The Philly POPS Bring THE MAGICAL MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS to the Kimmel Center This Weekend

No one writes more recognizable movie scores than John Williams, and today, April 4 through 6, Maestro Michael Krajewski will lead the Philly POPS as they take audiences on a journey through the great music of many popular movies. The Magical Music of John Williams concert will feature music from Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List and more. The POPS Festival Chorus will sing several selections. Guests will be surprised during the concert by local Star Wars enthusiasts who are members of the 501st Legion, Garrison Carida, the world's largest costuming organization, in character as Darth Vader, Chewbacca, R2D3, C3PO, and Storm Troopers.

The Magical Music of John Williams concerts are on Friday, April 4 (8 p.m.), Saturday, April 5 and Sunday, April 6 (3 p.m.) in Verizon Hall at The Kimmel Center of the Performing Arts at 300 S Broad St Philadelphia, PA 19102. Tickets range in price from $30 to $134 and may be purchased through www.phillypops.org or by phone at 215-893-1999.

The career of John Williams, the composer, conductor and pianist, has spanned over six decades. Williams has won five Academy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, seven British Academy Film Awards and 21 Grammy Awards. With 49 Academy Award nominations, he is the second most-nominated person, after Walt Disney. Many people are surprised about the diversity of Williams' catalogue of music as it also includes the well-known calypso-based theme song to Gilligan's Island, the popular television show, the theme music for four Olympic Games, NBC Sunday Night Football, the NBC Nightly News, the television series Lost in Space and Land of the Giants. Williams was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame in 2000, and was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004.

The movies are always a great focus for a POPS concert as everyone knows music provides the transcending themes that evoke emotion and excitement as soon as a film begins. Krajewski has conducted many concerts with these popular songs and scores and knows the great popularity of the genius of John Williams. He said, "John William's music is universally known because of its association with so many highly revered movies. Many of the musical themes like those from Jaws, Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark, are iconic and firmly embedded in people's minds. The real joy of this concert is hearing these famous themes come to life, live and in person, by the skilled musicians of the Philly POPS."

After The Magical Music of John Williams, the 2014 season ends with a concert series from May 16 to 18, 2014 entitled Sixties Hits Featuring The Midtown Men, who are the four original stars of Broadway's "Jersey Boys".

About The Philly POPS: Celebrating its 35th anniversary, the all-NEW Philly POPS continues playing the music audiences know and love to hear! Audiences are raving about the new energy of The Philly POPS and the talent and warm personality of Maestro Michael Krajewski, Music Director and Conductor. Krajewski conducts pops orchestras throughout the world and holds additional posts as Principal Pops Conductor with the Atlanta, Houston and Jacksonville Symphony Orchestras. The Philly POPS is the largest stand-alone POPS orchestra in America, performing in Verizon Hall at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 300 S. Broad Street in Philadelphia, and around the tri-state region, entertaining audiences with an eclectic mix of musical genres - from Big Band to Broadway, from Gershwin to the Beatles and beyond. The Philly POPS is a founding resident company of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. The orchestra boasts a blend of the most talented and best musicians from the musically rich Philadelphia region. The Philly POPS is presented by Encore Series, Inc. For more information about The Philly POPS and its current 2013-2104 season schedule, visit www.phillypops.org.

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