In 2026, the United States marks a milestone called the Semisesquicentennial—in other words, the nation is turning 250! While fireworks and parades would be the traditional hallmarks of a nation’s 250th birthday, Sarasota Orchestra plans to offer a more resonant tribute. Under the baton of Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero, the Masterworks concert titled Variations on America (February 12–15) serves as a musical time capsule—a celebration of where we have been, what we have overcome, and the vibrant energy of who we are today.

How does an orchestra throw a birthday party for the U.S.A.? Not with a single anthem, but with a tapestry of voices that reflect the American experience.

The Spark of Modernity: Gershwin’s Jazz Genius

Every great party needs a centerpiece, and for this celebration, it is George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F. When Gershwin wrote this piece, he was intent on proving that jazz—the "folk music" of urban America—belonged in the sophisticated halls of the symphony orchestra.

Performed by acclaimed pianist Clayton Stephenson, the 2025 winner of the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, the Piano Concerto in F is a cocktail of Charleston rhythms, bluesy melodies, and orchestral grandeur. It represents the effervescent optimism of the American spirit and recalls a turning point in music history: the emergence of a fresh, modern voice for American-made classical music.

The Playful Heart: Ives’ Variations on America

If Gershwin gives the party its energy, Charles Ives serves up its wit. His Variations on America is perhaps the most literal birthday tribute on the program. Based on the tune "My Country, 'Tis of Thee," Ives wrote these variations when he was just 17 years old.

The piece is a playful, sometimes mischievous exploration of a familiar melody. Ives takes a deeply felt national sentiment and turns it upside down, layering in unexpected harmonies and polytonality that were decades ahead of their time. It reminds us that part of the American character is our willingness to innovate, to experiment, and to look at tradition through a new lens.

The Vivacious Energy: Hailstork’s Port of Call

America is a nation defined by its geography and centuries of movement across its vast landscape. Adolphus Hailstork’s An American Port of Call captures the bustling, rhythmic vitality of a coastal city—much like our own vibrant Sarasota.

The work is a "concert overture" that paints a vivid sonic picture of a port: the city’s fluctuating energy (in Hailstork’s words, “strident (and occasionally tender and even mysterious”), the swirling currents of the surrounding waters, and the diverse mix of people arriving on the city’s shores. Hailstork, one of the most significant American composers living and working today, provides a contemporary pulse to the program, grounding the Orchestra’s historical celebration in the "here and now."

The Soul of a Nation: Dawson’s Masterwork

Perhaps the most moving birthday “present” on the program is the inclusion of William L. Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony. For too long, this masterpiece was a lost treasure of American music. When it premiered in 1934, it received a standing ovation and rave reviews, yet it vanished from the standard repertoire for decades.

Recently rediscovered and championed by conductors like Guerrero, the symphony is a monumental achievement, narrating the African American experience and charting a harrowing journey to joyful liberation. Dawson used the symphonic form and the power of orchestral arrangement to elevate Black spirituals and traditional West African music. It is an immensely profound work, full of longing and exploding with ultimate triumph. Including this piece in a 250th-anniversary tribute honors the fact that the story of America is incomplete without the voices who turned struggle into sublime art.

Join the Celebration

A 250th birthday is a time for reflection and joy. This is more than a concert; it is a communal experience of shared history. Whether you are a lifelong fan of classical music or a first-time Sarasota Orchestra attendee looking for a meaningful way to honor the USA's milestone year, Variations on America is the ticket.

Sarasota Orchestra presents Masterworks: Variations on America

• When: February 12-15, 2026
• Where: Neel Performing Arts Center and Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall 
• Tickets: Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org 

Programs and featured artists are subject to change.