Cedar City Music Arts Opens 97th Season With Eclectic Performers September 16

Cedar City Music Arts is preparing for its 97th season, and the lineup promises a little bit of everything, from Americana and bluegrass to jazz, classical music and brass. The season opens Sept. 16 at the Heritage Center Theater.

Marty Warburton, a Cedar City Music Arts board member, said the absence of the symphony from the regular season lineup is intentional. The symphony performed in Cedar City’s park in July as part of the America 250 celebration, allowing Music Arts to use its regular season for a more eclectic collection of performers.

Warburton In Studio - Dr. T / Canva Design

“It’s a little bit different look without the symphony, but the symphony was here in July,” Warburton said on the Big Picture Morning Show on KSUB. “And so that kind of opened us up for some more eclectic artists, if you will.”

Jazz, Classical, Bluegrass And More Included This Season

Among the season’s offerings are John Reischman and the Jaybirds, an Americana band from Vancouver, British Columbia; a Night of Double Duets featuring Utah performers Jake Workman and Aaron Ashton along with Kentucky husband-and-wife duo Kenny and Amanda Smith; and the Thunder Egg Consort, a four-piece classical ensemble.

Jazz fans will have their opportunity when the Zach Caplinger Jazz Quartet takes the stage. Warburton seemed particularly aware that the performance would satisfy at least one local demand.

low angle photography of violin on ground

“There will be drums,” he said.

Spanish Brass, which has performed in Cedar City previously, will also return for its third appearance with Cedar City Music Arts in roughly 15 years. Another group Warburton is anticipating is the Camerata Nordica Octet, which takes contemporary music and presents it in a classical format.

“I like hearing stuff that I recognize done in a different form,” Warburton said. “It’s fun.”

The PO Ramblin’ Boys will bring a different sound to the season, while the St. George Chamber Singers will close out the schedule.

Acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, and violin on grass

Warburton said the organization intentionally leaves December open rather than adding another Christmas performance to an already crowded calendar.

“We just want Christmas to be actually a fun time,” he said. “We want to have our hat in the ring like, oh, CCMA is doing, you know, this Christmas show. It’s just a lot.”

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Tickets are available through cedarcitymusicarts.org, where visitors can find information about each performance. Warburton encouraged residents to give the season a try, noting that audiences frequently discover performers and musical styles they never knew existed.

man in gray sweater playing trumpet

“There’s something there for everybody,” he said. “You just need to trust us on this one and at least check one of these events out.”

97th Season Set, What About The 98th?

The organization is also looking ahead to its 98th season, when the Heritage Center Theater will undergo a major renovation beginning Dec. 31, 2027. The theater is expected to be closed for six to eight months, potentially prompting Music Arts to move some performances to other venues, including the new SUU music building.

Conductor leads orchestra during a performance

For now, Warburton said, the focus is on bringing another season of live music to Cedar City and Iron County.

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“It’s nice, I mean, to have this in the can as it were,” he said. “We got our brochure, we got our season. And now it’s just a matter of making those happen.”

You can hear the entire interview with Marty Warburton in the podcast below.