An American Portrait
Sun Oct 18, 2026 – 3pm
Fort Dodge Middle School
Joshua Barlage, Conductor
Jerry Schnurr, Narrator
GOULD American Salute
KANDER/Ricketts Music from Chicago
Linda Robbins COLEMAN Elegy for the Greatest Generation
Ivette HERRYMAN-RODRIGUEZ A Danzon Done My Way
Lin-Manuel MIRANDA Suite from Hamilton
Jonathan CHENETTE Rural Symphony
COPLAND Lincoln Portrait
Join us in celebrating our nation’s history, resilience, and prevailing ideals with Morton Gould’s rousing American Salute, Linda Robbins Coleman’s Elegy for the Greatest Generation and Jonathan Chenette’s Rural Symphony, commissioned by our Orchestra in 2000. Our musical salute to America culminates with Aaron Copland’s powerful Lincoln Portrait, a fusion of narration and music that reflects on the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. An American Portrait is both a tribute to the past and an affirmation of our nation’s enduring promise of freedom, equality and democracy.
A Fort Dodge native, Jerry Schnurr is a lawyer who takes the stage from time to time in area courtrooms. Jerry appeared in the Fort Dodge Senior High Acapella musicals Damn Yankees, as Smokey and as Maude in Bye Bye Birdie. Jerry also appeared in Comedia Musica’s production of Where’s Love performing the roles of “Drunk Santa” and “The Judge”. Jerry has also served as Narrator/Emcee for several Harmony Brigade productions. Jerry last appeared with the Fort Dodge Area Symphony in December 2023 for our presentation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.
Admission is by season membership or individual concert ticket ($15) available for purchase at the door. Students & children (with an adult) are always welcomed free of charge at Symphony performances.