Jersey Shore Pops Celebrates Gershwin’s Birthday At The Pac

COURT HOUSE– Middle Township Performing Arts Center has announced that The Jersey Shore Pops will present ‘GERSHWIN RHAPSODY” on Saturday, September 18. The program will celebrate the great American composer’s birthday which falls in the month of September. This is the second concert in a special performing arts center series that the PAC is presenting this year. This is the first time the Middle Township Performing Arts Center has ever presented a series concert season and it’s director Kay Aspell is especially enthusiastic about this new collaboration. Aspell states,” We are so excited to have the Jersey Shore Pops call our PAC it’s home. This is the first series we ever felt had a chance of succeeding in our township. Sp far the reaction from local residents has been tremendous and ewe expect to sell out the hall for this special Gershwin celebration!”
Although several Pops orchestra’s have held concerts at the Middle PAC, none have been successful enough to continue with a series until now. Because of the tremendous demand for tickets, preparation for the 2011 summer series is already in the works according to Aspell. Because of the tremendous increase in the summer population, next season will be primarily summer concerts with some matinees planned.
“GERSHWIN RHAPSODY” will be a multi-media concert with the history and the music of George Gershwin. The Jersey Shore Pops will perform music from all the great Broadway musicals of Gershwin including the following selections: “Someone To Watch Over Me”, “ The Man I Love”, “Summertime”, S’Wonderful”, Emracable You:, :You Say Either, and I Say Either”, “Of Thee I Sing”, “I Got Rhthym,” “Fascinating Rhthym” and a grand finale of Rhapsody in Blue featuring conductor and pianist Linda Gentille. Featured vocalists will include Avalon’s favorite soprano Mary Lou Robinson,.
Gershwin was named Jacob Gershowitz at birth in Brooklyn on September 26, 1898. When he became a professional musician, he changed the spelling of his name of Gershwin. At the age of 15 he became a successful song plugger on ‘Tin Pan Alley”. In 1916, Gershwin started working for Aeolian Company and Standard Music Rolls in New York, recording and arranging. He produced dozens, if not hundreds, of rolls under his own and assumed names. He became one of the most famous American composers of all time with his classic orchestral works, Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris.
Some of the talented Jersey Shore Pop’s orchestra members include Clifford Buggs, (Bass), renowned trumpet soloist and former leader of the military band in Cape May, John Drechen (Trumpet), Jim Yester (Bass), Angela Guido (Trombone), Ted Blohm (Trombone), Jim Tangney (Trombone), Nick Trombetta, Mike Denice, Christopher Kobik and Walter Palmer on Saxaphone, Clarinet and Flute. The newly added string section includes: Susanne Di Vincenzo, Sandy Miller, Susan Elsayed, Amina Elsayed, Elizabeth Rha, Mindy Au and concert mistress Karen Tangey. The musicians include a collaboration between the Pops and the Atlantic Youth String Orchestra.
Certain CMC restaurants will offer a 10% dining discount to all patrons that purchase tickets to any of the four season concerts that the Pops will be performing at the Middle Township Performing Arts Center.The following restaurants are participating in this special, DINNER AND A SHOW promotion: ISLAND SHORE of Marmora ,609-390-7320 , AVALON GOLF CLUB, 609-465-4653 , MAMA MIA’S of Seaville 609-624-9322, J-OTTENS of Cape May Courthouse, 609-465-3200 and ATKINSON’S of Cape May Courthouse 609-465-5641
Tickets for ‘GERSHWIN RHAPSODY” are now on sale and can be purchased by calling the box office at 609 463-1924 or ordering online at www.JerseyShorePops.org. Individual advance tickets are now on sale at $20 for adults, $18 seniors and students and a special $16 group rate for ticket purchases of 20 or more. These prices are only for advance ticket sales. All tickets the day of the performance are $25 for both adults and seniors with no discounts offered. The box office is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM- 4:00 PM which is located at the Middle Township High School off exit 10 ( GSP)