Charles Bontrager, center, will lead the Civic Orchestra of Tucson in a concert this weekend that celebrates American composers and American music.

The Civid Orchestra of Tucson is putting on its red, white and blue best β€” musically, that is.

The volunteer orchestra, in its second concert of the 2021-22 season, will perform β€œMade in America II,” a concert that includes contemporary works by American composers Leonard Bernstein, John Williams and Ellsworth Milburn and a landmark symphony by Czech composer Atonin DvorΓ‘k that he wrote while he was living in America.

β€œAmerican music represents a vast treasury of gems from today and yesterday, but all too often symphony orchestras position themselves as museums of the past, with only meager offerings of artistic riches from the present,” Civic Orchestra Music Director Charles Bontrager said in a written release.

Bontrager has programmed more contemporary works in β€œMade in America II” including Bernstein’s Overture to β€œCandide”; Ellsworth Milburn’s β€œSalus … esto,” which the Pennsylvania native and Second City LA comedy troupe pianist wrote in 1984; and John Williams’ sweeping and cinematic β€œThe Cowboys” Overture.

DvorΓ‘k’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor (β€œFrom the New World”) closes out the concert, which the Civic Orchestra of Tucson will perform twice this weekend: at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at Green Valley’s Valley Presbyterian Church, 2800 S. Camino del Sol; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, at Christ Church United Methodist, 655 N. Craycroft Road.

Admission is free, although donations will be accepted. Audience members will be required to wear masks at both events.


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Cathalena E. Burch