The Concert Experience
A Tradition of Beauty and Sound
Experience Tahoe Philharmonic
For centuries, great music has found its natural home in churches and intimate gathering places. Long before modern concert halls, communities gathered beneath vaulted ceilings and stained glass to experience music not as background, but as something shared and transformative.
Today, Tahoe Philharmonic continues that tradition throughout the Tahoe Basin and Northern Nevada. Each performance is an invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and rediscover the joy of live music. Surrounded by mountains, lakes, and welcoming communities, concertgoers find that an evening with Tahoe Philharmonic offers something increasingly rare: beauty, connection, and the timeless power of music.
Red, White, and Tahoe Blue!
Pops and Patriotic Songs
Join the Tahoe Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus for Red, White & Tahoe Blue: Pops and Patriotic Songs, a beloved Lake Tahoe and Reno summer concert tradition celebrating America's 250th anniversary through the power of live music.
Whether you're searching for Fourth of July concerts near Reno, family-friendly summer events in Northern Nevada, or a memorable evening of live orchestra and choral music, Red, White & Tahoe Blue offers a uniquely local way to celebrate America—close to home in an intimate venue.
Enjoy a thrilling evening of pops, patriotic, Broadway, and classical favorites performed by the full Tahoe Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, featuring acclaimed soloists and audience participation. From powerful anthems to stirring choral harmonies, this concert is a heartfelt tribute to freedom, courage, and the American spirit.
Now in its 21st year under Maestro Rawie's baton, this annual salute to America has become one of the most cherished summer concert events in the Lake Tahoe region. Gather with family and friends to revel in inspiring orchestra and chorus performances, join patriotic sing-alongs, and—if you're the highest bidder—take the podium yourself to conduct The Stars and Stripes Forever!
Program Highlights Include:
- The Armed Forces Medley, honoring veterans and active-duty service members from every branch of the military
- Inspiring performances of Battle Hymn of the Republic and Amazing Grace
- John Williams' moving Hymn to the Fallen
- Gershwin's timeless "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess
- A fresh arrangement of Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land"
- The spirited Great Western Medley
- Vieuxtemps' Variations on Yankee Doodle featuring Kevin Matheson, violin — a dazzling virtuosic showpiece based on America's beloved patriotic tune
- A grand finale of God Bless America, featuring the entire audience
Music lovers will also enjoy outstanding performances by Tahoe Philharmonic's celebrated vocal artists, including Anne Davidson, Debbie Sessions, Lorelei van Peborgh, Michele Izor, and Stuart Duke.
Whether you're a classical music enthusiast, Broadway fan, patriotic music lover, or simply looking for a meaningful summer outing in the Reno–Tahoe area, Red, White & Tahoe Blue offers something for everyone.
Happy 250th Birthday, America!
Tickets range from $20 General Admission to $50 Premium Seating
Free general admission for Veterans and First Responders - July 4th Only
Free general admission for youth under 23
Senior discounts available
"There is something magical about hearing Bach or Beethoven in those spaces. The orchestra starts, and for two hours the rest of the world disappears. You don't simply hear the music—you feel it.”
- Tracy Shepard
2026 Schedule
Go4BRRRoque in January 2026
Every Piece is a Classic in February 2026
St. Matthews Passion in April 2026
The Classics+ June 2026
Pops and Patriotic Songs in early July 2026
Nightz at Tahoe Opera in late July, 2026
Requiem 9/11 We Remember Concert in September 2026
SPOOKLASSICS in October 2026
Hallelujah! Messiah in December 2026
Lineup subject to change.
Why People Love Attending Tahoe
Philharmonic Concerts
Why We Perform in Churches
Many of the world's greatest masterpieces were written with sacred spaces in mind. The soaring lines of Bach, the grandeur of Handel, and the warmth of Brahms come alive in churches whose architecture naturally enriches the sound. High ceilings and resonant spaces allow voices and instruments to bloom with a richness and clarity that cannot be duplicated electronically.
These sanctuaries offer more than exceptional acoustics. They create a sense of intimacy and reflection, reminding us that music has long been a source of inspiration, celebration, and community. In these spaces, the setting itself becomes part of the performance, enhancing the experience in ways that linger long after the final note.
Music By The Lake
Few places in the world offer such a remarkable meeting of natural beauty and great music. From the sparkling shores of Lake Tahoe to the mountain communities that surround it, every concert is touched by the landscape that makes this region so beloved.
Many patrons make an evening of it—sharing dinner with friends, watching the changing light over the lake, and then gathering together for an unforgettable performance. As the seasons change, so does the character of each concert, creating memories that become part of family traditions and cherished moments with friends.
A Tradition Continued
For more than twenty-one years, Tahoe Philharmonic has brought together musicians, singers, and audiences in a tradition that reaches back centuries. Long before music was confined to concert halls, people gathered in places of beauty to celebrate life's joys, mourn its sorrows, and find meaning in shared experiences.
That spirit remains alive today. Audiences return season after season not only for beloved masterpieces and distinguished guest artists, but for something less easily described—a feeling of belonging, wonder, and connection. New friendships are formed, traditions are passed from one generation to the next, and every performance becomes part of a story still being written.
Music and Memory
There is something almost timeless about gathering for music beside a great lake. Throughout history, people have marked the seasons, celebrated holidays, and come together in moments of joy and remembrance through song. Over the years, Tahoe Philharmonic has become part of that living tradition.
For some, it is the annual Messiah at Christmastime. For others, it is an Easter performance, a summer evening beneath the Sierra sky, or a September concert of remembrance. These moments become woven into the rhythm of life itself. Memories are made, children become adults, friendships deepen, and familiar melodies take on new meaning.
Perhaps that is the true magic of live music—not merely that we hear it, but that we experience it together, in beautiful places, and carry those memories with us long after the echoes have faded.
2026 Season Performers
Kevin Matheson
KEVIN MATHESON guest violinist, was awarded first prize in the 2021 Charleston International Music Competition for his performance
of Vieuxtemps’ “Souvenirs d’Amérique.” Kevin recently recorded the first movement from the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with
the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra in Zlin, Czech Republic for the Cicerone Music and Arts label.
Anne Davidson
ANNE DAVIDSON, soprano, started her solo singing career before she can remember under the direction of her mother Helen. She has studied voice with Bill Reed of Circle in the Square, New York City, and Patricia McGuinness of University of California, Santa Cruz. She was the soloist in Kim André Arnesen’s Magnificat with Vox Musica in 2022 under the direction of Daniel Paulson and the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors with the Reno Pops Orchestra in 2019.
Annie is a recording singer-songwriter and performs solo and with her folk-rock band Raggedy in the Reno/Tahoe region. She is also a Senior Associate with EdMetric, a small education research firm, when she is not following her two daughters around.
Stuart Duke
STUART ALAN DUKE, baritone, earned his B.S. in Music Education at the University of Vermont in 1976, with a specialty in voice. He made his European debut in 1994 as a soloist at the Pitten International Music Festival in Austria and toured New England under the direction of Robert DeCormier, performing as The Loudspeaker, in Viktor Ullmann’s Holocaust Opera, The Emperor of Atlantis. He was a founding member and soloist with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Chorus. He received his Masters of Music at UNR in Vocal Performance. Local performances include Melchoir in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Don Alphonso in Cosi fan tutti, Baron Zeta in La Traviata, Reverend Olin Blitch in Floyd’s Susannah, and Mr. Gobenot in Menotti’s The Medium. His appearances with Nevada Opera include Fiorello in The Barber of Seville, & Yamadori in Madame Butterfly. He is a founding member of TahoePhil.
Anna Helwing
ANNA HELWING, soprano, was born and raised in Poland where she earned B.A. and M.A. in English and American Literature. She also studied piano and organ at the Wroclaw School of Organ. In 2008 she received her MA in vocal performance at Univ. Nevada, Reno, studying with with Dr. Katharine DeBoer. She performed solo concerts in Germany, Italy, and Poland, collaborating with international artists, including early music Swiss pan-flutist Philippe Emmanuel Haas. She regularly appears as a soloist with TAHOE PHILHARMONIC, Sierra Nevada College Choir, NorthStar Chamber Players, Opera Bel Canto of Reno, Nevada Opera, and organizers of Valhalla Arts Festival and San Francisco International Arts Festival. She resides in South Lake Tahoe, where she teaches piano and voice at Lake Tahoe Community College, and works as a church music director and organist. She conducted Tahoe Choir 2015-17
Debbie Sessions
Debbie Sessions, coloratura soprano began singing at a young age when she was cast in The Sound of Music as one of the von trap children. From there she studied Music and Art at Linfield College and sang in multiple choirs and light operas in the San Francisco bay area before coming to Reno in 2005. She has sung with Nevada Opera chorus, Reno Philharmonic chorus, and Toccata tahoe. She took a 13 year break from music to raise a family with 3 kids and a lot of pets. She is very glad to be back singing and now soloing with Tahoe Phil as well as managing marketing for the Phil and her own business, VintageDancer.com
Lorelei Van Peborgh
LORELEI VAN PEBORGH, mezzo, grew up in San Diego listening to classical music and attending operas and symphonic concerts. She learned to play the violin, piano and cello. In a Vermont high school she discovered her fourth instrument, the voice, and since then has thoroughly enjoyed singing in choirs. With a broad vocal range that allows her to transition between tenor, alto and soprano ranges. Her three children recognize her passion for singing as the "balm that feeds her soul". From 2011-2020 she was a soloist with Sierra Nevada College Community Choir, and is a regular soloist with North Tahoe Community Choir under the direction of Donna Axton.