HSO Announces Talcott Moutnain and Next Pops! Series

The Hartford Symphony Orchestra's 2011 Talcott Mountain Music Festival will take place on five consecutive Friday evenings from June 24 to July 22 at the Performing Arts Center at Simsbury Meadows located on Iron Horse Boulevard.

This will be the festival’s 16th season. Concerts atarts at 7:30 pm. The five concerts in the festival will include:

· A classical program to begin the summer, to be selected and conducted by Music Director-Designate, Carolyn Kuan, on June 24, followed by a fireworks presentation

· Celebrate America, the HSO’s annual Independence Day celebration will take place on July 1, also conducted by Maestra Kuan and followed by fireworks

· New Orleans-based swing band, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, will join the HSO on July 8

· The orchestra will present a musical tribute to The Music of Michael Jackson on July 15

· The festival will finish with A Symphonic Surfin’ Safari featuring California beach band, Papa Doo Run Run, joining the HSO on July 22

The 2011-12 HSO POPS! Series will include six concerts to be presented between October 2011 and June 2012 on Saturdays in Mortensen Hall at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford, Connecticut. The 2011-12 season will mark the 68th year of the HSO performing at The Bushnell. The six concerts in the series will include:

Steppin’ Out Live with Ben Vereen, featuring the legendary stage and screen performer joining the HSO on Oct. 15 at 8pm

The annual Holiday POPS! Spectacular will feature a new festive program to be selected and conducted by Kuan, with 3 pm and 8 pm performances on Dec. 10.

Aerialist and acrobatic artists, Cirque de la Symphonie, will present a new show also to be conducted by Kuan on Feb. 18, 2012 at 8 pm.

A Saint Patrick’s Day Celebration will feature beloved Irish-American tenor, Robert White, with the HSO on March 17, 2012 at 8 pm.

The orchestra will perform The Music of John Williams on April 28, 2012 at 8 pm to commemorate the prolific composer’s 40 years of film music and in celebration of his 80th birthday

The series will conclude with Live and Let Die – A Symphonic Tribute to the Music of Paul McCartney, featuring the HSO and guest artist Tony Kishman performing Beatles, Wings and solo hits on June 9, 2012 at 8 pm