Dexter Community Orchestra to Perform Concert Sunday

Bringing a slice of nostalgia to the community, the will perform George Gershwin’s American folk opera, Porgy and Bess, on Sunday.

The concert, which will take place at 4 p.m. at the Dexter High School Performing Arts Center, is the fourth show for the 2010-2011 season.

"Today, Porgy and Bess is considered one of the great American works inspired by jazz, blues and spirituals," said Rebecca Pagels, public relations spokeswoman for the orchestra.

Popular tunes in Porgy and Bess include “It Ain’t Necessarily So,” “Oh, I Got Plenty of Nuthin” and “Summertime.”

Led by director Anthony Elliott, the concert opens with Mozart’s Symphony No. 29 in A major followed by The Watershed,  a piece composed by University of Michigan faculty member Evan Chambers that was inspired by the Huron River Watershed.

“The audience will have an opportunity to hear two works by American composers that capture familiar sounds," said Elliott. "The first, Chambers’ The Watershed, depicts the sounds of a river found all around us – the surging movement of the Huron river system. Gershwin’s beloved Porgy and Bess uses popular songs to tell a love story set in Catfish Row of Charleston, SC.

“I am excited for the Dexter community to hear the DCO play two fantastic American works during the concert," he said.

Elliott said that when it comes to deciding what music to perform, he looks for pieces that provide a challenge to orchestra members, utilize the orchestra's talents and keep audiences interested.

“We try to have a fair balance,” he said. “We don’t want to perform everything from the 1700s, and we don’t want to have all contemporary music. In the end, it comes down to the director, but I try to solicit input from the orchestra members, too.”

All DCO performances are held at 4 p.m. Sunday afternoons at the Performing Arts Center in . The concerts are free and open to the public.