Prescott, AZ—On Sunday, October 5, Maestro Peter Bay returns to conduct Arizona Philharmonic strings in Music Reimagined, a program that interprets memory, motion, and light, and features American composers Samuel Barber and Augusta Reed Thomas.
“This is a vibrant and varied program. You can’t help but be moved to your core when listening to Barber’s Adagio for Strings. Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances brings the grit and vitality of the field into the concert hall, and Javier Álvarez’s Metro Chabacano captures the feel of Mexico City’s Metro—you feel the pace, the urgency, and even the joy of movement,” shared Henry Flurry, AZ Phil Artistic Director. A free pre-concert talk begins at 2:00pm, with performance at 3:00pm at the Ruth Street Theater on Prescott High School grounds.
Music as Memory, Motion and Light
Discover how composers carry tradition forward, reshaping what they’ve inherited into bold, expressive works for today’s string orchestra. This program features music built from unexpected origins, American composer Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, now a national elegy, began as the slow movement of a string quartet. Britten’s Simple Symphony transforms childhood melodies into witty, orchestrated charm, and Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances grew from Eastern European folk music into a concert hall favorite.
Augusta Read Thomas, one of America’s most celebrated living composers, reimagines a poetic choral work as a luminous meditation for strings in Of Paradise and Light. Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik, written as a string quartet for social gatherings, has become one of the best-known orchestral serenades. The program opens with Metro Chabacano by Mexican composer Javier Álvarez, a brief and energetic work that transforms the rhythm of Mexico City’s subway bustle into concert music.
“Arizona Philharmonic has carved out something unique: a professional orchestra that not only serves the region but also connects it to national and international currents in the arts,” observed John Duncan, Publisher of Prescott’s 5enses Magazine.
Information and tickets are available at AZPhil.org, or by calling 855-321-6724. Season tickets offering a 15% discount are on sale May 1 through October 5. All shows take place at the acoustically exquisite Ruth Street Theater, 1050 Ruth Street on Prescott High School grounds. Individual tickets start at $28 and include ticketing fees. Art 4 All™ tickets are also available, allowing audience members to pay what they are comfortable with.
About Arizona Philharmonic
Founded in 2018, Arizona Philharmonic (AZ Phil) is Prescott’s only professional orchestra focused on classical music, presenting large and small concerts that engage and inspire listeners. In its eighth season in 2025-26, AZ Phil draws musicians from across Arizona and is committed to offering transformative music, while nurturing community participation and supporting the needs and growth of the Prescott-area performing arts scene. Recognized by the Prescott Chamber of Commerce for Excellence in Arts and Culture, Arizona Philharmonic is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Ticket information, sponsorship and volunteer opportunities can be found at AZPhil.org or on Facebook.
Photo credit Blushing Cactus Photography – Caption: Maestro Peter Bay returns to open Arizona Philharmonic’s Eighth Season with Music Reimagined, Sunday October 5th at the Ruth Street Theater. Visit AZPhil.org for tickets and information.
