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Spokane, Coeur d’Alene symphonies present Labor Day weekend concerts

For their opening number, conductor Eckart Preu leads the Spokane Symphony in “The Star-Spangled Banner” during the annual Labor Day concert in Comstock Park on Sept. 3. (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)
By Azaria Podplesky azariap@spokesman.com(509) 459-5024

This Labor Day weekend, the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene symphonies present listeners with three chances to hear a blend of classical pieces and patriotic tunes.

Every Labor Day weekend for the last 34 years, the Spokane Symphony has welcomed the month of September with a concert in Comstock Park in Spokane.

For the last 19 years, the orchestra has performed a Labor Day concert in Pavillion Park in Liberty Lake, too.

Resident conductor Morihiko Nakahara will lead the symphony during performances Saturday (Pavillion Park) and Monday (Comstock Park).

Both concerts will feature the following pieces, many of which preview pieces the symphony will perform during the 2019-20 season: John Stafford Smith’s “The Star-Spangled Banner”; Mikhail Glinka’s Overture to “Russlan and Ludmilla”; Aaron Copland’s Variations on a Shaker Melody from “Appalachian Spring” (Feb. 29-March 1); Morton Gould’s “American Salute”; John Phillip Sousa’s “The Liberty Bell” March; Bob Lowden’s Armed Forces Salute; John Williams’ “Main Title” from “Star Wars” (March 21-22); Michael Giacchino’s “The Incredibles” (Jan. 25-26); Alan Silvestri’s “Back to the Future” Suite for Orchestra; John Williams’ “Hedwig’s Theme” from “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (Oct. 26-27); and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” Opus 49.

Another Labor Day tradition, celebrating its 18th year this weekend, is the Coeur d’Alene Symphony’s free Labor Day concert in Coeur d’Alene City Park.

This year, conductor Jan Pellant will lead the symphony in performances of selections from George Frideric Handel’s “Water Music,” Jean Sibelius’ “Finlandia,” Antonín Dvořák’s “Slavonic Dances” and Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring,” as well as patriotic songs and medleys.

Mezzo-soprano Heather Parker and baritone Brandon Michael will join the symphony in performances of arias from Giacomo Puccini and Gioachino Rossini, as well as beloved duets from Broadway.

The symphony also will be joined by Yale University student Juan Esteban Martinez, a winner of the symphony’s National Young Artists competition last season. Martinez wasn’t able to travel to Coeur d’Alene then because of illness.

At this concert, he will perform the first movement of Louis Spohr’s Clarinet Concerto with the symphony.

Audience members are welcome to bring chairs, blankets and food to the concert.