The Utah Symphony | Utah Opera‘s Deer Valley Music Festival turns 20 this year.

To celebrate, the summer concert series will pay homage to the past two decades by presenting beloved traditions and audience favorites, such as Patriotic Pops that kicks off the series on July 5 at the Snow Park Amphitheater, as well as introducing new artists and performances, according to Communications Manager Megs Vincent. (See accompanying schedule).

“(The festival) provides a chance for audiences to have a more relaxed and intimate experience with the Utah Symphony,” she said. “It’s also a way for us to reach more of the community in Utah. It’s casual and they are able to bring friends, bring their families and their kids. They can pack in a picnic and sit out on the lawn and experience the music of our incredible top-tier, world-class orchestra.”

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Patriotic Pops, conducted by Evan Roider, will feature the vocal prowess of singer Lisa Howard, who will perform “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “Johnny One Note,” Vincent said.

Music has a power to connect individuals, regardless of what kind of backgrounds or experiences they have had.” Megs Vincent, Utah Symphony | Utah Opera communications manager

“I’m so excited for this concert because Lisa is wonderful,” she said. “Adding her incredible voice to our full symphony orchestra who is playing all of this music will be a perfect kickoff for the Deer Valley season.”

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Some of the other selections of the night include John Williams’ “Liberty Fanfare,” Aaron Copland’s “Variations on a Shaker Melody,” which includes “Simple Gifts,” and John Philip Sousa’s “Stars & Stripes Forever,” to name a few, Vincent said.

“It’s a super fun performance with timeless melodies, powerful marches that capture the essence of the good Red, White and Blue,” she said.

One of the new Deer Valley Music Festival programs will take the place the next evening on July 6, Vincent said.

“We’re doing ‘Christmas in July,’ and that one will be so much fun,” she said with a laugh. “We have some activities that include a white-elephant gift exchange with a $20 limit. So if you bring a gift, you can take one as well.”

Attendees will enjoy frozen hot chocolate, Christmas cookies and a visit from Santa Claus, Vincent said.

“Of course the symphony will perform winter favorites including ‘Sleigh Ride,’ which is one of my favorites, selections from Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Nutcracker’ and Vivaldi’s ‘Winter’ from ‘The Four Seasons,'” she said. “

In addition to the full-orchestra and pop-rock performances, which include “Disney in Concert,” the Rascals and the music of Whitney Houston, as well as another concert featuring the music of Joni Mitchell, Carole King and Carly Simon at the Snow Park Amphitheatre, the Deer Valley Music Festival hosts more intimate and classical-leaning Chamber Orchestra offerings at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Vincent said.

“First of all, the church is stunning, and it has all of these stained-glass panes that let all of this beautiful light filter through,” she said. “Since these performances aren’t played by the full orchestra, they are a way to see our musicians up close performing the works.”

There will be four weekly Chamber Orchestra performances that start with Schubert’s Symphony No. 6 on Wednesday, July 10, and the soloist will be Kathryn Eberle, Utah Symphony’s associate concertmaster, Vincent said.

“This year, all of the soloists are our own Utah Symphony musicians,” she said. “We wanted to highlight the talent we have in our symphony.”

Other soloists throughout the series include Principal Bassist David Yavornitzky, Principal Violist Brant Bayless and Principal Hornist Jessica Danz, Vincent said.

“So, you will have a nice diversity of musicians from across the orchestra,” she said. “It won’t just be violinists.”

Throughout the festival, the Utah Symphony will schedule some community events, which include pop-up performances and the Instrument Petting Zoo.

“The petting zoo allows the public, especially children, to learn more about the instruments in the orchestra,” she said. “We’ll announce those events shortly.”

Vincent, who has worked for the Utah Symphony for the past two years, said the Deer Valley Music Festival is one of her favorite events.

“Music has a power to connect individuals, regardless of what kind of backgrounds or experiences they have had, and I love seeing different people who attend these concerts bring their friends and families together and hearing and experiencing the same music.”

The Utah Symphony | Utah Opera’s Deer Valley Music Festival 20th Anniversary performances

Tickets currently on sale at deervalleymusicfestival.org

Main Stage at Deer Valley’s Snow Park Amphitheater, 2250 Deer Valley Drive.

All performances start at 7:30 p.m.

July 5

“Patriotic Pops”

• Evan Roider, conductor
• Lisa Howard, vocals
• Utah Symphony

 
July 6

“Christmas in July” 

• Conner Gray Covington, conductor
• William Hagen, violin
• Utah Symphony

July 11

“The Music of Whitney Houston”

• Brent Havens, conductor
• Rashidra Scott, vocals
• Utah Symphony

July 12

“Trailblazing Music of Joni Mitchell, Carole King & Carly Simon”

• Ted Sperling, conductor
• Morgan James, vocals
• Capathia Jenkins, vocals
• Shayna Steele, vocals

July 19

“Rock ‘n’ Roll with The Rascals”

• Martin Herman, conductor
  The Rascals, guest artists 
• Utah Symphony

July 20

“Disney in Concert: Once Upon a Time”

• Jerry Hou, conductor
• Utah Symphony

July 26 

Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” and Piano Concerto No. 1

• Steven Jarvi, conductor
• Aristo Sham, piano
• Utah Symphony

July 27

Funk Legends Tower of Power

• Steven Jarvi, conductor
  Tower of Power, guest artists
• Utah Symphony

Aug. 2

Disco Hits with Boogie Wonder Band

• Martin Herman, conductor
• Boogie Wonder Band, guest artists
• Utah Symphony

Aug. 3

“Hamilton” Star Leslie Odom Jr.

• Enrico Lopez-Yañez, conductor
• Leslie Odom Jr., vocals
• Utah Symphony

Aug. 8

“The Music of John Williams”

• David Newman, conductor
• Utah Symphony

Aug. 9

“A Night to ‘Hear a Symphony’ with Cody Fry”

• Enrico Lopez-Yañez, conductor
• Cody Fry, guest artist
• Utah Symphony 

Chamber Orchestra Series at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1505 White Pine Canyon Rd.

All performances start at 8 p.m.

July 10

Schubert’s Symphony No. 6

• Chelsea Gallo, conductor
• Kathryn Eberle, violin 
• Utah Symphony Chamber Orchestra

July 17

Mendelssohn’s “Scottish Symphony”

• Aram Demirjian, conductor 
• David Yavornitzky, double bass
• Utah Symphony Chamber Orchestra

July 24

Schoenberg’s “Transfigured Night”

• Matthew Straw, conductor
• Brant Bayless, viola 
• Utah Symphony Chamber Orchestra

July 31

“Haydn, Mozart & More”

• Cosette Justo Valdés, conductor 
• Jessica Danz, horn 
• Utah Symphony Chamber Orchestra

Free Events

July 19

• Art Pianos for All Pop-up with Lynn Rosen
• 4:30 p.m., The Summit County Library Kimball Junction Branch

July 25

• Art Pianos for All Pop-up with John Posadas
• 5 p.m., The Summit County Library Kimball Junction Branch

Aug. 15

• Art Pianos for All Pop-up with the Day-Shumway Family
• 4 p.m., Ledges Event Center