In 1837, as the story goes, the German composer/concertmaster/virtuoso Ferdinand David wanted to soothe the feelings of his friend Karl Traugott Queisser, the trombone virtuoso. Queisser had asked their mutual friend, Felix Mendelssohn, to conceptualize a work for trombone — and was rejected because Big Felix "didn't have time." David simply rewrote one of his own violin works to focus for trombone.

Because that's easy to do — sort of like when, informed that Arby's was out of sauce for their Big Cheddar, I smoothly shifted gears and asked for a Swiss Cheese substitute.

Anyhoo, on Saturday at the Garde Arts Center, the esteemed Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, under the guidance of conductor/music director Toshi Shimada, presents the season's second concert, "Philharmonic Feature." The guest soloist is trombonist Joseph Alessi, who is principal trombonist of the New York Philharmonic, and, yes, the program includes David's Trombone Concerto — along with Brahms Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Kapralova's Rustic Suite, Richard Strauss' Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, and Johan Strauss, Jr.'s Emperor Waltzes.

As always, Shimada has conceptualized a fine bill mixing old and new, classics and lesser-known treasures — custom designed to maximize the myriad strengths of the ECSO.

Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, 8 p.m. Saturday, Garde Arts Center, 325 State St., New London; $32-$62, $12 military; (860) 443-2876.