City Of Philadelphia To Honor Philly POPS 40th Anniversary During Weeklong July 4 Festival
By: A.A. Cristi Jun. 21, 2018
This year's Wawa Welcome America festival, a weeklong July 4 celebration, will honor the 40th anniversary of The Philly POPS and its contributions to the community through its music education program and concert series honoring the military, veterans, and first responders.
At May 21's announcement event, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said:
"I'm happy to announce Wawa Welcome America will recognize Frank Giordano and The Philly POPS organization as the '2018 Welcome America Honoree.' We will shine a spotlight on The Philly POPS organization for its commitment to children in the School District of Philadelphia with the POPS in Schools supplemental music education program. Equally important is the Salute Series, where The Philly POPS offers free concerts for those serving as military, police, and fire personnel. Thank you, Frank and The Philly POPS, for your creativity, your hard work and for being an important part of Wawa Welcome America."
As a partner of civic celebration with the City of Philadelphia, The POPS is involved in two major city-wide initiatives including POPS in Schools and the Salute Series.
POPS in Schools brings supplemental music education into elementary schools and high schools across the School District of Philadelphia with the goal of building the next generation of musicians and arts lovers. At the Celebration of Freedom Ceremony on July 4, Chaitali Kidd, a sixth grader from the Delaplaine McDaniel School, will perform a short, solo version of "Joyful, Joyful." In addition, members of the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush jazz band will embed in The POPS BIG Band, which is providing the live soundtrack for the event.
The Salute Series honors local Police, Firefighters, members of the Military, Veterans, and their families with complimentary tickets to nine large-scale, patriotic performances throughout the year.
Philly POPS CEO and President Frank Giordano said:
"Independence Week holds a special place in the history of the POPS. The orchestra first performed during the city's celebration in 1980. This July, we will enter our 40th season. There is no better place or time to mark this milestone in POPS history than during this year's Wawa Welcome America festival at Independence Hall."
The Philly POPS performs multiple times during the Wawa Welcome America festival. Salute Series shows are presented by Comcast NBCUniversal.
July 3
With the backdrop of Independence Hall, the 65-piece Philly POPS orchestra, led by Music Director-Designate Todd Ellison, will perform a patriotic, entertaining show. POPS on Independence has become a Philadelphia tradition enjoyed by 15,000 locals and visitors each year.
The orchestra will be joined by Tony and Grammy winner, R&B hitmaker, and international singing sensation Heather Headley as well as Philadelphia's own Justin Hopkins - a frequent guest artist with the POPS.
In line with The POPS celebration of its 40th Anniversary, POPS on Independence and the 2018-19 concert season are dedicated to Philadelphia's artists, musicians and composers. This year, the POPS embraces the magic that is American pop music through a carefully curated set of music and performances, each with a unique connection to Philadelphia's history and its neighborhoods.
July 3's show will feature songs that have connections to POPS history and that showcase artists and music with Philly roots, including performances of:
- "I Got Rhythm," which the POPS performed at its inaugural concert in 1979. The song is also featured in the new Tony-winning Broadway show An American In Paris, which was conducted by July 3's Music Director-Designate Todd Ellison.
- Sousa's "Liberty Bell March," which the POPS performed at its first July 4 on Independence Mall in 1980.
- "West Side Story Overture" by Curtis Institute graduate Leonard Bernstein, whose centenary is currently being celebrated worldwide and on Independence Mall with the National Museum of American Jewish History's The Power of Music exhibit.
July 4
Morning
The City of Philadelphia's Office of the City Representative and Independence National Historical Park will present the Celebration of Freedom Ceremony at Independence Hall where The Philly POPS will be honored for its 40-year history in Philadelphia and contributions to education in schools.
Music Director-Designate Todd Ellison and The Philly POPS BIG Band will perform at 10 a.m., featuring soloist Chaitali Kidd of Delaplaine McDaniel School. Three members of the School District's All-City Jazz Orchestra who had attended the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush will join the BIG Band on stage for two patriotic pieces during the Ceremony. The annual July 4 Parade routing from Independence Mall to Penn's Landing, follows the presentation at 11 a.m.
Evening
The Philly POPS BIG Band with Heather Headley; Viva Más, a Philly-based quartet known for their songs in Spanish and English; and support from frequent POPS collaborators Tiffany Jones, DeShana Wooden and Christina Blankenship, will kick off the July 4 Concert on the Parkway.
The BIG Band - led by Philly POPS principal trumpet Matt Gallagher - plays swing, jazz and popular music from Latin to blues and rock. The BIG Band made history last July 4 with its memorable combination of R&B and rock to "Get the Party Started."
About Todd Ellison
Todd Ellison is the Music Director-Designate of The Philly POPS. Todd will assume the role of Music Director and Principal Conductor on July 1, 2019. Todd most was recently the Music Director for the well-known, Tony-winning show, An American In Paris, and is the music supervisor for the hit production of 42nd Street, now playing in London's West End. He also has a Roman Holiday premiere headed for Broadway, and has The Black and White Ball in prep for Broadway.
His impressive list of Broadway credits includes: Michel Legrand's Amour, Monty Python's Spamalot (Best Musical Tony Award), La Cage aux Folles (Best Musical Revival Tony Award), 42nd Street (Best Revival Tony Award), Elton John's Lestat, Annie, The Wild Party, On the Town, Once Upon a Mattress (starring Sarah Jessica Parker), How To Succeed (starring Matthew Broderick), She Loves Me, Taller than a Dwarf, and A Class Act. He was the music director of the beloved Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall for many seasons.
About Matt Gallagher
Matt Gallagher is principal trumpet with The Philly POPS and has performed in the orchestra for eight years. Matt has extensive credits with professional bands and orchestras across the East Coast. He has performed with several Broadway show productions and artists, including The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Boston Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, Diana Krall, Hugh Jackman, Aretha Franklin, the Temptations, The Four Tops, Lou Rawls, Bernadette Peters, the O'Jays, the Stylistics, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergrass, Barry Manilow, and many others.
Matt is currently the principal trumpet player for The Philly POPS and the lead trumpet guest for the Philadelphia Orchestra. In addition, Matt is a studio trumpet player at NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, N.J., and recently recorded for Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, R. Kelly, Jennifer Hudson and LL Cool J.
About Heather Headley
Heather is the original Nala from The Lion King on Broadway, the Tony-winning star of Aida and the Laurence Olivier Award nominee for her star turn in ?The Bodyguard musical. She's a Grammy winner and Billboard chart-topper for her R&B and Gospel albums. She has recently toured with Andrea Bocelli; POPS audiences saw her last December at the Wells Fargo Center.
Heather's performances at July 3's POPS on Independence with the full POPS orchestra and July 4's POPS on the Parkway with the BIG Band will preview a one-night-only show with the POPS at the Kimmel Center on October 12: The Philly POPS presents Heather Headley's Broadway My Way. Tickets to the October 12 show are available now as an add-on for current subscribers and will go on sale to the public on July 3.
Over the past few years, she has displayed her versatility as one of classical star Andrea Bocelli's favorite singing partners in many of his American and international tours. She and the POPS performed in Bocelli's 2015 and 2017 concerts at the Wells Fargo Center.
About Justin Hopkins
Equally comfortable in operatic, concert, pops, and musical theater repertoire, Philadelphia native Justin Hopkins is establishing himself as one of the most sought-after and versatile artists on the scene today. Justin made his debut with The Philly POPS in 2016 for POPS on Independence at Independence Mall.
Justin attended St. Joseph's Prep and was a member of the Philadelphia Boys Choir and Chorale from 1993-2002.
About Viva Más
Viva Más combines the soulful sounds of the City of Brotherly Love with the passionate Latin rhythms of their heritage. From English to Spanish and back again, Viva Más shares their love of singing with the world. The quartet has collaborated with writers and producers who have created hits for Boyz II Men, BabyFace, Beyonce, Enrique Inglesias, Jennifer Lopez and more.
Viva Más has performed at some of Philadelphia's largest events, such as Wawa's Welcome America Celebration and ABC's Thanksgiving Day Parade. They also performed for His Holiness, Pope Francis at the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.
About Tiffany Jones, Christina Blankenship and DeShana Wooden
Called an "A-list performer" (Philadelphia City Paper) and a "rising star" (Philadelphia Daily News), Philadelphia jazz-soul vocalist and performer Tiffany Jones has been lauded for the "soul and sincerity behind her voice." On July 4, 2017, Tiffany sang for thousands with Philly POPS BIG Band for the Wawa Welcome America Celebration. She shared the stage with Mandy Gonzalez, Boys II Men and Mary J. Blige.
Christina Blankenship is a graduate of Temple University with a degree in music education with a voice concentration and is currently a member of the Boyer School Alumni Board. She has also studied choral conducting with American conductor and composer Dr. Z.R. Stroope. Her Concert Choir has performed at events for President Obama, President Clinton, Vice-President Joe Biden, Muhammad Ali, Idina Menzel and Prime Minister Tony Blair.
DeShana Wooden is an emerging young vocalist from the Bronx, New York. She studied Jazz at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, earning her Bachelor of Music in 2015. DeShana performed as a background vocalist with Pops orchestras around the country in various styles, including Classic Soul, Country, and Rock. Currently, DeShana is building her career as a performance artist, using her diverse musical background to create works that speak to the human experience.
About The Philly POPS
The Philly POPS, the largest standalone pops orchestra in the United States, delights audiences with the inspired performance of American popular music. The POPS celebrates this distinctive musical heritage through an expanding repertoire of innovative concert presentations and a robust set of educational and engagement initiatives.
About the POPS BIG Band
The POPS BIG Band is composed of 18 musicians - saxophones, trumpets, trombones, drums, piano, guitar and bass. The BIG Band plays swing and jazz and has expanded its repertoire into all kinds of popular music from Latin to blues and rock. The Philly POPS BIG Band members were chosen for their passion for popular music. Each is also a teaching artist, adept at instructing the next generation of musicians.
The new Philly POPS BIG Band debuted on July 4, 2017 with two performances during the city of Philadelphia's Wawa Welcome America 2017 festival. In the morning, the ensemble played at the Celebration of Freedom ceremony and parade on Independence Mall. In the evening, the BIG Band opened the city's Wawa Welcome America July 4th Concert and Fireworks show on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. NBC10 and Telemundo62 televised both performances.
About the Salute Series
The Salute Series, presented by Comcast NBCUniversal, an expanding portfolio of free programs performed on American holidays, celebrates those who serve our country, its cities, and communities. Performances including Memorial Salute, POPS on Independence on July 3, POPS at the Celebration of Freedom Ceremony and POPS on the Parkway on July 4, and Veterans Salute showcase the magic of the orchestra to diverse and enthusiastic crowds. The annual I'll Be Home for Christmas concert rings in the holiday season with a free concert for active military, police, and fire department families.
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