Beautiful spring day accompanies pops concert at mansion

A beautiful spring day drew more than 300 Carson residents to the park-like backyard of the governor's mansion Sunday for an afternoon of music.

It was the Carson City Symphony's 24th annual "Pops Party" concert, a free event that also featured the Carson Chamber Singers and the "Strings in the Schools" youth orchestra.

Symphony conductor David Bugli said the event has grown steadily over the years and he was very pleased with the turnout.

"At the first concert, we had 29 people in the orchestra and fewer in the audience," he said. "So it's picked up."

Monique Giron said she and her family come every year.

"It's free, beautiful music, beautiful setting and Carson City being a small town, we always see a lot of people we know," she said.

Next year, she said her son Noah, now a second grader, hopes to be on stage playing violin in the youth orchestra.

Pepper Sturm said he and his wife Dana started coming to the concert when their daughter Jennifer joined the orchestra playing French horn four or five years ago.

Bugli said the program is varied, from classical to the Pink Panther theme and, naturally, a John Philip Sousa march.

This year's soloist was Jackki Ford, a nationally known vocalist who has also appeared in films including "Stir Crazy," "The Electric Horseman" and "Mo Better Blues." She has also made numerous appearances in Las Vegas and Reno as well as TV, theater and operas.

Bugli said the symphony offers several concerts a year in October, February and April at the Community Center as well as a Holiday Treat concert in December. He said there is an admission fee at those events to help support the symphony and its programs.

The next concert, he said, will be Oct. 26 and features guest pianist Alexander Tutunov, an internationally known pianist, playing Gershwin.

The children's orchestra program was begun three years ago. That program, which offers lessons to young musicians, was founded by Sue Kitts who taught violin and viola and performed professionally for more than 30 years. She also leads the "Not quite ready for Carnegie Hall players," a string ensemble for adult beginners.

• Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.