COURT HOUSE — Linda Gentille & The Jersey Shore Pops have extended their pre-opening discount season ticket sales deadline to May 26, 2014 to allow more visitors to the region to purchase. Normally, their ticket season sales would end in February, but the popular orchestra’s board members decided to extend the deadline. President of The Jersey Shore Pops, Dr. Nick Holland comments, “Extending our season ticket sales has allowed us to increase our season pass ticket holder membership over 50% and we expect it to be double from last year by Memorial Day Weekend. As the weather gets warmer, more visitors will be visiting the shore on the weekends, and our sales will have a chance to increase. The true advantage of purchasing a season ticket is not only for the monetary savings, but the choice seats and the VIP receptions that accompany the ticket purchase.”
The orchestra has priced their 4 concert Summer Concert Season very competitively at $100 for the 4 Saturday evening concerts. In addition to the concert admissions, the season pass ticket includes admission to the VIP after party events at both the Avalon Golf Course and The Bellevue Tavern. These VIP events have become a big hit with concert goers and set it apart from many other concerts in the area.
The orchestra recently performed in Pennsylvania for the Lansdale Community Concert Association and the music director of the orchestra, Linda Gentille was so impressed with their season ticket membership. The concert association has maintained an 1800 member membership for over 50 years.
Gentille adds, “It was an amazing experience to perform for this huge audience of 1800 concert goers. Our board members hope to have this kind of support from the community in the future. This kind of season pass community support is a goal for any orchestra. When you know you have your season sold in advance, you can concentrate on the artistic aspects of the performances and not have to worry about the ticket sales.”
In the past, the orchestra had opened the individual ticket sales in February. But with the success of this new format, they have changed the policy and it seems it will be permanent. The Ocean City Pops and other orchestras have followed this format for years to allow the season ticket holders first choice of seating. Individual ticket sales will open for the Jersey Shore Pops on June 6, 2014.
Holland adds, “We are opening our individual ticket sales 6 weeks in advance of our first summer concert. We have a Memorial Weekend concert planned to open the season at The Ocean City Music Pier on March 24 at 7:00 p.m.”
This concert will be our promotional concert to introduce the orchestra to Ocean City visitors and help us increase our season membership. We feel this will give us a large advantage for our last weekend of season ticket sales purchases. We expect a large crowd of attendees for this holiday concert called AMERICA, Tribute to American Heroes. This concert will feature our dynamic conductor Linda Gentille who is an amazing entertainer and piano artist. She is a big draw for our audiences.”
This Ocean City Music Pier concert will also include a performance and new collaboration with the Youth Opera of South Jersey. The young opera performance group performed last year with the orchestra to great success at the Middle Township Performing Arts Center. Gentille has invited the group to return to perform with the orchestra for two concerts this year, America on May 24th at the OC Music Pier, and also at the Broadway on Tap show on August 9th at the Middle PAC. Individual tickets to this event (not part of the summer series) are available starting from $25-$40.
The Jersey Shore Pops 2014 Summer Concert Series will include 4 concerts with a focus on variety entertainers from around the United States and Canada including the following:
July 12 at 7:00 p.m.: Mark Preston of The Letterman
July 19 at 7:00 p.m.: Sinatra Sizzles
Aug. 9, at 7:00 p.m.: Broadway On Tap:
Aug. 23 at 7:00 p.m.: Great Balls Of Fire, Legends of Piano
The Jersey Shore Pops is a big band orchestra with string section, modeled after the orchestras of the Frank Sinatra era which featured a string section along with the bid band sounds. The orchestra was founded by entertainer and conductor Linda Gentille in 2009. The orchestra features 25 of the finest New Jersey musicians either born or based in New Jersey and has become the most popular orchestra at the shore and an attraction for tourists from all over the east coast for the past 5 years. Many Philly Pops fans patronize the Jersey Shore Pops Summer Concert Series when the Philly Pops is on vacation during the summer months.
The assistant music director for the orchestra is John Drechen, Band Director at Lower Cape May Regional High School for many years. Since 1994, he has been the Pit Conductor for musicals at Lower Cape May Regional High School, conducting for 12 musicals, including; “Funny Girl”, “Bye, Bye, Birdie”, “Sweet Charity”, and several others.
Assistant musical arranger for the orchestra is Clifford Buggs, renowned trumpet soloist and former leader of the Coast Guard Band in Cape May.
The concert mistress for the 2014 season is once again Susan Elsayed.
Before becoming the principal concert mistress for the Jersey Shore Pops, Elsayed had an impressive performing resume. Elsayed studied with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra and earned her violin performance Bachelor`s Degree from The Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts.
She was the Concertmistress of the Ocean City Pops during the 80`s under the leadership of Frank Ruggieri and currently is also violinist with the Masterworks Choir/Ensemble . Elsayed has performed as a principal violinist in the main show rooms of the casinos for such headliners as Frank Sinatra, Josh Groban. Andrea Bocelli and Tony Bennett and many other stars.
Other talented members of the pops orchestra are: Angela Guido, Ted Blohm and Jim Tangney (Trombone), Paul Butler, Cindy Yenloevich , Christopher Kobik, Paul Butler, Gene Teece, Brian Height and Walter Palmer (Sax, Clarinet and Flute) , Dominic Scalfaro ( Trumpet) Susanne Di Vincenzo, Briana Saddler, Heain Kim, Emily Ip ( Cello) Sandy Miller, Susan Elsayed, Amina Elsayed, Mary Jo Zahradnik, Elizabeth Maxfield, Tamara Dement, Amada Dupras (Violins) Karen Kessler ( Viola) Ray Deeley and Sandy Eldred and James Hines(Bass).
This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. The funds were administered by the Cape May County Culture and Heritage Commission, under the authority of the County Library Commission, for the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
The price of the season pass is discounted at $100 for all 4 Saturday evening shows in the series and is on sale only until May 24, 2014. This price will also include a ticket to the opening night “After Concert Champagne Reception” at the Avalon Golf Club as well as other after concert receptions at both The Avalon Golf Club and The Bellevue Tavern.
Season ticket holders will save $60 for the pass compared to regular orchestra center VIP seating which is $40 a ticket. To purchase tickets to the 2014 JERSEY SHORE POPS SUMMER SEASON, please call the JSP Ticket Office at 800-838-3006 or 609-628-4544. You can choose your own seats online by going to www.JerseyShorePops.org.
Tickets are now going to be available once again at the PAC for walk up purchases for individual ticket sales which will not begin until June 2, 2014. The theater is located at 212 Bayberry Ave, off exit 10 off the Garden State Parkway. There is convenient and free parking at the facility and it is handicapped accessible.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
