Made in America: Side by Side Concert
Schedule
Sun May 24 2026 at 03:00 pm to 05:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
Vero Beach High School Performing Arts Center | Vero Beach, FL
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Enjoy an electrifying afternoon of emotion-packed music celebrating four great American composers of the 20th century in a program that blends jazz-infused brilliance, lyrical reflection, and theatrical passion.The concert opens with the return of celebrated pianist Alessandro da Fonseca, performing with your Space Coast Symphony Orchestra in a work rarely heard in the concert hall: George Gershwin’s Second Rhapsody for piano and orchestra. Bursting with rhythmic vitality and irresistible melody, the piece shares the tuneful charm and infectious energy of Rhapsody in Blue, while offering a bold, cinematic sound world all its own. Jazzy, catchy, and endlessly engaging, Gershwin’s Second Rhapsody captures the vibrant pulse of early 20th-century America.
The orchestra then welcomes back Grammy-winning composer Kenneth Fuchs, a long-time SCSO collaborator, for the Southeast U.S. Premiere of Quiet in the Land, a Poem for Orchestra. This haunting and beautifully crafted work draws inspiration from the rolling prairies of the Midwestern United States and the “immense arching sky” above them. Set against the sobering backdrop of the Second Gulf War, the music reflects a powerful contrast between pastoral serenity and global unrest, unfolding with luminous orchestral color and deep emotional resonance.
In the second half of the program, an annual audience favorite returns as selected youth musicians from across Central Florida join their professional SCSO counterparts onstage in a powerful side-by-side performance. Together, they present John Williams’ exhilarating Summon the Heroes, followed by Leonard Bernstein’s iconic Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. From the explosive rhythms of “Mambo” to the aching lyricism of “Maria,” Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances plunge listeners headfirst into the feverish energy, dramatic tension, and heartbreaking love story of West Side Story. Passionate, theatrical, and unforgettable, the music brings the concert to a thrilling close—celebrating the enduring power of American music and the next generation of performers who will carry it forward.
TICKET & GENERAL INFORMATION:
For more information, call toll free to 855-252-7276 or visit SpaceCoastSymphony.org.
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Where is it happening?
Vero Beach High School Performing Arts Center, 1659 16th St, Vero Beach, FL 32960, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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