LOU RAWLS, BROADWAY-STYLE HOLIDAY PRODUCTIONS AND "THE MUSIC MAN"
TO HIGHLIGHT SYMPHONY'S 2002-2003 BANK OF AMERICA POPS SERIES
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Portland, Ore. ... The legendary Lou Rawls, "The Music Man" and the return of "Yuletide Celebration" will highlight the Oregon Symphony's 2002-2003 Bank of America Pops series, reflecting a growing demand for family-oriented Pops concerts. The 2002-2003 season also include a celebration of the music of Mancini and Mercer, "Celtic Celebration," Big Band performances by Shirley Nanette and Broadway hits sung by The Oregonian's own Margie Boulé. Oregon Symphony Pops concerts are sponsored by Bank of America. Media support is provided by KXL News/Talk 750, MediaAmerica and KPTV Oregon's 12.

The season will kick off Oct. 12-14, 2002, with "The Music Man," a semi-staged production of Meredith Willson's tale of fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill as he cons the people of River City into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys' band he vows to train, although he has no education in music. The program will include hit songs like "76 Trombones," and "Till There Was You," conducted by Associate Conductor Norman Leyden and featuring the Leyden Singers and local high school bands.

Grammy Award-winner Lou Rawls will perform Nov. 2-4 in a concert conducted by Resident Conductor Murry Sidlin. With a voice referred to as "sweet as sugar, soft as velvet, strong as steel and smooth as butter," Rawls has been recording for more than 40 years. Hits such as "You'll Never Find," "Lady Love," "Groovy People," "Love is a Hurtin' Thing" and "Tobacco Road" have kept Rawls in the spotlight through more than 60 albums.

The 2002-2003 Holiday Pops concert Dec. 14-16 will feature the return of the family favorite, "Yuletide Celebration," an innovative production that garnered rave reviews from the audience last season. "Yuletide Celebration" is a unique presentation of music, theatre, dance and puppetry, including traditional holiday favorites and carols, virtuoso soloists, dazzling costumes and show-stopping choreography. And, by the same producers as "Yuletide Celebration," the Bank of America Pops series will feature "Celtic Celebration" March 15-17, 2003. A presentation of classical, pops, film, Broadway and traditional music combined with dance, bagpipes and theatrical staging, "Celtic Celebration" is just in time for St. Patrick's Day.

The Pops series also will include a Mancini and Mercer celebration with acclaimed vocalist Judy McLane, featuring "Moon River," "Days of Wine and Roses" and "The Pink Panther" Jan 11-13, 2003. Shirley Nanette will perform the Big Band hits of Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman and more with Norman Leyden and his big band April 12-14, 2003, and Margie Boulé of The Oregonian will perform Broadway favorites from "Guys and Dolls," "The Sound of Music," "South Pacific" and more in the Pops season finale conducted by Leyden May 10-12, 2003.

BANK OF AMERICA POPS

The Oregon Symphony Bank of America Pops series presents some of the best songs written over the past century with emphasis on Broadway and the Big Band era, performed by popular music's brightest stars. New for the 2002-2003 season is a 7 p.m. start time (formerly 8 p.m.) for the Sunday evening Bank of America Pops concert. The earlier performance time is a direct result of audience feedback and reflects the Symphony's efforts to make the series attractive to a wider demographic, especially families. The Pops series, led by Associate Conductor Norman Leyden, is comprised of seven subscription concerts running from September 2002 through May 2003. Performance times are Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 and 7 p.m. and Mondays at 8 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in the Portland Center for the Performing Arts, located in downtown Portland at the corner of S.W. Main and Broadway.

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

Subscriptions for the Bank of America Pops series (seven concerts) range in price from $105 to $385 and may be purchased at the Oregon Symphony Ticket Office in downtown Portland at 923 S.W. Washington, or charged by phone at 503-228-1353 or (800) 228-7343, weekdays (and Saturdays, Sept. through May) from9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Subscription orders also may be placed online at www.orsymphony.org. Bank of America Pops subscribers receive full subscription benefits, including flexible ticket exchange and advance purchase for Special Event concerts at a 20 percent discount. Single tickets for Bank of America Pops and other Symphony concerts will be available to the general public at 9 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 19, 2002.