The Portland Symphony Orchestra’s POPS! concerts welcome guest conductor Michael Berkowitz and singer Joan Ellison in a tribute to the songs of Judy Garland. The concerts are at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5, and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6, at Merrill Auditorium in Portland.
The program features Judy Garland hits “Strike Up the Band,” “Over the Rainbow,” “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart,” “The Man that Got Away” and many more.
Guest conductor Michael Berkowitz has led numerous orchestras, including the Boston Pops, London Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, Pittsburgh Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, Atlanta Symphony and the National Symphony. As a drummer he has performed on many television programs including The Academy Awards, The Tonight Show, The Tony Awards, The Today Show, A Capitol Fourth, Great Performances, Live From Lincoln Center and Concerts at the White House.
Singer Joan Ellison has dedicated her career to the music of Judy Garland. In 2016, she embarked on a mission to restore Judy Garland’s original orchestrations and is the Editor of the Judy Garland Carnegie Hall Concert Restoration Project for the Judy Garland Heirs Trust. Recently, she restored the newly-rediscovered MGM film arrangement of “Over the Rainbow.” Recent concert highlights include a song-for-song recreation of Garland’s 1961 Carnegie Hall concert hosted by Judy Garland’s daughter, Lorna Luft.
Founded in 1923, the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is one of the largest performing arts organizations in Maine and is widely regarded as one of the top symphony orchestras of its size in the country. Made up of more than 80 professional musicians, the PSO is renowned for its critically acclaimed performances and broad community engagement. The Symphony’s mission is to serve its community by enriching lives through music. More information can be found at www.portlandsymphony.org.
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