MUSIC UNDER THE STARS™
September 22, 2024 – 7:00 p.m.
DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center, Reid Park
Khris Dodge, Music Director/Conductor and
THE TUCSON POPS ORCHESTRA
Guest Artist: Erin Anderson, Tyler Wright
The Circus and Aerial Academy of Tucson
PROGRAM
Mission Impossible …………….........……....…… Lalo Schifrin, arr. Calvin Custer
Andrew Lloyd Webber Reflections….....… Andrew Lloyd, Webber, arr. Bruce Chase
The Empire Strikes Back...........................................................… John Williams
The Empire Strikes Back Medley….................… John Williams, arr. John Whitney
Forrest Gump Suite………………….............…… Alan Silvestri, arr. Calvin Custer
“My Funny Valentine” …............. Lorenz Hart/ Richard Rodgers, arr. Khris Dodge
Erin Anderson, Tyler Wright
“Never Enough” from The Greatest Showman..............….Benj Pasek/Justin Paul, arr. Khris Dodge
Erin Anderson - The Circus and Aerial Academy of Tucson
“Feelin’ Good” ………….......… Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley, arr. Khris Dodge
Tyler Wright
INTERMISSION
Themes from 007…………………………………….........……… arr. Calvin Custer
Highlights from Jurassic Park………….......…… John Williams, arr. Calvin Custer
Selections from Guys and Dolls…….....………. Frank Loesser, arr. Calvin Custer
Erin Anderson, Tyler Wright
“Don’t Rain on My Parade” from Funny Girl….........…. Jule Styne/Bob Merrill, arr. K. Dodge
Erin Anderson - The Circus and Aerial Academy of Tucson
“Defying Gravity” from Wicked….…….....…...Stephen Schwartz, arr. K. Dodge
Erin Anderson, Tyler Wright - The Circus and Aerial Academy of Tucson
On our September 22 concert, ‘Showtime” - the orchestra will present an evening dedicated to great movie and Broadway classics performed by local vocalists Tyler Wright, and Erin Anderson along with talents from The Circus Academy of Tucson, a wonderful organization that provides diverse education in circus and theatre arts to youth and adults.
Erin Anderson has had the privilege of performing in many theater productions in the Old Pueblo over the last 10 years. Some favorites include Arizona Onstage’s Les Miserables (Eponine), Triumph of Love at the Roadrunner Theater (Leonide), and SAPAC’s productions of The Hot Mikado (Pitti-Sing) and Fun Home (Alison Bechtel). In addition to theater, Ms. Anderson moonlights as a jazz artist. She is mother to one stellar 7-year old, and by day serves as a forensic intelligence analyst for Southern Arizona law enforcement agencies.
Tyler Wright studied musical theater at Brigham Young University before returning home to his native Arizona. Tyler has received local MAC and Carmen award nominations for his performances in SAPAC’s productions of Hot Mikado and [title of show]. He also produced, directed, and starred in the MAC award nominated Gutenberg! The Musical! Tyler performs with many other Tucson performing groups including Gaslight Theater, Khris Dodge Entertainment and Alex Mack Music.
The Circus and Aerial Academy of Tucson
The Circus Academy of Tucson’s mission is to provide a well-rounded and diverse education in circus and theater arts to youth and adults in the Tucson community. Our goal is to offer circus to ALL in the community who wish to participate regardless of age, body type, socio economic status, race, religion, culture, physical or developmental challenges, gender identity, or any other perceived barrier to participation.
MUSIC UNDER THE STARS™
September 29, 2024 – 7:00 p.m.
DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center, Reid Park
Khris Dodge, Music Director/Conductor and
THE TUCSON POPS ORCHESTRA
PROGRAM
Can-Can from La Boutique Fantasque…..............………. Gioachino Rossini
“Begin the Beguine”…......................…… Cole Porter, arr. Ralph Hermann
Sevilla………………………....................……………….……. Isaac Albéniz
Quiet City…………………......................…..……………..… Aaron Copland
Byron Yount, Trumpet - Christian Hill, English Horn
Hoe-Down from Rodeo……………………………..........…… Aaron Copland
INTERMISSION
Peter Gunn………………………....……… Henry Mancini, arr. Calvin Custer
The Pink Panther………………................ Henry Mancini, arr. Calvin Custer
Granada………………………………….........…...………..…. Augustin Lara
Sevilla.…………………………………..………………...……… Isaac Albéniz
Stevie Wonder Sounds - Medley …………………….………arr. John Whitney
“My Way”…………………….…………………..…...........……..… Paul Anka
Quiet City was originally composed in 1939 as the music to accompany Irwin Shaw’s play of the same name. Several of Aaron Copland’s friends urged him to extract the melodic content for a concert work, which he did in 1941. The concert version is for the instrumentation of trumpet, English horn and strings. The main character of Shaw’s play has anglicized his Jewish surname, which haunts him every time he hears his brother practicing jazz on the trumpet. More broadly, the austere call-andresponse melodies, occasionally intertwining, represent the insecurities of modern society loosely depicted as lonely musicians practicing in adjacent buildings in New York City. Quiet City is dedicated to Ralph Hawkes, of Boosey and Hawkes, who published it. It is a hauntingly beautiful masterpiece which has been recorded numerous times.
--Byron Yount
Byron Yount began his musical studies with his father, a professional trombonist. After free lancing for a decade in the New York City area, he eventually earned a Masters of Music at the University of Rhode Island while an active duty member of Navy Band Northeast. Byron landed in Tucson pursuing a Doctorate from the University of Arizona as the teaching assistant in applied trumpet. He served as Principal Trumpet of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Sonora, México, the New Jersey Pops Orchestra, and the New Jersey Chamber Music Society Brass Quintet, which he founded. In more recent times, he has performed as an invited guest musician with The Phoenix Symphony, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Guanajuato, México, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
Christian Hill is a graduate of Northern Arizona University with bachelor’s degrees in music performance and music education. As an undergraduate, Mr. Hill played for the Flagstaff Symphony, Summer Festival Orchestra and was a winner of the 1994 NAU solo competition. After completing his bachelor’s degrees at NAU, he performed for the Arizona Opera, Sinfonia Da Chiesa, Tucson Symphony, Foothills Woodwind Quintet and is currently playing with the Crowded Quartet and the Tucson Repertory Orchestra. He began playing for the Tucson Pops in 1998 and became principal oboist in 2019. Mr. Hill teaches band and orchestra for the Amphitheater school district.
MUSIC UNDER THE STARS™
October 6, 2024 – 7:00 p.m.
DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center, Reid Park
Khris Dodge, Music Director/Conductor and
THE TUCSON POPS ORCHESTRA
Guest Artist: Heather Hardy PROGRAM
Arizona March ……………………………………............……..…… Cadman
Prickly Pears, Barrels, and Saguaros…Oh My from The Catalina’s Suite…….........................................….…Khris Dodge
On The Trail from The Grand Canyon Suite……....................… Ferde Grofé, arr. Marty Gold
“Bésame Mucho” …………….…….… Consuelo Velázquez, arr. Khris Dodge
“The Tree” …………………….……......……
Heather Hardy, arr. Khris Dodge
Heather Hardy, Violin and Vocals
INTERMISSION
Overture to Candide ………………………..……………… Leonard Bernstein
Tango Jalousie ……………………………...........…. Jacob Gade, arr. Larson
“Habanera” from Carmen ……..………………………………. Georges Bizet
“Misirlou” …………………..............…………... Dick Dale, arr. Khris Dodge
“Devil In Your Eyes” ………....………………… Sam Taylor, arr. Khris Dodge
“Over The Rainbow” ……….....…… Harold Arlen/E.Y. Harburg, Khris Dodge
Heather Hardy, Violin and Vocals
“America the Beautiful” ……...........…… Samuel Ward, arr. Carmen Dragon
Heather “Lil’ Mama” Hardy began studying piano at six and violin at nine. In 1983, she was accepted into the Manhattan School of Music for both instruments but chose violin, studying under Raphael Bronstein. While at school, she played in the subway and collaborated with blues and rock musicians, developing her unique violin improvisation style. In 1984, she toured with the punk band The False Prophets and worked with Allen Ginsberg and other New York bands. After moving to Tucson in 1990, she joined the Sam Taylor Band, becoming both a violinist and vocalist. Her soulful violin solos helped the band win the 1995 Arizona Blues Showdown and place second in the International Blues Talent Competition. In 1996, Heather formed the Lil’ Mama Band, returning to New York in 1997. She was inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame in 2000.
Heather currently plays with her Lil’ Mama Band and her own production “MORE VIOLIN… 100 years of the Violin in Music,” as well as New York artists, Christine Santelli, and Kerry Kearney and others.
