John Philip Sousa, the king of the American march, used to slip transcriptions of classical composers into his concerts.
It gave his players a break from the patriotic, heart-clutching, spirited romps that were his stock in trade. And it returned Sousa to his roots, the classical violin of his childhood.
On Sunday, László Veres, decked out in a faux Sousa marching-band uniform complete with medals and white gloves, will lead his voluntary Arizona Symphonic Winds in a concert that will feel very much like one Sousa might have led. In between those wonderful Sousa marches, "Sousa and the Classics" will include works by Wagner, Tchaikovsky and Borodin originally written for orchestra and transcribed for wind ensemble. Guest pianist Alexander Tentser also will perform the first movement of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5, the "Emperor."
"My plan is to re-create those famous concerts of the past presented by the great John Philip Sousa Band for years," Veres said in a written release.
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Sunday's concert begins at 2 p.m. at Catalina Foothills High School Auditorium, 4300 E. Sunrise Drive. Admission is free.
Symphony to present Puccini one-act opera
The Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra will present a semi-staged production of Puccini's one-act opera "Suor Angelica" in two performances this weekend.
The concerts - Saturday at DesertView Performing Arts Center in SaddleBrooke and Sunday at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church - also include the debut of the volunteer orchestra's second annual Youth Concerto Competition winner, cellist Sara Page.
Page will perform the first movement of Saint Saëns' Cello Concerto in A minor.
Rounding out the program is the overture from Verdi's Spanish-inspired opera "La Forza del Destino."
Soprano Tami Petty, mezzo-soprano Kerry Grubel and the Southern Arizona Opera Company are cast for "Suor Angelica." The concerts will be conducted by guest Jay Meetze.
Performances: 7:30 p.m. Saturday at DesertView, 39900 S. Clubhouse Drive; $21 at the door or online at tickets.saddlebrooketwo.com; 3 p.m. Sunday at St. Andrew's, 7575 N. Paseo Del Norte; $20, free for kids 17 and younger at the door or online at www.sasomusic.org.
Faculty quintet joins students in recital
The Arizona Wind Quintet, the University of Arizona's acclaimed faculty ensemble, is performing its spring recital Monday.
The concert includes Jacques Ibert's "Three Short Pieces" and Belgian composer Joseph Jongen's Concerto for Wind Quintet performed by the group - Brian Luce on flute; Neil Tatman on oboe; Jerry Kirkbride on clarinet; William Dietz on bassoon, and Daniel Katzen on horn.
Mozart's Serenade in E-flat Major No. 11, one of the masterworks for octet, rounds out the program. The quintet will be joined by members of the Arizona Graduate Winds - Elizabeth Knoff on oboe; Edwin Serrano on clarinet; Daniel Hursey on bassoon; and Lisa Gollenberg on horn.
The spring semester recital starts at 7 p.m. Monday at Holsclaw Hall, North Park Avenue and East Speedway. Tickets are $5; get them at 621-1162 or online at arizona.tix.com
In other Music News ...
• Arizona Choral Society Spring Concert - Valley Presbyterian Church, 2800 S. Camino del Sol, Green Valley. Features a combination of choral and orchestral music by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Handel, Puccini, Verdi and Beethoven. Instrumental excerpts include Mozart and Beethoven. Advance tickets available at Meredith's Hallmark Shop in Green Valley, www.azchoral.org or from ACS members. 3:30-5 p.m. Sunday. $12 in advance; $15 at door. 579-5331.
• Alexander Tentser presents Piano Music of the Romantic Age - St. Philip's In The Hills Episcopal Church, music center. Piano music of Chopin, Schumann and Liszt, in celebration of bicentenary. 7 p.m. today. $15 suggested donation. 299-6421.
• Spring Concert Sampler - Armory Park Center, 220 S. Fifth Ave. Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra presents an informal concert that includes music of Moussorgsky, Stravinsky and Williams. 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Saturday. Free. 623-1500.
• Michael Keepe in Tenor Madness: Contemporary Music for the Saxophone - Pima Community College Center for the Arts Recital Hall, 2202 W. Anklam Road. 3-4 p.m. Sunday. $6. 206-6986.
• Music of the Americas - St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 545 S. Fifth Ave. Guitarists Tabajara Belo, from Brazil, and Michael Lich perform classical, jazz and Brazilian music. 3-3:30 p.m. Sunday $12. 404-4520.
• Sons of Orpheus - DesertView Performing Arts Theatre, 39900 S. Clubhouse Drive, SaddleBrooke. 20th anniversary concert. Opera choruses, Russian folk songs with the Arizona Balalaika Ensemble and cowboy classics. 3-4:30 p.m. Sunday. $17 in advance, $20 at the door. 825-2818. Concert repeats 7 p.m. April 7 at Community Performing Arts Center, 1250 W. Continental Road, Green Valley. $12 in advance; $15 at the door. 399-1750.
• Arizona Wind Quintet - Holsclaw Hall in the UA School of Music Building, 1017 N. Olive Road. Spring semester recital will include the music of Jacques Ibert, Joseph Jongen and Mozart. 7 p.m. Monday. $5. 621-1162.
• Lenten Recital Series: Four-Hand Fiesta - St. Philip's In The Hills Episcopal Church. Pianists Mary Lonsdale Baker and Jeffrey Campbell will perform Petite Suite by Debussy and a sonata by Mozart. 12:15-12:45 p.m. Thursday. Admission by donation. 299-6421.
• Mozart's "Don Giovanni" - Crowder Hall in the UA School of Music Building, 1017 N. Olive Road. The University of Arizona Opera Theater and the Arizona Symphony Orchestra with the artistic direction of Charles Roe. Music director Thomas Cockrell. Fully costumed and staged, in Italian with English supertitles. 7:30 p.m. next Friday, 3 p.m. April 10. $15. 621-1162.
• A Night of Jazz with Angel Diamond - Leo Rich Theatre, 260 S. Church Ave. Presented by Southwest Soul Circuit, the show features Kevin Hamilton and Tanishia Hamilton. 7-9 p.m. today. $15. 1-800-745-3000.
• Gabriel Ayala Trio - Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, 1 Burruel St., Tubac. Fusion of flamenco, jazz, world music and rock. 2-4 p.m. Saturday. $15; $5 age 14 and younger. 1-520-398-2252. The show repeats 3-5 p.m. Sunday at Tohono Village Trading Post, 10 Camino Otero, Tubac. $15. 1-520-398-2223.
• 11th Annual Zin Blues & BBQ - The Grill at Hacienda del Sol, 5601 N. Hacienda Del Sol Road. Live blues music with zinfandel wine tastings and barbecue buffet. 4-7 p.m. Sunday. $55. 529-3500.
• Gabriel Alegria's Afro-Peruvian Jazz Sextet - Tubac Plaza Main Stage, 29 Tubac Plaza, Tubac. 3 p.m. Sunday. $20 in advance; $25 day of show. 1-520-398-2542.
• Wild Women with Diane Van Deurzen and Lisa Otey - The Gaslight Theatre, 7010 E. Broadway. Jazz. 7-9 p.m. April 4. $19.95. 886-9428.
• "Wine, Women, & Song" - San Pedro Chapel, 5230 E. Fort Lowell Road. The Southern Arizona Women's Chorus presents annual fund-raising event. Call for reservations. 5-9 p.m. next Friday. $35. 404-3148.
Elsewhere in the Arts ...
• Kronos Quartet returns to Tucson to perform a new 9/11-inspired piece (C4).
• Kingfisher String Quartet closes out Dove of Peace series (Above).
• Famed pianist Andre Watts joins actor Michael York in new Chamber Music Plus work (C1).
• Diane Schuur and the Jeff Daniel Group perform (C1).
