Rossini’s "Le Comte Ory" will have its Met premiere on March 24, 2011. The production will star Juan Diego Flórez in the title role, Diana Damrau as Countess Adèle and Joyce DiDonato as Isolier. The production will be broadcast to cinemas on April 9, 2011.
Monday, February 22, 2010
JC as emcee
I'm hanging with CCSA this Saturday in San Antonio - to benefit the Children's Chorus. Come out to Radius!
I'll see you there!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Creative SA
Congrats!
San Antonio-based Creative Civilization, known for its high-profile and award-winning work, is enjoying a week filled with numerous accolades for its creative and public relations campaigns, including 12 ADDY Awards from the American Advertising Federation (AAF) and two statewide awards from the Texas Public Relations Association (TPRA).
Creative Civilization will accept 12 ADDY Awards at a special presentation on Saturday, February 20, 2010 for creative work produced for University Health System, American State Bank, San Antonio Opera, George Gervin Youth Center, The Magik Theatre, San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and agency self-promotion. The award winning work includes a variety of categories including television, print, outdoor, video and collateral materials.
“These awards are a reflection of our agency culture and mantra,” says Al Aguilar, Chairman and CEO of Creative Civilization. “‘Inspiration is all around us’ is more than just words – it’s our way of viewing the world. “
In addition to the agency’s creative awards, Creative Civilization will also receive two statewide accolades from the Texas Public Relations Association on March 4, 2010. The agency won a Silver Spur award from the TPRA in the “Special Events” category for the George Gervin Celebrity Roast and a Best of Texas Award for the San Antonio Opera.
“Our public relations work continues to demonstrate the power of PR,” says Gisela Girard, President and COO of Creative Civilization. “It is an integral part of our integrated approach to the market.”
The George Gervin Celebrity Roast, held in March 2009, honored San Antonio Spurs legend, George “The Iceman” Gervin. The high-profile event was attended by more than 1200 guests including basketball legend Hall-of-Famers Bill Russell and Julius “Dr. J” Erving, among others. The roast benefited the George Gervin Youth Center’s “Legends of the Future” Capital Campaign. Funds from the Celebrity Roast helped the organization reach its goals to break ground on the George Gervin Fitness and Wellness Center in June 2009.
The agency won a Best of Texas Award from the TPRA for the San Antonio Opera 2009-2010 “Vacation for the Soul” season brochure, which was created to communicate opera’s ability to transport people around the world. The San Antonio Opera’s season was kicked off in September 2009 with a futuristic production of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly.
Creative Civilization, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a nationally recognized advertising agency representing regional and national clients in the general, Hispanic and business-to-business markets. Inspiration Is All Around Us™ is the agency’s mantra that fuels creative solutions across all agency disciplines. Founded in 1999 by advertising leaders Al Aguilar and Gisela Girard, Creative Civilization offers a wide range of services, including research, strategic planning, account management, creative, media planning and buying, public and media relations, promotions, event marketing and grassroots initiatives. For more information, visit www.creativecivilization.com.
San Antonio-based Creative Civilization, known for its high-profile and award-winning work, is enjoying a week filled with numerous accolades for its creative and public relations campaigns, including 12 ADDY Awards from the American Advertising Federation (AAF) and two statewide awards from the Texas Public Relations Association (TPRA).
Creative Civilization will accept 12 ADDY Awards at a special presentation on Saturday, February 20, 2010 for creative work produced for University Health System, American State Bank, San Antonio Opera, George Gervin Youth Center, The Magik Theatre, San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and agency self-promotion. The award winning work includes a variety of categories including television, print, outdoor, video and collateral materials.
“These awards are a reflection of our agency culture and mantra,” says Al Aguilar, Chairman and CEO of Creative Civilization. “‘Inspiration is all around us’ is more than just words – it’s our way of viewing the world. “
In addition to the agency’s creative awards, Creative Civilization will also receive two statewide accolades from the Texas Public Relations Association on March 4, 2010. The agency won a Silver Spur award from the TPRA in the “Special Events” category for the George Gervin Celebrity Roast and a Best of Texas Award for the San Antonio Opera.
“Our public relations work continues to demonstrate the power of PR,” says Gisela Girard, President and COO of Creative Civilization. “It is an integral part of our integrated approach to the market.”
The George Gervin Celebrity Roast, held in March 2009, honored San Antonio Spurs legend, George “The Iceman” Gervin. The high-profile event was attended by more than 1200 guests including basketball legend Hall-of-Famers Bill Russell and Julius “Dr. J” Erving, among others. The roast benefited the George Gervin Youth Center’s “Legends of the Future” Capital Campaign. Funds from the Celebrity Roast helped the organization reach its goals to break ground on the George Gervin Fitness and Wellness Center in June 2009.
The agency won a Best of Texas Award from the TPRA for the San Antonio Opera 2009-2010 “Vacation for the Soul” season brochure, which was created to communicate opera’s ability to transport people around the world. The San Antonio Opera’s season was kicked off in September 2009 with a futuristic production of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly.
Creative Civilization, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a nationally recognized advertising agency representing regional and national clients in the general, Hispanic and business-to-business markets. Inspiration Is All Around Us™ is the agency’s mantra that fuels creative solutions across all agency disciplines. Founded in 1999 by advertising leaders Al Aguilar and Gisela Girard, Creative Civilization offers a wide range of services, including research, strategic planning, account management, creative, media planning and buying, public and media relations, promotions, event marketing and grassroots initiatives. For more information, visit www.creativecivilization.com.
Happy 125
KEITH LOCKHART AND BOSTON POPS CELEBRATE ORCHESTRA'S 125TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON, MAY 4 - JUNE 20, 2010
Today, Friday, February 19, Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops announce details of the orchestra’s 125th anniversary season, May 4-June 20, 2010, outlining programs that celebrate the orchestra’s rich tradition of performing the great music of this country’s past and present, for which the Boston Pops is so well known. Season details are also available at www.bostonpops.org TICKETS FOR THE 125TH BOSTON POPS SEASON, PRICED FROM $20-$99, GO ON SALE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, THROUGH BOSTONPOPS.ORG OR BY CALLING 888-266-1200.
SEASON OVERVIEW
The 125th season opens on May 4 with a gala concert featuring multiple Tony Award-winner Idina Menzel and the inimitable Doc Severinsen, who holds the distinction of having performed under the batons of Arthur Fiedler, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart—a perfect addition to a program honoring the leadership legacies of the three most famous Boston Pops conductors. During the season the Pops will present the world premiere of a new work in honor of the Kennedy brothers, mark the 10th anniversary of the popular radio and TV show “From the Top,” focus on esteemed artists from the fields of jazz, musical theater, and pop, including Dave Brubeck, Kelli O’Hara, and Maureen McGovern, and honor the legacies of such musical titans as Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Daniel Bernard Roumain, who in concert melds his classical music roots with his own Haitian-American cultural references and vibrant musical imagination, and Ozomatli, the multi-Grammy award-winning, genre-defying sensation, join the orchestra for programs that continue the Pops tradition of focusing on the best and brightest new talent on the musical scene today. Returning to the Pops schedule is the legendary film music series under the direction of John Williams, this year marking his 30th anniversary with the Pops, and one of the newest Pops traditions, Gospel Night with Charles Floyd. To bring the 125th season to a close in June, the Boston Pops will present one of this country’s greatest living legends—the incomparable Arlo Guthrie. A complete program listing appears at the end of this press release.
Photos, video, artist bios, and a Boston Pops 125 timeline and history are available at www.bostonpops.org/presskit.
WHAT FOLLOWS ARE SECTIONS ON SPECIAL EVENTS AND INITIATIVES; WEEKLY PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS; DETAILED TICKET INFORMATION; A SHORT HISTORY OF THE ORCHESTRA; AND A CONCERT LISTING.
SPECIAL EVENTS AND INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT THE 125th BOSTON POPS SEASON
WORLD PREMIERE OF KENNEDY BROTHERS TRIBUTE, MAY 18
On May 18, Keith Lockhart, the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and several celebrity narrators will perform the world premiere of “The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers,” honoring Massachusetts native sons John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy. Written by Peter Boyer, composer of Ellis Island, which many rank as one of the most successful large-scale American orchestral works of the last decade, and Lynn Ahrens, lyricist of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Ragtime, “The Dream Lives On” pays tribute to the call to public service, drive for social change, and the legacy of optimism for America’s future, a spirit epitomized by the Kennedy brothers. This new piece will feature four narrators: three male voices representing the three Kennedy brothers and a female voice for the portions of the narration that are not quotes. The new work will also be featured in concert on May 19, 20, 21, and 22. With these performances, the Boston Pops also marks the 40th anniversary of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. BOSTON POPS 125th TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY TO AIR ON PBS IN SPRING
A Boston Pops 125th documentary, to air nationally on PBS this spring (further details about broadcast dates to be announced at a later date), will highlight the Pops as an intrinsic part of this country's musical heritage by celebrating its past, present, and future. The tribute recalls how Arthur Fiedler (1930-79) created the modern-day Pops, establishing the orchestra as a national icon and introducing innovations that continue today. The program will also reflect on how Conductor Laureate John Williams (1980-1993) and present-day conductor Keith Lockhart (1995 to present) have shepherded the orchestra through three decades of change in the world of music. The Boston Pops 125th documentary was made possible by a grant from the Mugar Foundation.
This special program will feature interviews and/or performances by Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Vanessa Williams, Keith Lockhart, John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis, Sarah Vaughan, and Roberta Flack. Rare footage of favorite artists past and present, including Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Cash, Benny Goodman, Tony Bennett, James Taylor, Sammy Davis, Jr., John Raitt, k.d. lang, Patti LaBelle, and Elvis Costello, as well as Broadway stars Ethel Merman, Bernadette Peters, Nathan Lane, and Jerry Herman will also be featured. The program is being produced by longtime Evening at Pops producer, Susan Dangel.
NATIONAL CONTEST FOR FAMILY OF FOUR TO ATTEND BOSTON'S 2010 4TH OF JULY CONCERT USES FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND TEXT MESSAGING TO DETERMINE WINNER
The Boston Pops is also announcing a national contest to bring a family of four to Boston for the Boston Pops' Fourth-of-July concert on the Charles River Esplanade, with airfare, hotel and ground transportation to and from Logan Airport provided by the travel partners of the Boston Pops: American Airlines, The Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, and Commonwealth Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation. Contestants must submit a 125-character-or-less message describing why the Pops should choose their family for a trip to Boston's famous July 4 celebration this year. Entries can be submitted via text message by cell phone, on the Pops Facebook and Twitter pages, or on the Boston Pops website. All submissions are due by May 15. For more information about this contest, please visit www.bostonpops.org/125.
SPECIAL 125TH ANNIVERSARY EDUCATION PROGRAM WITH KEITH LOCKHART AND DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN
[DBR will be in San Antonio the end of February @ the Carver Center!]
The Boston Pops will present a special 125th anniversary education program at three area schools to bring music into the classroom by creating connections between music and the lives of today's students. The program, headed by Keith Lockhart, joined by composer and violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain and members of the Boston Pops in performance, will feature in school lecture-demonstrations, and provide students the opportunity to attend live performances at Symphony Hall. To accompany the in-school program and reach out to other kids, the Pops will create an online, interactive feature as part of this new initiative. The details will be announced in the spring.
FIDELITY FUTURE STAGE MUSIC COMPETITION, MAY 26
Following the phenomenal success of its launch in 2009, Fidelity FutureStage at the Boston Pops returns to Symphony Hall in 2010. Developed by Fidelity Investments to expand its long-standing support of the arts through music and other arts education programs in local communities, the Fidelity FutureStage at the Boston Pops Music Competition is open to full time students grades 9-12 attending any public high school in Boston or Cambridge. Up to four instrumental and/or vocal grand prize winners will be selected to perform at a special Boston Pops Concert on May 26 at Symphony Hall. Applications for the 2010 music competition are now available and will be accepted through March 26, 2010. For more information and application details, visit www.bostonpops.org or www.futurestage.com.
125 WEB INITIATIVES AND WEEKLY WGBH CONCERTS
BostonPops.org celebrates the Pops 125th anniversary season with an interactive timeline of the Pops and its history and a weekly series of Pops video podcasts throughout the season. Highlights will include details about the Pops inception by civil war veteran and Boston Symphony Orchestra founder Henry Lee Higginson; its explosion into the public awareness during the 50-year tenure of the charismatic maestro Arthur Fiedler; its Hollywood partnerships under the baton of John Williams; and its continuing evolution under the leadership of Keith Lockhart, all of which will be illustrated in a colorful, interactive interface with historic and current day images. The site will also feature weekly video podcasts throughout the 125th season, each taking a closer look at the week's programming with interviews with Keith Lockhart and special guest artists. The Boston Pops is online at bostonpops.org, part of bso.org, the largest and most visited orchestra site in the world, receiving more than 7.5 million visitors annually.
In addition, WGBH's 99.5 All Classical station will air weekly Saturday-evening Boston Pops broadcasts throughout the season, May 4-June 20.
CONCERTS IN THE PARKS AND SHOPS AT PRUDENTIAL CENTER CELEBRATES BOSTON POPS’ 125TH
Boston's Shops at Prudential Center will mark the Boston Pops' 125th anniversary with an archival exhibit at the Huntington Avenue Arcade, starting in mid-April for three weeks. The focal point of this special display will be a Boston Pops 125 timeline that will give viewers a look into the orchestra's storied history and the many accomplishments that collectively have made the Boston Pops one of Boston's and the country's most treasured traditions. Photos and video of past and present times, along with archival materials including old album covers, programs, and menus, as well as special features on Arthur Fiedler, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart, are just a few of the highlights of this 125th exhibit.
Performing ensembles made up of members of the Boston Pops will present a series of parks concerts, bringing their music to communities throughout the Greater Boston area.
PRESIDENTS AT POPS GALA CELEBRATES 125TH, MAY 19
In honor of the Pops 125th Anniversary, the annual Presidents at Pops fundraising event, now in its 29th year, will present a program marking this landmark year for the Pops. The evening will begin with a pre-concert celebratory reception in festively decorated Symphony Hall. The evening's program, including a performance of the Pops' new work, “The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers,” honoring Massachusetts native sons John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy, will pay special homage to the history of the orchestra by highlighting the unique contributions of the Arthur Fiedler, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart eras, with special guests joining the orchestra for this anniversary celebration. Although tickets to this event have traditionally been available exclusively to the Boston business community, individual tickets and special ticket packages will be offered to the general public. Further details about this gala fund raiser will be announced at a later date.
BOSTON POPS 125TH SEASON PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS WEEK BY WEEK, MAY4-JUNE 20
WEEK ONE, MAY 4-8
OPENING NIGHT, MAY 4
Keith Lockhart leads the Boston Pops in a concert that celebrates the 125-year storied history of the Boston Pops in a three-part program that showcases the Pops—past, present, and future—starting with the modern-day Pops, ushered in by Arthur Fiedler starting in the 1930s. The program begins with an exploration of the legacy of Arthur Fiedler and how he put the Pops on the musical map, highlighted by a performance of George Gershwin's “Rhapsody in Blue” by pianist Michael Chertock. The program continues with musical selections that consider the singular contributions of conductor/composer John Williams, with a special focus on the great film scores he brought to the Pops. An appearance by the inimitable Doc Severinsen, former band leader of “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” and one of the few artists to have performed with Arthur Fiedler, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart, will also be featured. For the final portion of the program, Keith Lockhart presents musical selections that highlight the orchestra's present-day accomplishments, while also providing a lighthearted glimpse into the Pops' future and imagining what might be in store down the road for this great orchestra. This portion of the program will feature multiple Tony Award-winning actress and vocalist Idina Menzel (Rent, Wicked) who will sing her Broadway hits and a selection from her new CD “I Stand.”
IDINA MENZEL, MAY 5 AND 6, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Broadway powerhouse Idina Menzel – the multiple Tony Award-winning singer/actress who played "Elphaba" in the international blockbuster Wicked – joins Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops for two nights this spring, May 5 and 6. Idina Menzel, considered one of the great vocal performers of our time, with a repertoire that focuses largely on classic pop and musical theater favorites, will sing hits from Wicked and Rent, as well as songs from her album "I Stand." Recently in the news, Ms. Menzel will be featured on the popular FOX TV show "Glee!" this spring.
OZOMATLI, MAY 7 AND 8, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Winners of multiple Grammy Awards, Ozomatli perform a genre-defying blend of Latin, hip hop, rap, funk, and rock. The group is well known for going beyond the bounds of the usual performance space, playing in the aisles, and creating a party atmosphere that adds both fun and excitement to all their performances. These performances by Ozomatli continue the Pops tradition of bringing the best and brightest new talent on today's music scene to the Boston Pops stage.
Ozomatli, designated U.S. Cultural Ambassadors, have showcased their unique sound in appearances on TV's Sex and the City, Dancing with the Stars, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and in the Drew Barrymore film Never Been Kissed as well as in concerts at Coachella, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Berkshire Music Festival, and on tour as the opening act for Carlos Santana.
WEEK TWO, MAY 11-15
HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD, MAY 11-15, JOHN WILLIAMS CONDUCTING
John Williams, the highly acclaimed composer and conductor behind blockbuster films including Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and the Harry Potter series, brings audiences a night showcasing some of the most memorable movie music of all time. Currently Boston Pops Conductor Laureate and celebrating his 30th anniversary with the Pops, John Williams served as Boston Pops Conductor from 1980-1993. The May 15 performance is SOLD OUT.
When John Williams succeeded Arthur Fiedler in 1980, he was the most highly acclaimed composer in Hollywood, and today, with 45 Academy Award nominations, he is the most-nominated living person in Academy history. With the Pops, John continued the orchestra's prolific recording tradition and entertained audiences with live orchestral accompaniment to some of the great film clips of the 20th and 21st centuries. He brought in the great arrangers of the day to produce new and exclusive Boston Pops arrangements of American songbook classics and legendary hits of the jazz, swing, and big band eras. And he brought a bit of Hollywood to the Pops stage, with special appearances by Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Frank Langella, not to mention Darth Vader, R2D2, and C3PO.
WEEK THREE, MAY 18-22
WORLD PREMIERE IN TRIBUTE TO THE KENNEDY BROTHERS, AND DISPLAY OF 9/11 FLAG, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
“American Heroes” concerts celebrate the legacy of many of our great nation's leaders, servicemen, and everyday citizens, whose lives and principles are forever woven into the fabric of American history. The program features the world premiere performances of “The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers,” honoring Massachusetts native sons John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy. Written by Peter Boyer, and Lynn Ahrens, the new work pays tribute to the call to public service, drive for social change, and the legacy of optimism for America's future, a spirit epitomized by the Kennedy brothers. With these performances, the Boston Pops also marks the 40th anniversary of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.
These concerts also feature a very special Star-Spangled Banner, The National 9/11 Flag – the flag that was hanging before, during, and after the attacks across from the South Tower – accompanied by members of the New York and Boston Fire Departments, as well as volunteers who travel to disaster areas to help rebuild in a mission to “Pay It Forward.” The flag presentation includes a preview of a feature-length documentary film by Scott Rettberg and Megan Sleeper, called “New York Says Thank You,” which will make its world premiere at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. The presence of the 9/11 Flag is an especially appropriate accompaniment to these Boston Pops concerts premiering “The Dream Lives On,” as President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which for the first time officially recognized September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. Also, in the aftermath of 9/11 Senator Kennedy personally called the 177 Massachusetts families who had lost loved ones in the attack.
The May 19 program is the annual Presidents at Pops gala, described earlier in the release. The May 18 and 20 performances are SOLD OUT.
Peter Boyer is one of the most celebrated young composers working today. His work has been commissioned and performed by more than 80 orchestras worldwide including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, and the Dallas Symphony. In addition to his work for the concert hall, Boyer is an active film and television arranger and has twice arranged and orchestrated music for the Academy Awards. His . His Grammy-nominated work Ellis Island : The Dream of America, which premiered in 2002, was broadcast on NPR's SymphonyCast and recorded with actors including Barry Bostwick, Blair Brown Olympia Dukakis and Eli Wallach.
Writer and lyricist Lynn Ahrens began her career writing songs for "Schoolhouse Rock." In her longtime partnership with composer Stephen Flaherty, she's enjoyed tremendous Broadway success with shows including Once on this Island, Dessa Rose, Seussical the Musical, and Ragtime for which Ahrens won the Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards. The pair also collaborated on the animated movie Anastasia. Her songs have been recorded and/or performed by Aretha Franklin, Aaliyah, Johnny Mathis, Richard Marx and Donna Lewis, Renée Fleming and Bryn Terfel, Donny Osmond, Deana Carter, Audra McDonald, and many others.
WEEK FOUR, MAY 25-29
AN EVENING WITH MAUREEN MCGOVERN MAY 25, 26, AND 27, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Maureen McGovern, one of America's most popular vocalists, performs a concert that features songs from her newest album, A Long and Winding Road, celebrating the music that inspired her beginnings as a singer in the late '60s. The album features an eclectic mix of songs from such groundbreaking singer-songwriters as Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Carole King, and Paul McCartney, including “The Times They Are a-Changin',” “The 59th Street Bridge Song,” “Fire and Rain,” and “Let It Be.” The May 27 performance is SOLD OUT. The May 26 concert will feature on-stage performances by the winners of the Fidelity FutureStage Music Competition.
Maureen McGovern burst onto the music scene in the early 1970s and quickly became known for her hit theme songs to The Poseidon Adventure,The Towering Inferno, and Gold, and later for her appearance as Sister Angelina, the singing nun, in the 1980 disaster movie spoof Airplane. Ms. McGovern has also been acclaimed for her success on the Broadway stage, with roles in The Pirates of Penzance, Nine, Three Penny Opera, and most recently as Marmee in Little Women. Her CD, "A Long and Winding Road," was released in 2009 and is a tribute to the music of her baby boomer childhood.
RAY CHARLES TRIBUTE, MAY 28 AND 29, ROBERT BERNHARDT CONDUCTING
The legendary Ray Charles set the standard for greatness during a remarkable career that spanned more than five decades. This Boston Pops concert, under the direction of Robert Bernhardt, features Ray Charles's protégé Ellis Hall singing hits including “Georgia on My Mind,” “Hit the Road Jack,” and “Unchain My Heart.” The May 28 performance is SOLD OUT.
The first and only artist signed to Crossover Records, the record label formed by his mentor Ray Charles, Ellis Hall is a dynamic multi-instrumentalist (piano, bass, drums, and guitar) and singer who has performed and recorded with many musical giants including Patti LaBelle, John Mayer, John Legend, Herbie Hancock, the Temptations, Earth Wind & Fire, the Spinners, Natalie Cole, Michael McDonald, James Taylor, and Stevie Wonder, as well as Ray Charles himself. Hall was featured as the lead vocalist for Kenny G on his debut hit single "What Does it Take," was lead vocalist, keyboardist, songwriter, arranger, and producer for the group Tower of Power, and enjoyed tremendous acclaim as a member of the multi-platinum group the California Raisins. Conductor Robert Bernardt has been described in the press as having a "high energy conducting style and easy stage presence." A frequent guest on the Boston Pops podium, Bernhardt serves as music director of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera and principal pops conductor of the Louisville Orchestra. He has performed with artists from all arenas of the musical world including Ray Charles, Wynona Judd, Ben Folds, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, and PDQ Bach.
WEEK FIVE, JUNE 1-5
AN EVENING WITH DAVE BRUBECK, JUNE 1 AND 2, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
A Library of Congress “Living Legend,” 90-year-old pianist Dave Brubeck and his acclaimed quartet perform orchestral arrangements of “In Your Own Sweet Way,” “A Salute to The Count – The Basie Band Is Back in Town,” “Unsquare Dance,” and “The Duke.” The program also features a special nod to the fiftieth anniversary of the chart-topping “Take Five,” performed by The Dave Brubeck Quartet on their 1959 album Time Out, which remains one of the best known jazz standards ever.
2009 Kennedy Center honoree Dave Brubeck’s signature innovative rhythms and unusual time signatures have made him one of the most popular jazz musicians of all time. The Dave Brubeck Quartet has been performing to sell-out audiences since their first crossover hit "Take Five" was released over fifty years ago.
A TRIBUTE TO DUKE ELLINGTON, JUNE 3, 4, AND 5, JEFF TYZIK CONDUCTING
The Pops and jazz vocalist Dee Daniels pay homage to Duke Ellington, one of the most influential figures in American music. Duke Ellington, who recorded with Arthur Fiedler and the Pops, wrote over 3,000 songs during his lifetime, but is best known for “It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing,” “Sophisticated Lady,” “Mood Indigo,” “Solitude,” and “Satin Doll,” all of which will be performed by the Boston Pops. The June 3 performance is SOLD OUT.
Known for her powerful four-octave voice, jazz vocalist Dee Daniels has performed with some of the R&B, gospel, blues, and jazz world's best-known musicians including Sarah Vaughan, Lionel Hampton, Bill Charlap, and Toots Thielemans. She has also performed in solo concerts with symphony orchestras throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Africa. Considered "one of the best pops conductors in America," Jeff Tyzik, principal pops conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Oregon Symphony, and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, is known for his creative arrangements, original programming, and engaging rapport with audiences.
WEEK SIX, JUNE 8-12
FROM THE TOP JUNE 8, WITH CHRISTOPHER O'RILEY, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
For the past decade, “From the Top” has been the preeminent showcase for America's best young musicians through its weekly NPR radio series and its recent television show on PBS. The Boston Pops celebrates the 10th anniversary of this successful program with a concert featuring young musicians from Boston and across the country, who join Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops for a live taping of the popular radio program, this time with acoustically acclaimed Symphony Hall serving as backdrop. Renowned pianist Christopher O'Riley, who shares a special rapport with the musicians, will serve in his role as program host.
AN EVENING OF COLE PORTER WITH BROADWAY STAR KELLI O'HARA, JUNE 9-11, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Spotlighting the extraordinary talents of Broadway star Kelli O'Hara, these programs pay special tribute to legendary composer/songwriter Cole Porter, one of the best-known contributors to the Great American Songbook. Vocal Fellows from the Tanglewood Music Center, the Boston Symphony's prestigious summer music academy for young professional musicians, will also be featured in this program, to include such Cole Porter hits as “I've Got You Under My Skin,” “In the Still of the Night,” “Love for Sale,” “Night and Day,” and “Don't Fence Me In,” as well as favorites from the Tony award-winning musical comedy Kiss Me, Kate.
Kelli O'Hara recently starred on Broadway as Nellie Forbush in the Tony Award-winning revival of South Pacific. She has also appeared on Broadway in A Light in the Piazza, for which she was nominated for Tony and Drama Desk awards, The Sweet Smell of Success opposite John Lithgow, and with Harry Connick, Jr., in The Pajama Game.
GOSPEL NIGHT, JUNE 12, CHARLES FLOYD CONDUCTING
Conductor Charles Floyd, special guests, and the Boston Pops Gospel Choir, bring thrilling performances of the some of America's best contemporary Gospel music to Symphony Hall. The passion, delight, and sense of celebration that these programs have consistently evoked, have made them one of the highlights of every Pops season.
In January 2009, Charles Floyd conducted the HBO pre-inaugural concert “We Are One” on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for President Barack Obama. Leader of the beloved Gospel Night at Pops since 1993, Charles Floyd has worked with orchestras throughout the country and world and enjoyed an eleven-year tenure as music director for singer Natalie Cole. Projects with Ms. Cole have included the multiple Grammy Award-winning tribute to Nat King Cole entitled Unforgettable, With Love, the Emmy Award-winning PBS Great Performances concert video of the same title, as well as the Grammy-winning releases Take a Look and Stardust. Charles Floyd has created arrangements and orchestrations for wide variety of artists, including Sting, Elton John, Patti LaBelle, Grace Bumbry, James Taylor, Yolanda Adams, Mark O'Conner, k.d. lang, Stevie Wonder, and Wynona Judd.
WEEK SEVEN, JUNE 15-20
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN JUNE 15 AND 16, EMIL DECOU CONDUCTING
Re-mastered clips from the great movie musicals of Rodgers & Hammerstein come together with the films' original vocals and a live orchestra soundtrack by the Boston Pops for this inventive program honoring two of America's most revered musical theater figures. Prime-time anchor of Turner Classic Movies television network Robert Osborne hosts the evening of memorable scenes from classic films such as Oklahoma! and Carousel, both starring Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, South Pacific starring Mitzi Gaynor and Rossano Brazzi, The King and I starring Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner, and The Sound of Music starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. Audiences will hear these iconic performances of the past reinvigorated by the presence of full orchestral sound.
Dynamic American conductor Emil DeCou serves as the associate conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra and as the NSO @ Wolf Trap festival conductor. He has conducted orchestras throughout the country, most recently, at the request of soloist Renée Fleming, leading a performance with the Colorado Symphony and the NSO's traditional Labor Day performance on the West Lawn of the Capitol. Turner Classic Movies network's Robert Osborne hosts four primetime movies each night on the network, was a longtime columnist for the Hollywood Reporter, and is the author of the book 80 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards, released in 2008.
THE WORLD OF ARLO GUTHRIE, JUNE 17 AND JUNE 18, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Folk music icon and legendary artist Arlo Guthrie will be featured in performances of the unforgettable classics so long associated with the Guthrie Family legacy. With his singular voice as both a singer-songwriter, story teller, and social commentator, Guthrie will also share timeless stories that have captivated and entertained audiences over many decades. The evening will also feature the Boston Pops debut of the ground-breaking string trio Time for Three, who will perform the Boston premiere of a new work, “Travel in Time for Three,” by Chris Brubeck.
Singer, songwriter, social commentator, and folk music icon Arlo Guthrie has been performing for more than four decades and has a fan base that spans the globe. Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant," "City of New Orleans" and "The Motorcycle Song," along with his memorable appearance at 1969's Woodstock Festival, have made him a household name. Guthrie has previously joined the Pops at Symphony Hall in a concert that was broadcast on Evening at Pops and on the Esplanade for the Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular in 2001. String trio Time for Three, whose music melds elements of classical, country western, gypsy, and jazz to create a sound all their own, have performed with artists ranging from the Philadelphia Orchestra to k.d. lang. Chris Brubeck began performing with his father, the legendary Dave Brubeck in the 1970s. Having distinguished himself as an innovative jazz and rock performer on the bass, trombone, piano and guitar, he has recently earned international acclaim as a composer.
FATHER'S DAY FAMILY CONCERT WITH DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN, JUNE 20 3PM, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
This special Father's Day concert features the Boston Pops debut of Haitian-American artist Daniel Bernard Roumain, the innovative composer, performer, violinist, and bandleader, who melds his classical music roots with his own cultural references and vibrant musical imagination. Mr. Roumain is composing a new work for six string violin and orchestra to receive its world premiere at the June 20 concert. This interactive program will feature two of the most beloved classic works written for children: the timeless tale Peter and the Wolf and the whimsical suite Carnival of the Animals. In a dynamic collaboration with the Underground Railway Theater of Cambridge, young members of the audience will participate in the performance using movement and puppetry. The program will also include some of the iconic film score themes of John Williams.
As a composer, Daniel Bernard Roumain has written works that range from orchestral scores and chamber pieces to music for film, theater, modern dance, and electronica. He has been spotlighted as a "New face of classical music" by Esquire Magazine, served as assistant composer-in-residence at the Orchestra of St. Luke's and music director of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, and recently collaborated and performed with Lady Gaga on FOX's American Idol. Underground Railway Theater works to create dynamic connections between high-quality professional theater and community. Combining actors, puppets and music, URT presents theater of social content and great visual beauty— theater that challenges and delights, informs and celebrates.
TICKET AND SPONSORHIP INFORMATION
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the 2010 Boston Pops season at Symphony Hall, priced from $20-$99, go on sale at 10 a.m. on February 22. All performances start at 8 p.m. with the exception of the Sunday Family Concert at 3 p.m. on June 20. Tickets for “Opening Night at Pops” on May 4 are priced from $40 to $119.
Tickets may be purchased online at www.bostonpops.org or by phone through SymphonyCharge at 617-266-1200 or 888-266-1200, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (with a $5.50 handling fee for each ticket ordered online or by phone). Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Symphony Hall box office, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and on Sunday from 1 p.m. through the first concert intermission on concert dates. Most major credit cards and cash are accepted at the box office. For Group Sales of 25 or more, please call 617-638-9345 or 800-933-4255.
Tickets to the gala fund raiser, Presidents at Pops, on May 18, start at $500, with some options including tickets to an exclusive Boat Cruise and Esplanade Concert on July 3, as well an additional Pops 125 event to be announced soon. For further information, call 617-638-9466.
The Boston Symphony has a dedicated line for disabled patrons who would like to purchase tickets to BSO, Boston Pops, or Tanglewood concerts, or who need information about disability services at Symphony Hall or Tanglewood. This line can be reached by dialing 617-638-9431. For access via TDD/TTY, please call 617-638-9289. Patrons with disabilities can access Symphony Hall through the Cohen Wing on Huntington Avenue or through the Massachusetts Avenue entrance.
Today, Friday, February 19, Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops announce details of the orchestra’s 125th anniversary season, May 4-June 20, 2010, outlining programs that celebrate the orchestra’s rich tradition of performing the great music of this country’s past and present, for which the Boston Pops is so well known. Season details are also available at www.bostonpops.org TICKETS FOR THE 125TH BOSTON POPS SEASON, PRICED FROM $20-$99, GO ON SALE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, THROUGH BOSTONPOPS.ORG OR BY CALLING 888-266-1200.
SEASON OVERVIEW
The 125th season opens on May 4 with a gala concert featuring multiple Tony Award-winner Idina Menzel and the inimitable Doc Severinsen, who holds the distinction of having performed under the batons of Arthur Fiedler, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart—a perfect addition to a program honoring the leadership legacies of the three most famous Boston Pops conductors. During the season the Pops will present the world premiere of a new work in honor of the Kennedy brothers, mark the 10th anniversary of the popular radio and TV show “From the Top,” focus on esteemed artists from the fields of jazz, musical theater, and pop, including Dave Brubeck, Kelli O’Hara, and Maureen McGovern, and honor the legacies of such musical titans as Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Daniel Bernard Roumain, who in concert melds his classical music roots with his own Haitian-American cultural references and vibrant musical imagination, and Ozomatli, the multi-Grammy award-winning, genre-defying sensation, join the orchestra for programs that continue the Pops tradition of focusing on the best and brightest new talent on the musical scene today. Returning to the Pops schedule is the legendary film music series under the direction of John Williams, this year marking his 30th anniversary with the Pops, and one of the newest Pops traditions, Gospel Night with Charles Floyd. To bring the 125th season to a close in June, the Boston Pops will present one of this country’s greatest living legends—the incomparable Arlo Guthrie. A complete program listing appears at the end of this press release.
Photos, video, artist bios, and a Boston Pops 125 timeline and history are available at www.bostonpops.org/presskit.
WHAT FOLLOWS ARE SECTIONS ON SPECIAL EVENTS AND INITIATIVES; WEEKLY PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS; DETAILED TICKET INFORMATION; A SHORT HISTORY OF THE ORCHESTRA; AND A CONCERT LISTING.
SPECIAL EVENTS AND INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT THE 125th BOSTON POPS SEASON
WORLD PREMIERE OF KENNEDY BROTHERS TRIBUTE, MAY 18
On May 18, Keith Lockhart, the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and several celebrity narrators will perform the world premiere of “The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers,” honoring Massachusetts native sons John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy. Written by Peter Boyer, composer of Ellis Island, which many rank as one of the most successful large-scale American orchestral works of the last decade, and Lynn Ahrens, lyricist of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Ragtime, “The Dream Lives On” pays tribute to the call to public service, drive for social change, and the legacy of optimism for America’s future, a spirit epitomized by the Kennedy brothers. This new piece will feature four narrators: three male voices representing the three Kennedy brothers and a female voice for the portions of the narration that are not quotes. The new work will also be featured in concert on May 19, 20, 21, and 22. With these performances, the Boston Pops also marks the 40th anniversary of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. BOSTON POPS 125th TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY TO AIR ON PBS IN SPRING
A Boston Pops 125th documentary, to air nationally on PBS this spring (further details about broadcast dates to be announced at a later date), will highlight the Pops as an intrinsic part of this country's musical heritage by celebrating its past, present, and future. The tribute recalls how Arthur Fiedler (1930-79) created the modern-day Pops, establishing the orchestra as a national icon and introducing innovations that continue today. The program will also reflect on how Conductor Laureate John Williams (1980-1993) and present-day conductor Keith Lockhart (1995 to present) have shepherded the orchestra through three decades of change in the world of music. The Boston Pops 125th documentary was made possible by a grant from the Mugar Foundation.
This special program will feature interviews and/or performances by Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Vanessa Williams, Keith Lockhart, John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis, Sarah Vaughan, and Roberta Flack. Rare footage of favorite artists past and present, including Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Cash, Benny Goodman, Tony Bennett, James Taylor, Sammy Davis, Jr., John Raitt, k.d. lang, Patti LaBelle, and Elvis Costello, as well as Broadway stars Ethel Merman, Bernadette Peters, Nathan Lane, and Jerry Herman will also be featured. The program is being produced by longtime Evening at Pops producer, Susan Dangel.
NATIONAL CONTEST FOR FAMILY OF FOUR TO ATTEND BOSTON'S 2010 4TH OF JULY CONCERT USES FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND TEXT MESSAGING TO DETERMINE WINNER
The Boston Pops is also announcing a national contest to bring a family of four to Boston for the Boston Pops' Fourth-of-July concert on the Charles River Esplanade, with airfare, hotel and ground transportation to and from Logan Airport provided by the travel partners of the Boston Pops: American Airlines, The Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, and Commonwealth Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation. Contestants must submit a 125-character-or-less message describing why the Pops should choose their family for a trip to Boston's famous July 4 celebration this year. Entries can be submitted via text message by cell phone, on the Pops Facebook and Twitter pages, or on the Boston Pops website. All submissions are due by May 15. For more information about this contest, please visit www.bostonpops.org/125.
SPECIAL 125TH ANNIVERSARY EDUCATION PROGRAM WITH KEITH LOCKHART AND DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN
[DBR will be in San Antonio the end of February @ the Carver Center!]
The Boston Pops will present a special 125th anniversary education program at three area schools to bring music into the classroom by creating connections between music and the lives of today's students. The program, headed by Keith Lockhart, joined by composer and violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain and members of the Boston Pops in performance, will feature in school lecture-demonstrations, and provide students the opportunity to attend live performances at Symphony Hall. To accompany the in-school program and reach out to other kids, the Pops will create an online, interactive feature as part of this new initiative. The details will be announced in the spring.
FIDELITY FUTURE STAGE MUSIC COMPETITION, MAY 26
Following the phenomenal success of its launch in 2009, Fidelity FutureStage at the Boston Pops returns to Symphony Hall in 2010. Developed by Fidelity Investments to expand its long-standing support of the arts through music and other arts education programs in local communities, the Fidelity FutureStage at the Boston Pops Music Competition is open to full time students grades 9-12 attending any public high school in Boston or Cambridge. Up to four instrumental and/or vocal grand prize winners will be selected to perform at a special Boston Pops Concert on May 26 at Symphony Hall. Applications for the 2010 music competition are now available and will be accepted through March 26, 2010. For more information and application details, visit www.bostonpops.org or www.futurestage.com.
125 WEB INITIATIVES AND WEEKLY WGBH CONCERTS
BostonPops.org celebrates the Pops 125th anniversary season with an interactive timeline of the Pops and its history and a weekly series of Pops video podcasts throughout the season. Highlights will include details about the Pops inception by civil war veteran and Boston Symphony Orchestra founder Henry Lee Higginson; its explosion into the public awareness during the 50-year tenure of the charismatic maestro Arthur Fiedler; its Hollywood partnerships under the baton of John Williams; and its continuing evolution under the leadership of Keith Lockhart, all of which will be illustrated in a colorful, interactive interface with historic and current day images. The site will also feature weekly video podcasts throughout the 125th season, each taking a closer look at the week's programming with interviews with Keith Lockhart and special guest artists. The Boston Pops is online at bostonpops.org, part of bso.org, the largest and most visited orchestra site in the world, receiving more than 7.5 million visitors annually.
In addition, WGBH's 99.5 All Classical station will air weekly Saturday-evening Boston Pops broadcasts throughout the season, May 4-June 20.
CONCERTS IN THE PARKS AND SHOPS AT PRUDENTIAL CENTER CELEBRATES BOSTON POPS’ 125TH
Boston's Shops at Prudential Center will mark the Boston Pops' 125th anniversary with an archival exhibit at the Huntington Avenue Arcade, starting in mid-April for three weeks. The focal point of this special display will be a Boston Pops 125 timeline that will give viewers a look into the orchestra's storied history and the many accomplishments that collectively have made the Boston Pops one of Boston's and the country's most treasured traditions. Photos and video of past and present times, along with archival materials including old album covers, programs, and menus, as well as special features on Arthur Fiedler, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart, are just a few of the highlights of this 125th exhibit.
Performing ensembles made up of members of the Boston Pops will present a series of parks concerts, bringing their music to communities throughout the Greater Boston area.
PRESIDENTS AT POPS GALA CELEBRATES 125TH, MAY 19
In honor of the Pops 125th Anniversary, the annual Presidents at Pops fundraising event, now in its 29th year, will present a program marking this landmark year for the Pops. The evening will begin with a pre-concert celebratory reception in festively decorated Symphony Hall. The evening's program, including a performance of the Pops' new work, “The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers,” honoring Massachusetts native sons John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy, will pay special homage to the history of the orchestra by highlighting the unique contributions of the Arthur Fiedler, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart eras, with special guests joining the orchestra for this anniversary celebration. Although tickets to this event have traditionally been available exclusively to the Boston business community, individual tickets and special ticket packages will be offered to the general public. Further details about this gala fund raiser will be announced at a later date.
BOSTON POPS 125TH SEASON PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS WEEK BY WEEK, MAY4-JUNE 20
WEEK ONE, MAY 4-8
OPENING NIGHT, MAY 4
Keith Lockhart leads the Boston Pops in a concert that celebrates the 125-year storied history of the Boston Pops in a three-part program that showcases the Pops—past, present, and future—starting with the modern-day Pops, ushered in by Arthur Fiedler starting in the 1930s. The program begins with an exploration of the legacy of Arthur Fiedler and how he put the Pops on the musical map, highlighted by a performance of George Gershwin's “Rhapsody in Blue” by pianist Michael Chertock. The program continues with musical selections that consider the singular contributions of conductor/composer John Williams, with a special focus on the great film scores he brought to the Pops. An appearance by the inimitable Doc Severinsen, former band leader of “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” and one of the few artists to have performed with Arthur Fiedler, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart, will also be featured. For the final portion of the program, Keith Lockhart presents musical selections that highlight the orchestra's present-day accomplishments, while also providing a lighthearted glimpse into the Pops' future and imagining what might be in store down the road for this great orchestra. This portion of the program will feature multiple Tony Award-winning actress and vocalist Idina Menzel (Rent, Wicked) who will sing her Broadway hits and a selection from her new CD “I Stand.”
IDINA MENZEL, MAY 5 AND 6, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Broadway powerhouse Idina Menzel – the multiple Tony Award-winning singer/actress who played "Elphaba" in the international blockbuster Wicked – joins Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops for two nights this spring, May 5 and 6. Idina Menzel, considered one of the great vocal performers of our time, with a repertoire that focuses largely on classic pop and musical theater favorites, will sing hits from Wicked and Rent, as well as songs from her album "I Stand." Recently in the news, Ms. Menzel will be featured on the popular FOX TV show "Glee!" this spring.
OZOMATLI, MAY 7 AND 8, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Winners of multiple Grammy Awards, Ozomatli perform a genre-defying blend of Latin, hip hop, rap, funk, and rock. The group is well known for going beyond the bounds of the usual performance space, playing in the aisles, and creating a party atmosphere that adds both fun and excitement to all their performances. These performances by Ozomatli continue the Pops tradition of bringing the best and brightest new talent on today's music scene to the Boston Pops stage.
Ozomatli, designated U.S. Cultural Ambassadors, have showcased their unique sound in appearances on TV's Sex and the City, Dancing with the Stars, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and in the Drew Barrymore film Never Been Kissed as well as in concerts at Coachella, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Berkshire Music Festival, and on tour as the opening act for Carlos Santana.
WEEK TWO, MAY 11-15
HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD, MAY 11-15, JOHN WILLIAMS CONDUCTING
John Williams, the highly acclaimed composer and conductor behind blockbuster films including Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and the Harry Potter series, brings audiences a night showcasing some of the most memorable movie music of all time. Currently Boston Pops Conductor Laureate and celebrating his 30th anniversary with the Pops, John Williams served as Boston Pops Conductor from 1980-1993. The May 15 performance is SOLD OUT.
When John Williams succeeded Arthur Fiedler in 1980, he was the most highly acclaimed composer in Hollywood, and today, with 45 Academy Award nominations, he is the most-nominated living person in Academy history. With the Pops, John continued the orchestra's prolific recording tradition and entertained audiences with live orchestral accompaniment to some of the great film clips of the 20th and 21st centuries. He brought in the great arrangers of the day to produce new and exclusive Boston Pops arrangements of American songbook classics and legendary hits of the jazz, swing, and big band eras. And he brought a bit of Hollywood to the Pops stage, with special appearances by Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Frank Langella, not to mention Darth Vader, R2D2, and C3PO.
WEEK THREE, MAY 18-22
WORLD PREMIERE IN TRIBUTE TO THE KENNEDY BROTHERS, AND DISPLAY OF 9/11 FLAG, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
“American Heroes” concerts celebrate the legacy of many of our great nation's leaders, servicemen, and everyday citizens, whose lives and principles are forever woven into the fabric of American history. The program features the world premiere performances of “The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers,” honoring Massachusetts native sons John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy. Written by Peter Boyer, and Lynn Ahrens, the new work pays tribute to the call to public service, drive for social change, and the legacy of optimism for America's future, a spirit epitomized by the Kennedy brothers. With these performances, the Boston Pops also marks the 40th anniversary of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.
These concerts also feature a very special Star-Spangled Banner, The National 9/11 Flag – the flag that was hanging before, during, and after the attacks across from the South Tower – accompanied by members of the New York and Boston Fire Departments, as well as volunteers who travel to disaster areas to help rebuild in a mission to “Pay It Forward.” The flag presentation includes a preview of a feature-length documentary film by Scott Rettberg and Megan Sleeper, called “New York Says Thank You,” which will make its world premiere at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. The presence of the 9/11 Flag is an especially appropriate accompaniment to these Boston Pops concerts premiering “The Dream Lives On,” as President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which for the first time officially recognized September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. Also, in the aftermath of 9/11 Senator Kennedy personally called the 177 Massachusetts families who had lost loved ones in the attack.
The May 19 program is the annual Presidents at Pops gala, described earlier in the release. The May 18 and 20 performances are SOLD OUT.
Peter Boyer is one of the most celebrated young composers working today. His work has been commissioned and performed by more than 80 orchestras worldwide including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, and the Dallas Symphony. In addition to his work for the concert hall, Boyer is an active film and television arranger and has twice arranged and orchestrated music for the Academy Awards. His . His Grammy-nominated work Ellis Island : The Dream of America, which premiered in 2002, was broadcast on NPR's SymphonyCast and recorded with actors including Barry Bostwick, Blair Brown Olympia Dukakis and Eli Wallach.
Writer and lyricist Lynn Ahrens began her career writing songs for "Schoolhouse Rock." In her longtime partnership with composer Stephen Flaherty, she's enjoyed tremendous Broadway success with shows including Once on this Island, Dessa Rose, Seussical the Musical, and Ragtime for which Ahrens won the Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards. The pair also collaborated on the animated movie Anastasia. Her songs have been recorded and/or performed by Aretha Franklin, Aaliyah, Johnny Mathis, Richard Marx and Donna Lewis, Renée Fleming and Bryn Terfel, Donny Osmond, Deana Carter, Audra McDonald, and many others.
WEEK FOUR, MAY 25-29
AN EVENING WITH MAUREEN MCGOVERN MAY 25, 26, AND 27, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Maureen McGovern, one of America's most popular vocalists, performs a concert that features songs from her newest album, A Long and Winding Road, celebrating the music that inspired her beginnings as a singer in the late '60s. The album features an eclectic mix of songs from such groundbreaking singer-songwriters as Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Carole King, and Paul McCartney, including “The Times They Are a-Changin',” “The 59th Street Bridge Song,” “Fire and Rain,” and “Let It Be.” The May 27 performance is SOLD OUT. The May 26 concert will feature on-stage performances by the winners of the Fidelity FutureStage Music Competition.
Maureen McGovern burst onto the music scene in the early 1970s and quickly became known for her hit theme songs to The Poseidon Adventure,The Towering Inferno, and Gold, and later for her appearance as Sister Angelina, the singing nun, in the 1980 disaster movie spoof Airplane. Ms. McGovern has also been acclaimed for her success on the Broadway stage, with roles in The Pirates of Penzance, Nine, Three Penny Opera, and most recently as Marmee in Little Women. Her CD, "A Long and Winding Road," was released in 2009 and is a tribute to the music of her baby boomer childhood.
RAY CHARLES TRIBUTE, MAY 28 AND 29, ROBERT BERNHARDT CONDUCTING
The legendary Ray Charles set the standard for greatness during a remarkable career that spanned more than five decades. This Boston Pops concert, under the direction of Robert Bernhardt, features Ray Charles's protégé Ellis Hall singing hits including “Georgia on My Mind,” “Hit the Road Jack,” and “Unchain My Heart.” The May 28 performance is SOLD OUT.
The first and only artist signed to Crossover Records, the record label formed by his mentor Ray Charles, Ellis Hall is a dynamic multi-instrumentalist (piano, bass, drums, and guitar) and singer who has performed and recorded with many musical giants including Patti LaBelle, John Mayer, John Legend, Herbie Hancock, the Temptations, Earth Wind & Fire, the Spinners, Natalie Cole, Michael McDonald, James Taylor, and Stevie Wonder, as well as Ray Charles himself. Hall was featured as the lead vocalist for Kenny G on his debut hit single "What Does it Take," was lead vocalist, keyboardist, songwriter, arranger, and producer for the group Tower of Power, and enjoyed tremendous acclaim as a member of the multi-platinum group the California Raisins. Conductor Robert Bernardt has been described in the press as having a "high energy conducting style and easy stage presence." A frequent guest on the Boston Pops podium, Bernhardt serves as music director of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera and principal pops conductor of the Louisville Orchestra. He has performed with artists from all arenas of the musical world including Ray Charles, Wynona Judd, Ben Folds, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, and PDQ Bach.
WEEK FIVE, JUNE 1-5
AN EVENING WITH DAVE BRUBECK, JUNE 1 AND 2, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
A Library of Congress “Living Legend,” 90-year-old pianist Dave Brubeck and his acclaimed quartet perform orchestral arrangements of “In Your Own Sweet Way,” “A Salute to The Count – The Basie Band Is Back in Town,” “Unsquare Dance,” and “The Duke.” The program also features a special nod to the fiftieth anniversary of the chart-topping “Take Five,” performed by The Dave Brubeck Quartet on their 1959 album Time Out, which remains one of the best known jazz standards ever.
2009 Kennedy Center honoree Dave Brubeck’s signature innovative rhythms and unusual time signatures have made him one of the most popular jazz musicians of all time. The Dave Brubeck Quartet has been performing to sell-out audiences since their first crossover hit "Take Five" was released over fifty years ago.
A TRIBUTE TO DUKE ELLINGTON, JUNE 3, 4, AND 5, JEFF TYZIK CONDUCTING
The Pops and jazz vocalist Dee Daniels pay homage to Duke Ellington, one of the most influential figures in American music. Duke Ellington, who recorded with Arthur Fiedler and the Pops, wrote over 3,000 songs during his lifetime, but is best known for “It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing,” “Sophisticated Lady,” “Mood Indigo,” “Solitude,” and “Satin Doll,” all of which will be performed by the Boston Pops. The June 3 performance is SOLD OUT.
Known for her powerful four-octave voice, jazz vocalist Dee Daniels has performed with some of the R&B, gospel, blues, and jazz world's best-known musicians including Sarah Vaughan, Lionel Hampton, Bill Charlap, and Toots Thielemans. She has also performed in solo concerts with symphony orchestras throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Africa. Considered "one of the best pops conductors in America," Jeff Tyzik, principal pops conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Oregon Symphony, and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, is known for his creative arrangements, original programming, and engaging rapport with audiences.
WEEK SIX, JUNE 8-12
FROM THE TOP JUNE 8, WITH CHRISTOPHER O'RILEY, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
For the past decade, “From the Top” has been the preeminent showcase for America's best young musicians through its weekly NPR radio series and its recent television show on PBS. The Boston Pops celebrates the 10th anniversary of this successful program with a concert featuring young musicians from Boston and across the country, who join Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops for a live taping of the popular radio program, this time with acoustically acclaimed Symphony Hall serving as backdrop. Renowned pianist Christopher O'Riley, who shares a special rapport with the musicians, will serve in his role as program host.
AN EVENING OF COLE PORTER WITH BROADWAY STAR KELLI O'HARA, JUNE 9-11, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Spotlighting the extraordinary talents of Broadway star Kelli O'Hara, these programs pay special tribute to legendary composer/songwriter Cole Porter, one of the best-known contributors to the Great American Songbook. Vocal Fellows from the Tanglewood Music Center, the Boston Symphony's prestigious summer music academy for young professional musicians, will also be featured in this program, to include such Cole Porter hits as “I've Got You Under My Skin,” “In the Still of the Night,” “Love for Sale,” “Night and Day,” and “Don't Fence Me In,” as well as favorites from the Tony award-winning musical comedy Kiss Me, Kate.
Kelli O'Hara recently starred on Broadway as Nellie Forbush in the Tony Award-winning revival of South Pacific. She has also appeared on Broadway in A Light in the Piazza, for which she was nominated for Tony and Drama Desk awards, The Sweet Smell of Success opposite John Lithgow, and with Harry Connick, Jr., in The Pajama Game.
GOSPEL NIGHT, JUNE 12, CHARLES FLOYD CONDUCTING
Conductor Charles Floyd, special guests, and the Boston Pops Gospel Choir, bring thrilling performances of the some of America's best contemporary Gospel music to Symphony Hall. The passion, delight, and sense of celebration that these programs have consistently evoked, have made them one of the highlights of every Pops season.
In January 2009, Charles Floyd conducted the HBO pre-inaugural concert “We Are One” on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for President Barack Obama. Leader of the beloved Gospel Night at Pops since 1993, Charles Floyd has worked with orchestras throughout the country and world and enjoyed an eleven-year tenure as music director for singer Natalie Cole. Projects with Ms. Cole have included the multiple Grammy Award-winning tribute to Nat King Cole entitled Unforgettable, With Love, the Emmy Award-winning PBS Great Performances concert video of the same title, as well as the Grammy-winning releases Take a Look and Stardust. Charles Floyd has created arrangements and orchestrations for wide variety of artists, including Sting, Elton John, Patti LaBelle, Grace Bumbry, James Taylor, Yolanda Adams, Mark O'Conner, k.d. lang, Stevie Wonder, and Wynona Judd.
WEEK SEVEN, JUNE 15-20
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN JUNE 15 AND 16, EMIL DECOU CONDUCTING
Re-mastered clips from the great movie musicals of Rodgers & Hammerstein come together with the films' original vocals and a live orchestra soundtrack by the Boston Pops for this inventive program honoring two of America's most revered musical theater figures. Prime-time anchor of Turner Classic Movies television network Robert Osborne hosts the evening of memorable scenes from classic films such as Oklahoma! and Carousel, both starring Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, South Pacific starring Mitzi Gaynor and Rossano Brazzi, The King and I starring Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner, and The Sound of Music starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. Audiences will hear these iconic performances of the past reinvigorated by the presence of full orchestral sound.
Dynamic American conductor Emil DeCou serves as the associate conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra and as the NSO @ Wolf Trap festival conductor. He has conducted orchestras throughout the country, most recently, at the request of soloist Renée Fleming, leading a performance with the Colorado Symphony and the NSO's traditional Labor Day performance on the West Lawn of the Capitol. Turner Classic Movies network's Robert Osborne hosts four primetime movies each night on the network, was a longtime columnist for the Hollywood Reporter, and is the author of the book 80 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards, released in 2008.
THE WORLD OF ARLO GUTHRIE, JUNE 17 AND JUNE 18, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Folk music icon and legendary artist Arlo Guthrie will be featured in performances of the unforgettable classics so long associated with the Guthrie Family legacy. With his singular voice as both a singer-songwriter, story teller, and social commentator, Guthrie will also share timeless stories that have captivated and entertained audiences over many decades. The evening will also feature the Boston Pops debut of the ground-breaking string trio Time for Three, who will perform the Boston premiere of a new work, “Travel in Time for Three,” by Chris Brubeck.
Singer, songwriter, social commentator, and folk music icon Arlo Guthrie has been performing for more than four decades and has a fan base that spans the globe. Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant," "City of New Orleans" and "The Motorcycle Song," along with his memorable appearance at 1969's Woodstock Festival, have made him a household name. Guthrie has previously joined the Pops at Symphony Hall in a concert that was broadcast on Evening at Pops and on the Esplanade for the Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular in 2001. String trio Time for Three, whose music melds elements of classical, country western, gypsy, and jazz to create a sound all their own, have performed with artists ranging from the Philadelphia Orchestra to k.d. lang. Chris Brubeck began performing with his father, the legendary Dave Brubeck in the 1970s. Having distinguished himself as an innovative jazz and rock performer on the bass, trombone, piano and guitar, he has recently earned international acclaim as a composer.
FATHER'S DAY FAMILY CONCERT WITH DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN, JUNE 20 3PM, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
This special Father's Day concert features the Boston Pops debut of Haitian-American artist Daniel Bernard Roumain, the innovative composer, performer, violinist, and bandleader, who melds his classical music roots with his own cultural references and vibrant musical imagination. Mr. Roumain is composing a new work for six string violin and orchestra to receive its world premiere at the June 20 concert. This interactive program will feature two of the most beloved classic works written for children: the timeless tale Peter and the Wolf and the whimsical suite Carnival of the Animals. In a dynamic collaboration with the Underground Railway Theater of Cambridge, young members of the audience will participate in the performance using movement and puppetry. The program will also include some of the iconic film score themes of John Williams.
As a composer, Daniel Bernard Roumain has written works that range from orchestral scores and chamber pieces to music for film, theater, modern dance, and electronica. He has been spotlighted as a "New face of classical music" by Esquire Magazine, served as assistant composer-in-residence at the Orchestra of St. Luke's and music director of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, and recently collaborated and performed with Lady Gaga on FOX's American Idol. Underground Railway Theater works to create dynamic connections between high-quality professional theater and community. Combining actors, puppets and music, URT presents theater of social content and great visual beauty— theater that challenges and delights, informs and celebrates.
TICKET AND SPONSORHIP INFORMATION
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the 2010 Boston Pops season at Symphony Hall, priced from $20-$99, go on sale at 10 a.m. on February 22. All performances start at 8 p.m. with the exception of the Sunday Family Concert at 3 p.m. on June 20. Tickets for “Opening Night at Pops” on May 4 are priced from $40 to $119.
Tickets may be purchased online at www.bostonpops.org or by phone through SymphonyCharge at 617-266-1200 or 888-266-1200, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (with a $5.50 handling fee for each ticket ordered online or by phone). Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Symphony Hall box office, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and on Sunday from 1 p.m. through the first concert intermission on concert dates. Most major credit cards and cash are accepted at the box office. For Group Sales of 25 or more, please call 617-638-9345 or 800-933-4255.
Tickets to the gala fund raiser, Presidents at Pops, on May 18, start at $500, with some options including tickets to an exclusive Boat Cruise and Esplanade Concert on July 3, as well an additional Pops 125 event to be announced soon. For further information, call 617-638-9466.
The Boston Symphony has a dedicated line for disabled patrons who would like to purchase tickets to BSO, Boston Pops, or Tanglewood concerts, or who need information about disability services at Symphony Hall or Tanglewood. This line can be reached by dialing 617-638-9431. For access via TDD/TTY, please call 617-638-9289. Patrons with disabilities can access Symphony Hall through the Cohen Wing on Huntington Avenue or through the Massachusetts Avenue entrance.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Spend your summer
I hope you will consider coming and seeing a concert or two at the West Branch Music Festival this July!
If you are a musician, I would also ask that you take a look at the roster and recommend your students to apply for some amazing training with some of the world's great music makers! Check it out for yourself!
Monday, February 08, 2010
Sunny SA
Take a look at the blue sky! I enjoy showing off where I live, and San Antonio is one of the most popular places I have lived, judging how many friends have come to visit!
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