Jack Everly Leads the Baltimore Symphony SuperPops in Disco Days and Boogie Nights, May 28-31

Patrons encouraged to wear best Disco attire for pre-concert costume competition

Baltimore, Md. (May 7, 2009) – Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly will lead the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in the final SuperPops performance of the 2008-2009 season, Disco Days and Boogie Nights, on Thursday, May 28 at 8:00 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore and Friday and Saturday, May 29 and 30 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 31 at 3:00 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The BSO musicians will be dressed in ‘70s attire as they perform alongside a cappella ensemble Chapter 6 and vocalists Anne Nicole Beck, N’Kenge Simpson-Hoffman and Betsy Wolfe. See below for complete program information.

This concert will take audience members back to the ‘70s with classic hits from popular groups, shows and movies. The groovy medley includes Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a myriad of movie theme songs and hits from ABBA, the Bee Gees and Billy Joel.

Prior to the concert, “scouts” will roam the lobby and concert hall, searching for the “grooviest” audience members with the best disco attire to receive a special prize!

Jack Everly, conductor
Known for his innovative programming ideas and his knowledge of and love for the pops genre, Jack Everly is principal pops conductor of the Baltimore, Indianapolis and National Arts Centre (Ottawa) symphony orchestras. He is also the music director of the Indianapolis Symphony’s A Yuletide Celebration and the BSO’s Holiday Spectacular. Music director of American Ballet Theater for 14 years, Mr. Everly conducted thousands of performances and dozens of world premieres for that company. In addition to his ABT tenure, he has teamed with Marvin Hamlisch in Broadway shows that Mr. Hamlisch scored including The Goodbye Girl, They’re Playing Our Song and A Chorus Line. Mr. Everly has appeared on “In Performance at the White House” and has been music director on numerous Broadway cast recordings, including Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame. He conducted the PBS “Dance in America” at New York’s City Center as well as the PBS telecast from the Metropolitan Opera House of the Prokofiev-MacMillan Romeo and Juliet.

A frequent guest conductor on the world’s concert, opera and ballet stages, Mr. Everly’s appearances include the National Symphony of London, the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, the Teatro Colón, the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Everly is also the music advisor for the Symphonic Pops Consortium (SPC), an alliance formed by the Indianapolis, Detroit, Milwaukee, National and Seattle symphony orchestras. The SPC is producer of programs that include A Celtic Celebration—The Music of the Emerald Isle, Those Glorious Musicians—A Tribute to MGM and Pops Goes British featuring the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Chapter 6, a cappella ensemble
Dubbed the “titan of tight harmonies,” Illinois-based a cappella ensemble Chapter 6 has toured across the U.S., Canada and Asia since the group’s professional debut in 2002.The singers have received numerous awards and recognition for their technique, performance and unique, original arrangements, including the prestigious National Harmony Sweepstakes Championship (2004) and the A Cappella Community Award for “Favorite Jazz Group” (2007). The group was featured on American Idol: Season 7 in conjunction with band mate Luke Menard’s Top 16 run. The group’s self-distributed recordings, including the 2008 album release, With the Windows Down, have sold more than 45,000 copies worldwide. A crowd favorite “The Wizard of Oz” (Swing Shift) received a 2005 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award.

Anne Nicole Beck, vocalist
Anne Nicole Beck’s concert appearances include Pops Goes Vegas! (Indianapolis, Baltimore and Detroit symphonies, as well as the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa), Sandi Patty’s Broadway and last years’ Duke Energy Yuletide Celebration with Sandi Patty (both with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra). On Broadway she has appeared in Saturday Night Fever. Her national tours include The Who’s Tommy, Saturday Night Fever and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes with Barbara Eden. Her additional musical credits include A Chorus Line (Cassie), Pippin (Catherine), Carousel, West Side Story, Me and My Girl, Swingtime, Canteen and Evita.

N’Kenge Simpson-Hoffman, vocalist
N’Kenge Simpson- Hoffman, a native NewYorker, has performed internationally in opera, recital, musical theater, jazz and pop. She started the 2009 season with a solo performance for the Commander-in-Chief ’s Inaugural Ball hosted by President Barack Obama. In October 2008, she performed for the Children’s Defense Fund at the Kennedy Center. Upcoming appearances in 2009 include performances with the Cincinnati Pops Symphony and her Carnegie Hall debut in November with the New York Pops Orchestra, Michael Feinstein and Ann Hampton Callaway in a concert featuring the works of Johnny Mercer. Ms. Simpson-Hoffman made her West End, London, debut in The Genius of Ray Charles at the Royal Haymarket Theater. She performed the title role in Aida for which she received an ariZoni Theater Awards nomination for Best Actress. She appeared in the world premiere cast of 3 Mo’ Divas in San Diego and later received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical when 3 Mo’ Divas was performed in Washington, D.C. She recently worked with the legendary Stephen Sondheim in a new musical Being Alive. She has appeared as a soloist with New Jersey, Phoenix and Detroit symphonies, and the Ranana Philharmonic in Israel and has been a principal at NewYork City Opera, Virginia Opera and Vienna Kammeropera.

Betsy Wolfe, vocalist
Betsy Wolfe’s Broadway credits include the revival of 110 in the Shade at Studio 54, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Wonderful Life. She can also be heard on the 110 in the Shade original Broadway cast recording released by PS Classics. Ms. Wolfe starred in the San Francisco and Boston companies of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Some regional credits include Tommy (Mrs.Walker) at Dallas Theatre Center, Ragtime (Evelyn Nesbitt) at Paper Mill Playhouse and Ace (Louise) at the Old Globe Theatre. She has been a guest artist for symphony, pops and philharmonic orchestras across the U.S. and made her New York concert debut at Carnegie Hall as a headliner with the Cincinnati Pops under Maestro Erich.

COMPLETE PROGRAM INFORMATION:
BSO SuperPops: Disco Days and Boogie Nights
Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. – the Music Center at Strathmore
Friday, May 29, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. – Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (JMSH)
Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. – JMSH
Sunday, May 31, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. – JMSH 

Jack Everly, conductor
Chapter 6, a cappella ensemble
Anne Nicole Beck, vocalist
N’Kenge Simpson-Hoffman, vocalist
Betsy Wolfe, vocalist

Tickets for these performances range from $25 to $85. Tickets are available through the BSO Ticket Office, 877.BSO.1444, 410.783.8000 or BSOmusic.org.

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