The Tucson Symphony Orchestra String Quartet returns to Academy Village Tuesday for a concert with a special twist. It will perform the premiere of "Dream Fugue," a work composed by Roger Shepard, a resident of Academy Village and a member of the Arizona Senior Academy.
The 11:30 a.m. concert is free and open to the public.
Shepard, who has no formal musical training, likes to improvise. He also has had a lifelong fascination with dreams. Forty-five years ago he had a dream in which he heard a string quartet playing a fugue he had never heard before. He could not reduce it to paper. It remained in his memory for all these years.
About 10 years ago he became acquainted with computer software that allowed him to compose using a keyboard interface that recorded what he played. He has composed many electronic pieces and multi-media works.
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A year ago he returned to that dream and expanded it to produce "Dream Fugue." This is his first foray into composition for orchestral instruments.
Shepard's formal training is as a cognitive psychologist, with a bachelor's degree from Stanford and a doctorate from Yale. He taught for 35 years at Stanford before retiring in 1995.
Members of the TSO Symphony Quartet say they particularly enjoy performing at Academy Village because the setting is beautiful, acoustics are great, and they love the interaction and sharing with the audience during the traditional Q&A at each concert.
The quartet will also play Franz Schubert's "Death and the Maiden."
The concert will be at the Arizona Senior Academy at Academy Village, which is six miles south of Saguaro National Park East, off Old Spanish Trail.
Concertgoers are invited to stay for lunch at the Village Cafe, open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you go
• What: Premiere of "Dream Fugue" by the Tucson Symphony Orchestra String Quartet
• When: 11:30 a.m. Tuesday
• Where: Arizona Senior Academy Building at Academy Village, 13715 E. Langtry Lane
• Admission: Free; donations accepted
• Reservations: Recommended; email info@arizonasenioracademy.org or call 647-0980
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