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The American Composers Festival

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The Pacific Symphony’s annual American Composers Festival explores a different facet of music in America. This year’s festival -- the 10th -- focuses on “The Greatest Generation,” examining themes from the Depression of the 1930s through World War II. Programs at the Orange County Performing Arts Center will feature composers Aaron Copland and Kurt Weill as well as a world premiere of Michael Daugherty’s “Mount Rushmore.” In addition, the festival includes performances by two student arts groups to explore the festival’s themes.

Here’s the lineup:Monday”The River.” A dramatic reading from “The People, Yes”; three student documentary shorts; a filmed interview with documentarian George Stoney on race relations; and a film screening of the 1936 documentary “The River,” with a live orchestra performing Virgil Thomson’s accompanying score. Orange County High School of the Arts, 1010 N. Main St., Santa Ana. 7:30 p.m. (714) 564-3282. Thursday-Saturday”The Greatest Generation.” The Pacific Symphony and Pacific Chorale perform music by Copland, Weill, Bernard Herrmann, Morton Gould and Daugherty. Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Costa Mesa. 8 p.m. www.pacificsymphony.org Feb. 9 “Into the Streets.” Members of the Pacific Symphony and vocal soloists with the Cal State Fullerton singers perform songs by Copland, Weill and Rodgers and Hammerstein, plus Schoenberg’s “Ode to Napoleon” for speaker, piano and string quartet. Also included is a screening of one of the OCHSA student’s shorts. Meng Hall, Cal State Fullerton. 8 p.m. www.fullerton.edu/arts/events

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