazz

Burley High School

Two of Canada’s greatest pianists perform exquisite repertoire for two pianos by Mozart, Chopin, and Gershwin.

“A performer of near-superhuman technical prowess” (The New York Times), Marc-André Hamelin is known worldwide for his unrivaled blend of consummate musicianship and brilliant technique in the great works of the established repertoire, as well as for his intrepid exploration of the rarities of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.

Marc-André Hamelin with Charles Richard-Hamelin, duo piano

The Royal Conservatory of Music

The Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestras are committed to supporting the lives of young musicians and their families through professional and enriching rehearsals and performances. We are here to serve and inspire the passionate music-makers of central Ohio and elevate our community through musical excellence and innovation.

Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra Concert

Riffe Center Studio Theatres

Saturday Concert No. 4

Volkshaus Jena

Four: Progression

Valdosta State University

Join us for this special concert celebrating the 90th anniversary of the orchestra’s first performance.  That first concert, in 1936, took place at a time of great music, both classical and popular!  The entire program consists of works composed in or debuted in 1936, and as you can well imagine, features a wide variety of styles, as well as a lot of American composers:  George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Samuel Barber, and Aaron Copland.  Join us for this celebration of the start and launch into the future of ETSO.

A Ninety-Year Legacy: A Symphonic Celebration

The University of Texas at Tyler

Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess is a thought provoking, gritty and spirited ‘Story of the unshakeable love between Porgy, a crippled beggar, and Bess, a beautiful woman haunted by the demons of her past. Gershwin’s jazz opera is infused with influences of jazz, gospel, and blues. This abbreviated telling features  Metropolitan Opera Bass Baritone Kevin Short and Marsha Thompson, who have toured the world as Porgy. Many songs have become popular jazz and blues covers, including the well-known ‘Summertime’

Porgy and Bess Jazz Opera Concert

Norris Center

The Charlotte Performing Arts Center

If you caught Ethan Loch’s performance with the RSNO last Season or in the final of BBC Young Musician 2022, you’ll already know that there’s something magical about this young Scottish pianist. And if you didn’t, what better way to discover him than in Gershwin’s fabulous Rhapsody in Blue? The enchantment doesn’t stop there, as Music Director Thomas Søndergård conjures up the wizardry of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and introduces the dancing crockery and singing squirrels of Ravel’s ravishing mini-opera. Sounds extraordinary? Just wait until you hear it. 

Ethan Loch Plays Gershwin

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Usher Hall, Edinburgh

Celebrate the ingenuity, independence, and pure joy of American music. In five concerts over four days, pianists-in-residence Peter Dugan, Avery Gagliano, and Jonathan Mamora will be joined by mezzo-soprano Kara Dugan and local musicians to explore the ways music reflects the American experience.

Cliburn Festival America 250: American Jazz

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Audio sample № 4

If you caught Ethan Loch’s performance with the RSNO last Season or in the final of BBC Young Musician 2022, you’ll already know that there’s something magical about this young Scottish pianist. And if you didn’t, what better way to discover him than in Gershwin’s fabulous Rhapsody in Blue? The enchantment doesn’t stop there, as Music Director Thomas Søndergård conjures up the wizardry of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and introduces the dancing crockery and singing squirrels of Ravel’s ravishing mini-opera. Sounds extraordinary? Just wait until you hear it.

Usher Hall

Gershwin’s iconic score takes us on a Parisian sojourn filled with American influence and the blues. Julia Wolfe’s mesmerizing cantata Her Story dramatically explores the historic struggle for women to secure equal rights. Scored for large orchestra and women’s voices, with stage direction by Anne Kauffman, scenic design by Jeff Sugg, and production by Bang on a Can, you won’t want to miss one of the cultural events of the year in Mississippi.

Bars of Red

Mannoni Performing Arts Center Auditorium

Louis Langrée returns to lead Orchestra of St. Luke’s in a concert celebrating the music of iconic American composers. GRAMMY-nominated jazz pianist Gerald Clayton performs Duke Ellington’s works, alongside classic favorites by Charles Ives, Gershwin, and Bernstein.

Louis Langrée Conducts Gershwin, Ellington and Bernstein

Carnegie Hall

With the concert, we explore musical boundaries, or rather: the brothers Lucas and Arthur Jussen do, together with the two percussionists Alexej Gerassimez and Emil Kuyumcuyan. They present a diverse program that focuses on rhythms and sounds. John Adams' rapid "Short Ride in a Fast Machine" is virtually a musical adrenaline rush, which in this arrangement for piano and percussion unleashes all its pulsating energy in a concentrated form. Fazil Say's Variations for two pianos and percussion combine Turkish folk music with energetic modern sounds. Steve Reich's Quartet for two pianos and two vibraphones is hypnotic and precise - minimalist music that unfolds a unique pull through its shimmering patterns. The Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story," on the other hand, bring Broadway to the concert stage: passionate, dramatic, and full of dance rhythms. By invitation of the Dresden Philharmonic in cooperation with DK Deutsche Klassik.

Jussen Brothers

March Concert 2026

Pomona College

Henley Symphony Orchestra’s 55th season continues with a flourish in Reading Concert Hall with an exhilarating programme of some of the greatest orchestral music of the 20th century American classical repertoire. Gershwin, Copland, Barber, and Bernstein were all prominent American composers who cultivated a distinct American sound by blending European traditions with American folk and jazz influences.

March 2026 Concert

Reading Concert Hall

A tribute to American resilience, history, and creativity! We open with Hailstork’s Fanfare on Amazing Grace and Gould’s rousing American Salute. Patricia Leonard’s My Dearest Friend offers a touching glimpse into the letters of John and Abigail Adams, leading into Copland’s powerful Lincoln Portrait, narrated by Rev. Alvie Young. Contemporary voices shine in Laura Karpman’s All American and Ivan Trevino’s Run to the Light, featuring MTS Principal Percussionists Sherry Rubins and Paul Millette. The concert closes with patriotic favorites, joined by members of the United States Air Force Band of the West.

Home of the Brave

New Braunfels Civic/Convention Center

The Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia presents their 4th Masterworks concert entitled "Gershwin Piano Concerto in F"

Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia - Masterworks 4 - Gershwin Piano Concerto in F

Charlottesville High School

University of Virginia

It's about to get exciting! When piano-playing brothers Lucas and Arthur Jussen join forces with top drummers Alexej Gerassimez and Emil Kuyumcuyan, musical sparks fly. All four already know each other from previous tours. Audiences can therefore look forward to a well-rehearsed team whose enthusiasm for experimentation, sense of rhythm, and outstanding virtuosity promise a veritable firework display on keys and drumsticks. In addition to original compositions for this unusual ensemble, including works by Steve Reich, the program also includes arrangements of repertoire classics such as the Symphonic Dances from Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story and George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.

Lucas & Arthur Jussen / Alexej Gerassimez / Emil Kuyumcuyan

This extraordinary program presents a work of the powerful, contemporary voice of composer Carlos Simon, whose works resonate with history, hope, and heart. Pianist Artina McCain returns to perform George Gershwin’s brilliant Piano Concerto in F, a work that blends classical traditions with the bold rhythms of jazz and pulses with energy, romance, and the unmistakable spirit of the American Jazz Age. The program closes with Peter Boyer’s Ellis Island: Dream of America, a poignant and inspiring tribute to the immigrants who shaped the American story. Innovative in its format, the work brings elements of the theater and multimedia into the concert hall, employing actors and projected historical images from the Ellis Island archives. The spoken texts for the work come from the Ellis Island Oral History Project, an historic collection of interviews with actual immigrants about their experiences emigrating to America. This dynamic work reminds us of the hopes, struggles, and dreams that built a nation.

ELLIS ISLAND: Dream of America

Patricia Reser Center for the Arts

Mt. Hood Community College

Immerse yourself in this exhilarating concert filled with heroic sounds, dazzling virtuosity, and musical drama! Janáček’s dynamic Taras Bulba offers a vivid orchestral portrayal of heroism and sacrifice inspired by Nikolai Gogol’s tales of war and death. Symphony pianist Caroline Hong brings Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue to life with sweeping lyricism and jazzy flair. Rachmaninoff’s lush and dramatic Symphony No. 3 weaves a poignant musical tapestry that will captivate your heart and stir your soul.

Rachmaninoff 3

Ohio Theatre

Featuring pianist Jason Stoll performing Gershwin's Concerto in F.

Gershwin & Copland "Foreign Explorations, American Interpretations"

Simi Covenant Church

We invite you to a special concert at Paliesius Manor, where the awakening of nature will merge with wonderful music! An afternoon full of romantic and dreamy, elegant and passionate spirit awaits you, an afternoon that will invite you to dream, relax and immerse yourself in the rhythms of spring. Magical works will sound - a synthesis between classical and contemporary music, which will create a special atmosphere. Listeners will be delighted with both well-known works of classical music and chords of contemporary and popular music.

Romantic spring at Paliesius Manor

Paliesius Manor

Observe a working rehearsal as the musicians and conductor put the finishing touches on the weekend’s concert program on Friday, March 13 at 10AM. Doors open at 9AM. Tickets are $17.14; coffee and donuts are included!

Friday Coffee Dress – Rachmaninoff 3

An American in Paris with Our Town

Shermerhorn Symphony Center

Revel in the memorable melodies of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro – selected scenes and arias offer a view into this timeless chaotic comedy. Musical Theater and American opera’s powerful arias and stirring choruses by legendary composers show their extraordinary range of musical storytelling. This unique program blends timeless elegance with bold American spirit in a program of extraordinary music.

Mozart and American Voices

Rancho Campana Performing Arts Center

Bank Of America Performing Arts 

This electrifying program celebrates the bold sounds and unmistakable spirit of American music. Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” brims with jazzy swagger, while Adams’ “Absolute Jest” spins Beethoven into a playful whirlwind. Barber’s Adagio for Strings offers a moment of breathtaking beauty, and Still’s “Afro-American” Symphony blends classical tradition with the soul of the blues in a powerful tale of resilience and joy.

An American Portrait: Gershwin, Barber & Beyond

Symphony Band

Music Building and Recital Hall

Led by Klaus Mäkelä, the CSO presents one of the most electrifying and revolutionary works in the orchestral repertoire: Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. Included in this showcase of 20th-century masterpieces are the playful, Brazilian-inspired rhythms of Milhaud’s Le Bœuf sur le toit and Gershwin’s An American in Paris, which brings the bustling streets of the French capital to life with jazzy flair.

Mäkelä Conducts The Rite of Spring

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Tonight’s concert celebrates the clarinet, and the outstanding playing of Mark van de Wiel.  

Mark first performed in the Royal Festival Hall as a member of the National Youth Orchestra, and was the Philharmonia’s Principal Clarinet from 2000 to 2025. He plays a brand new concerto commissioned from his friend Jonathan Dove CBE. Dove’s music often expresses feelings of wonder at the natural world.  His third concerto to feature a soloist scanning the skies (following Stargazer and Northern Lights), Rainbow showcases Mark’s virtuosity and lyricism. 

The celebration continues with Aaron Copland’s glorious Clarinet Concerto, commissioned by jazz legend Benny Goodman. Then Mark hands over to the Philharmonia’s new Principal Clarinet Maura Marinucci for the unmistakable glissando opening of Rhapsody in Blue. On piano, Frank Dupree brings his infectious energy and enthusiasm to Gershwin’s masterpiece.  

Composer

George Gershwin

Events

Upcoming events

May 5, 2026

Dementia Friendly Concert – ESO Wind Quartet · English Symphony Orchestra

May 7, 2026

The American composers · Aalborg Symfoniorkester

7 - 9 May, 2026

Dances to American Music: Three Preludes, Northwest, Pizzica, You've Got to Be Modernistic · Mark Morris Dance Group

8 - 10 May, 2026

American Rhapsody · Chicago Sinfonietta

May 9, 2026

Gershwin, by George! · Catskill Symphony Orchestra

Past events

May 3, 2026

American Portraits · Glens Falls Symphony

May 3, 2026

Harbison / Gershwin / Copland · Boston Philharmonic Orchestra

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