Maestro Fox's "GSPO" Blog

"Exsultate Justi" teaser

2012-02-10T17:30:00.000-08:00

Sneak peak teaser of the Golden State Pops Orchestra with the USC Concert Choir. The song is "Exsultate Justi" by John Williams from the motion picture Empire of the Sun. This song, plus many more, will be part of "Cinema Fantastique: Epic Choral Soundtracks" on Saturday, February 11, 2012, at the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro, CA. Tickets are available at www.gspo.com.

NOTE - The choir was not miced in the making of this video/audio recording. It does no represent the quality and balance of sound that will be heard at the concert.

Exsultati Justi: John Williams

2012-02-06T21:31:00.000-08:00

This is a must listen. Superb writing from Empire of the Sun by the one and only, John Williams. Hear it live this Saturday. www.gspo.com

Samuel Barber: Agnus Dei

2012-02-06T21:27:00.000-08:00

This version of Adagio for Strings is for choir, titled Agnus Dei. It was created by the composer himself, Samuel Barber, years after he composed the Adagio. Hear the USC Concert Choir perform it live this Saturday at Cinema Fantastique: Epic Choral Soundtracks. www.gspo.com

"The Abyss": Alan Silvestri

2012-02-06T21:24:00.000-08:00

Video from "Hollywood in Vienna", performing a medley of Alan Silvestri music. The first selection in the medley is the opening to The Abyss, which GSPO and the USC Concert Choir will be performing this Saturday. www.gspo.com

Danny Elfman Interview: Film Composer

2012-02-03T11:15:00.000-08:00

Danny Elfman, composer of the score to Edward Scissorhands, discussing film composing and his collaboration with Tim Burton. Hear "Ice Dance" from Edward Scissorhands live with the Golden State Pops Orchestra and the USC Concert Choir on February 11. www.gspo.com for info and tickets.

Never Surrender: First Knight

2012-02-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

Video of the Münchner Rundfunkorchester and the Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks performing "Never Surrender" from First Knight. Hear it live on Saturday, February 11 with GSPO. Tickets are still on sale at www.gspo.com.

Holiday POPS Spectacular rehearsals

2011-12-16T15:51:00.000-08:00

It is always exciting to develop, produce and prepare for a concert. All the behind-the-scenes work makes the actual performance a thrill. Here are two clips of a recent rehearsal for our upcoming Holiday POPS Spectacular with the GSPO Holiday Choir. The music is from the motion picture "Elf", by John Debney and arranged by Victor Pesavento.

GSPO Sherman Tribute on KUSC

2011-09-16T23:01:00.000-07:00

What does ten years of GSPO look like?

2011-09-13T13:57:00.001-07:00

GSPO's 10th Anniversary season kicks off September 24. Ten years of entertainment through the art of music. What does ten years look like?

- over 70 performances
- three home venues (Los Alamitos Joint Forces Military Base, Long Beach Event Center and the Warner Grand)
- over 125,000 audience members
- over 50 Premieres

I will just say. You ain't seen nothing yet.

Walt Disney's favorite song.

2011-09-07T22:25:00.000-07:00

This is an article that appeared in the online version of the OC Register in March of 2010. The article speaks about, and has a video link that shows Richard Sherman performing "Feed the Birds" from Mary Poppins, during the unveiling ceremony of the Sherman Brothers window on Main Street in Disneyland. Richard states that "Feed the Birds" was Walt Disney's favorite song. Every Friday Walt would ask Richard to come to his office and sing the song.

Click here to read and watch.

5 Ways To Prepare For "A Spoonful of Sherman," GSPO's Sept. 24 tribute

2011-08-28T08:14:00.000-07:00

1. Snag a copy of "The Sherman Brothers Songbook," an excellent 59
track, two CD compendium of the Sherman Brothers' work, spanning 42
years. Amazon has it: http://tinyurl.com/3pcoleq

2. Check out critically acclaimed, "The Boys: the Sherman Brothers'
Story," a 2009 documentary film directed and produced by their sons,
Gregory V. Sherman and Jeff Sherman, executive produced by Ben
Stiller, and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. Available on
Netflix streaming!

3. Visit their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 6918 Hollywood Blvd.

4. Watch some of the films they scored:

The Parent Trap
The Sword in the Stone
Mary Poppins
The Happiest Millionaire
The Jungle Book
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
The Aristocats
Bedknobs & Broomsticks
Tom Sawyer
Charlotte's Web
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The Tigger Movie

5. And of course... don't forget to get your tickets at GSPO.com !

Disney is all about the music.

2011-08-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

I'm sure that everyone has a favorite Disney film and a favorite Disney ride (whether animated or live). Now imagine that film or ride without the music. "Aladdin", "Snow White", "Winnie the Pooh", "It's A Small World", "Pirates of the Carribean" (ride or films), "Space Mountain" (which has run without sound in the past), even the streets of Disneyland or Disney World. Everything in the world of Disney includes music. Why?

One of my favorite things to do is walk down Main Street of Disneyland. As you enter the park you hear exciting, fun music to create the "mood". Then as you hit Main Street the jazzy tunes begin, setting a mood unlike any other. Everywhere you walk in the park music helps to create the atmosphere. Every ride, and every film follows suit. If you have ever been on a Disney ride when it broke down and the soundtrack stopped suddenly you probably noticed how quickly you were taken out of the "world" that ride creates. It is amazing how the psychology works.

Music has a powerful ability to get into our unconscious and make us feel a certain way. Emotions work at a deep level in our minds and that is where music does its magic too. This is the philosophy behind the use of music in film, creating a subconscious level of emotion and story-telling, and is the same philosophy behind the music in the Disney parks. Controlling the soundtrack of people's lives while in the park is the cherry on the ice cream sundae to make Disney the "Happiest Place on Earth".

So, just who are the Sherman Brothers?

2011-08-19T10:37:00.000-07:00

-Robert & Richard Sherman wrote more motion-picture musical song
scores than any other songwriting team in history. (Interested in
musical films? Check out GSPO's June concert, "On With the Show:
Musicals from the Silver Screen")

-Their first top-ten hit, "Tall Paul," sung by Mouseketeers Judy
Harriet and Annette Funicello, led to an invitation from Walt Disney
for them to become songwriters for Walt Disney Studios, until Disney's
death in 1966. Other hits with Funicello included the songs
"Pineapple Princess" and "Monkey's Uncle."

-They wrote the music for many Disney and non-Disney films, including
The Parent Trap, The Sword in the Stone, Mary Poppins, The Happiest
Millionaire, The Jungle Book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Aristocats,
Bedknobs & Broomsticks, Tom Sawyer, Charlotte's Web, The Many
Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and The Tigger Movie.

-One of their most famous works, "It's A Small World (after all),"
written for the 1964 World's Fair, is thought by many to be Earth's
"most played" song, as it plays continuously, daily, at Disney parks
around the world.

-The Shermans partnered with composer John Williams to create the
music for 1973 musical film adaptation "Tom Sawyer," for which the
three received Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.

-The Sherman Brothers were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of
Fame in 1976, which can be found at 6918 Hollywood Blvd.

-They've won two Oscars, one Grammy, and been nominated for seven
other Oscars, five Golden Globes and two other Grammys.

Come to the Warner Grand Theater on Sept 24 to hear GSPO's tribute to
the Sherman Brothers and enjoy music from their early rock 'n' roll
hits, Disneyland park ride songs such as "The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room" and
"It's A Small World," "Mary Poppins," "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,", "The
Happiest Millionaire," "The Aristocats," "Charlotte's Web," "Bedknobs
and Broomsticks," "The Jungle Book," and "Winnie the Pooh."

If you enjoyed GSPO's 2010 and 2011 productions of "Disney in Concert:
Tale As Old As Time," you won't want to miss this chance to honor this
legendary songwriting team!

10th Anniversary

2011-08-15T23:02:00.000-07:00

I can't believe the summer is almost over and the GSPO 2011-2012 Season is about to begin. Even more unbelievable is that it has already been 10 years since the orchestra was founded. The first concert was April 6, 2002 at the Redondo Beach United Methodist Church. Since then we have had three homes (Liberty Theatre on the Los Alamitos Military Base, The Long Beach Event Center which is the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Long Beach, and the historic Warner Grand). Four venues, plus other special appearances, over 50 productions, over 1500 musician appearances and tens of thousands of fans. Thank you to everyone for making this dream a reality! Hope to see you at the season launch September 24 with our "Spoonful of Sherman: Celebration of the Sherman Brothers" concert. It promises to be awesome!