by Sara Penny, Cedar City Arts Council
String students from throughout southern Utah present a Celebration XI Concert on Saturday, October 17, at 4 p.m. in the Heritage Theater in Cedar City. The free concert is open to the public. Donations are welcome.
The Suzuki Association of Utah (SAU) is hosting a series of Celebration XI concerts throughout the state. This is the tenth of these regional concerts. Years ago, there were massed concerts for the Celebrations in Salt Lake City. “The students played in Abravanel Hall, the Huntsman Center, the state Capitol Building, and the LDS Conference Center,” said Peter Romney, Celebration Concert Director. With the growth of the programs there will now be several regional concerts to celebrate 50 years of the Suzuki Association of Utah. These are the eleventh massed concerts that bring students from many teachers together for a memorable performance.
The Southern Utah concert features students from age five through adult with the combined efforts of Cedar City and St. George string teachers. Students from St. George, Cedar City, and Beaver have been working for several months on music ranging from concertos by Bach and Vivaldi to folk songs.
The concert includes a special commemorative piece called Rhapsody for Piano by Daniel Reesor with string orchestra. The soloist will be Keenan Reesor. This piece was selected during a competition by SAU for these special concerts.
The SAU is a professional organization for teachers throughout the state offering workshops, training, and special projects to unite the music students and teachers. An annual conference offers guidance for parents and teachers in helping develop the musical skills of the students from age three through adult. “By nurturing talent, we also build our communities,” said Romney.