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- The Columbus Symphony will perform a free concert on July 4 at Columbus Commons to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial.
- While admission is free, tickets are required and can be reserved online.
- This concert is part of the larger America250-Ohio Homecoming & Picnic, which includes a full day of activities.
In celebration of the semiquincentennial, the Columbus Symphony is to perform a free July 4 concert, “Columbus Symphony Celebrates America,” at the Columbus Commons as part of the America 250-Ohio Signature Homecoming & Picnic event.
Music Director Rossen Milanov shared in a release that this concert will be one of the biggest and most exciting concerts since he started as music director, more than 10 years ago.
“Having grown up in Bulgaria and immigrated to the U.S. to pursue my musical education and career, I am honored to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the American Dream, in all of its beauty and complexity. I look forward to seeing the Columbus Commons filled to capacity so we can all enjoy this special moment together,” Milanov said.
The concert will feature classic patriotic tunes such as “America the Beautiful,” by Samuel Ward; “God Bless America,” by Irving Berlin; “Liberty Fanfare,” by John Williams; and “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman,” by Joan Tower.
There will also be a performance of James Beckel’s “Liberty For All,” which includes text from the U.S. Constitution and writings from George Washington and John F. Kennedy. It will be narrated by former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Yvette McGee Brown, the first Black woman to serve on Ohio’s Supreme Court.
Plus, Broadway star and two-time Grammy winner Tamika Lawrence will be joining as a special guest artist. She will add vocals for songs like “Proud Mary,” “Respect” and “I Dreamed A Dream” from “Les Misérables.”
“America 250-Ohio is a celebration of 250 years of American independence, but it’s really about celebrating the greatest gems in Ohio – in sports, the arts, entertainment and technology. The Columbus Symphony Orchestra stands out as one of our greatest gems, so we’re very excited to be partnering with the CSO on this special celebration,” said Douglas J. Preisse, co-chair of the America250-Ohio Commission.
America 250 homecoming and picnic has more to offer
This Columbus Symphony performance will be a part of America 250-Ohio Signature Homecoming & Picnic, an event with a full day of activities at the Columbus Commons, the Ohio Statehouse and the Ohio Theatre.
Activities begin as early as 11 a.m. and include live musical performances, free film screening in the Ohio Theatre, family activities and artisan vendors. The “Columbus Symphony Celebrates America” concert is at 8 p.m. at the Columbus Commons, but other live music will begin at 6 p.m. in the same space.
The evening will finish off with a fireworks display accompanied with Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” and Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever.”
Admission to the concert is free, but tickets are required for entry. Free tickets can be reserved at columbussymphony.com.
Reporting Intern Ella Diehl can be reached at [email protected].
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.dispatch.com ’














