Pasadena Symphony and POPS Celebrates America with Music Under the Stars

The Pasadena Symphony and POPS extends the July 4th celebration with its annual free Music Under the Stars concert on Saturday, July 7 at Pasadena City Hall's Centennial Square. Presented with sponsorship support from Bank of America, the 2018 Music Under the Stars concert will illuminate the night sky with treasured songs penned by iconic American composers John Williams, John Philip Sousa and more. Celebrate America with old-fashioned favorites like Birth of the Blues, Stars and Stripes Forever, and Hymn to the Fallen, along with Broadway hits Somewhere, Some Enchanted Evening, and more.

Under the baton of Tony Award-nominated, Resident POPS Conductor Larry Blank, the orchestra will welcome three guest vocalists and the JPL Chorus to the stage. Best known for his outstanding renditions of patriotic songs, Maximo Marcuso, the "Tenor of the Americas" will bring his booming voice to classics like "America the Beautiful." Regarded as a "musical and theatrical marvel" by the San Francisco Chronicle, Lisa Vroman has countless Broadway credits under her belt, most notably starring for over eight years on Broadway, in San Francisco, and in Los Angeles as Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera. And, returning again this year is Broadway's Christina Saffran, a true triple threat, who will dazzle and amaze with her powerful yet sultry voice.

The family fun begins at 6:00pm with pre-concert activities, family-style picnicking and gourmet food trucks. Families can discover the wonder of creating their own music with the instruments of the orchestra at the instrument "petting zoo," where kids of all ages can toot flutes, blow trumpets, bow strings and bang on percussion instruments. Families can bring their own picnic along to enjoy at the site, or purchase a variety of offerings from a collection of gourmet food trucks.

This family-friendly event is presented with the support of Bank of America's arts program, which supports nonprofit arts and culture presenters at the local level and with leading world-class arts entities. Other programs include the Museums on Us® program, which offers Bank of America customers free access to 150 of America's finest cultural institutions, and the Art in our Communities® program through which the company shares its corporate collection with museums throughout the world.

Gates open at 6:00pm and the concert begins at 8:00pm. Admission to this event is free, and guests are encouraged to bring a picnic, blanket and low-back chairs. Rental chairs will also be available for purchase. For more information, visit PasadenaSymphony-Pops.org or call 626.793.7172.

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