Just because the 2018 Tucson Desert Song Festival’s “Bernstein At 100” is behind us doesn’t mean the well is dry on classical music in Tucson.
Here are three shows this weekend that will remind you we have a lot of classical music to experience before the 2017-18 season wraps up in the spring.
Let’s Dance with the Stars
Tucson Symphony Orchestra is bringing back a star-studded lineup of dancers and vocalists for what has become an annual event at Tucson Music Hall: “Let’s Dance.”
The cast includes “American Idol” vocalist Michael “Big Mike” Lynche and Broadway singer Mamie Perris (Grizabella in the Broadway revival of “Cats”); Broadway dancers Chandrae Roettig and Stephen Sayer; “Dancing With the Stars” dancers Forrest Walsh and Melissa Shahin; tango dancers Patricio Touceda and Sonya Tsekanovsky; and Tony-nominated tap dancer Ted Louis Levy.
Guest conductor Stuart Chafetz makes his third appearance with the orchestra after having led last season’s “Cirque Musica” and conducted a concert with trumpeter Byron Stripling the year before.
“Let’s Dance” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11, at Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. Tickets are $30 to $80 through tucsonsympony.org or by calling 882-8585.
Four for Beethoven
Dove of Peace Lutheran Church is continuing its ambitious multiyear Beethoven Piano Sonata Project on Sunday, Feb. 11, with Sonatas No. 9, 10, 15, 19 and 20.
It’s the eighth year for the project, which will go through all 32 Beethoven piano Sonatas before it’s finished. We’re not sure where they are in meeting that goal, but after eight years we’re pretty sure they are getting close. (Read between the lines: You don’t want to miss this because it very likely is one of the last ones.)
This is the 14th year the church has offered free classical concerts for the community. The church accepts donations, which are given to a local charity. Sunday’s recipient will be the Gospel Rescue Mission, which serves Tucson’s homeless and needy.
Here’s the 411:
The lineup: Pianists Alexander Tentser, Michael Dauphinais, Georgina Lavery and Joel Castleton.
When: 2 p.m. Sunday.
Where: The sanctuary of Dove of Peace Lutheran Church, 665 W. Roller Coaster Road.
Cost: Free; donations are accepted.
The all-Beethoven program:
Sonata No. 19 in G minor and Sonata No. 20 in G major, performed by Castleton, a University of Arizona graduate student in piano performance.
Sonata No. 9 in E major, performed by New Zealand native Georgina Lavery.
Sonata No. 10 in G major, performed by University of Arizona piano faculty member and True Concord accompanist Michael Dauphinais.
Sonata No. 15 in D major, performed by Pima Community College piano faculty member Alexander Tentser.
Details: doveofpeacetucson.org
Valentines from Philly quartet
It would be a big surprise if Philadelphia’s Jasper String Quartet doesn’t manage to sneak something about their Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles into their Valentine’s Day concert.
We’re thinking that may come in between Haydn’s Quartet in D major “Fifths” and Alan Berg’s “Lyric” Suite. Arizona Friends of Chamber music called the composer’s “most cryptic of musical valentines.”
The quartet also will perform Beethoven’s Quartet in A major. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, at Leo Rich Theater, 260 S. Church Ave. Tickets are $30 for adults, $10 for students with ID through arizonachambermusic.org or at the door.
