The Pasadena Symphony and POPS is an American orchestra based in Pasadena, California . In 2010, it took up residence at the Ambassador Auditorium , where its Classics Series runs from October through April. Since 2012, it performs a summer series at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden from June through September.
20-574: The Pasadena Symphony was founded in 1928 as the Pasadena Civic Orchestra by Reginald Bland . From 1936 to 1972, Dr. Richard Lert served as Music Director and Conductor. Virginia Gregg played double bass in the orchestra at this time before starring on the radio. The symphony was recognized with Metropolitan Status by the American Symphony Orchestra League in 1968. The organization became known as
40-523: A performance from Dallas at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center . The Worldwide Church of God (WCG), which operated the college and auditorium, ceased operation of both in the 1990s and sold the property. The WCG later relocated its operations to nearby Glendora . On May 14, 2004, the church announced the sale of approximately 13 acres (53,000 m) of its former 31-acre (125,000 m) campus to Harvest Rock Church and Maranatha High School . The sale included
60-721: A similar position at the Opera in Darmstadt where he remained for four years. In 1916 he married harpist Vicki Baum (who later became a well-known novelist) and that same year joined the conducting staff of the Opern- und Schauspielhaus Frankfurt . From 1919-1923 Lert served as the music director of the Staatsoper Hannover and from 1923-1928 he was music director of the National Theatre Mannheim . He
80-833: Is a Mexican conductor of Hungarian ancestry. He has served as the artistic director for the Orquesta Filarmónica de Boca del Río, Veracruz , since it was founded in 2014. He studied conducting with Jean Morel at the Juilliard School in New York City, and worked with Leonard Bernstein at the Berkshire Music Center and with Albert Wolff . In 1955 he made his debut with the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico and in 1960 made his opera debut with Salome at
100-909: The Music Academy of the West in Montecito, California, serving on the faculty there for many years. In 1964 he was awarded the Golden Baton Award from the American Symphony Orchestra League . He died at the age of 94 in Mountain View, California . His papers are held in the collection at the library of the University of Southern California where he was also a faculty member. Jorge Mester Jorge Mester (born April 10, 1935, Mexico City )
120-954: The Spoleto Festival in Italy. Mester became music director of the Louisville Orchestra in 1967 and served in the post until 1979. In this time he gave over 200 world premieres of works commissioned by the orchestra. From 1970 to 1990, he was music director of the Aspen Music Festival , and there founded the Aspen Chamber Symphony. He became music director of the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra in 1984. His most recent contract extension had been through 2012, but in May 2010,
140-911: The Ambassador Auditorium, now under the sole ownership of the church. In addition to hosting its own services and high school functions, it hosts public performances by many regional ensembles including the Colburn Orchestra , California Philharmonic and the Pasadena Symphony and POPS. In summer 2012, the Pasadena POPS performed at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden , a 127-acre (51.4 ha) arboretum , botanical garden , and historical site in Arcadia . Beginning in 2011,
160-508: The Pasadena Symphony Association. Daniel Lewis served as Music Director and Conductor between 1972 and 1984. In 1984, Jorge Mester became Pasadena Symphony's fourth music director. In Fall 2007 the Pasadena Symphony incorporated the Pasadena POPS into its Association under the new name Pasadena Symphony and POPS. In 2007 Maestra Rachael Worby continued on from the previous Pasadena POPS Orchestra, assuming
180-682: The Pasadena Symphony has performed an annual Holiday Candlelight concert in Pasadena's All Saints Episcopal Church . The Pasadena Symphony was founded in 1928 as the Pasadena Civic Orchestra by Conductor Reginald Bland. The original orchestra members were all volunteer musicians, most of whom were students of Maestro Bland. The annual operating budget was $ 3,500, all of which were funded by the City of Pasadena. The symphony presented its first concert on April 29, 1929. Dr. Richard Lert
200-771: The Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra (PYSO). It consists of four separate ensembles: a Wind Ensemble , String Ensemble , the Symphony Orchestra and the Philharmonic. The ensembles operate under the direction of Pasadena Symphony staff. PYSO has several levels of ensembles, including the Philharmonic conducted by Chris Kim , the Sinfonia Orchestra conducted by Pin Chen , the Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jack Taylor , and
220-603: The Wind Ensemble conducted by Gary Yearick . Richard Lert Richard Lert (19 September 1885 – 25 April 1980) was an American conductor of Austrian birth. Born in Vienna , he was the younger brother of stage director Ernst Lert . After graduating with a music degree from the University of Vienna , he took a conducting post at the Opernhaus Düsseldorf in 1910. He left there in 1912 to take
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#1732782780921240-693: The founding of the Symphony's longest-running education program, the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra . In 1984, conductor Jorge Mester was selected as the Pasadena Symphony's fourth music director. In August 2010, American composer Marvin Hamlisch was appointed Principal POPS Conductor for the organization. After Hamlisch's death in August 2012, a search found Great American Songbook star Michael Feinstein , who assumed
260-728: The orchestra announced the conclusion of Mester's tenure as music director with immediate effect. In 1998, he became music director of the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra . From 2004 until 2012, Mester was the music director of the Naples Philharmonic in Naples, Florida . Mester returned to Louisville in 2006 for his second tenure as music director of the Louisville Orchestra, on an "open-ended" contract of unfixed duration, until
280-506: The orchestra secured a new music director, with Mester as a member of the search committee. Mester has served as director of Juilliard's conducting department and conducted concerts and operas in the USC Thornton School of Music . In 1987, Mester participated in the documentary A Woman Is a Risky Bet: Six Orchestra Conductors , directed by Christina Olofson , where he comments on the conservative attitudes towards women in
300-558: The post beginning with the 2013 POPS season. In June 2010, American conductor James DePreist was named Artistic Advisor to the Pasadena Symphony and POPS. Maestro Lockington began his tenure as Music Director during the 2013-14 season with full duties which commenced in 2014-15 with multiple performances. Since 2013, British conductor, Nicholas McGegan is the current conductor of the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra. The Pasadena Symphony Association also operates
320-404: The principal POPS conductor position of the Pasadena Symphony Association. In August 2010 Maestro Marvin Hamlisch was appointed principal POPS conductor. After Hamlisch's death in August 2012, a search found Michael Feinstein , who assumed the post beginning with the 2013 POPS season. In September 2010 the Pasadena Symphony became the resident professional symphony at Ambassador Auditorium. At
340-587: The time of its construction, the building was furnished with Iranian onyx , African teak , wool carpet from India , and gold overlay. It seats 1262. On January 26, 1996, National Public Radio staged a battle of the bands between the cities contending in Super Bowl XXX . Pittsburgh 's River City Brass Band played Semper Fidelis by John Philip Sousa and the Battle Royal March by Fred Jewell in concert at Ambassador Auditorium, followed by
360-463: The world of classical music. Mester has a long-standing affiliation with Peter Schickele and the P.D.Q. Bach concerts, dating back to 1965, when he conducted the first public P.D.Q. Bach concert. Mester has been married twice. His first marriage to Paula Seibel ended in divorce. His second marriage, which also ended in divorce, was to the American mezzo-soprano Kimball Wheeler, with whom he had
380-610: Was appointed Music Director and Conductor in 1936. Under Lert, the Symphony became a founding member of the Los Angeles Symphony League in 1955, and was recognized with Metropolitan Status by the American Symphony Orchestra League in 1968. During his tenure, the organization became known as The Pasadena Symphony Association. Under his leadership, several national awards were won, including five American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) awards for adventuresome programming. Lewis's tenure also marks
400-614: Was thereafter active as a guest conductor with several opera companies and orchestras during the late 1920s and early 1930s. His base of operations during that period was Berlin and he appeared as a guest conductor frequently with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Staatsoper Unter den Linden . From 1936-1972 Lert served as the music director and conductor of the Pasadena Symphony . In 1947 he co-founded
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