Henry Segerstrom News

Skyscraping grandeur, sheer beauty and energy to match the excitement of the New Year-Pacific Symphony rings in 2013 with a concert featuring two timeless masterpieces: Beethoven's Violin Concerto and Rimsky-Korsakov's astonishing 'Scheherazade.'

America's sweetheart Amy Grant makes her debut with Pacific Symphony Pops for festive, heartwarming holiday concert, 'Christmas with Amy Grant'.

Timeless melodies paired with a choir of heavenly voices celebrate the beauty and revelation of the season during Pacific Symphony's performance of Handel's "Messiah," now a cherished Orange County tradition. Rejoice to thundering trumpets, triumphant timpani and the spine-tingling "Hallelujah" chorus as Pacific Chorale's Artistic Director John Alexander leads the orchestra, Pacific Chorale and esteemed vocal soloists Kiera Duffy, soprano; Jane Shim, mezzo-soprano; Norman Shankle, tenor; and Stephen Morscheck, bass. Handel's radiant masterpiece conjures a feeling of joy that reminds audiences of the peace in humanity-a message of inspiration to all. One of several holiday concerts offered by the Symphony, "Messiah" takes place today, Dec. 9, at 3 p.m. in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa.

Enveloping the audience in a magnitude of musical splendors, the $3.1-million William J. Gillespie Concert Organ, played by world-renowned organist Todd Wilson, captures the beauty, range and colors of popular and traditional holiday music during Pacific Symphony's annual "Holiday Organ Spectacular."

The rich, emotional depth of the wide-hipped cello is exploited for all its worth in the hands of exquisite virtuoso Alisa Weilerstein, when she performs Dvorak's standard-setting Cello Concerto with Pacific Symphony for "Alisa Weilerstein Plays Dvo?ak."

Fiesta Navidad, the fun-filled evening of folkloric songs and mariachi holiday music by Grammy® Award-winning ensemble Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano returns to the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall tonight, December 1 at 8 p.m.

America's sweetheart Amy Grant makes her debut with Pacific Symphony Pops for festive, heartwarming holiday concert, 'Christmas with Amy Grant'.

Timeless melodies paired with a choir of heavenly voices celebrate the beauty and revelation of the season during Pacific Symphony's performance of Handel's "Messiah," now a cherished Orange County tradition. Rejoice to thundering trumpets, triumphant timpani and the spine-tingling "Hallelujah" chorus as Pacific Chorale's Artistic Director John Alexander leads the orchestra, Pacific Chorale and esteemed vocal soloists Kiera Duffy, soprano; Jane Shim, mezzo-soprano; Norman Shankle, tenor; and Stephen Morscheck, bass. Handel's radiant masterpiece conjures a feeling of joy that reminds audiences of the peace in humanity-a message of inspiration to all. One of several holiday concerts offered by the Symphony, "Messiah" takes place Sunday, Dec. 9, at 3 p.m. in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa.

No other feeling compares to the rousing excitement triggered by hearing a live, huge orchestra blasting out a Broadway overture. Even better? Add two powerhouse vocalists who played lead roles in the smash hit musical WICKED to sing in front of them. Under the valiant direction of conductor Richard Kaufman, Pacific Symphony opens its new season with the concert WICKED DIVAS, which continues nightly performances in Costa Mesa's Segerstrom Concert Hall through November 17.

The Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour 55th Anniversary Celebration makes its way to Segerstrom Center for the Arts on January 13 in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. The all- star ensemble will perform classic jazz and original compositions by critically acclaimed, Grammy Award-winning artists: bassist and musical director Christian McBride, vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, saxophonist Chris Potter, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, pianist Benny Green and drummer Lewis Nash.

The breathtaking talent of some of Southern California's most proficient young musicians lures audiences with two concerts of classical favorites to kick off Pacific Symphony Youth Ensembles' (PSYE) 2012-13 concert series this November. Led by Music Director Maxim Eshkenazy, Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra (PSYO), named Classics Alive Youth Orchestra of the Year in 2012, captivates listeners with rich European harmonic history, including the Spanish dances of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Capriccio Espagnol," the medieval beauty of Wagner's "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral" and the Norwegian folk tunes of Grieg's "Peer Gynt," as well as an original composition by the Symphony's French horn player, James Taylor. "PSYO Fall Concert" takes place Sunday, Nov. 18, at 4 p.m., at Meng Hall at California State University, Fullerton.

Full casting has been announced for the upcoming national tour of THE ADDAMS FAMILY, a new musical based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, which will make its Orange County premiere December 18 - 30 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Tony Award nominee Douglas Sills and Sara Gettelfinger will star as Gomez and Morticia in a principal cast that also includes Tony Award nominee Martin Vidnovic as Mal Beineke, Gaelen Gilliland as Alice Beineke, Blake Hammond as Uncle Fester, Pippa Pearthree as Grandma, Tom Corbeil as Lurch, Patrick D. Kennedy as Pugsley, Curtis Holbrook as Lucas Beineke and Cortney Wolfson as Wednesday.

Pacific Symphony welcomes the illustrious German chanteuse, Ute Lemper, for 'Come to the Cabaret,' a revival of the seductive and sophisticated music that was heard in intimate, smoke-filled nightclubs across Germany, France and America during the 1920s and '30s. Watch a video about the upcoming concert below!

Calling all singers from Orange County, Los Angeles and the Inland Empire! Pacific Symphony asks for the second time, "OC Can You Sing?" in a search for Southern California's most-talented singers. Watch a video about this year's competition below!

The rich, emotional depth of the wide-hipped cello is exploited for all its worth in the hands of exquisite virtuoso Alisa Weilerstein, when she performs Dvorak's standard-setting Cello Concerto with Pacific Symphony for "Alisa Weilerstein Plays Dvo?ak."

The breathtaking talent of some of Southern California's most proficient young musicians lures audiences with two concerts of classical favorites to kick off Pacific Symphony Youth Ensembles' (PSYE) 2012-13 concert series this November. Led by Music Director Maxim Eshkenazy, Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra (PSYO), named Classics Alive Youth Orchestra of the Year in 2012, captivates listeners with rich European harmonic history, including the Spanish dances of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Capriccio Espagnol," the medieval beauty of Wagner's "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral" and the Norwegian folk tunes of Grieg's "Peer Gynt," as well as an original composition by the Symphony's French horn player, James Taylor. "PSYO Fall Concert" takes place Sunday, Nov. 18, at 4 p.m., at Meng Hall at California State University, Fullerton.

The LA Times reports that Kristin Chenoweth is set to appear November 5 at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. The Tony-winning actress will follow that performance with concerts in Sacramento on November 7 and Fresno on November 9.

After more than a decade of triumphant success in both San Francisco and Seattle, Teatro ZinZanni comes south to Segerstrom Center for the Arts with a brand new show, LOVE, CHAOS, & DINNER, tonight, October 24 - December 31, 2012.

Fiesta Navidad, the fun-filled evening of folkloric songs and mariachi holiday music by Grammy® Award-winning ensemble Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano returns to the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall on Saturday, December 1 at 8 p.m.

Leaving the audience awe-struck with surprise and delight at his sheer virtuosity two seasons ago when he filled in at the last-minute for Yuja Wang, Chinese-American pianist Conrad Tao, now 18, returns to Pacific Symphony to play Grieg's impassioned and demanding Piano Concerto. Already toting an impressive career as an international soloist, Tao is also an award-winning violinist, accomplished composer and scholar, currently attending the Columbia University/Julliard School joint degree program.