It must be Tucson’s March weather that has brought Minnesota pianist Stephen Carlson to headline Dove of Peace Lutheran Church’s free concert series every couple of years going back to 2006.
He returns yet again on Sunday, March 17, for his eighth time as the series marks its 20th anniversary. This time, Carlson, who teaches at Bemidji State University in Minnesota, will perform works by Jean-Phillipe Rameau, Ravel, Beethoven and Brahms on the church’s recently-acquired Steinway B piano.
Carlson holds the record as the most frequent guest to the series, which the church launched in the early 2000s as a gift to the community. Admission is free, but donations are accepted to benefit local nonprofit organizations.
Carlson’s relationship with the series goes back nearly to its beginning. He made his Tucson debut in March 2006, then returned three years later, again in March. All of his appearances over the years — 2011, 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2022 — have come in March, when our temperatures rise to springtime pleasant while winter maintains its icy grip over Carlson’s Minnesota hometown.
Carlson has performed throughout much of the U.S. and Canada, including a solo recital in 2005 in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. His recordings include a solo album of selected works by Beethoven, Haydn, Bartók, Debussy and Liszt and a 2022 recording with baritone Cory Renbarger of Schubert’s Winterreise.
Sunday’s concert at the church, 665 W. Roller Coaster Road, begins at 2 p.m. Free-will donations will benefit Old Pueblo Community Services. Get more details at doveofpeacetucson.org or by calling 520-887-5127.
Civic Orchestra of Tucson’s ‘Romantic Journey’
Who says love is just for Valentine’s Day?
The Civic Orchestra of Tucson is bringing a little love and romance to the stage this weekend when it performs its “Romantic Journey” concert Sunday, March 17, at the University of Arizona’s Crowder Hall.
Music Director Keun Oh will lead the 70-piece ensemble in a program of Romantic period works including excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” and “Romeo and Juliet.”
Oh is taking us into Mendelssohn’s “Fingal’s Cave,” an overture he wrote after visiting the Scottish Hebrides islands in 1829 and was mesmerized by the caves’ weird echoes. The overture, also called “The Hebrides,” helped to popularize the islands as a tourist destination.
Sunday’s concert also includes Fauré’s light-hearted “Pavane” and the first movement of Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 1, with COT principal flute Fran Moskovitz soloing. In addition to the Civic Orchestra, Moskovitz is co-principal flute with Arizona Symphonic Winds.
Principal flute Fran Moskovitz will solo with the Civic Orchestra of Tucson at its March 17 concert.
Sunday’s concert begins at 3:30 p.m. at Crowder, 1017 N. Olive Road, at the UA School of Music. Admission is free.
Civic Orchestra of Tucson will repeat the concert on March 23 at Canyon del Oro High School in Oro Valley, 25 W. Calle Concordia. At that concert, COT percussionist Marcus Hawkins will perform the third movement from Séjourné’s Concerto No. 1 for Marimba and Strings and dancers from Ballet Continental of Green Valley will perform.
Civic Orchestra of Tucson percussionist Marcus Hawkins will solo on a percussion concerto on March 23.
That concert will be an inclusive sensory-friendly concert in partnership with the Autism Society of Southern Arizona.
The orchestra has invited HOPE Inc., United Cerebral Palsy and the Children’s Clinic Tucson to participate in sensory-friendly activities for those with developmental disabilities. The hour-long program will include an introduction to conducting and a chance for audience members to play some of the percussion instruments and see how other instruments work.
Admission to the Oro Valley concert, which beings at 3 p.m., also is free. Visit cotmusic.org.
Stephen Foster's "Beautiful Dreamer" is on True Concord's "Songs of America" concert this weekend.
