Professor Tin-Shi Tam is most well known at Iowa State as the musician who rings the bells at the Campanile over the noon hour.

But in addition to that responsibility, the carillonneur was recently delegated by the music department to coordinate “Celebrate America,” the second annual Americana concert to be held Sunday at Stephens Auditorium.

This year’s program will feature music by Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. The choice of featuring works by these two musical legends was partly due to the fact that both composers have centennial birthdays falling within the academic year.

More importantly, Tam said, “they have made a significant contribution to American music [by composing] tunes that everyone knows and loves.”

Various selections from one of Gershwin’s most famous works, “Porgy and Bess” will be performed by The Iowa State Singers. Five of the pieces will feature a soloist conducted by Robert Molison.

As acting director of choral activities for nearly 20 years, Molison is knowledgeable when it comes to choir productions, especially those of “Porgy and Bess.” He has been involved with many various arrangements of the concert, including a performance with Simon Estes.

Part of Molison’s interest with Gershwin is due to his infinite respect for the composer. “Gershwin was a great talent [who] brought together popular and classical music,” he said.

Molison admires Gershwin, viewing him as a musical pioneer because “he had no models to follow.”

“Gershwin introduced jazz opera with African American themes, which was never thought of before,” Molison explained.

For this reason, Molison feels that Gershwin helped create an opening for African American singers in the opera.

He said it is appropriate to honor Gershwin during ISU’s celebration of the achievements of George Washington Carver because he tried to honor African Americans.

The ISU Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Mark Laycock, will start the evening off with Gershwin’s “Cuban Overture.”

Guest tenor saxophonist Marty Crandell will join ISU’s jazz choir, Off the Record, to perform “Take the A Train,” a piece co-written by Ellington, and Gershwin’s “A Foggy Day.”

Sylvia Munson will conduct the Ames Children’s Choir as it performs a choreographed medley of Gershwin tunes.

Other ensembles represented include the ISU Wind Ensemble and the ISU Jazz Ensemble II, who will play a “Tribute to the Duke.”

Director of the Iowa State Wind Ensemble Martin Province said that the arrangement of “Rhapsody in Blue” being performed Sunday is exclusive and not commercially available yet.

Gershwin’s pioneering feats, along with many of Ellington’s musical triumphs, can be heard by a multitude of Iowa State ensembles at Stephens Auditorium this Sunday.

“Celebrate America” will provide tunes that the audience will be humming on the ride home, and it can be a family activity as Parents Weekend coincides with the event. The concert kicks off at 3 p.m. Sunday, and tickets are $5 for students and $8 for non-students.