Bestor to debut classical work dedicated to JFK

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Utah's favorite pop/classical composer, Kurt Bestor, is commemorating the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination — with the premiere of a new composition this week in Dallas.

Bestor will debut his new work, "JFK: Rise, Fall and Immortality," at a concert Friday at noon at John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza in Dallas. The outdoor show is free to the public.

"I wanted to take this unfortunate part of American history and use it to pay tribute to the man that was President John F. Kennedy," Bestor said in a statement. "I think that it is important to recognize the impact of historical events on our lives today and I am thankful that I have the ability to do this with music."

The classical work is in five movements, for choir and orchestral ensemble. Bestor will play piano, and Craig Jessop, dean of Utah State University's Caine College of the Arts and former music director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, will conduct the group of freelance musicians.

JFK was shot Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas' Dealey Plaza, a block west of John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza.