Atlanta Symphony Orchestra celebrates America's 250th with pair of concerts

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is marking America's 250th birthday with a pair of concerts featuring some of the most iconic American music written. 

The first concert, Symphony at Sunset, takes place Saturday, June 13, at 6 p.m. at Ameris Bank Amphitheater in Alpharetta. Gates open at 5 p.m. The second concert, America @ 250 Encore: Bernstein, Copland + Barber, follows Wednesday, June 17 at 8 p.m. at Atlanta Symphony Hall in Midtown. 

The programs feature beloved American classics audiences will recognize immediately, including music from West Side Story, An American in Paris, Appalachian Spring, and Fanfare for the Common Man. 

The music to be performed and the orchestra itself is shining a light on the diversity that makes up this country and the city. 

Concertmaster David Coucheron, who has been a part of the orchestra for 17 seasons and came to Atlanta from Norway, says hearing this American music to mark the nation's 250th carries a special weight for him as an immigrant.

"I came here from Norway, so I am not native from here," Coucheron said. "But as a foreigner, to see Americans celebrate 250 years of independence with great American music like Copland and Bernstein. It's quite an experience for me."

Beyond the music itself, Coucheron says something has been shifting in the audiences filling Atlanta Symphony Hall in recent seasons and reflects the city around it.

"We are filling the hall much more than we used to, which for some cities is against the trend," he said. "The fact that Midtown Atlanta is coming here more and more and filling the hall is really exciting. As a musician on stage, to know that what you've been working for is really resonating with the community, that means everything."

Tickets for both concerts are on sale now.