Pops concerts in Bigfork, Kalispell draw classical music fans

“American Inspiration” is the theme of this summer’s annual Symphony Pops concert performed by the Glacier Symphony at Rebecca Farm on Saturday, June 28.

John Zoltek, Music Director of the Glacier Symphony and Chorale, has paired a selection of popular movie tunes with an entertaining audience sing-along that features a rousing medley of patriotic tunes. It will be a  perfect sendoff  for Glacier Symphony and Chorale which is the most active symphony orchestra in the state of Montana and begins its 32nd concert season.

The Glacier Symphony and Chorale’s annual Pops Night in Bigfork is June 27.

The event is an annual fundraiser for the GSC, with raffle ticket sales offering someone a chance to win a trip to Paris.

The tickets are $100 and gain entry to the Pops concert at Harbor Village. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. For information call 407-7000.

While the Bigfork concert is a smaller, more intimate setting, concert-goers to Rebecca Farm are urged to ‘stuff their car’ full of friends and family because the entry fee is only $40 per carload and includes free parking.

Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. for the event; bring a picnic, lawn furniture and blankets, but no dogs or barbecue grills please. The event will be held rain or shine with large tents available in case of inclement weather.

The Pops Pavilion will open at 5:30 p.m. with a variety of activities. A beer and wine garden and a variety of food vendors offering everything from ice cream to gluten free entrees will be available. A preshow musical serenade will be provided by guitarists Simone Craft and  Karl Ross Berdimurat from the Crown of the Continent Guitar Foundation and the locally-based Montana Midnight Guitar Trio, consisting of Paul Gonsorchik, David Murdock, and Mike Streeter.

At the pavilion GSC will be offering one night only specials to the audience for discounted passes to the 2014 Festival Amadeus event in Whitefish and half price passes for new subscribers to the GSC’s 2014-2015 season. Raffle tickets for a fantastic Trip to Paris for two will be on sale for for the GSC’s 15th annual fundraising event and an early bird drawing for tickets will be held.

Maestro Zoltek will tap his baton at 7:30 pm to begin the “American Inspiration” concert that has become a much-anticipated summer event by locals and visitors alike.  “I’ve programmed some distinct audience favorites. We’ll keep toes tapping with Copland’s Hoedown, and George Gershwin’s Cuban Overture and Havana two works that are infused with the infectious rhythms of early 20th century. And I dare anyone to sit still when we play Lord of the Dance from River Dance!” Zoltek said.

Adding to the fun will be such popular movie pieces as John Williams’ The Cowboys, Henry Mancini’s Theme from the Pink Panther and Theme from the Wild Wild West and Badelt’s Pirates of the Caribbean. They will be paired with the patriotic music of John Philip Sousa; Liberty Bell March, Thunderer March and Stars and Stripes Forever will follow.

But the biggest new addition this year will be an audience sing-along called Sing Along America by James Stephenson that features an inspiring symphonic medley of patriotic tunes; Yankee Doodle, When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again, God Bless America and more. The concert concludes at dusk with Tchaikovsky’s rousing 1812 Overture.