PHILADELPHIA, PA (June 19, 2014) – On July 3, 2014, at 8 p.m. in front of Independence Hall, The Philly POPS® is proud to present Conductor Larry Blank, who will be standing in for Peter Nero, with guest soloist Capathia Jenkins to perform a free, patriotic celebration in honor of America’s birthday. The concert is part of the Wawa Welcome America! Festival — the nation’s largest, free 4th of July festival. The open-air concert will take place on the lawn at 6th and Chestnut Streets. Visitors are invited to bring their lawn chairs and blankets and experience Philadelphia’s world class POPS orchestra play a rousing set of familiar patriotic tunes to launch the holiday.
Larry Blank is one of the most prolific and sought after composers, conductors, and orchestrators in the entertainment business today. His work has been presented all over the world, including some of Broadway’s most successful musicals, Carnegie Hall, and top television and film projects. Mr. Blank conducted The Philly POPS in March 2014 for the very popular Musical Tribute to Marvin Hamlisch and he has guest conducted with other orchestras throughout the world, including The San Francisco Symphony, The New York Philharmonic, Western Australia Symphony Orchestra, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Palm Beach Pops, Auckland Symphony, The National Symphony Orchestra, The Boston Pops, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Symphony, New Orleans Symphony and Toronto Symphony.
“Capathia Jenkins has the kind of voice that angels might envy,” said David Kaufman in the Daily News, and she will set off her own fireworks as the guest singer with The Philly POPS at Independence Hall. With such Broadway credits as Newsies, The Civil War, The Look of Love with critical acclaim for her performances of the Bacharach/David hits, Caroline, Or Change and Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me where she brought the house down every night for her song “Stop the Show.’ An active concert artist, Ms. Jenkins has appeared with orchestras around the world including the National Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony (with Marvin Hamlisch), Atlanta Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony, Edmonton Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic Seattle Symphony, and in 2011 Capathia had the great honor of performing in the ‘Broadway Ambassadors to Cuba’ concert as part of the Festival De Teatro De La Habana.
About Wawa Welcome America!:
Wawa Welcome America! is a multi-day festival that celebrates America’s birthday in America’s birthplace, Philadelphia. Wawa joined the festival as the title sponsor in 2010. For more information, visit www.welcomeamerica.com, like the Wawa Welcome America! page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/WawaWelcomeAmerica) and follow the festival on Twitter and Instagram (@July4thPhilly).