DEER VALLEY — Antonin Dvorak's "New World Symphony" was the billed headliner for Keith Lockhart's final summer performance as Utah Symphony music director Friday night. And the audience favorite drew a big crowd, but it was guest artists Time for Three that stole the show.

Violinist Zachary De Pue, violinist Nick Kendall and bassist Ranaan Meyer showcased their artistry with three pieces, including an original work by Meyer.

The trio opened the concert with "Thunder Stomp," a Celtic jig of sorts that's featured in a History Channel TV program on the Spanish-American War.

A rousing version of "Hungarian Dance" infused with a little "If I was a Rich Man" from "Fiddler on the Roof" came next.

A fusion of folk, bluegrass and jazz, Meyer's "American Suite" is a celebration of classic Americana in four movements. Starting with the classically structured "Gigue," the trio eased into a light and airy dance that set the stage for the following movements. "MoHawk," an upbeat hoedown, came next. A hauntingly sweet melody ushered in "Hymn," a simple prayer without words that built with emotion and connected with the audience on a personal level.

The rollicking "Orange Blossom Special" brought the group's set to a close with a feverish fiddling jam session that earned bravos, whistles and a standing ovation.

In keeping with the night's American theme, the concert opened with Joan Tower's "Made in America." The Grammy Award-winning piece is based on "America the Beautiful," which is laced throughout the work.

The evening ended with Dvorak's ever-popular Symphony No. 9 ("New World"). The piece showed off the symphony's flexibility, requiring it to tackle various moods and dynamics without making it overly trite or sentimental.

E-mail: jharrison@desnews.com