Princeton Symphony Orchestra to Perform Music from Movies, 2/7

On Saturday, February 7, at 8 pm, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) presents PSO Saturday Evening POPS!, recasting its annual mid-winter pops concert into A Silver Screen Salute. Hosted by NPR film critic Bob Mondello, conducted by PSO Music Director Rossen Milanov, and featuring a special guest appearance by the American Boychoir, the program spotlights the award-winning works of John Williams, composed for the popular box office films Star Wars, Schindler's List, Jurassic Park, and Indiana Jones. The voices of the American Boychoir join in on Amistad's "Dry Your Tears, Afrika," Saving Private Ryan's "Hymn to the Fallen," and Empire of the Sun's "Cadillac of the Skies" and "Exsultate Justi." Many other movie scores will be represented, including music from The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Cinema Paradiso, Laura, The Magnificent Seven, Sunset Boulevard, Lawrence of Arabia, and Vertigo.

"We've taken our pops program from 'stage to screen'," says PSO Executive Director Melanie Clarke. "After ten years of a successful PSO Broadway POPS! run, we were drawn to the lush orchestral soundtracks of motion pictures' most memorable scores. So many people recall an early exposure to orchestral music via favorite films and videos. We are thrilled to recognize the artistry and impact of movie music throughout cinematic history in a program that is shaping up to be one of the most marvelous musical events of the winter."

Bob Mondello will provide commentary as host, giving insights into the vital role music plays in each of the selected movies. For more than three decades, Bob Mondello has reviewed movies and covered the arts for NPR News, sharing critiques and commentaries about the most intriguing films on All Things Considered.

A frequent collaborator in movie productions, The American Boychoir recently starred along with Dustin Hoffman and Kathy Bates in the feature film Boychoir, which was premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last September. Previously, the choir sang in Empire of the Sun, Interview with the Vampire, and Wide Awake.

With PSO Saturday Evening POPS!, the PSO welcomes a new community partner, the Princeton Garden Theatre whose Associate Director, Chris Collier, served as a consultant on the programming for A Silver Screen Salute. The theater will screen the film noir Laura on Thursday, January 22, at 7pm; its haunting and familiar theme by David Raskin will be performed at the PSO concert.

PSO Saturday Evening POPS! is made possible through the support of Edward E. Matthews, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Paneyko, Mr. and Mrs. Elwood W. Phares, and Mr. and Mrs. John Steffens. Northern Trust, a leading global provider of financial services, is the exclusive corporate sponsor.

Tickets for PSO Saturday Evening POPS! are on sale now for $75, $60, $48, $30 and $25 (students 17 and under). To order, visit www.princetonsymphony.org or call: (609) 497-0020.

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