Dean Karahalis and the Concert Pops of Long Island will be showcasing a “Salute to America” at Steppingstone Park July 4 starting at 8 p.m., with the orchestral group offering Americana patriotic pieces and a taste of Broadway to kick off summer.
Dean Karahalis, the group’s composer, said the concert will feature pieces from Broadway, patriotic Americana works, and a rendition of “Stars and Stripes Forever” – which, he noted, none of his concerts are complete without.
Among them would be the works of Andrew Lloyd Weber, highlights from famed composer Richard Rodgers, songs like “There She Stands” and “God Bless America,” and a salute to the U.S. Armed Forces, he said.
The group, which has 22 instrumentalists, is performing with two guest vocalists: Deana Verone, a multi-genre performance artist singing soprano, and David Katz, a professional opera singer and cantor of Temple Or Elohim in Jericho.
The event is hosted by the Great Neck Park District and part of the Steppingstone Park 2019 concert series, which will offer more than a dozen free shows at the Kings Point-based venue during the summer. Each event starts at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted and requires a Park card for admission.
The park district will also be hosting Mike DelGuidice, who currently tours with Billy Joel, and Big Shot to showcase some of the Long Island musical legend’s greatest hits on Saturday, July 6, starting at 8 p.m.
The following weekend the concert series will feature the Beatles tribute band Strawberry Fields, which features former members of the Broadway musical “Beatlemania,” on July 13, and Plaza Productions will present “Mamma Mia” on Sunday, July 14.
For a full schedule of upcoming shows, visit https://www.gnparks.org/421/Steppingstone-Waterside-Theatre.
