Dear California Pops Orchestra Supporter,


PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release September 14, 2009 CALIFORNIA POPS ORCHESTRA LAUNCHES FIVE-SHOW SEASON The California Pops Orchestra premiers its ambitious, 21^st, 2009-2010 season with HEROES, HEARTTHROBS AND HIGH ADVENTURE, presenting award-winning music from Oscar-winning hits of the Silver Screen. The opening show will have an evening performance at Spangenberg Theatre, Gunn High School, Palo Alto, on Saturday, October 10 at 7:30 pm, and a matinee performance at Venture Christian Theatre, Los Gatos, on Sunday, October 11 at 3:00 pm. Most of the Pops shows will be performed at both venues. The California Pops, the nation’s only all-request symphony orchestra, and one of the few exclusively pops orchestras, is under the baton of musical director Kim Venaas of Palo Alto, now in his 15th year as conductor and Master of Ceremonies. Highlights of the movie-themed show will include music from “The Lion King,” “The High and the Mighty” and various James Bond 007 and Indiana Jones movies. The 62-piece Palo Alto-based orchestra will also play “A Portrait of Hitch,” a musical tribute to the legendary director Alfred Hitchcock, written by his musical collaborator, Bernard Herrmann. Maestro Venaas will also present the original musical scores of “Around the World in 80 Days” and “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” and the stirring movie scores of Ennio Morricone, composer of musical themes for “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” “The Untouchables” and “Cinema Paradiso.” As a bonus, he will provide a live accompaniment by the Pops to a surprise silent movie The POPS FAMILY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL will be performed at the Venture Christian Theatre on Sunday, December 20, at 3 pm. The program presents Christmas music in swing-style with carols in upbeat tempos. Holiday music will include unique treatments including “White Christmas in Brass,” featuring a trio of tubas, and Christmas music by Morton Gould. A musical performance of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” will feature children on stage and narration by the suave and charming British performer, Alan Dale. The great radio shows of the 1930s will be saluted in nostalgic live radio format in THE BIG BROADCAST OF 2010, at the Venture Christian Theatre on February 21, 2010 at 3:00 pm. Kim Venaas and the Pops will be joined by the California Pops Radio Players, British actor Alan Dale, wacky Whizzo products and a host of sound effects in this fun and timely tribute to live radio. Also on the bill are the adventures of Jack Hammer, a Pops-created gumshoe, and “Flight of the Bumblebee” featuring the Pops’ three incredible trumpets blazing away onstage at the 1,100-seat theater. The Pops' big-band show, entitled MILLER, GOODMAN, DORSEY AND FRIENDS, will augment the orchestra with the Black Tie Jazz Big Band, an all-professional group also headed by Venaas plus star pianist Frederick Hodges. Fresh big-band arrangements will be featured; performances will be on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 7:30 pm at Spangenberg Theatre, and on Sunday, April 11, at 3:00 pm at Venture Christian Theatre. Many of the pieces featured are from the “Save the Music” collection, a Pops rescue project saving from destruction 2,500 musical arrangements from radio and theatre orchestras of the 1920s, '30s and ‘40s. Scores from “Guys and Dolls,” “Slaughter on 10th Avenue,” “42nd Street” and “The Pajama Game,” plus audience sing-a-longs, will be featured in the MAGICAL BROADWAY MOMENTS show which closes the season. Performances will be on Saturday, May 22nd, 2010 at 7:30 pm at Spangenberg Theatre and on Sunday, May 23rd at 3:00 pm at the Venture Christian Theatre. Other tunes will include “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” “Company,” “Oklahoma,” and many more vintage and contemporary Broadway smash hits. Discount flexible season tickets Pick any 5 shows. $130 adults, $110 seniors, $85 students (with student ID) and $40 children (ages 10 and under with parent). Individual Show Tickets $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students (with student ID) and $10 children (ages 10 and under with parent). Discounted group tickets are also available by contacting the Pops office Tickets may be purchased online at www.californiapopsorchestra.com or call the Pops Office at (650) 856-8432. The California Pops is unique in the Bay Area. "Nowhere else can people in our communities come year-round to experience the drama, romance and thrills of movie music, Broadway, jazz, pop and rock played by a big, live orchestra", said Venaas. The tall, debonair conductor brings a breezy, informal style to his shows, chatting with the audience and bringing laughter reeling off jokes and one-liners. If you have a wedding anniversary or birthday, he lets the audience know. “Some fans call us ‘the Boston Pops meets Prairie Home Companion’", he laughs. The Pops includes musicians with training from distinguished conservatories including Julliard and Oberlin. In addition to the professional musicians in its ranks it also draws from scientists, engineers, educators and marketing professionals throughout Northern California who love this music and love playing to full houses of happy, laughing audiences. Venaas: "This diversity in background makes the Pops a delight to play with and a never-ending source of ideas, inspiration and humor." He adds that many of their musicians have become tired of playing only "classical" repertoire. The opportunity to explore popular music from the movies, Broadway, big bands and more is irresistible to these talented musicians. The Pops is building a musical library that includes light classics, jazz, Latin, movie, Broadway, TV, cartoons, circus, vaudeville and big band. Many of these orchestrations are long out of print and led to the Pops' urgent mission to Los Angeles to save countless musical scores from the dumpsters and led to the formation of their "Save the Music" crusade. For additional information please contact Vic Befera, California Pops Public/Media relations at (650) 328-3936 Pops debuts a new website www.californiapopsorchestra.com including a press page for downloading hi-res photos, press releases, calendar listing and more. Press page link: www.californiapopsorchestra.com/cpopressroom.html Thank you for your support! Vic Befera Media Relation

CPO 09-10 season

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

September 14, 2009

CALIFORNIA POPS ORCHESTRA LAUNCHES FIVE-SHOW SEASON

The California Pops Orchestra premiers its ambitious, 21^st, 2009-2010 season with HEROES, HEARTTHROBS AND HIGH ADVENTURE, presenting award-winning music from Oscar-winning hits of the Silver Screen.

The opening show will have an evening performance at Spangenberg Theatre, Gunn High School, Palo Alto, on Saturday, October 10 at 7:30 pm, and a matinee performance at Venture Christian Theatre, Los Gatos, on Sunday, October 11 at 3:00 pm. Most of the Pops shows will be performed at both venues.

The California Pops, the nation’s only all-request symphony orchestra, and one of the few exclusively pops orchestras, is under the baton of musical director Kim Venaas of Palo Alto, now in his 15th year as conductor and Master of Ceremonies.

Highlights of the movie-themed show will include music from “The Lion King,” “The High and the Mighty” and various James Bond 007 and Indiana Jones movies. The 62-piece Palo Alto-based orchestra will also play “A Portrait of Hitch,” a musical tribute to the legendary director Alfred Hitchcock, written by his musical collaborator, Bernard Herrmann.

Maestro Venaas will also present the original musical scores of “Around the World in 80 Days” and “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” and the stirring movie scores of Ennio Morricone, composer of musical themes for “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” “The Untouchables” and “Cinema Paradiso.” As a bonus, he will provide a live accompaniment by the Pops to a surprise silent movie

The POPS FAMILY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL will be performed at the Venture Christian Theatre on Sunday, December 20, at 3 pm. The program presents Christmas music in swing-style with carols in upbeat tempos. Holiday music will include unique treatments including “White Christmas in Brass,” featuring a trio of tubas, and Christmas music by Morton Gould. A musical performance of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” will feature children on stage and narration by the suave and charming British performer, Alan Dale.

The great radio shows of the 1930s will be saluted in nostalgic live radio format in THE BIG BROADCAST OF 2010, at the Venture Christian Theatre on February 21, 2010 at 3:00 pm. Kim Venaas and the Pops will be joined by the California Pops Radio Players, British actor Alan Dale, wacky Whizzo products and a host of sound effects in this fun and timely tribute to live radio. Also on the bill are the adventures of Jack Hammer, a Pops-created gumshoe, and “Flight of the Bumblebee” featuring the Pops’ three incredible trumpets blazing away onstage at the 1,100-seat theater.

The Pops' big-band show, entitled MILLER, GOODMAN, DORSEY AND FRIENDS, will augment the orchestra with the Black Tie Jazz Big Band, an all-professional group also headed by Venaas plus star pianist Frederick Hodges. Fresh big-band arrangements will be featured; performances will be on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 7:30 pm at Spangenberg Theatre, and on Sunday, April 11, at 3:00 pm at Venture Christian Theatre. Many of the pieces featured are from the “Save the Music” collection, a Pops rescue project saving from destruction 2,500 musical arrangements from radio and theatre orchestras of the 1920s, '30s and ‘40s.

Scores from “Guys and Dolls,” “Slaughter on 10th Avenue,” “42nd Street” and “The Pajama Game,” plus audience sing-a-longs, will be featured in the MAGICAL BROADWAY MOMENTS show which closes the season. Performances will be on Saturday, May 22nd, 2010 at 7:30 pm at Spangenberg Theatre and on Sunday, May 23rd at 3:00 pm at the Venture Christian Theatre. Other tunes will include “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” “Company,” “Oklahoma,” and many more vintage and contemporary Broadway smash hits.

Discount flexible season tickets

Pick any 5 shows. $130 adults, $110 seniors, $85 students (with student ID) and $40 children (ages 10 and under with parent).

Individual Show Tickets

$30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students (with student ID) and $10 children (ages 10 and under with parent).

Discounted group tickets are also available by contacting the Pops office

Tickets may be purchased online at www.californiapopsorchestra.com or call the Pops Office at (650) 856-8432.

The California Pops is unique in the Bay Area. "Nowhere else can people in our communities come year-round to experience the drama, romance and thrills of movie music, Broadway, jazz, pop and rock played by a big, live orchestra", said Venaas. The tall, debonair conductor brings a breezy, informal style to his shows, chatting with the audience and bringing laughter reeling off jokes and one-liners.

If you have a wedding anniversary or birthday, he lets the audience know. “Some fans call us ‘the Boston Pops meets Prairie Home Companion’", he laughs. The Pops includes musicians with training from distinguished conservatories including Julliard and Oberlin. In addition to the professional musicians in its ranks it also draws from scientists, engineers, educators and marketing professionals throughout Northern California who love this music and love playing to full houses of happy, laughing audiences. Venaas: "This diversity in background makes the Pops a delight to play with and a never-ending source of ideas, inspiration and humor." He adds that many of their musicians have become tired of playing only "classical" repertoire. The opportunity to explore popular music from the movies, Broadway, big bands and more is irresistible to these talented musicians.

The Pops is building a musical library that includes light classics, jazz, Latin, movie, Broadway, TV, cartoons, circus, vaudeville and big band. Many of these orchestrations are long out of print and led to the Pops' urgent mission to Los Angeles to save countless musical scores from the dumpsters and led to the formation of their "Save the Music" crusade.

For additional information please contact Vic Befera, California Pops Public/Media relations at (650) 328-3936

Pops debuts a new website www.californiapopsorchestra.com including a press page for downloading hi-res photos, press releases, calendar listing and more.

Press page link: www.californiapopsorchestra.com/cpopressroom.html

Thank you for your support!

Vic Befera

Media Relation