ROBERT ISTAD, a Grammy Award-winning conductor who “fashions fluent and sumptuous readings” (Voice of OC) with his “phenomenal” artistry (Los Angeles Times), was appointed Pacific Chorale’s Artistic Director in 2017. Under his leadership, the chorus continues to expand its reputation for excellence for delivering fresh, thought-provoking interpretations of beloved masterworks, rarely performed gems and newly commissioned pieces. Istad’s newest project, the inventive choral-theatrical concert film “To the Hands,” premiered as an official selection of the 2025 Newport Beach Film Festival and will receive its commercial release in early 2026. In July 2023, he led Pacific Chorale’s first international tour in seven years, conducting performances at leading venues in Austria, Germany and the United Kingdom. His artistic impact can be heard on three recent recordings featuring Pacific Chorale, including the 2022 Grammy Award-winning “Mahler’s Eighth Symphony” with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Gustavo Dudamel on Deutsche Grammophon (2021), for which he prepared the chorus. It won Best Choral Performance and garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Engineered Album, Classical. Additionally, Istad prepared Pacific Chorale for Pacific Symphony’s commercial recording of Sir James MacMillan’s “Fiat Lux” released on Tonsehen Records (2024) and conducted the Pacific Chorale’s recording “All Things Common: The Music of Tarik O’Regan” released on Yarlung Records (2020). He regularly conducts and collaborates with Pacific Symphony, Berkshire Choral International, and Yarlung Records. His extensive credits also include recording for Sony Classical and guest conducting Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, Bach Collegium San Diego, Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, Bath Philharmonia, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Tesserae Baroque, and Freies Landesorchester Bayern. Istad has prepared choruses for such renowned conductors as Esa-Pekka Salonen, John Williams, John Mauceri, Keith Lockhart, Nicholas McGegan, Vasilly Sinaisky, Sir Andrew Davis, Bramwell Tovey, Carl St.Clair, Eugene Kohn, Giancarlo Guerrero, Marin Alsop, George Fenton, and Robert Moody. An esteemed educator, Istad is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at California State University (CSUF), Fullerton, where he was recognized as CSUF’s 2016 Outstanding Professor of the Year. He conducts the University Singers and manages a large graduate conducting program, in addition to teaching courses on conducting and choral literature. Recently, he and the University Singers performed with Andrea Bocelli, Jennifer Hudson, Kathleen Battle, and the Eagles. Istad, who is on the Executive Board of Directors of Chorus America and serves as Dean of Chorus America’s Conducting Academy, is in demand as guest conductor, lecturer, and clinician.

John Manzari is an Ovation Award and Helen Hayes Award nominated dancer, singer, choreographer, and teacher.

Stage credits include the Broadway revival of Funny Girl; TUTS’ White Christmas; MUNY’s Anything Goes; Encores! The Tap Dance Kid; Off Broadway’s Maurice Hines: Tappin’ Thru Life; Caleb Teicher’s Bzzz; Bessie Award winning production Chasing Magic; 42ND Street; The Wiz is 40: A Celebration in Dance and Music; and Sophisticated Ladies.

Television credits include Law & Order SVU; the PBS specials Black Broadway: A Proud History, A Limitless Future; Rooted; The Kennedy Center at 50; and Michael Feinstein at the Rainbow Room; Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade; Good Morning America; The View; The Jerry Lewis Telethon; and So You Think You Can Dance.

Concerts include one man shows RECENTER and The First Set; guest appearances with symphonies across North America i.e. New York, Edmonton, Seattle, Houston, and DC (National & American) and bands such as The Hot Sardines; Fall for Dance; Canada’s Fall for Dance North; Amelia Island Dance Festival; and Gold Coast Dance Festival. John can be seen in the documentary about his mentor Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back. Film credits include I Get Knocked Down and the award winning short films To: Everything I Love, Slip, and Leonard Soloway’s Broadway. His short film – Ghost – was an official selection for Fall for Dance North’s 8-Count Short Film Festival 2024.

Aubrey Logan has been called “the Queen of Sass,” but her artistry goes far deeper than charm. A world-class jazz vocalist and trombonist, she fuses powerhouse vocals with dazzling musicianship and an engaging stage presence that makes every performance unforgettable. From her earliest days—winning the Jury and Audience Awards at the prestigious Shure Montreux Jazz Festival Voice Competition—Aubrey has been charting her own course through the worlds of jazz, pop, soul, and funk.

Now, with her newest release, Aubrey Logan and Her Bigger Than Average Band, she’s turning up the spotlight on the qualities that have always set her apart. Backed by a vibrant, hard-swinging ensemble, Aubrey delivers jazz vocals brimming with personality, performances that balance technical brilliance with sheer joy, and arrangements that breathe new life into the art form. Each track showcases her rare ability to be both musically adventurous and emotionally direct, making the album as accessible to newcomers as it is thrilling for seasoned jazz lovers.

Her collaborative spirit is as bold as her sound. Aubrey has shared the stage with artists across the musical spectrum, from Alabama Shakes and The Commodores to Meghan Trainor, Gerald Albright, Rick Braun, and Kenny Lattimore. She’s also been featured in two nationally televised PBS Specials, toured internationally with Dave Koz and with Postmodern Jukebox, and brought her music to legendary stages including Radio City Music Hall, the Sydney Opera House, and the Hollywood Bowl. Along the way, she has landed multiple Top 10 Billboard Jazz albums, further cementing her reputation as one of the most dynamic and versatile performers in contemporary jazz.

In an era when jazz continues to evolve, Aubrey Logan stands out as an artist who honors the tradition while fearlessly pushing it forward. With Aubrey Logan and Her Bigger Than Average Band, she offers a sound that is bigger, bolder, and more unforgettable than ever.

Fabiola Méndez is a Puerto Rican cuatrista, singer, educator, and Emmy-nominated composer. Her artistic vision and original music focus on the exploration of her culture, her ancestry, and her identities.

Native to Caguas, PR, Méndez began playing the cuatro, Puerto Rico’s national instrument, at the age of 6. She received early music training at the Antonio Paoli School of Music in Caguas and earned her bachelor’s in music from Berklee College of Music, where in 2018 she made history as the first graduate to play the Puerto Rican cuatro as principal instrument.

Méndez’s mission has always been to share and celebrate the cuatro, folk music, and collective storytelling. In doing so, she’s had the honor of performing at venues and on series such as NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Celebrity Series of Boston, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Fred Rogers Productions, and Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, among many others. She has also collaborated with many local and international artists and ensembles, including the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, Totó La Momposina, Pedro Capó, Andy Montañez, Danny Rivera, Chicago Philharmonic, and Boston Landmarks Orchestra.

Her list of recordings include: “Herencia Criolla” (2009), “Al Otro Lado Del Charco” (2019), “Afrorriqueña” (2021), and “Flora Campesina” (2024). In 2022, she produced her first documentary Negrura showcasing Afro-Latinx stories in topics around colorism and discrimination within our own communities.

In recent years, she’s had the honor of receiving recognitions like the Quincy Jones Award, ambassador for the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City, the Brother Thomas Fellowship, the Whippoorwill Arts Fellowship, and the 2022 ASCAP Foundation Lucille and Jack Yellen Award. She was also nominated for a Children’s and Family Emmy in the category of outstanding interactive media and won 2023 Latin artist of the year 2023 at the Boston Music Awards. Her music is featured on the short film Beautiful, FL (Disney+), on the TV shows “Alma’s Way,” “Work It Out Wombats” (PBS Kids), and “Mecha Builders” (HBO Max), as well as indie films, jingles, and TV commercials.

“The Best EAGLES Tribute on Earth!” – Rolling Stone Magazine

Fasten your seat belts and get ready for an unforgettable rock and roll journey with 7 Bridges: The Ultimate EAGLES Experience!

Coming from Nashville, Tennessee, this tribute to the music of the Eagles includes stunningly accurate renditions of timeless classics and fan favorites such as “Hotel California,” “Take It Easy,” “Desperado,” “One of These Nights,” “Life In The Fast Lane” and “New Kid in Town”.

7 Bridges’ incredible concert experience transports the audience back to the country rock era in Southern California and features impeccable harmonies, masterful musicianship, and authentic 1970’s stage presence.

The band’s dedication to recreating the iconic sound of The Eagles is evident in every note they play and sing. This makes their show a must-see event for any fan of classic rock.

7 Bridges features Max Struthers as Glenn Frey, Keith Thoma as Don Henley, Blake Hall as guitar wizard Don Felder, Devon Pangle in the dual roles of Randy Meisner and Timothy B. Schmit, Richie Scholl as the unpredictable Joe Walsh, and Vernon Roop as the “sixth” Eagle, Joe Vitale, who appeared on many Eagles albums and in live concerts.

Conductor Kevin Babuder has led many orchestras in live performances and in film and television sound stages. Recent conducting appearances include the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, the Garland Symphony (TX), and many pops symphonies around the country. Kevin also conducted members of the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus at Skywalker Sound at the Lucas Ranch in Marin County, California. He collaborated with Hans Zimmer on the Oscar-nominated short film “The Simpsons: The Longest Daycare” as orchestrator. Kevin’s music and arrangements have been played by the London Symphony Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony, the Omaha Symphony, the Pacific Symphony, the Prague Symphony, and the finest Hollywood studio orchestras, among many others. He is the current Music Director of St. James Church in Redondo Beach, California. Kevin is a graduate of the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, Florida, the Aspen Music Festival and School, and the Nadia Boulanger music theory training program at the E’cole Normale de Musique de Paris. Kevin began his career as an accomplished professional bassoonist, performing in the Florida Grand Opera orchestra, the Miami City Ballet orchestra, and with the Key West Symphony. Kevin resides in Los Angeles, California, with his wife Annie and their three children.

With 18 Top-Ten albums (9 No. 1’s), 151 Top-Ten singles (122 No. 1’s), an Emmy nomination, and being named Las Vegas “Headliner of the Year” 5 times, Frankie Moreno is consistently breaking records and wowing audiences from coast to coast with his own brand of genre-blurring Rock n’ Roll.

Reaching millions of record sales worldwide, Frankie continues to write and release new music. In 2019, he made music history by becoming the only artist to have 6 albums debut at a Top-Ten spot on the Billboard Charts in a 12-month period.

As a child prodigy on the piano and a gifted multi-instrumentalist, Frankie was first introduced to American audiences at the age of 10 on CBS’s Star Search. His performance on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars brought him into America’s living rooms again performing his self-penned hit “Tangerine Honey”. He has continued to perform sold-out concerts including Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, The Hollywood Bowl, and Vegas residencies.

Frankie’s collaboration with world-renowned violinist Joshua Bell, At Home With Friends, reached the No. 1 spot on Billboard. The album included Sting, Josh Groban, Chris Botti, Kristin Chenoweth, and Regina Spektor. Frankie and Josh have since released Musical Gifts, which reached No. 8 on Billboard and featured Placido Domingo, Gloria Estefan, Allison Krauss, and Chick Corea.

Frankie toured the U.S. with Sugarland and Billy Currington. He joined multi-platinum artists Air Supply for their world tour as musical director, and wrote their radio single “Dance with Me”, reaching No. 7 on Billboard’s Top 40. He has performed his original works for his Symphony concerts with the nation’s premier orchestras.

Frankie Moreno commands audiences around the world with his highly contagious music and playful stage antics. His songs are cleverly crafted and his musicianship is virtuoso. Frankie is an all-around talent who puts his heart and soul into his music. He is unquestionably a unique artist.

Lacey Mae Schwimmer (born June 28, 1988) is an American ballroom dancer and singer. She is best known as a contestant of the third season of So You Think You Can Dance who placed fourth. She is the daughter of noted dancer Buddy Schwimmer, as well as the cousin of Heidi Groskreutz, who placed fourth on the second season of So You Think You Can Dance and younger sister of Benji Schwimmer, the winner of the show’s second season. She participated in the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars as a professional dancer paired with Lance Bass of ‘N Sync, in the eighth season of the show paired with Jackass star Steve-O and in the ninth season paired with actor and Iron Chef America host Mark Dacascos. Schwimmer returned to Dancing with the Stars for its eleventh season and she was partnered with Disney Channel star Kyle Massey and in the 12th season, paired with radio host Mike Catherwood. In the thirteenth season, she was paired with transgender activist Chaz Bono. Schwimmer did not return for season 14 of Dancing With The Stars.^[2]

Schwimmer competes in West Coast Swing and International Latin dance styles.^[3] She made an appearance in Jon Chu and Adam Sevani‘s “Biggest Online Dance Battle” against M&M Cru and was credited as a member of America’s Best Dance Crew with Hok, another So You Think You Can Dance competitor. She’s made television appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Good Morning America, and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. In 2008 she danced alongside Adam Sandler at the MTV Movie Awards 2008. She then appeared in the video of the song Rainbow, by Elisa^[4] with singer songwriter Vinnie Ferra.

She is a part of the iHollywood Dance faculty teaching master classes in the United States and Norway. Schwimmer also has her own line of tube socks as well as a dance wear line designed by Sugar and Bruno Dancewear collection.^[5]

Schwimmer’s debut single, “Love Soundz”, was released June 21, 2011

Tony DeSare performs with infectious joy, wry playfulness, and robust musicality. Named a “Rising Star Male Vocalist” in DownBeat magazine, DeSare has garnered critical and popular acclaim for his concert performances throughout North America and abroad. From jazz clubs to Carnegie Hall to Las Vegas headlining with Don Rickles and major symphony orchestras, DeSare has brought his fresh take on old-school class around the globe. DeSare has four top ten Billboard jazz albums and has been featured on the CBS Early Show, NPR, A Prairie Home Companion, and the Today Show. His music has been posted by social media celebrity juggernaut, George Takei, and DeSare has also collaborated with YouTube icons Postmodern Jukebox. DeSare can be seen on Hulu’s Godfather of Harlem (season 3/Ep 9) performing the Sinatra classic “That’s Life.” 

​DeSare’s “Lush Life” recording debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Chart and he released Song Diaries Vol. 2 in early 2022. His latest singles, available on all streaming platforms, include “Two Sleepy People,” “Let’s Do It,” and “My Blue Heaven.”  
 
Beyond his well-regarded turns as a singer/pianist, DeSare is also an accomplished composer. He not only won first place in the USA Songwriting Contest but has written the theme song for the motion picture My Date with Drew, several broadcast commercials, and has composed the full soundtracks for the Hallmark Channel’s Love Always, Santa, Lifetime’s Nanny Nightmare and A Welcome Home Christmas. His sound is romantic, swinging, and sensual, but what sets DeSare apart is his ability to write original material that sounds fresh and contemporary while paying homage to the Great American Songbook. His compositions include a wide range of tender, funny, and soulful sounds that can be found on his top-selling recordings.

DeSare’s forthcoming appearances this season include The Cleveland Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Columbus Symphony, Seattle Symphony, The Phoenix Symphony, Grand Teton Music Festival, Rockport Music, and Birdland Theatre.

New recordings, originals, and videos of standards are released regularly on DeSare’s YouTube channel, Apple Music, and Spotify. Follow Tony on Facebook, and Instagram, and subscribe on YouTube to stay connected.

Tony DeSare is a Yamaha Artist. For more information, visit https://www.tonydesare.com/.