Pasadena Symphony and POPS

Pasadena Symphony and POPS
Name	Pasadena Symphony and POPS
Location	Pasadena, California
Founded	1928
Concert hall	Ambassador Auditorium; Pasadena Civic Auditorium; Ames Center
Music director	Michael Feinstein (POPS), David Lockington (Symphony)

Pasadena Symphony and POPS

The Pasadena Symphony and POPS is a performing arts organization based in Pasadena, California, presenting orchestral concerts, popular music programs, and community initiatives. The organization fields both a symphony orchestra and a pops series, collaborating with guest conductors, soloists, and civic institutions across Southern California. Its activities intersect with regional arts institutions, educational partners, and media outlets.

History

The ensemble traces roots to civic music efforts in Pasadena during the late 1920s with ties to civic leaders from Pasadena Playhouse, California Institute of Technology, Throop Polytechnic Institute, Tournament of Roses Parade, and the local chapters of Rotary International and Kiwanis International. Early artistic associations included guest appearances by performers linked to the Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and touring companies from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Boston Symphony Orchestra. Mid-century developments involved civic funding from entities such as the City of Pasadena, philanthropic support from families associated with Huntington Library, Rose Bowl Stadium, and collaborations with educational institutions including Pasadena City College and Caltech. In later decades the organization expanded programming with influences from national pops trends exemplified by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra pops initiatives, while engaging recording and broadcasting partners similar to NPR and commercial labels.

Organization and Leadership

Organizational leadership has included executive directors, board members, and artistic directors drawn from Southern California arts networks including administrators from Los Angeles County, managers with backgrounds at the Hollywood Bowl, executives from California Arts Council, and donors connected to foundations such as the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Annenberg Foundation. Music director and principal conductor roles have been held by figures who worked with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, and guest soloists from the Juilliard School, Curtis Institute of Music, and Royal College of Music. Management practices align with nonprofit governance models used by institutions like the San Diego Symphony and Seattle Symphony.

Performances and Repertoire

Programming spans symphonic works by composers associated with the Vienna Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, and modern composers commissioned through initiatives similar to those at the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Avery Fisher Hall. Repertoire includes canonical pieces by Ludwig van Beethoven, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Gustav Mahler, Igor Stravinsky, and contemporary works by composers linked to the American Composers Orchestra, Philip Glass, John Adams (composer), and Leonard Bernstein. The pops series presents arrangements influenced by artists connected to Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Bublé, Barbra Streisand, and film-music traditions represented by John Williams, Ennio Morricone, and Alan Menken.

Education and Community Outreach

Education programs partner with school districts such as Pasadena Unified School District, community centers affiliated with YMCA, after-school arts initiatives like those coordinated with LA County Arts Commission, and conservatory training institutions including California Institute of the Arts and the Colburn School. Outreach includes youth concerts, in-school residencies with musicians from ensembles similar to the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and mentorship programs modeled on partnerships with organizations like El Sistema USA and the League of American Orchestras.

Venues and Residencies

Primary performance venues have included the historic Ambassador Auditorium, the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, and regional stages such as the Ames Center and outdoor sites near the Rose Bowl Stadium and Central Park (Pasadena). The ensemble has performed in collaboration with festivals and presenters including the Hollywood Bowl, LA Phil Presents, Ravinia Festival, Ojai Music Festival, and civic celebrations tied to the Tournament of Roses Parade.

Recordings and Media

The organization’s recorded output and broadcast presence reflect partnerships modeled on relationships between orchestras and labels such as Deutsche Grammophon, Sony Classical, and independent producers working with public radio entities like NPR and classical stations resembling KUSC. Media projects have included studio sessions, live concert broadcasts, and digital archives shared through platforms used by ensembles including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Minnesota Orchestra.

Awards and Recognition

Recognition has come from regional arts bodies including the Los Angeles Conservancy, municipal proclamations from the City of Pasadena, and honors paralleling awards issued by the National Endowment for the Arts, ASCAP, and local cultural organizations such as the Pasadena Arts Council and California Cultural and Historical Endowment.

Category:Orchestras based in California