Pacific Symphony to Kick Off New MUSIC MIXOLOGY Series, Today

Orange County, Calif.-Jan. 20, 2016-Pacific Symphony musicians are taking their instruments out to the local hot spot for a fun evening of hand-crafted music, trivia and signature cocktails during the second installment of Music Mixology. A music-inspired game show, Music Mixology is what happens when a group of classical musicians hijack the local trivia night. Each round, audience members compete by answering music-inspired trivia questions, and the winner gets to choose what the musicians play next. Equipped with more than 27 songs ranging from classical, rock, pop, soundtracks and more, Symphony musicians are prepared to perform the winner's choice live, on the spot, and have a few surprises in store. A hit when it debuted last April at 4th Street Market in Santa Ana, Music Mixology returns to a new neighborhood on Thursday, Jan. 28, at 8 p.m. at the Boathouse Collective, 1640 Pomona Ave., Costa Mesa.

Interested participants are encouraged to come early to grab the best seats and dine on the restaurant's globally inspired menu. No tickets are required, but dinner reservations can be made at (949) 646-3176 or reservations@boathousecollective.com. For more information, call the Symphony at (714) 755-5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org.

Taking over the venue are co-hosts Benjamin Smolen (principal flute) and Bridget Dolkas (principal second violin) as well as Symphony musicians Jessica Pearlman Fields (principal oboe), Alice Wrate (violin), Meredith Crawford (viola) and Bob Vos (cello). The group has prepared thrilling acoustic interpretations of favorite rock and pop songs, as well as virtuosic classical pieces and movie soundtracks.

"I think we have an amazing mix of music that will showcase the incredible range and skills of the musicians," says Smolen. "We'll be offering selections as varied as Bach, Tchaikovsky, Adele, The Beatles, Coldplay and so many more. I'm hoping that audience members will get a chance to hear our versions of their favorite tunes as well as discover new gems they may not yet be familiar with. We've worked hard to create a musical menu that everyone can enjoy; there truly is no bad choice!"

Winners of the trivia game can choose from creative categories like "Dead Dudes with Wigs" (Baroque and Beyond), "What a Shredder!" (Virtuosity), "Trip Out" (World Sounds) "Musical Mystery Tour" (Category X), "Lights, Camera, Action" (Soundtracks), "Snap, Crackle, POP!" (Pop Music), "Rock n' Roll Fantasy" (Rock Music) and "Modern Dudes Without Wigs" (Contemporary Classical).

"At the first show, I loved seeing the audience's reactions to our re-vamped versions of some of their favorite tunes like 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' " says Smolen. "My favorite moment of the evening was when we announced that we were performing our final piece and the audience kept asking for more! All of us were thrilled to see just how excited people got about competing in the trivia contests, selecting the music and earning prizes. There was an electric energy in the space that was really special and something I hadn't quite experienced before."

Traveling to a new location, Music Mixology appears this time at the Boathouse Collective, a multimedia venue in westside Costa Mesa. Founder Clayton Peterson recently redesigned the former private event space with reclaimed materials and vintage objects to maintain the building's historical and rustic character while exhibiting an artistic and creative aesthetic. Now a full-service restaurant and venue, the Boathouse Collective offers family-style dining on Southern California cuisine and an innovative, fresh approach to cocktails.

"Our inaugural show was at 4th Street Market in Santa Ana, and it proved to be such a perfect venue that we weren't sure how we could live up to its success," continues Smolen. "The Boathouse Collective in Costa Mesa is a totally different vibe, but it will lend itself perfectly to the Mixology format. I love the hip, laid-back vibe, the indoor/outdoor space that flows beautifully from one area to the next, and the phenomenal food and drink menus. Audience members will be able to enjoy anything from a cocktail to a multi-course meal, all while participating in the show."

Pacific Symphony, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, is the largest orchestra formed in the United States in the last 50 years, and is recognized as an outstanding ensemble making strides on both the national and international scene as well as in its own community of Orange County. Pacific Symphony offers moving musical experiences with repertoire ranging from the great orchestral masterworks to music from today's most prominent composers. The Symphony's innovative approaches to new works received the ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming in 2005 and 2010. Presenting more than 100 concerts a year at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa and Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre in Irvine as well as a rich array of programs throughout the community, the Symphony reaches more than 275,000 residents each year.

This event is made possible by the James Irvine Foundation.