Colorado Symphony celebrates Arthur Fiedler and Boston Pops

July 14, 2011 - PRLog -- The Colorado Symphony returns to the Arvada Center in a wonderful evening of music under the stars with their much-anticipated tribute to Arthur Fiedler on Thursday, July 21. A long-time conductor of the Boston Pops, Fiedler (1894 - 1979) brought fresh life to the "pops orchestra" sound and pioneered lighter concerts of popular masterworks, as well as the tradition of outdoor summer concerts and fifteen minute intermissions. In its tribute, the Colorado Symphony will perform an array of popular classics: works that hold both mass appeal and emotional ties for many music lovers. Concertgoers can look forward to works ranging from Johann Strauss Jr.'s Tales from the Vienna Woods to John Williams' score for E.T.: Adventures on Earth, as well as Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever and Willson's Symphonic Impressions from the score for the Broadway hit, The Music Man.

Two members of the Colorado Symphony also shine in this exceptional concert. Associate concertmaster Claude Sim performs the haunting Ashoken Farewell, and principal trumpet Justin Bartels performs the virtuosic Carnival of Venice - considered among the most demanding works in the repertoire.

Acclaimed tap dancer John K. Williams joins the Colorado Symphony for Gould's Concerto for Tap Dancer and Orchestra. Gould, the renowned American composer known for his Broadway scores for Billion Dollar Baby and Arms and the Girl, was recognized for his openness to new styles and skillfulness at blending musical genres. His Tap Dance Concerto was the first to make use of the sound of the dancer's feet as a solo instrument. It received its premiere in 1952 with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and has since been performed throughout the world. This performance featuring Williams and the Colorado Symphony led by resident conductor Scott O'Neil will be pure delight for Denver audiences.

Tickets for the Colorado Symphony - Tribute to Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops are on sale now and start from $20.

About Justin Bartels
Principal trumpet of the Colorado Symphony, Justin Bartels also performs as principal trumpet with Central City Opera Orchestra each summer. Previously, he was principal trumpet of the Columbus Symphony and a former member of the New World Symphony. Bartels has performed with the Alabama Symphony, Charleston Symphony, Houston Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, and Virginia Symphony. Bartels studied with Marie Speziale and holds a degree in music performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He also attended the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and the University of Alabama.

About Claude Sim
Associate concertmaster of the Colorado Symphony, Claude Sim has been playing the violin and piano since age three, continuing a tradition of music in his family that spans four generations. He has performed for audiences around the world, including the late Pope John Paul II, President Lee Teng-Hui of Taiwan, and former first lady Barbara Bush, among others. His tenure with the Colorado Symphony has included many memorable solo appearances with the orchestra. Sim is also a member of Extasis, a tango band frequently praised for their uncompromising approach to bridging Golden Era tango with a modern sound. His other projects include a studio recording of violin jazz with some of Denver's top jazz musicians. Sim studied violin performance at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music with Greg Fulkerson, Almita Vamos and Roland Vamos.

About John K. Williams
John K. Williams, "Mr. Tap Dance," comes to Colorado from Harlem. He is the creator of the "Original Tap Barre" - Harlem Mix Tap Dance Style. He is a singer, dancer, actor and model. Williams has appeared in theater, commercials, film and television productions such as the PBS Special "Jazz for Orchestra," The Wiz, Black Nativity, Harlem Sweet Harlem, and "In the House of Blues" at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. He recently appeared on the Animal Planet Television Series Busted. He studied tap with Betty Ryer, Henry Le Tang, Gene Gabaur and Laurie Johnson, to name a few. Williams holds an Associate of Arts Degree in Education/Speech and Drama and a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Education/Musical Theater.

Artists:
Colorado Symphony - Tribute to Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops
Scott O'Neil, resident conductor
Justin Bartels, trumpet
Claude Sim, violin
John K. Williams, tap dance

Program:
VON SUPPE: Light Cavalry Overture
MOZART: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - Allegro
STRAUSS, J. JR.: Tales from the Vienna Woods
KHACHATURIAN: "Sabre Dance" from the ballet, Gayane
UNGAR: Ashoken Farewell
Claude Sim, violin
ARBAN (arr.): Carnival of Venice
Justin Bartels, trumpet
GOULD: Excerpts from Concerto for Tap Dancer and Orchestra (Toccata, Minuet, Rondo)
John K. Williams, tap dance
Williams, John: E.T.: Adventures on Earth
ANDERSON: Blue Tango
WILLSON (arr. Hayman): Music Man - Symphonic Impressions
SOUSA: Stars and Stripes Forever

Performance:
7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 21, 2011 (Gates open at 6:00 p.m.)

Location:
Arvada Center (6901 Wadsworth Blvd. Arvada, CO). Located 2.5 miles north of the
I-70/Wadsworth exit, approx. 20 minutes from downtown Denver.

Tickets:
A limited number of CenterFest tickets are available for sale at the Colorado Symphony Box Office at www.coloradosymphony.org, by calling (303) 623-7876 or (877) 292-7979, or in-person in the lobby of Boettcher Concert Hall in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Hours are Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are also available at The Arvada Center: (720) 898-7200 or www.arvadacenter.org.

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Originally established in 1989 as the successor to the Denver Symphony, the Colorado Symphony performs in Boettcher Concert Hall and throughout the Front Range, presenting outstanding education and outreach programs, as well as Masterworks, Pops, Holiday, Family, and the exciting new "Inside the Score" series that has attracted a historic level of first-time concertgoers. By presenting music that is both timeless and inspiring, while taking risks with new musical collaborations and interactive concerts, the Colorado Symphony is attracting more diverse and younger audiences than ever before. To date, 30 percent of the 2010/11 season concertgoers are new patrons. The increasing popularity of Colorado Symphony concerts as well as a strong fund-raising base not only re-affirms the artistic excellence of the orchestra, but also reflects the deep-rooted enthusiasm for symphonic music felt by so many individuals across the region. For more information, visit www.coloradosymphony.org.