American audio
The Anchorage Civic Orchestra has a concert of all-American music, the earliest piece from the 1700s, the latest from this year. The program includes Amy Beach's "Eskimos," arrangements of songs from Baffin Island the Boston composer published in 1907, as orchestrated by the ensemble's director, Philip Munger. Palmer High senior Sterling Maffe will conduct the premiere of his own work, an intriguingly tuneful tone poem titled "Cajolery of the Forest," and Munger's own "Elegy for JFK" will debut on the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's assassination. Also on the program, music by William Grant Still and John Knowles Paine. What may be the most interesting symphony concert of the year starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Sydney Laurence Theatre. General admission is $20 with tickets available at centertix.net.
Snowbound holiday
P. Shane Mitchell's new play "Christmas on the Yukon" is being presented by Anchorage Community Theatre. While their parents are away, two teenagers get stuck at their family's trading post by a yuletide blizzard during the Klondike Gold Rush. Strangers -- including a man wanted for murder -- take shelter in the trading post, which puts everybody's Christmas spirit to the test. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 3 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 22 at 1133 E. 70th Ave. Tickets -- $15, $13 for students and seniors, $11 for children -- are available by calling 868-4913 or online at actalaska.org.
Post-Haiyan help
The Anchorage opera community is presenting a program of favorite arias and duets to raise money for the Typhoon Relief Fund. The mega-storm named Haiyan brought havoc to the western Pacific, particularly in the Philippines, and ongoing efforts to mitigate the effects of the stupendous disaster continue. Vocalists include Michael Brenner, Jane Park Drebert, George Yang, Marsha Ackerman, Kira Eckenweiler, Amber Gauthier, Rachel Hastings, Mari Hahn, Michael Smith and Michal Wilson. Accompanying musicians will feature UAA faculty members John Lutterman and Armin Abdihodzic. Admission is by donation. The concert starts at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the UAA Fine Arts Building Recital Hall.
Compiled by arts reporter Mike Dunham