Two local teens who competed for and won the opportunity to solo with the American West Symphony will do so this weekend.

Jessica Coombs and Daniel Liu, two of the winners of the American West Symphony’s concerto competitions last year, will solo in George Gershwin’s Concerto in F. Coombs will play the first two movements and Liu the finale. They’ll be appearing with music director Joel Rosenberg and the symphony at its concert Saturday in Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Sandy, with a repeat performance on March 18 as part of the Kol Ami Concert Series.

For the two high school students, this will be their first performances with orchestra. “They’re wonderful pianists and very technically proficient,” Rosenberg said. And their mastery of the piano will be tested in this work. “It requires great technique to play this concerto,” Rosenberg said.

Also on the program is Mikhail Glinka’s overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla and Ottorino Respighi’s Pines of Rome. “Pines demands a big orchestra, and we’ve had to add extra players to do it.”

The orchestra has been having fun rehearsing this program, Rosenberg said. “They’ve been enjoying the Glinka and also the Gershwin with all its jazz elements.”

The concerts have been designed to be educational. “I’ll be talking about Respighi’s piece and how he uses orchestral colors and textures to paint a vivid picture of  Rome,” Rosenberg said. “I hope families will come because I think kids would love this concert.”

Rosenberg said that the American West Symphony will again be holding a series of competitions for young musicians for next season. “There will be three different concerto competitions.”

Rosenberg is also already at work on the repertoire. “One of the pieces we’re planning on doing is Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.”

Young artists interested in participating in the competitions can apply on the orchestra’s website, www.americanwestsymphony.org.

CONCERT INFO:

• What: Jessica Coombs and Daniel Liu, piano, Joel Rosenberg, conductor, American West Symphony
• Venue: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 8600 South and 700 East
• Time and Date: 8 p.m. March 3
• Tickets: $10 general, $8 students
• Web: www.americanwestsymphony.org

ALSO:

• What: Jessica Coombs and Daniel Liu, piano, Joel Rosenberg, conductor, American West Symphony
• Venue: Congregation Kol Ami, 2425 Heritage Way
• Time: 7:30 p.m. March 18
• Tickets: $15
• Phone: 801-484-1501
• Web: www.conkolami.org

ALSO:

• What: Susan Duehlmeier and Bonnie Gritton, piano, Joel Rosenberg, conductor, American West Symphony (same program as March 3 and 18, but the Gershwin will be played in an arrangement for two pianos)
• Venue: Libby Gardner Concert Hall, University of Utah
• Time and Date: 7:30 p.m. March 9
• Tickets: $10 general, $8 students