Brian McKnight to join CalPhil for concerts this weekend

GRAMMY NOMINATED MUSICIAN BRIAN MCKNIGHT
KICKS OFF 2010 CALIFORNIA PHILHARMONIC
SUMMER SEASON JUNE 26-27


His recordings have gone platinum, his fans number in the tens of millions, and the awards he has garnered range from the Grammys and American Music Awards to the NAACP Image and BET Awards. But when singer and actor Brian McKnight joins the California Philharmonic on Saturday, June 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia and on Sunday, June 27, at 2 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles for “America the Beautiful: A Powerful Patriotic Performance,” he’ll take on a role his fans might not at first expect. McKnight will narrate composer Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait.

But for Dr. Victor Vener, founder and Music Director of Cal Phil, selecting McKnight to help kick off the orchestra’s 2010 Summer Season – and pay tribute to President Abraham Lincoln – was a superb choice.

“Brian is a legendary leader in his own right,” Vener explains. “There’s nothing he has tackled that he hasn’t excelled at, whether it’s as a singer who’s sold over 20 million albums, as a nationally syndicated host on ABC Radio, or as a member of the team at Extra! I’m so looking forward to introducing Brian to our audiences at The Arboretum and Disney Hall. I’ve no doubt they’ll give him the star-spangled welcome he deserves.”

Nor will McKnight be the only star joining Cal Phil at its ‘powerful patriotic performance.’ Pianist Bryan Pezzone will appear as soloist when the orchestra presents George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

“If you watch television or go to the movies, there’s a good chance you’ve heard Bryan perform,” says Vener, who played French horn and earned a doctorate in music performance from USC before turning to conducting. “The range of composers he’s worked with is amazing, from John Adams to John Williams.”

Pezzone is also the pianist in the ensemble Free Flight, a crossover classical/jazz quartet. “Rhapsody in Blue was originally written for solo piano and jazz band in 1924,” Vener relates. “Bryan’s versatility as an artist – he is equally comfortable in the classical and jazz worlds – guarantees that this performance of one of the most popular American works ever written will stand out as one of the most memorable.”

Also on the program for “America the Beautiful” are Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, Copland’s Appalachian Spring and a medley of stirring marches by John Philip Sousa. At The Arboretum, the concert will include a pyrotechnics display as well. “Obviously fireworks aren’t an option at Disney Hall,” says Vener. “But we’ll make sure our musical ‘display’ is equally spectacular. And, of course, hearing great music in a beautiful acoustic gem like Disney Hall is an exhilarating experience in and of itself.”

“America the Beautiful” will begin on Saturday, June 26 at 5:30 p.m., when the gates to The Arboretum open for picnicking. Four vendors – including Robin’s Wood Fire BBQ & Grill, Bristol Farms and Neomeze Restaurant Bar and Lounge – will provide food on site as well. Wine will be provided by redwhite+bluezz. And, as has happened in the past, live jazz performances will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Parking on site is available. The Arboretum is located at 301 North Baldwin Avenue in Arcadia. For more information or to order tickets/subscriptions, visit www.calphil.org or call 626.300.8200.

Subscriptions are available for purchase at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office. Tickets for individual events can be purchases through Ticketmaster online or by calling 800-745-3000. For downloadable order forms, seating and pricing, visit Cal Phil’s website: www.calphil.org.

Cal Phil will also be presenting “Talks with the Maestro” at Disney Hall – at 1 p.m. prior to the concert. Vener stresses that these talks are not lectures but conversations between him and audience members; questions are encouraged. Walt Disney Concert Hall is located at 111 South Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles.