Led by Principal Conductor Maestro Dmitry Polyakov, the May 7 concert will feature a special tribute to Louis Armstrong, with soloist Dan Reed. The concert will also feature a masterpiece of Russian music, Anton Arensky’s “Symphony No. 1 in B minor.”

Maestro Dmitry Polyakov represents the modern landscape of classical music with a personality that embodies the great Russian musical traditions of the Moscow Conservatory. “Our audience will enjoy his artistic interpretation of Anton Arensky’s ‘Symphony No. 1’ classical masterpiece,” says Joy Partridge, Executive Director of the Scottsdale Philharmonic.

Louis Daniel Armstrong (Aug. 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed “Satchmo,” “Satch,” and “Pops,” was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several eras in the history of jazz. Armstrong received numerous accolades including the Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal Performance for Hello, Dolly! in 1965, as well as a posthumous win for the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972, and the induction into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2017.

Soloist Dan Reed was born and raised in St. Louis and started studying trumpet at age nine. While in high school, he played one night at Preservation Hall in New Orleans and met Al Hirt (American trumpeter). Reed fell in love with traditional jazz and graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Music Performance. He moved to Arizona in January 2011 and is the featured musician in many bands. He is currently the band director for a private Christian school in AZ.

“Our audience is going to love this special tribute to Louis Armstrong as well as the other wonderful musical selections we have prepared,” says Partridge.

“The vision of the Scottsdale Philharmonic becoming a major symphony in Arizona is just beginning,” Partridge explains. “We welcome anyone who might want to join us in sharing our new vision of a first-class symphony in Scottsdale. We also invite anyone who would like to be part of our Scottsdale Philharmonic Advocacy Alliance, whose members are passionate about classical music.” For more information, contact Joy@scottsdalephilharmonic.com.

The Scottsdale Philharmonic is a non-profit organization that receives a vast majority of its support from individual donors and appreciates any and all donations. The symphony is also looking forward to an expanded 2023-24 concert schedule at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Concerts are free through the Philharmonic’s live-streaming program, which can be accessed through the website, scottsdalephilharmonic.com, during the performance.

Ticket donations of $15 are available for upcoming concerts online at www.scottsdaleperformingarts.org. For more information about the Scottsdale Philharmonic or to make a donation, visit www.scottsdalephilharmonic.com or call 480-951-6077.