Pasadena Civic Auditorium

The young children who visit The Pasadena Symphony's free Musical Circus find a wide and wondrous array of interactive, kid-friendly performances awaiting them on Saturday mornings throughout the year under 'the Big Top' -- otherwise known as the Gold Room -- at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena. Whether the featured performers dance, sing, tell a tale, play the piano, beat an ancient drum, or pluck the strings of an exotic instrument from the Far East, the kids are captivated.

When Ruth Ann Bell, president of the Women's Committee of The Pasadena Symphony, and publicity chair Lynn Cooper put their heads together to begin planning the committee's 50th Anniversary Celebration, it didn't take them long to come up with a theme. "The artwork on this year's brochure provided us with the inspiration," explains Cooper, a renowned local artist. "It shows a woman outside the Pasadena Civic Auditorium where the orchestra performs, wearing a large hat. When Christina Fierro, assistant development director at The Pasadena Symphony, saw the graphic, she said, 'Hats Off!

Since joining the ArtNight Pasadena consortium, The Pasadena Symphony has opened what is usually a closed event with a tightly monitored guest list ? a working rehearsal ? to the public at no cost. Music lovers, as well as those who are simply curious, receive a rare opportunity to observe an orchestra as it prepares for an upcoming performance, learn a thing or two as they listen to Music Director Jorge Mester's comments to the musicians, and hear some of their favorite classical works ?

Joyce Rudolph Residents will perform with the Pasadena Symphony at its concert at 8 tonight at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Conductor/music director Jorge Mester of Montrose leads the orchestra in Manuel de Falla's ballet El Amor Brujo, featuring soprano Kathleen Roland, and Symphony No. 11 by Shostakovich. Musicians from the local areas are Lisa Monte, Bruce Morgenthaler and Phillip Yao, all of Glendale; Edward Meares and Alan Rogers of Tujunga; Betty Sirri and James Thatcher of La Canada Flintridge; Peter Doubrovsky and Vivian Wolf of Burbank; Douglas Davis of La Crescenta; and Peter Wolff of Sunland.

William J. Bennett, considered one of America's most important, influential and respected voices on cultural, political and education issues, is coming to Pasadena as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series. He is appearing at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. Emerging as a prominent political figure in the 1980s, Bennett served as President Ronald Reagan's chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (1981-1985), secretary of education (1985-1988) and President George H.W. Bush's "drug czar" (1989-1990)

Dennis Miller, the five-time Emmy award-winning talk show host, six-year "Weekend Update" correspondent on "Saturday Night Live," wisecracking analyst for ABC's "Monday Night Football" and the current host of CNBC's "Dennis Miller" will be performing in Pasadena as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series. He will be at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on March 16 at 8 p.m. It has been said that Miller is "one of the premiere comedy talents in America today." Like Lenny Bruce and George Carlin before him, his sharp-witted, quick-tongued, hilariously poignant, and always politically incorrect voice chips away at some of our most ridiculous cultural obsessions.

On Monday, The Pasadena Symphony Association (PSA) announced that the city's two foremost orchestral institutions, the Pasadena Symphony and the Pasadena POPS Orchestra, will be brought together to create one unified and dynamic orchestra that will present performances year-round. This new PSA will be based on the Boston Symphony Orchestra/Boston Pops model, becoming one board and one orchestra with two music directors. However, the PSA will continue to present The Pasadena Symphony winter season at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium under music director Jorge Mester.

Mention Handel's Messiah and most music lovers can't help but think instantly of the holidays, considering how the work has become such a staple of the holiday season. Yet connoisseurs of great choral music who would like to inaugurate the season by venturing beyond the standard holiday repertoire might want to consider attending The Pasadena Symphony's performance of Francis Poulenc's Gloria on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The program will open with Mozart's Symphony No. 31 "Paris," followed by the performance of Poulenc's Gloria , featuring soprano Jamie Chamberlin of whom Alan Rich of the L.A. Weekly wrote, "I would gladly revisit the vocal and comedic talents of Jamie Chamberlin anytime she comes my way."

Families with young children who regularly attend The Pasadena Symphony's Musical Circus will want to take note that the Circus's 'Big Top' will move from its longtime, regular home at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium to Caltech's Beckman Auditorium, when the Musical Circus partners with Caltech Public Events to present "A World in Motion" on Saturday, October 14, at 2 p.m. A CineMuse Studios production, "A World in Motion" will provide an entertaining...

On Monday, The Pasadena Symphony Association (PSA) announced that the city's two foremost orchestral institutions, the Pasadena Symphony and the Pasadena POPS Orchestra, will be brought together to create one unified and dynamic orchestra that will present performances year-round. This new PSA will be based on the Boston Symphony Orchestra/Boston Pops model, becoming one board and one orchestra with two music directors. However, the PSA will continue to present The Pasadena Symphony winter season at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium under music director Jorge Mester.

When Ruth Ann Bell, president of the Women's Committee of The Pasadena Symphony, and publicity chair Lynn Cooper put their heads together to begin planning the committee's 50th Anniversary Celebration, it didn't take them long to come up with a theme. "The artwork on this year's brochure provided us with the inspiration," explains Cooper, a renowned local artist. "It shows a woman outside the Pasadena Civic Auditorium where the orchestra performs, wearing a large hat. When Christina Fierro, assistant development director at The Pasadena Symphony, saw the graphic, she said, 'Hats Off!

The young children who visit The Pasadena Symphony's free Musical Circus find a wide and wondrous array of interactive, kid-friendly performances awaiting them on Saturday mornings throughout the year under 'the Big Top' -- otherwise known as the Gold Room -- at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena. Whether the featured performers dance, sing, tell a tale, play the piano, beat an ancient drum, or pluck the strings of an exotic instrument from the Far East, the kids are captivated.

Mention Handel's Messiah and most music lovers can't help but think instantly of the holidays, considering how the work has become such a staple of the holiday season. Yet connoisseurs of great choral music who would like to inaugurate the season by venturing beyond the standard holiday repertoire might want to consider attending The Pasadena Symphony's performance of Francis Poulenc's Gloria on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The program will open with Mozart's Symphony No. 31 "Paris," followed by the performance of Poulenc's Gloria , featuring soprano Jamie Chamberlin of whom Alan Rich of the L.A. Weekly wrote, "I would gladly revisit the vocal and comedic talents of Jamie Chamberlin anytime she comes my way."

Since joining the ArtNight Pasadena consortium, The Pasadena Symphony has opened what is usually a closed event with a tightly monitored guest list ? a working rehearsal ? to the public at no cost. Music lovers, as well as those who are simply curious, receive a rare opportunity to observe an orchestra as it prepares for an upcoming performance, learn a thing or two as they listen to Music Director Jorge Mester's comments to the musicians, and hear some of their favorite classical works ?

Families with young children who regularly attend The Pasadena Symphony's Musical Circus will want to take note that the Circus's 'Big Top' will move from its longtime, regular home at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium to Caltech's Beckman Auditorium, when the Musical Circus partners with Caltech Public Events to present "A World in Motion" on Saturday, October 14, at 2 p.m. A CineMuse Studios production, "A World in Motion" will provide an entertaining...

A Montrose woman is returning for an 'encore' performance as president of The Pasadena Symphony's Board of Directors for the 2006-2007 Season, "Escape Through Music." "I want to finish the work I've begun," Linda Krantz said in a prepared statement. Krantz — whose resume includes serving as secretary, vice president and president of the American Businesswomen's Association; director of the handbell choir at Trinity Lutheran Church; and administrative director of Descanso Medical Center for Development and Learning — will focus especially on maintaining the renowned 79-year-old orchestra's fiscal health and vitality, an increasingly challenging task for mid-sized orchestras nationwide.

Over the course of its 32-year history, the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra has won awards and rave reviews for performances not only in Southern California but throughout the world - in cities from Vienna, Austria to Sydney. On May 15 at 2 p.m., the orchestra of talented middle school-aged musicians will perform a bit closer to home when it presents its annual Spring Concert under the direction of conductor Jack Taylor at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, 300 E. Green St. in Pasadena.

The Musical Circus is taking a cue from the Pasadena Symphony, which will present its season finale concert on May 14, with a program featuring the orchestra itself as 'guest artist.' The popular family event will conclude its own season earlier that day with an orchestral performance as well, featuring the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra. "The Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra of very talented middle school musicians from all over Southern California," said Jerri Price, director of education for the Pasadena Symphony.

Dennis Miller, the five-time Emmy award-winning talk show host, six-year "Weekend Update" correspondent on "Saturday Night Live," wisecracking analyst for ABC's "Monday Night Football" and the current host of CNBC's "Dennis Miller" will be performing in Pasadena as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series. He will be at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on March 16 at 8 p.m. It has been said that Miller is "one of the premiere comedy talents in America today." Like Lenny Bruce and George Carlin before him, his sharp-witted, quick-tongued, hilariously poignant, and always politically incorrect voice chips away at some of our most ridiculous cultural obsessions.