MISSION

Through inspired performance and through a robust set of community engagement and educational initiatives, the Philly POPS celebrates and advances appreciation of popular music.  We honor our distinctive musical heritage, and continually encourage our listeners to celebrate the joyous experience of all forms of American music.

The Philly POPS engagement activities seek to inspire our constituents through textured programs of ongoing community connection.  Each activity is coupled with rigorous standards and evaluation. Programs are designed to enable community members to experience transformation through art, connecting them to the traditions and values of the greater culture and spreading joy and creativity through music. Rooted in a dedicated staff and talented musician base, the POPS collaborative programming and curriculum are developed and refreshed through frequent interaction and input from all key stakeholders. This basket of activities is designed in three categories:

LEARN

POPS in Schools!

Arts in Education programs are developed around collaboration, professional development, and deep, lasting relationships.   While the POPS has long been active in a more general way through its companion program POPS Outside, POPS in Schools will build ongoing programs with both students and teachers in an effort to provide music education enhancements to a school district that has had ongoing funding issues with its arts programs. 

POPS in Schools begins on June 9, 2015 with a presenting partnership with the School District of Philadelphia for the All City Jazz Festival.  Hosted by a graduate of PSD’s CAPA High School, Jacqueline Constance, the program will include Central High School, School of the Future, Franklin Learning Center, Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA),  Julia R. Masterman High School, Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP), Kensington CAPA and The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush.  POPS in Schools will visit a number of these schools prior to the program and will begin choreographed educational activities in the 2015/2016 school year in all of them.

The inaugural sponsor of POPS in Schools is Philadelphia Energy Solutions.

ENGAGE

POPS Outside!

POPS Outside includes all engagement activities that take place outside of the concert hall.  They include the Pre-concert Conversation Series, the long running auditions for the Festival Chorus, as well as monthly community engagement experiences.  Generally, these activities are directed at bringing the talented and experienced musicians of the POPS to unexpected places, often to selected in-school and community center gatherings.  ENGAGE builds new relationships for the POPS through performances, masterclasses and various interactive experiences throughout the region pushing the transformative power of art into new and unexpected spaces.