Tucson Pops Music Under the Stars at Gene C. Reid Park

The Tucson Pops Orchestra will present its 71st spring season of concerts beginning on Mother’s Day, May 10, at the DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center in Reid Park.

Supported by grants, local sponsors, and audience donations, the orchestra continues its tradition of providing outstanding entertainment free of charge. The season opens at 7 p.m. on May 10, with additional Sunday performances on May 17 and May 24. The performance center will undergo extensive remodeling following the final Tucson Pops concert.

This season, Tucson Pops Artistic Director and Conductor Khris Dodge welcomes guest conductor Toro Tagawa and a full lineup of Tucson favorites, including vocalists Sarah Tolar and Liz Cracciolo, Ballet Tucson, Arizona Women's Chorus and local violin prodigy Carly Cook. Dodge curates each program to reflect the spirit of the Southwest and the rich blend of traditions that define Tucson’s unique cultural identity.

May 10 - Mother's Day Tribute Concert featuring guest artists the Arizona Women's Chorus, and vocalists Sarah Tolar and Liz Cracciolo

The first half of the concert will feature the AZ Women's Chorus with the Tucson Pops Orchestra performing The Tides of Life, an original composition by Tucson Pops Artistic Director Khris Dodge (soon to premiere at Carnegie Hall)

The second half will feature vocalists Sarah Tolar and Liz Cracciolo performing a variety of duets and singles with the Tucson Pops Orchestra including When you Wish Upon a Star, Unforgettable, Over the Rainbow, All of Me, It's Not Easy Being Green, and much more.

Liz Cracchiolo is a jazz vocalist and storyteller whose warm, luminous voice and magnetic stage presence have made her a standout in Southern Arizona’s music scene. Originally trained in musical theatre at the University of Arizona, Cracchiolo built a foundation on stage with roles in productions including Les Misérables, The Producers, and Mamma Mia!. Now focused on jazz, she performs regularly at Tucson’s Century Room and has been recognized as a three-time nominee for Best Jazz Artist in the Tucson Weekly Best of Tucson

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Sarah Tolar is an accomplished performer, recording artist, songwriter, and music educator. Sarah has released three full-length albums of her original compositions, performed throughout the United States, Europe, China, and Canada and appeared on several television shows including the Today Show and The Late Show with David Letterman. Sarah earned a Bachelor of Music and a Masters of Music in jazz performance from University of North Texas before moving to New York City where she resided until relocating to Tucson in 2021.
May 17 - Toru Tagawa guest conductor - Presenting student guest soloist - Carly Cook on Violin who will perform Czardas and Hungarian Variations with the Tucson Pops Orchestra.

Toru Tagawa has been the Music Director and Conductor of the Tucson Repertory Orchestra since 2011 and the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Sierra Vista Symphony since 2016. The Tucson Repertory Orchestra (TRO) toured Japan three times (2015, 2019, 2024), with performances in Hiroshima, Okayama, Aichi, Osaka and Tokyo. He has been the Orchestra Director at Canyon del Oro High School since 2008. Under his direction, the Canyon del Oro HS Orchestra performed at Carnegie Hall in 2017, has received numerous Superior with Distinction ratings at ABODA Festivals. He was one of the nine finalists for the UA Online Amazing Teacher of the Year in 2020-2021.Carly Cook is a 16-year-old sophomore at Canyon del Oro High School and has studied the violin for ten years. Since 2022, Carly has been a member of the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra and also performs with the Tucson Repertory Orchestra. In addition to being selected as the concertmaster of the AMEA Southwest Regional Orchestra for the past two years, she has achieved a position in the Arizona All-State Orchestra. She is also a previous winner of Oro Valley’s Got Talent.

In addition to her musical accomplishments, Carly is an active student-athlete, competing on her school’s cross country, soccer, and track teams. This evening marks her debut performance as a soloist with an orchestra.
May 21 - Memorial Day Concert - A Patriotic Performance by The Tucson Pops Orchestra featuring narrator Greg Curtis Wakefield



All Tucson Pops Concerts are performed at 7pm at the DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center at Reid Park (in Randolph Park) located at 900 S Randolph Way off Country Club Road just north of 22nd Street. Parking and shuttle service is also available at the Randolph Park Golf Course parking lot, Alvernon Way just north of 22nd Street.



At Each Concert The Food Truck Roundup provides a delectable selection of picnic provisions to enjoy during each concert.

Time:  19:00 -  20:30