Lovebirds in the ‘Burbs
Fall in love with these classics all over again
February 13, 2027 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
1 hour run time
Alumnae Hall
1145 W King RoadMalvern, 19355 United States Buy Tickets
Some songs capture a moment. The greatest love songs stand the test of time.
From the silver screen to the Broadway stage, Lovebirds in the ‘Burbs features a collection of some of the most recognizable love songs ever written.
The program includes favorites such as the Love Theme from The Godfather, “I Wanna Hold Your Hand“ and more. The concert also features George Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue, one of America’s most celebrated orchestral works, performed by Immaculata University Professor Emeritus Dr. Bill Carr with the Philly Pops.
Join the Philly Pops this Valentine’s weekend at Immaculata University’s Alumnae Hall for an afternoon of timeless music performed by your Philly Pops, under the baton of Music Director Chris Dragon.
Featured Guests
Christopher Dragon
Conductor
Christopher Dragon
Conductor
Australian conductor Christopher Dragon is the Music Director of Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, newly appointed Music Director of the Philly Pops and is the Resident Conductor of the Colorado Symphony. He joined the Colorado Symphony in the 2015/2016 Season as Associate Conductor – a position he held for four years. For three years prior, Dragon held the inaugural position of Assistant Conductor with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, which gave him the opportunity to work closely with Principal Conductor Asher Fisch.
Dragon has a versatile portfolio ranging from live-to-picture performances including Nightmare Before Christmas, Toy Story and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, a wide variety of collaborations with artists such as the Wu-Tang Clan, Cynthia Erivo and Joshua Bell, to standard and contemporary orchestral repertoire such as Danny Elfman’s Percussion Concerto; all areas of which he has become highly sought after. Christopher has become known for his charisma, high energy and affinity for a good costume, consistently delivering unforgettable performances that has made him an audience favourite.
Recent highlights include his sold-out symphony tour with Gregory Alan Isakov, which included debuts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Nashville Symphony, a new orchestral collaboration with Nathaniel Rateliff and his successful German debut with the WDR Funkhausorchester.
Christopher is highly sought after as a guest conductor and has worked with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Utah Symphony, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Omaha Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic, Pacific Symphony, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfônica de Porto Alegre and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. In Australia, he has guest conducted the Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and West Australian Symphony Orchestras. His 2015 debut performance at the Sydney Opera House with John Pyke and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra was released on album by ABC Music and won an ARIA the following year
He has also conducted at numerous festivals including the Breckenridge and Bangalow Music Festivals, with both resulting in immediate re-invitations. At the beginning of 2016 Dragon conducted Wynton Marsalis’ Swing Symphony as part of the Perth International Art Festival alongside Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Christopher began his conducting studies in 2011 and was a member of the prestigious Symphony Services International Conductor Development Program in Australia under the guidance of course director Christopher Seaman. He has also studied with numerous distinguished conductors including Leonid Grin, Paavo and Neeme Jarvi at the Jarvi Summer Festival, Fabio Luisi at the Pacific Music Festival and conducting pedagogue Jorma Panula.
Upcoming Events with Christopher Dragon:
Bill Carr
Pianist | Immaculata University Professor Emeritus
Bill Carr
Pianist | Immaculata University Professor Emeritus
Dr. William B. Carr began his musical studies at Temple University, where he earned both his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees. He later further developed his artistry and performance career completing his Doctor pf Musical Arts degree at The Catholic University of America. Dr. Carr continue this advance piano studies in the Graduate Professional Studies program at The Juilliard School, where he friended his musical interpretation and performance preparedness under the guidance of Adele Marcus, a renowned pianist and pedagogue.
Following completion of his Doctor of Music Arts degree, Dr. Carr pursued advanced postdoctoral studies in Germany, earning performance certificates from both the Hochschule für Musik-Munich Conservatory and the Hochschule für Musik-Franz Liszt Conservatory in Weimar. Studying under internationally acclaimed pianist Paul Badura-Skoda, he specialized in piano performance, chamber music, and European performance traditions in both West in East Germany.
Throughout his distinguished music training, Dr. Carr studied with several renowned artists and pedagogues whose influence helped shape his artistic voice and philosophy.
At The Juilliard School, Dr. Carr studied for 12 years with legendary pianist and teacher Adele Marcus, one of the most respected piano pedagogues of the twentieth century
Dr. Carr also worked with internationally acclaimed Austrian pianist Paul Badura-Skoda, celebrated for his interpretations of the Classical and Romantic repertoire
Featured Musicians
Paul Arbogast
trombone
Paul Arbogast
trombone
Paul Arbogast grew up immersed in music — his parents performed as the country/folk duo Adam n Eve and appeared twice on Al Alberts’ Showcase. Music was a constant presence at home, and from a young age Paul found himself mentally improvising solos, often lost in imagined soundscapes that still play in his head today.
His love for the trombone began with his father, a gifted player himself, and took flight in 8th grade under the guidance of band director Paul Hess. Learning low brass techniques like jaw relaxation, breath control, and firm embouchure lit the spark that would define Paul’s path forward.
He earned a degree in Music Education from the University of Delaware and a Master’s in Jazz Studies from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. His primary teachers include John Fedchock, John Swana, Dr. Bob Streckfuss, and Dr. Jay Hildebrandt — all respected performers and mentors in both classical and jazz traditions.
Paul’s professional career has spanned Broadway tours, major concert stages, and television appearances. He has performed or recorded with over 75 top artists, including The Who, Hugh Jackman, Barry Manilow, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Lopez, CeCe Winans, Diana Ross, LL Cool J, Weird Al Yankovic, Billy Paul, and Johnny Mathis. As a member of The Midtown Men with the original cast of Broadway’s Jersey Boys, Paul performed in 49 states, Mexico, and Canada, with appearances on The Today Show and Good Morning America. Notable soloist features include performances with Hugh Jackman before 20,000 fans, with Aretha Franklin at the House of Blues, and with Joey DeFrancesco at Birdland.
He currently serves as Principal Trombonist of the Philly Pops and plays regularly in theatrical productions at Philadelphia’s iconic Academy of Music.
Michael Ludwig
violin
Michael Ludwig
violin
Michael Ludwig’s multi-faceted musical career has taken him across four continents, appearing as solo violinist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Pops, KBS Symphony in Seoul, Korea, Beijing Symphony, and Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra amongst others, joining illustrious conductors such as Sir Georg Solti and John Williams. Michael has recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic, Virginia Symphony, and Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Michael has shared the stage with numerous acclaimed artists, such as Christoph Eschenbach, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Yefim Bronfman, Sarah Chang, and Jean-Yves Thibaudet and he has appeared at numerous music festivals, including the Prague Spring Music Festival and the New Hampshire Music Festival. As an orchestral musician, Michael served as Associate Concertmaster of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Concertmaster of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
Michael’s discography includes recordings of the Beethoven Violin Concerto, Bruch Scottish Fantasy, and Dvorak Romance with the Virginia Symphony, as well as the Wieniawski Concerto No. 2, Corigliano Red Violin Concerto, and Sibelius Concerto with the Buffalo Philharmonic. Ludwig’s recording of the Corigliano Red Violin Concerto with the Buffalo Philharmonic is “hot, sharp, and close to the edge” writes critic Norman Lebrecht. His recording of the rarely performed Dohnanyi Violin Concertos with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra has received extraordinary reviews worldwide, and has revived interest in these neglected romantic works. Ludwig’s discography has drawn critical acclaim from both sides of the Atlantic. Fanfare magazine writes: “His phrasing is so sensitive–it could serve as an object lesson to every budding violinist.” And BBC Music Magazine praises his “persuasive playing, silky tone, sensitivity to colour and flair for golden-age’ style.”
Michael Ludwig has been featured numerous times on Performance Today, a program that reaches approximately 1.2 million listeners on 230 radio stations nationwide. He has been featured on Bulgarian National Radio, Balkan Bulgarian Television, and the Korean Broadcasting System.
As a teacher, Michael has served as Artist-in-Residence Professor of Violin at the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University and Adjunct Professor of Music (Violin) at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. Michael studied violin with his father, Irving Ludwig, who was a violinist in The Philadelphia Orchestra and Music Director of the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra. Michael also studied with the legendary pedagogues Josef Gingold and Raphael Bronstein.
An accomplished conductor, Michael has served as Music Director of the Roxborough Orchestra in Philadelphia since 2015. Michael is also the Director and Conductor of Prysm Strings New Jersey, one of the newest programs of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute. His guest conducting appearances include performances with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra, Delaware County Symphony, and Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra. He also regularly appears as a guest conductor of the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia. Devoted to education, Ludwig has conducted the Skidmore College Orchestra, the All Catholic High School Orchestra of Philadelphia, and the Luzerne Music Center String Orchestra. He has conducted the South Jersey Honors Orchestra, as well as the New Jersey All State Intermediate Orchestra. Ludwig studied conducting privately with Gustav Meier, and participated at workshops in Bulgaria, Ukraine, New York City, and South Carolina with Gustav Meier, Larry Rachleff, Donald Schleicher, Donald Portnoy, and Maurice Peress. Michael and his wife Rachael Ludwig are the Founding Artistic Directors of the Stella Schaevitz Concert Series, based at the Katz JCC in Cherry Hill, NJ. Michael and his wife Rachael maintain a private teaching studio in Cherry Hill, teaching violin and viola lessons in studio as well as online.
Michael Ludwig is a Thomastic-Infeld artist.
For further information, please visit: www.michaelludwig.com
