STREAMED CONCERT WILL FEATURE A NEWLY COMMISSIONED PIECE AND PERFORMANCES BY TERELL STAFFORD, ALLISON BLACKWELL, MICHAEL CAVANAUGH, AND A VIRTUAL PHILLY POPS FESTIVAL CHORUS
THE PHILLY POPS BIG BAND WILL ALSO BE FEATURED IN THE CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM CEREMONY, BROADCAST ON NBC10 AND TELEMUNDO62 AT 7pm ON JULY 4
Philadelphia, PA (June 16, 2020) — The Philly POPS announced today its performances in the 2020 Wawa Welcome America virtual festival, which include the annual POPS on Independence performance, now planned as a virtual stream, and a performance from The Philly POPS BIG Band in the City’s Celebration of Freedom Ceremony.
The POPS’ 42-year tradition of performance in honor of Independence Day continues with its first-ever streamed concert. For this uniquely American celebration, the POPS takes a musical look at tradition and patriotism. POPS on Independence will feature the 38-piece Philly POPS BIG Band + Strings under the direction of Music Director and Principal Conductor David Charles Abell, in his debut as Music Director. The concert will also feature performances by The Philly POPS Artistic Director for Jazz Terell Stafford, vocalist Allison Blackwell, POPS fan-favorite Michael Cavanaugh, and a virtual Philly POPS Festival Chorus.
The streamed performance will be available at www.phillypops.org and will feature a new look at some patriotic standards, pop favorites, and more. As part of the performance, the POPS will make the world debut of a newly commissioned work—"Fanfare for the Frontline Workers,” which honors those who protect the United States and its people. Listeners can expect to hear “Philadelphia Freedom,” “S’Wonderful,” “Amazing Grace,” and more.
Following the POPS’ successful pivot to virtual experiences in the past months with POPS @ Home and POPS in Schools @ Home, including a virtual choral arrangement of “Edelweiss” from The Sound of Music, the stream will also include a special virtual choral performance from The Philly POPS Festival Chorus @ Home singing “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.”
POPS on Independence will be streamed from The Met Philadelphia at 7 pm on July 3, 2020. This performance is closed to the public and is only accessible by stream at www.phillypops.org.
The City’s annual Celebration of Freedom will highlight local heroes and those that are making a difference—featuring three songs from the POPS, including “Fanfare for the Frontline Workers,” along with the City’s annual Magis Award, Wawa Foundation Hero Award, and the Celebrate Freedom Award. POPS at the Celebration of Freedom will be broadcast at 7 p.m. on July 4 on NBC10 and Telemundo62.
These performances are part of Wawa Welcome America and the Comcast NBCUniversal Salute Series.
