For more than 20 years Maestro Yoichi Udagawa has been the CAS music director and conductor
Next month the Cape Ann Symphony’s 70-member professional orchestra will perform at Stage Fort Park for Pops in The Park, a special concert to celebrate Gloucester's 400+ anniversary celebration, on Friday, July 28 at 8 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.
"Over the last six months we’ve been raising the funds needed to put the symphony on stage and I am delighted to share that we just reached our goal” said Jodi Nedrow-Counihan, CAS board member and coordinator of the Pops event. "We are so appreciative of our corporate sponsors and all the individual donors who contributed to make this marque event of the 400+ celebration a reality!”
Set against the majestic backdrop of Gloucester Harbor, this outdoor, all ages event will be a special evening of music. The program includes Rossini's Barber of Seville Overture; Anderson's Selections from Irish Suite; Copland's Hoedown; William's Adventures on Earth; A Tribute to Henry Mancini; Tchaikovsky's Finale of The 1812 Overture and the world premiere of Celebration Overture by acclaimed Gloucester composer Robert J Bradshaw.
The event will feature a very real “full circle” quality. After all, the Cape Ann Symphony began in 1952 as a volunteer group of thirty or so individuals calling themselves the “Gloucester Civic Symphony Orchestra.” And, on July 10, 1952 the symphony performed its inaugural concert in the Gloucester High School auditorium and wowed the audience of over 800 concertgoers with their performance of Beethoven’s First Symphony.
"The Pops in the Park Concert on July 28 is a celebration not only of the 400+ years of Gloucester history but of the 70+ years of the Cape Ann Symphony" adds Nedrow-Counihan.
Today, the Cape Ann Symphony has evolved into an all-professional orchestra of more than 70 members from throughout the New England area with a performance level to rival any regional Symphony in the country.
For more than 20 years Maestro Yoichi Udagawa has been the CAS music director and conductor and his artistry and passion have made him an audience favorite. Udagawa is as comfortable with popular and contemporary music as well as the standard symphonic repertoire. He is known for his relaxed manner and ability to speak from the podium which has helped new audiences as well as enthusiasts gain a greater appreciation for symphonic music.
Friday, July 28, 8 p.m.
Stage Fort Park | 24 Hough Ave., Gloucester
$ free
