VIDEO: Cleveland Pops Orchestra's New Video Declares 'The POPS is Tops'

This is the story of the acclaimed Cleveland POPS Orchestra, as seen, heard and experienced by its musicians, guest artists, patrons and staff. This top-notch symphonic pops ensemble, led by its charismatic conductor Carl Topilow, is beginning its eighteenth concert season. One of only a handful of independent pops orchestras in the nation, Cleveland POPS offers a unique blend of music, entertainment, variety and audience interaction that has made it a jewel in the cultural crown of Northeast Ohio.

The 8:05 minute video, shot in Severance Hall, home of another acclaimed orchestra: The Cleveland Orchestra, focuses on reactions to a live POPS performance by audience members, musicians, and even the Broadway Tony Award Winner Christiane Noll who happened to be performing with Cleveland POPS the night the cameras were rolling.

George Veras of Veras Communications, Inc. and Fusion Filmworks produced the video. The Cleveland POPS Orchestra first garnered national attention in 2003 with the recording of the three theme songs of "The Drew Carey Show," at the request of the show's star. The songs were arranged for orchestra by Cleveland Pops principal trombonist Paul Ferguson and have become part of many of the show's segments, which are still playing worldwide in syndication.

Cleveland POPS was commissioned in 2008 to provide the music for "Smuckers Hot Ice, Cool Sounds," a two-hour television special featuring The Cleveland Pops Orchestra, Peter Cetera, former lead singer of the group "Chicago," and a star-studded list of Olympic and world-class figure skaters. The broadcast aired Christmas day 2008 on nationwide television.