Philadelphia, PA (June 8, 2018) — Encore Series, Inc., presenter of The Philly POPS, announced today that Music Director Michael Krajewski will conclude his tenure with the POPS when his contract ends in May 2019.
Krajewski has served as Music Director since the 2013-14 season. Under his leadership, the POPS has experienced unprecedented growth and success in ticket sales, subscriptions, programming quality, and engagement activities. Krajewski will conduct his final concerts as Music Director May 3-5, 2019 in American Bandstand: A Philadelphia Story at the Kimmel Center.
“I want to thank the tremendously talented musicians of The Philly POPS for providing me with some of the most enjoyable and satisfying concerts I’ve ever experienced as a conductor,” Krajewski said. “The versatility and virtuosity of these musicians are second to none. I also want to express how enormously gratifying it’s been to witness such enthusiastic responses from the audience. I’m so pleased to see public appreciation for the POPS continue to spread. I wish The Philly POPS continued success in the future.”
“The Philly POPS has enjoyed extraordinary growth over the past five years,” said Frank Giordano, President and CEO of The Philly POPS. “This expansion has been due in no small part to the pitch perfect performance of Music Director Michael Krajewski. We thank him for making the sound of the POPS what it is today. We want him to know that the POPS will always be home for him and for his wife, Darcy. I know I speak for the amazing and talented musicians of the POPS in recognizing his great artistic contribution. I know I speak for the enthusiastic audiences he has built over time when I thank him for those memories. We look forward to a bright future made possible by his contributions and will be making an announcement in the next weeks on our artistic direction for the future.”
About The Philly POPS
The Philly POPS, the largest standalone pops orchestra in the United States, delights audiences with the inspired performance of American popular music. The POPS celebrates this distinctive musical heritage through an expanding repertoire of innovative concert presentations and a robust set of educational and engagement initiatives.
Now in its 39th season, the official POPS orchestra of Pennsylvania serves a consistently growing audience of over 150,000 annually. Music Director Michael Krajewski and the 65-piece Philly POPS orchestra keeps listeners tapping their toes to an impressive repertoire of songs from American traditions of music up through today’s chart toppers. The Philly POPS BIG Band, an 18-20 piece ensemble performing a rock and rhythm and blues repertoire , premiered in 2017 to enthusiastic response at the July 4 Welcome America Concert on the Parkway.
Outside the concert hall, Salute Series performances – including POPS on Independence on July 3 and the I’ll Be Home for Christmas: A Salute to the Military and First Responders concert – celebrate the American tradition of service around important national holidays; POPS in Schools enhances music education for Philadelphia School District students; and POPS Outside brings POPS music to local communities.
The Philly POPS performs as a founding resident company of The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, and at venues throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
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