The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra principal conductor, Gemma New, picks up the baton July 9 at the Hult Center for pieces by two of America’s most esteemed composers: George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, paired with Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land and Appalachian Spring. The concert, American Tapestry, is part of the Oregon Bach Festival’s 2026 season. Anton Armstrong, professor of music at St. Olaf College, joins New at the podium, conducting the OBF Chorus and Modern Orchestra as well as the University of Oregon Chamber Choir. Josh Gren, OBF director of strategic communications and marketing, says the concert features multimedia imagery of America’s national park landscapes, projected above the orchestra. “It is a uniquely Oregon Bach Festival experience,” Gren says, “celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States, and honoring iconic American works while revealing new ways to experience them.”

Oregon Bach Festival’s American Tapestry is 7:30 pm Thursday, July 9, at the Hult Center, One Eugene Center. Tickets begin at $25 and are available at HultCenter.org.