This summer, music lovers from near and far will experience stunning views and extraordinary artistry as the Utah Symphony presents its 19th annual Deer Valley Music Festival at the Wasatch Range in Park City.

The six-week summer concert series, which runs from June 30 through Aug. 4, features a diverse musical lineup including a highly-anticipated world premiere — showcasing the versatility of Utah Symphony musicians as they perform music ranging from classical to classic rock and everything in between. 

Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening performances are scheduled to be held at Deer Valley Resort’s Snow Park Amphitheater, where concertgoers relax on the lawn and take in the majestic mountains while listening to the full orchestra perform.

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Chamber orchestra performances featuring popular classical repertoire take place on Wednesday evenings at the picturesque St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Park City.  

“It’s time to make memories! The Deer Valley Music Festival brings friends and family together for unforgettable summer evenings, experiencing the Utah Symphony in a new light — or, for the very first time,” says Utah Symphony | Utah Opera President and CEO Steve Brosvik. “It’s always a pleasure to return to the natural beauty of Park City and invite everyone in our community to join us for unparalleled concert experiences, both in the relaxed atmosphere of Deer Valley Resort and in the intimate and idyllic setting of St. Mary’s Church.” 

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Just in time for Independence Day celebrations, the Utah Symphony opens the festival with a salute to the U.S.A. at the annual “Patriotic Pops,” which features the world premiere of Peter Boyer’s “Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue.”

As a 100-year celebration of Gershwin’s jazzy “Rhapsody in Blue,” which debuted in 1924, Boyer composed a new work for piano and orchestra inspired by the iconic masterpiece. The project was envisioned and created by pianist Jeffrey Biegel, who will perform both works—unveiling Boyer’s “Rhapsody” first in Utah before taking the piece throughout the United States for the three-year Rhapsody National Initiative. 

Highlights of the summer include timeless surf-rockers The Beach Boys; country-pop sensation LeAnn Rimes who rose to fame with the hit single “How Do I Live” and became one of the best-selling artists of the 1990s; self-identified percussive pianist and alt-rocker Ben Folds; the family favorite “Disney Princess: The Concert;” and celebrations of music legends including a tribute to Queen and an evening of the cinematic music of John Williams.

Utah Symphony | Utah Opera also continues its mission of community engagement with a series of “pop-up” performances featuring smaller Utah Symphony | Utah Opera ensembles.

These free, short performances take place throughout Summit County at existing events, and in collaboration with other local groups and venues, as a way of extending thanks to the community for hosting the Utah Symphony at its summer home. 

Outdoor Concerts at Deer Valley Resort’s Snow Park Amphitheater 

The 2023 festival continues the tradition of pairing the Utah Symphony with a lineup of well-known, popular artists in the beautiful outdoor setting at Park City’s Deer Valley Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater.  

• The annual Independence Day celebration, “Patriotic Pops,” features a world premiere. Gershwin’s jazzy “Rhapsody in Blue” has been iconic since its debut in 1924, and nearly 100 years later, Peter Boyer has composed a new work in celebration of the centennial. Pianist Jeffrey Biegel, who dreamed up the project, performs both—unveiling Boyer’s “Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue” in Utah before taking it on tour across the United States. Also featuring Gershwin’s “Suite from Porgy and Bess,” music from John Williams, a Sousa march, and more, this concert is a grand salute to the U.S.A.
   
• Praised as “the global ambassador of Spanish guitar,” Pablo Sáinz Villegas brings drama and playfulness to his performances, emoting the heart of his instrument through “virtuosic playing” and “irresistible exuberance.” Step back in time and experience the passion of old-century Spain with Astor Piazzolla’s “Libertango” — a cheeky, flirtatious tango with strong jazz influences — and let romance take center stage with expressive (and danceable) music, including Abreu’s beloved melodies from “Tico-Tico,” Boccherini’s rhythmic “Fandango,” and more.
   
• Get ready to “wish upon a star” as the Utah Symphony brings the magic of Disney to life with “Disney Princess: The Concert.” Featuring four princess vocalists, a charming prince, and a fairy godmother — with projections of Disney film clips throughout—you can revisit tales as old as time, with favorite songs including “Part of Your World,” “Be Our Guest,” “A Whole New World” and “Almost There.”
   
• Coming off his nationally enjoyed roles in “Hamilton” as Aaron Burr, “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration” as Gaston (a portrayal that set social media ablaze), and the Netflix sensation “tick, tick…BOOM!,” Joshua Henry makes his Deer Valley Music Festival debut. The Grammy winner and three-time Tony nominee brings his rare talent to a program of Broadway hits and soul classics — including “Summertime” from Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess,” “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone, “Kiss” by Prince, selections from “Hamilton,” and so much more.
   
• Marking more than a half-century of making music, The Beach Boys continue to ride the crest of a wave unequaled in America’s musical history. Dozens of the band’s chart toppers have become eternal anthems of summer: “Surfin’ USA,” “Surfer Girl,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “I Get Around,” “California Girls,” “Good Vibrations,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “Kokomo” — and these icons return to the Deer Valley Music Festival for two unforgettable summer nights.
   
• Festival-favorite Capathia Jenkins returns — bringing her powerful voice and stunning stage presence to some of the greatest hits in soul and R&B, with music by leading ladies including Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight, Adele and more.
   
• International, multi-platinum selling, acclaimed singer-songwriter LeAnn Rimes brings her latest tour, “the story… so far,” to Utah — taking the stage with good old American country music, including the hit single “How Do I Live.”
   
• Embrace nostalgia as The Music of John Williams brings some of the most iconic movie soundtracks from the past 50 years to life, including themes from “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” “E.T.” and “Harry Potter.”
   
• Celebrating 30-plus years and eight albums, funk band Lettuce highlights the Grammy-nominated superstars who have breathed new life into the classic funk genre and pushed musical barriers, combining groove-infused jazz, soaring horn lines, and modern hip-hop beats.
   
• Conductor Brent Havens takes the podium alongside the Utah Symphony to present “The Music of Queen,” delivering unforgettable songs like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Killer Queen,” “Somebody to Love” and many others. Scored to extend the listening experience of Queen’s music—and amplified with a full rock band and vocals — this show captures the band’s distinct sound and high energy with some of the best (and sometimes forgotten) tunes recorded over the years.  
   
• The incomparable Ben Folds — singer, songwriter and pianist — returns for an electric crossover concert. Widely regarded as one of the major music influencers of our generation, the classically-trained pop/rock star brings his unique energy and ability to weave between deep confessions and cheeky barbs, as he performs his hits through the years at the festival finale. 

Chamber Orchestra Concerts at St. Mary’s Church 

Wednesdays at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1505 White Pine Canyon Rd., features the Utah Symphony in an intimate venue with gentle breezes and views of the Wasatch Mountains during four classical concerts. 

• Bookended with works that highlight the brilliance and range of Mozart, Associate Conductor Benjamin Manis leads a program that begins with a charming divertimento with interweaving melodies and playful rhythms. Strauss’ “Oboe Concerto” — performed by Principal Oboe Zac Hammond — reveals rich harmonies that allow the notoriously difficult solo oboe to shine, while the hauntingly beautiful string lines of Dvořák’s “Nocturne” evoke a sense of tranquility and introspection. Concluding the evening, Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 is a masterpiece that exemplifies the composer’s genius with expressive (and sometimes contradictory) melodies, connecting to and complementing each other with surprising ease.
   
• Conducted by Elias Grandy, the second St. Mary’s program spins an age-old story: illusion. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 — with its boundless vitality — was written as the composer’s deafness (and depression) was becoming more pronounced, and Ravel’s surprisingly light-hearted suite “Le tombeau de Couperin” pays homage to his friends who fell in World War II. Stravinsky’s Neoclassical ballet “Pulcinella” centers around a clown whose trickery secures his girlfriend’s forgiveness.
   
• Conductor Katharina Wincor, third prize winner of the 2020 Mahler Competition, makes her Utah Symphony debut. With precision and charisma, Wincor pairs Schubert’s “Mozartian Symphony No. 5” with its inspired counterpart, Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 1 — performed by Associate Concertmaster Kathryn Eberle. These two pieces dance between light and shadow, breathing vibrance into Haydn’s textured Symphony No. 70 and completing a familiar melody that sings of stability in change.
   
• Utah Opera Resident Artist alum Grace Kahl returns to perform Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915,” a nostalgic and lush work capturing the simplicity and wonder of a childhood in the American South, and the Overture to “The Marriage of Figaro” — from one of Mozart’s most beloved comedic operas of all time. Continuing the theme of innocence and youth, Bizet’s Symphony No. 1 was written when he was only 17 years old, but published more than 60 years after his passing. Also featured on the program is Nathan Lincoln de Cusatis’ “A Collection of Sand” — a modern, mesmerizing work evoking the movement and shifting of sand dunes. Former Associate Conductor Conner Gray Covington conducts.  

2023 DEER VALLEY MUSIC FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Main Stage — Deer Valley Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater, 2250 Deer Valley Dr. S.  

• “Patriotic Pops: Featuring Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody in Blue’” 

Friday, June 30, 7:30 p.m.  

Benjamin Manis, conductor  

Jeffrey Biegel, piano 

Utah Symphony 

 SMITH/KEY: “Star Spangled Banner” 

PETER BOYER: “Celebration” Overture 

LOWDEN: “Armed Forces Salute” 

JOHN WILLIAMS: “Cowboys Overture” 

PETER BOYER: “Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue” 

GERSHWIN/R.R. BENNETT: “Suite from ‘Porgy and Bess’” 

GERSHWIN: “Rhapsody in Blue” 

SOUSA: “Stars and Stripes Forever” 

• “Spanish Nights” with Pablo Sáinz Villegas 

Saturday, July 1, 7:30 p.m.  

Benjamin Manis, conductor 

Pablo Sáinz Villega, guitar 

Utah Symphony 

• “Disney Princess: The Concert”  

Friday, July 7, 7:30 p.m.  

Benjamin Manis, conductor  

Utah Symphony

• “Broadway & Soul: Joshua Henry” 

Saturday, July 8, 7:30 p.m.  

Benjamin Manis, conductor  

Joshua Henry, vocals 

Utah Symphony 

• The Beach Boys 

Friday and Saturday, July 14 and 15, 7:30 p.m.  

The Beach Boys 

Utah Symphony 

• “She’s Got Soul: Capathia Jenkins” 

Friday, July 21, 7:30 p.m.  

Lucas Waldin, conductor  

Capathia Jenkins, vocals 

Utah Symphony  

• LeAnn Rimes 

Saturday, July 22, 7:30 p.m.  

LeeAnn Rimes, vocals 

Utah Symphony  

• “The Music of John Williams” 

Thursday, July 28, 7:30 p.m.  

Benjamin Manis, conductor  

Utah Symphony  

• A Night of Funk: Lettuce 

Friday, July 29, 7:30 p.m.  

Christopher Dragon, conductor  

Lettuce

Utah Symphony  

• “The Music of Queen”  

Thursday, Aug. 3, 7:30 p.m. 

Brent Havens, conductor  

MiG Ayesa, vocals

Utah Symphony 

• Ben Folds 

Friday, Aug. 4, 7:30 p.m.  

Ben Folds, vocals and piano 

Utah Symphony 

 

Chamber Orchestra Series — St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1505 White Pine Canyon Road

• Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 and Strauss’ “Oboe Concerto” 

Wednesday. July 5, 8 p.m.  

Benjamin Manis, conductor 

Zac Hammond, oboe 

Utah Symphony 

MOZART: Divertimento for String Orchestra in F 

STRAUSS: “Oboe Concerto”

DVOŘÁK: “Nocturne for String Orchestra”  

MOZART: Symphony No. 39 

• Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2  

Wednesday, July 12, 8 p.m. 

Elias Grandy, conductor 

Utah Symphony  

RAVEL: “Le tombeau de Couperin” 

STRAVINSKY: Suite from “Pulcinella” 

BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 2   

• Schubert’s Symphony No. 5  

Wednesday, July 19, 8 p.m. 

Katharina Wincor, conductor 

Kathryn Eberle, violin 

Utah Symphony  

SCHUBERT: Symphony No. 5 

MOZART: Violin Concerto No. 1 

HAYDN: Symphony No. 70 

• Bizet’s Symphony No. 1 

Wednesday, July 26, 8 p.m.

Conner Gray Covington, conductor 

Grace Kahl, soprano 

Utah Symphony 

NATHAN LINCOLN DE CUSATIS: “A Collection of Sand” 

BARBER: “Knoxville: Summer of 1915” 

MOZART: Overture to “The Marriage of Figaro” 

MOZART: “Dove Sono i bei momenti” from “The Marriage of Figaro” 

BIZET: Symphony No. 1