Baritone Bradley Kynard of San Francisco, a former IT worker who began his singing career after a teacher suggested he had talent, will narrate and sing the role of Sportin' Life in the symphony's concert version of Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" opera on April 20 and 21 in the Empress Theatre.
Todd Palmer, 63, of New York City, once again in a long music career, will perform the 1948 piece, by turns melancholy and meditative, at others lively and dance-like, that was commissioned by Benny Goodman.
Led by conductor Marc Taddei, regional orchestra themes its 1923-24 season around the best-known works of the 20th-century American composer and includes works by Prokoviev, Copland and Bizet, in addition to three chamber concerts.