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Serpentine Fire’s dynamic and fast paced journey through the 70’s and 80’s features greatest hits of Earth, Wind and Fire. Long Beach Symphony Pops concludes the season with uplifting and funky music in this irresistible crowd-pleasing show. “Serpentine Fire” – the music of Earth, Wind & Fire is a first-class performance of this universally known music for audiences of all ages.

Enjoy the unique vibe of Long Beach Symphony’s Pops! Bring your own food and libations, or pre-order from these pre-approved vendors for delivery to your table. Two dance floors surround the stage, and dancing is encouraged throughout the evening, so don’t forget those dancing shoes… Doors open at 6:00pm for indoor picnicking. Bring your baskets with food, sweets, libations, and even costumes and table decorations. 

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Travel back to the heart of the 1960s and 70s California rock scene with a tribute to the legendary artists who defined a generation and continue to inspire countless artists today. This unforgettable concert brings to life the spirit of Laurel Canyon with the timeless music of groundbreaking artists like Buffalo Springfield, The Doors, Fleetwood Mac, The Mamas & The Papas, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, The Eagles, and James Taylor.

Enjoy the unique vibe of Long Beach Symphony’s Pops! Bring your own food and libations, or pre-order from these pre-approved vendors for delivery to your table. Two dance floors surround the stage, and dancing is encouraged throughout the evening, so don’t forget those dancing shoes… Doors open at 6:00pm for indoor picnicking. Bring your baskets with food, sweets, libations, and even costumes and table decorations. 

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Grab your sweetheart and join our superstar vocalists Chester Gregory & Shayna Steele for a romantic evening of classic love songs for the ages! Featuring some of the greatest solos and duets of all time, Endless Love includes classics like Could It Be I’m Falling in Love, What’s Love Got To Do with It, Let’s Get It On, (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher, Stand By Me, At Last, When I Fall in Love, Unforgettable & The Best!

Enjoy the unique vibe of Long Beach Symphony’s Pops! Bring your own food and libations, or pre-order from these pre-approved vendors for delivery to your table. Two dance floors surround the stage, and dancing is encouraged throughout the evening, so don’t forget those dancing shoes… Doors open at 6:00pm for indoor picnicking. Bring your baskets with food, sweets, libations, and even costumes and table decorations. 

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Starring Capathia Jenkins & Ryan Shaw, this musical celebration features tunes by legendary artists who changed music forever, including Michael Jackson, Prince, Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight, Elvis Presley, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, and many others.

Enjoy the unique vibe of Long Beach Symphony’s Pops! Bring your own food and libations, or pre-order from these pre-approved vendors for delivery to your table. Two dance floors surround the stage, and dancing is encouraged throughout the evening, so don’t forget those dancing shoes… Doors open at 6:00pm for indoor picnicking. Bring your baskets with food, sweets, libations, and even costumes and table decorations. 

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In Eckart’s words:

We begin our final concert of the season with one of Mozart’s best-known and most beloved works: Eine kleine Nachtmusik (or A Little Night Music) and like most of Mozart’s works, it sounds so simple and completely belies the composer’s sophistication. We actually don’t know for sure why Mozart composed this piece. He rarely composed without a specific purpose or commission. And there’s no mention of this work in his letters or those of his contemporaries. All we know is that he finished it when he was 31 years old in Vienna—the same year he wrote his opera Don Giovanni. Maybe it was one of several works written for a friend of his, Gottfried von Jacquin, in Vienna. Jacquin’s sister, Franziska, was a pupil of Mozart, and together, they met as a group at Jacquin’s home for what they called “discussions, games, and merrymaking.” Mozart actually wrote several works for the Jacquin household, and A Little Night Music may well have been one of them. And maybe it’s an example of party music—who knows? In any case, it is great music, lots of fun to play and to listen to.

In the second half, we will end our season with a bang—with one of the greatest symphonies of the 20th century: Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5. Mahler was an incredibly busy conductor, and the only time he had to compose was during his summer breaks. Just like Brahms, Mahler usually spent his summers somewhere in the Austrian mountains, or maybe in the mountains of northern Italy. He actually built a house in Maiernigg on Lake Wörthersee in Austria and composed there. It was a special hut, away from the house and everything else—his composing hut. He needed solitude, and like Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, Mahler took long walks. At the time, Mahler studied polyphonic motets by Bach and songs by Schumann, and we can hear both of these influences in his Fifth Symphony. Mahler became really obsessed with polyphony after studying Bach, and we can hear that in the third and fifth movements of the symphony. His study of Schumann’s songs may well have inspired the famous fourth movement, the Adagietto, which we all know from Visconti’s movie Death in Venice.

We can also hear the influence of Anton Bruckner—in the big chorale at the end of the second movement and at the end of the fifth movement. The sounds of Vienna play a big role in Mahler’s music, especially the music of Johann Strauss—the waltz, the lightness, the dance. And very importantly, Mahler was inspired by military music. In his childhood, Mahler spent 15 years in Iglau, where his parents and siblings lived just a few steps away from the town’s main square. There, he was able to watch the performances of the military band, and those military sounds were incredibly important to his music—his music is infused with marching band rhythms of all sorts. All of these elements, and so much more, can be heard in Mahler’s music. The emotional range of this symphony is incredible—from the most tender moments to violent outbursts, from frivolous happiness to tender intimacy, mourning wailing, threatening sounds and defiance. There are often very sudden, almost jarring changes without warning. The emotions sometimes seem in disarray, chaotic, disoriented, even neurotic. In the end, this symphony is a journey from darkness to light.

It opens with a gigantic funeral march and ends in the finale with music that is full of joy—perhaps an experience of redemption, triumph, and victory. It’s a fantastic symphony that reflects the struggle of the individual—Mahler himself—and the universal struggle for happiness, love, and humanism, in general.

Audiences will enjoy the Classical ‎Series fun and elegant evening surrounded by the Terrace Theater’s dazzling fountains and fire pits, prelude ensemble in the lobby, 6:30 PM Pre-Concert Talk to gain greater knowledge regarding the evening programming, and the ability to “Sip & Enjoy” in the concert hall.  Doors open at 6PM.

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In Eckart’s words:

Our fourth classical concert is very special because we celebrate the return of Pepe Romero to Long Beach Symphony.

Pepe is a living legend who is not only one of the most wonderful musicians I have ever worked with, but also an incredible person who brings an irresistible humanity to the stage and to his music. I think it is that combination of incredible artistry and personality that makes his music-making so unique. I hope you can join us for this singular event. Pepe will perform the guitar concerto of all guitar concertos, the Concierto de Aranjuez by Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo, a concerto that transports us to Spain. The first movement is infused with dance-like rhythms– but I really think that the crown jewel of this work is the truly magical second movement, the slow movement and its haunting melody for English horn. It is one of the most beautiful melodies ever composed.

We’ll start the evening with Elegia Andina for Orchestra by Gabriela Frank, a composer who is American but explores her Peruvian roots in her music, much like other composers before her, such as Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók, she collects music from indigenous peoples and weaves those influences into her compositions. So, for instance, in her Elegia Andina, there is a very prominent solo flute part inspired by the zampoña, or pan flute. The pan flute, or panpipe, is a traditional Andean instrument that originated in Peru. In this music, you will hear nostalgic elements inspired by the panpipes of the region. For me, Andean Elegy tells a story. I call it “A Day in the Jungle.” The opening represents night and the awakening of the jungle. It’s really like the rainforest groans as it comes to life, and the flute is the first bird awake, making sure that, with an improvisational solo, nobody stays asleep. One after another, the other creatures of the jungle awaken—moaning and groaning, dangerous animals, crawling things, giant snakes—whatever you imagine. Then, there is a tropical storm, and just like in real life, it comes quickly and hits hard, and before you know it, it’s over. Finally, the rainforest music from the beginning returns, evening settles, and in the dusk, only two clarinets are still awake in a love duet. Finally, peace settles in a dreamy atmosphere of the night. So that’s A Day in the Jungle by Gabriela Lena Frank.

In the second half of the program, you will hear George Frideric Handel’s famous Water Music. Handel represents the high point of English Baroque music, which I find very funny because, originally, he was German. But the English loved Handel, especially when he decided to Anglicize his name to George “Frederick.” Besides his masterwork, the oratorio Messiah, it is his Water Music that is his most familiar composition. The story of Water Music speaks to a very twisted storyline that involves royal bloodlines in Britain. Long story short, when Queen Anne died without leaving an heir, the English crown passed to the House of Hanover. The new king, George I, requested music for a lavish boat trip down the River Thames. It was supposed to be a big party, and the king was known to enjoy music during his outdoor excursions. Handel was asked to compose music for the occasion to entertain the king and his guests. The first performance of Water Music was actually on the water, with the musicians stationed in the middle of the river on a barge. It was a kind of open-air concert experience, and Handel himself, of course, directed the band. There were hundreds of boats on the river. The king loved Handel’s music so much that he demanded it be repeated over and over again.

We will play a selection of movements from the three Water Music suites. All movements are based on dance forms of the day, such as the allemande, the sarabande, or minuets. There is a lot of famous music in these suites, and as expected for party music, the pieces are very joyful and bright, with bold brass sections and spirited dances like the gavotte or the famous hornpipe.

Celebratory and festive, this is one of Handel’s greatest orchestral works and a true Baroque masterpiece.

Audiences will enjoy the Classical ‎Series fun and elegant evening surrounded by the Terrace Theater’s dazzling fountains and fire pits, prelude ensemble in the lobby, 6:30 PM Pre-Concert Talk to gain greater knowledge regarding the evening programming, and the ability to “Sip & Enjoy” in the concert hall.  Doors open at 6PM.

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In Eckart’s words:

Our third program features two of my favorite composers, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Richard Strauss.

Tchaikovsky didn’t have an easy life. After his failed—actually, disastrous—marriage and subsequent suicide attempt by drowning in the Moscow River, Tchaikovsky’s patron, Nadezhda von Meck, gave the composer money for a holiday. She told him, “Go away, go away from Russia—go to Switzerland and recover your spirits.” And so, he did. On this trip, Tchaikovsky was accompanied by a friend, the violinist Josef Kotek. When they arrived in Switzerland, they had a lot of time to kill, so together, they read through tons of violin music. As a result of this violin immersion, Tchaikovsky decided to write his own violin concerto which he completed in only two weeks. Over time, this Violin Concerto has become one of the great showpieces in the violin repertoire: It has everything—great melodies, technical pyrotechnics, and colorful Russian orchestration—and every time I conduct it, it is a thrill. Our soloist, Tai Murray, has performed all over the world, with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, and the LA Phil, she is a recipient of the Sphinx Organization’s Sphinx Medal of Excellence and is an incredible musician and fantastic violinist.

The second half of the program is going to be fantastic. We will play for you one of the greatest tone poems by Richard Strauss, a work inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ famous novel Don Quixote de la Mancha. Strauss, who was a brilliant orchestrator and able to create phenomenal colors with the orchestra, captures the fantastic adventures of this aging knight-errant and his loyal squire, Sancho Panza. The musical imagery you will hear is quite incredible. The antihero, Don Quixote, is portrayed by a solo cello, performed by our own principal cellist, Cécilia Tsan. Don Quixote’s servant, Sancho Panza, is represented by the solo viola, played by our principal violist, Andrew Duckles. (I have to say, it is always such a pleasure to present our own brilliant musicians as soloists.) The tone poem follows the adventures of this pair, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, with Strauss selecting various episodes from the novel. For instance, there is The Adventure of the Windmills, in which Don Quixote charges what he believes to be giants; The Victorious Battle with the Sheep, where the entire orchestra bleeds like sheep; and The Ride Through the Air, where you can literally hear the wind blowing and howling as Don Quixote flies through the sky. It’s an amazing moment in the piece. Don Quixote’s skewed perception of the world—and the clash of his dreams with reality—gives Strauss an opportunity for wonderful ironic effects. You will hear some of the most graphic program music ever written, some of the funniest as well, and some remarkably touching episodes. At its core, it’s a profoundly human story. The music is a remarkable fusion of humor, pathos, virtuosity, lushness and color, and it remains one of Strauss’s most important contributions to the orchestral repertoire.

And imagine—he was only 34 years old when he wrote this. It’s incredible.

Audiences will enjoy the Classical ‎Series fun and elegant evening surrounded by the Terrace Theater’s dazzling fountains and fire pits, prelude ensemble in the lobby, 6:30 PM Pre-Concert Talk to gain greater knowledge regarding the evening programming, and the ability to “Sip & Enjoy” in the concert hall.  Doors open at 6PM.

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Long Beach Symphony Pops Season opens with a salute to the classic rock band. Relive the 70s and 80s and enjoy an evening of catchy, emotive pop-rock hits paired with an orchestra, rock band, and brilliant vocals. Get ready to dance the night away to some of Journey’s most popular songs, such as Any Way You Want It, Separate Ways, and of course, Don’t Stop Believin’!

Enjoy the unique vibe of Long Beach Symphony’s Pops! Bring your own food and libations, or pre-order from these pre-approved vendors for delivery to your table. Two dance floors surround the stage, and dancing is encouraged throughout the evening, so don’t forget those dancing shoes… Doors open at 6:00pm for indoor picnicking. Bring your baskets with food, sweets, libations, and even costumes and table decorations. 

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We open this program with a piece by a Lebanese composer, Houtaf Khoury. He studied in Tripoli, Lebanon, and in Kiev, Ukraine. He has composed five symphonies, several concertos for various instruments, as well as chamber and solo music. What you are about to hear is a touching, beautiful, rich, and honest work called The Journey. It is scored for solo violin and strings. It is a magical work that will feature our concertmaster, Roger Wilkie, on solo violin.

Concerto for Two Pianos displays the genius of Bohuslav Martinů in this vibrant and rhythmically dynamic work that he composed in 1943 during his time in the United States. Often compared to Prokofiev and Bartók for his innovative incorporation of Czech folk elements into his music, his music from this period reflects a combination of his European roots and his exposure to American musical life. The Concerto for Two Pianos is particularly known for its energy and rhythmic complexity, typical of Martinů’s neoclassical style.

Our final work of the evening is Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, his Pastorale Symphony. In contrast to the dramatic and intense Symphony No. 5, which was written around the same time, this symphony is infused with a sense of peace and tranquility: Beethoven loved nature. He often took long walks in the countryside to think, be alone, and find peace. This symphony vividly depicts rural landscapes, shepherds, and the serenity of the countryside. Beethoven gave titles to each movement. For instance, the first movement is called Awakening of Cheerful Feelings Upon Arrival in the Countryside. Then we have the scene By the Brook, Merry Gathering of Country Folk, the famous Thunderstorm, and finally, the Shepherd’s Song. Beethoven masterfully invents themes that evoke the sounds of nature. You can hear bird calls in the woodwinds, the rustling of leaves, the gentle flow of a brook in the strings, and then the thunderstorm, where the entire orchestra is going crazy.

This symphony represents a search for solace in nature. Composed during a time of personal and political turmoil, it reveals a deeply intimate and personal side of Beethoven, as we accompany him on his journey through the countryside.

Audiences will enjoy the Classical ‎Series fun and elegant evening surrounded by the Terrace Theater’s dazzling fountains and fire pits, prelude ensemble in the lobby, 6:30 PM Pre-Concert Talk to gain greater knowledge regarding the evening programming, and the ability to “Sip & Enjoy” in the concert hall.  Doors open at 6PM.