PNC Pops Presents THE ULTIMATE OSCARS at Heinz Hall, Today

The Oscar celebration starts early this year with PNC Pops: The Ultimate Oscars at Heinz Hall on February 5-7.

Former Resident Conductor Lawrence Loh returns to celebrate the last 50 years of Oscar-winning scores with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. From John Williams to John Barry, audiences will enjoy unforgettable music from films like "Titantic," "Schindler's List," "The Godfather," "Avatar," "Star Wars" and more!

"As a lifelong fan of film music, this concert is truly the 'ultimate' thrill. I couldn't imagine any of these films without these award-winning scores and this concert serves as an amazing playlist of music," says Loh. "I would argue that the films themselves owe much of their success to the masterful scoring by these brilliant composers. I can't wait to work with my friends at the Pittsburgh Symphony to bring these scores to life!"

This concert also features the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Student Chorale, directed by Christine Hestwood and composed of students from Belle Vernon Area High School, Blackhawk High School, California University of Pennsylvania, Duquesne University, Grove City College, Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, Point Park University, Quaker Valley High School, Seneca Valley High School, South Fayette High School, Upper St. Clair High School and the University of Pittsburgh.

Please note that film clips are not included in this performance.

A night that movie music lovers won't want to miss, tickets to PNC Pops: The Ultimate Oscars begin at only $24. Performances are Friday, February 5 and Saturday, February 6 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, February7 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and are available at the Heinz Hall box office, online at pittsburghsymphony.org/oscars or by phone at 412-392-4900.

The Pittsburgh Symphony would like to recognize and thank PNC for its 2015-2016 title sponsorship of PNC Pops. Fairmont Pittsburgh is the official hotel of the Pittsburgh Symphony.

About the Artists

LAWRENCE LOH is a dynamic American conductor of impressive range and talent. He is the newly appointed inaugural music director of Symphoria, founded by former members of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. He also holds the position of music director of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic. Additionally, Loh was recently named artistic director and principal conductor of the Syracuse Opera.

Since his appointment as music director of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic in 2005, the orchestra has made its mark as an ensemble of superb musicianship, performing electrifying concerts year-round. Off the podium, Loh is very active in the region as an arts leader and music advocate. He created a very successful Apprentice Conductor Program in 2012, designed to help identify and train the next generation of young conductors.

From 2005 to 2015, Loh had a very successful association with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as assistant, associate and resident conductor. He worked closely with Music Director Manfred Honeck and conducted a wide range of concerts including classical, educational and pops. He was active in the Pittsburgh Symphony's Community Engagement Concerts, extending the symphony's reach into other communities and led the groundbreaking Sensory Friendly concert in 2015, one of the first of its kind. He made his debut on the main classical series conducting Handel's Messiah in December 2008. For many years, Loh led the enormously popular Fiddlesticks Family Concert Series, playing the part of script writer, host and conductor. Upon ending his tenure with the Pittsburgh Symphony in 2015, Loh was immediately reengaged for two weeks in the 2015-16 season.

While in Pittsburgh, Loh was also music director of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra. He led this world-renowned orchestra in concerts at Heinz Hall and throughout the Pittsburgh community. He led PYSO on two international tours to Central Europe and Italy.

Having a particular affinity for pops programming, Loh has been engaged for repeat performances with Chris Botti, Idina Menzel, Ann Hampton Callaway, the Texas Tenors and more. He has assisted John Williams on multiple occasions, and conducted numerous sold out John Williams tribute concerts. He is particularly adept at conducting concerts synchronizing live orchestral music with film and has led Pixar in Concert, Disney in Concert, Wizard of Ozand Singin' in the Rain, among others.

Loh is active as a guest conductor, both in the U.S. and abroad. Recent engagements include the National (Washington D.C.), Knoxville, Florida, Dallas, El Paso, San Luis Obispo, Edmonton, Colorado, Charleston (SC), Detroit, Malaysia, Daejeon (South Korea) and Greater Bridgeport Orchestras. His summer appearances include the festivals of Bravo Vail Valley, Aspen (CO), Mann Center in Philadelphia, Breckenridge, Las Vegas, Hot Springs (AR), the Kinhaven Music School (VT) and the Performing Arts Institute (PA).

Loh held the positions of assistant and associate conductor of the Dallas Symphony from 2001 to 2005. He was brought to national attention in February 2004 when he stepped in to conduct on short notice for an ailing Charles Dutoit, conducting Stravinsky's Petrouchka and Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique. Prior to his Dallas appointment, Loh was appointed by Music Director Marin Alsop to be associate conductor of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and was also music director of the Denver Young Artists Orchestra.

In May 1998, Loh received his Artist Diploma in orchestral conducting from Yale University, earning the Eleazar de Carvalho Prize, given to the most outstanding conductor in the Yale graduating class. He received further training at the world-renowned Aspen Music Festival and School. He received his M.M. in choral conducting from Indiana University while also studying clarinet with Howard Klug and voice with Roy Samuelsen. He began the DMA program in opera and instrumental conducting at IU before transferring to Yale. His received his B.A. and Certificate of Management Studies from the University of Rochester. In 2001, Loh was the guest curator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science for "What Makes Music?" an interactive exhibit, offering the opportunity to explore the science of music and sound, as well as the role of music in culture.

Loh was born in southern California of Korean parentage and raised in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He and his wife Jennifer have a son, Charlie, and a daughter, Hilary. Follow him on instagram @conductorlarryloh or twitter @lawrenceloh, or visit his website lawrenceloh.com

The PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA STUDENT CHORALE is composed of high school and collegiate singers from the greater Pittsburgh Area. The Student Chorale was created by the late Principal Pops Conductor Marvin Hamlisch and Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh Music Director Emeritus Robert Page.

MARK HUGGINS was named associate concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 1987. He is a frequent soloist in the Pittsburgh Symphony's BNY Mellon Grand Classics, PNC Pops and education concerts. In addition, he is actively involved in the Orchestra's Community Outreach program, performing chamber music concerts in outlying communities. Before coming to Pittsburgh, he was a member of the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1981 to 1987 and was active as a soloist and in chamber music throughout Europe and in Japan. He frequently toured Europe with the Chamber Music group Ensemble Klassik. From 1979 to 1981, he taught violin at the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève and performed with the Trio de Genève in Switzerland and France. In 1981, he made his recital debut in London's Wigmore Hall.

In the United States, he has participated in the Aspen Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, Cleveland Chamber Music Seminar and the Marlboro Music Festival. A native of Palo Alto, California, Huggins began his violin studies at age 7 with Jenny Rudin, and made his first public performance there at age 10. He studied further with Zvi Zeitlin, Dorothy Delay and Donald Weilerstein. He graduated from the Eastman School of Music with a performer's certificate. While a student at Eastman, he won the Concerto Competition.

In Pittsburgh, he has been a member of the Carnegie Mellon Trio with Harry Franklin and Anne Martindale Williams, and has taught violin as a member of the Duquesne University faculty. Currently, he teaches privately.

The PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, celebrating its 120th anniversary year in 2016, is credited with a rich history of The world's finest conductors and musicians, and a strong commitment to the Pittsburgh region and its citizens. Past music directors have included Fritz Reiner (1938-1948), William Steinberg (1952-1976), Andre Previn (1976-1984), Lorin Maazel (1984-1996) and Mariss Jansons (1995-2004). This tradition of outstanding international music directors was furthered in fall 2008, when Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck became music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony. The orchestra has been at the forefront of championing new American works, and gave the first performance of Leonard Bernstein's Symphony No. 1 "Jeremiah" in 1944 and John Adams' Short Ride in a Fast Machine in 1986. The Pittsburgh Symphony has a long and illustrious history in the areas of recordings and radio concerts. As early as 1936, the Pittsburgh Symphony broadcast on the airwaves coast-to-coast and in the late 1970s it made the ground breaking PBS series "Previn and the Pittsburgh." The orchestra has received increased national attention since 1982 through network radio broadcasts on Public Radio International, produced by Classical WQED-FM 89.3, made possible by the musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. With a long and distinguished history of touring both domestically and overseas since 1900-including 36 international tours to Europe, the Far East and South America-the Pittsburgh Symphony continues to be critically acclaimed as one of the world's greatest orchestras.

HEINZ HALL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS is owned and operated by Pittsburgh Symphony, Inc., a non-profit organization, and is the year-round home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The cornerstone of Pittsburgh's Cultural District, Heinz Hall also hosts many other events that do not feature its world-renowned orchestra, including Broadway shows, comedians, speakers and much more. For a full calendar of upcoming non-symphony events at the hall, visit heinzhall.org

Editors please note:

Friday, February 5, 8 p.m.

Saturday, February 6, 8 p.m.

Sunday, February 7, 2:30 p.m.

Heinz Hall

PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

PNC POPS: THE ULTIMATE OSCARS

LAWRENCE LOH, conductor

PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA STUDENT CHORALE (Christine Hestwood, director)

MARK HUGGINS, violin

Alfred Newman (arr. Jovic) 20th Century Fox Fanfare

Jeff Tyzik The Big Movie Suite

Nino Rota Waltz from The Godfather

Richard Rodgers Selections from Oklahoma

John Barry (orch. Raine) Theme from Out of Africa

James Horner (arr. Pesavento) "Avatar Suite"

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Student Chorale

Vangelis (arr. Raine) Theme from Chariots of Fire

Elton John "Circle of Life" from The Lion King

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Student Chorale

Ernest Gold (arr. Bennett) Exodus: An Orchestral Tone Poem

John Williams Theme from Schindler's List

Mr. Huggins

John Williams "Flying Theme" from E. T. (The Extra-Terrestrial)

James Horner (edit. Redford) Suite from Titanic

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Student Chorale

John Williams "Main Title" from Star Wars

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