Los Angeles’s Gay Freedom Band, as well as Union Station Swing Orchestra will perform on Independence Day in the recently restored band shell at Bixby Park.

Sponsored by Long Beach Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal and The Freedom Band Foundation, the Gay Freedom Band and Union Station Swing Orchestra will perform a free concert Monday, July 4 from 6pm to 8pm at the Bixby Park Historic Band Shell, 2001 E. First St.
The evening will feature The Gay Freedom Band of Los Angeles in “Let Freedom Swing,” highlighting American festive music from John Phillip Sousa to the Beach Boys, and saluting the men and women of the American armed forces.
Union Station Swing Orchestra will offer some of the Swing Era’s musical hits.
“What better way to celebrate the 4th of July than to picnic in the park with inspiring music and fireworks all within view of our fabulous waterfront,” Lowenthal said.
“This year’s Independence Day concert is actually on the 4th of July,” said producer Alison Jordan, noting that audience members will be able to enjoy a treat after the musical fireworks die down– real fireworks. Concert-goers can move to the south end of the park to view the Queen Mary’s fireworks demonstration.
Willis Masonheimer, longtime director of the Gay Freedom Band, said the recently restored band shell at Long Beach’s Bixby Park is like a second home for the group now. “We have played three summer concerts there in recent years but never before on the Fourth of July,” he said. “It’s such a great place for families, neighbors, and visitors to mingle and listen to an afternoon of Broadway and concert favorites, not to mention loads of unabashed patriotic music.”

In its last performance of the season, the Long Beach Chorale will showcase works by some of the most accomplished American composers, highlighting American stage music.

Principal pianist and guest conductor Bob Gunn will lead the Long Beach Chorale on a journey through music of the American stage, featuring selections from opera, concert and theater, at 4pm Sunday, June 12 at Grace First Presbyterian Church, 3955 Studebaker Rd.
The Long Beach Chorale, in its final performance of the 2010-2011 season, will showcase works by some of the most accomplished American composers, highlighting American stage music such as “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess, “Come to My Garden” from The Secret Garden, “Water Night” by Eric Whitacre, “The Promise of Living” from The Tender Land by Aaron Copland, and a choral medley from the incomparable Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim.
Gunn is in his eighth season with the Long Beach Chorale as principal accompanist and has more than 30 years of musical experience performing, directing, recording, and arranging. He recently performed Mendelssohn’s “Piano Concerto No. 1” during the Spring 2009 concert with the Long Beach Chorale and Chamber Orchestra.
“I’m honored and thrilled once again to take the helm of the talented Long Beach Chorale and trust that you will thoroughly enjoy our peek into some of America’s finest stage music,” Gunn said.
The audience is invited to join members of the Long Beach Chorale for a reception after the show. Refreshments and desserts will be available, and guests can also bid on raffle prizes.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for students, available online or at the door.

More Information
longbeachchorale.org
(562) 427-1931

DSB (Don’t Stop Believin’) delivers a nostalgic concert experience by capturing the signature sounds of renowned vocalist Steve Perry and the band Journey.

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Long Beach will offer hundreds of free or low-cost cultural programs, sports activities and special events throughout the whole city. “100 Days of Summer” is a partnership between the City of Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine and the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau to bring residents access to all Long Beach has to offer this summer.
“100 Days of Summer” will kick off Friday, May 27, with a performance by DSB (Don’t Stop Believin’), a Journey tribute band, at Marina Vista Park, at Colorado Street and Santiago Avenue. The event will begin at 5pm with bouncers, face painting, and family games leading up to the DSB performance at 6:30pm.
Admission is free. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs and picnic dinners to relax on the lawn for an evening of family fun.
The  “100 Days of Summer” campaign encourages residents to “stay and play” in Long Beach. The website 100daysofsummer.org is a one-stop information source for detailed suggestions of summer activities happening every day from Memorial Day to Labor Day in Long Beach.
The website is full of program listings for free concerts and movies, Long Beach Sea Festival events, the El Dorado Nature Center, Rancho Los Cerritos and Rancho Los Alamitos historic sites, and ideas for spontaneous fun like biking, golf, tennis, kayaking swimming, and free drop-in youth and teen programs. The online calendar lets people browse hundreds of events, and more than 500 classes in the arts, sports, music and more.
“From concerts in the park to movies on the beach, there are many great events and activities happening right here in Long Beach for free,” said Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster. “There’s no reason to leave town to find fun this summer, as there is something for everyone to enjoy.”

The Fling will perform on June 5 for the Summer And Music Sundays in the Park with SAM. Maintaining a focus on environmental issues, all large-scale events will be conducted on self-contained solar-powered stages for the concert series.

The Downtown Long Beach Associates (DLBA) and Long Beach Redevelopment Agency (RDA) are bringing Summer And Music (SAM), the city’s homegrown, sustainable concert series providing an entire summer of free music to the public, back to the streets of Downtown Long Beach this coming June.
This year SAM will be a “greatest hits” season, including three large-scale music events that are back by popular demand, Battle of the Tribute Bands, Long Beach Funk Fest and BuskerFest, as well as 12 intimate Sunday shows.
“The SAM concert series has quickly become a community tradition,” said DLBA President and CEO Kraig Kojian. “The DLBA is proud and excited to be a part of this unique and engaging series that highlights local artists, and we look forward to continuing this wonderful event for years to come.”
The free, all-ages series features numerous outstanding acts at various eco-conscious outdoor venues throughout the Downtown region. The Sunday afternoon shows, suitably titled Sundays in the Park with SAM (SIPS), will feature local favorites and family-friendly events like bocce ball every Sunday from June to August at the Promenade Square park, located at the intersection of First Street and the Promenade.
“We were just getting our bearings for the first season of SAM,” said Rand Foster, owner of Fingerprints Records and co-organizer of the events. “And though the goals were very ambitious, we had some great successes with small, street-side shows and big events alike. Last year, we produced 13 large-scale themed events, each having its own charm. But this year, we’ve taken into consideration feedback from the community and are presenting the best of both of those experiences.”
New this year, SAM is partnering with local artist Tim Dunham of Some Things Creative to feature portable art displays at the Sunday showcase, exhibiting the work of numerous local artists.
Maintaining a focus on environmental concerns, all large-scale events will be conducted on self-contained solar-powered stages. The DLBA and RDA, in conjunction with SAM’s founding members, are partnering with Sustainable Waves, a San Diego- and Austin-based all-solar staging, lighting and sound company offering 100-percent pollution-free concerts.
The series also encourages mass transit and other alternative forms of transportation (valet bike parking will even be provided throughout the summer for all those who pedal to the events). SAM 2011 is further attempting to be a carbon-neutral festival by completely offsetting its carbon footprint and will also mitigate event-related waste and emphasize on-site recycling.

More Information
(562) 436-4259
summerandmusic.com

Pacific Standard Time is a highly select 12-member ensemble which requires refined musicianship and improvisation skills. The group performs a wide variety of vocal music in the jazz genre.

April has been a good month for Pacific Standard Time, the top vocal jazz ensemble in Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) Bob Cole Conservatory of Music.
The CSULB group has just been named winner of the 2010 award for Best Vocal Jazz Ensemble in the collegiate division as part of DownBeat Magazine’s 34th annual Student Music Awards list. The magazine selects a roster of the best in student jazz from all over the nation, giving recognition to middle school, high school, college and university programs, along with kudos for individual efforts by arrangers, soloists and composers.
“The vocal jazz program has received awards for five of the last six years,” noted Christine Guter, CSULB’s director of vocal jazz. “Last year, Pacific Standard Time received ‘outstanding performance’ for its submission, but this is the first time our program has been named winner of the collegiate vocal jazz category.”
Jeff Jarvis, head of Jazz Studies at CSULB added: “Since 1934, Downbeat Magazine has been a leading voice for jazz and jazz education. The awards earned by our Cole Conservatory jazz students are major accomplishments. We are extremely proud of these students for honoring themselves and the CSULB Jazz Studies program with this international recognition.”
Earlier this month, the vocal jazz group captured top honors in the College Vocal Ensemble Division at The Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, and in doing so was awarded a score of 299 out of a possible 300 points from the trio of adjudicators.
For taking first place in their division, Pacific Standard Time has been invited back to perform at the 54th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, which will take place Sept. 16–18. CSULB also received a $1,000 award for its vocal jazz program.
“I’ve never seen scores like that in my life,” Guter said. “I’m tremendously proud of my students and the hard work and dedication they have demonstrated to get to such a high level of music making and artistry. The greatest honor is getting to come back and perform at the 54th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival in September. It will be an experience that will greatly impact our young singer’s musical journeys, and one they will never forget.”
At the Next Generation Festival, CSULB’s Concert Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Jarvis, placed third in the College Big Band Division. Both groups were finalists and invited to the competition after being selected as one of the top six entries in their category based on submissions from all over the country.
Guter’s groups will close out their 2010-11 season with a spring concert on Friday, April 29, at 8pm in the University Theatre. The event will feature CSULB vocal jazz ensembles Pacific Standard Time and Jazz & Tonic. Tickets for the performance are $10 for general admission and $7 for students, seniors and CSULB faculty and staff. Tickets are available for purchase by phone at (562) 985-7000, at carpenterarts.org or at the door on the night of the performance.

More Information
jamminmusic-lb.com

Long Beach Chorale and Chamber Orchestra’s artistic director Eliza Rubenstein (front, fifth from left), with the group’s vocalists

The Long Beach Chorale and Chamber Orchestra (LBCCO) will present Ralph Vaughn Williams’s Dona Nobis Pacem on Saturday, April 2 at 7pm and Sunday, April 3 at 4pm at Grace First Presbyterian Church, 3955 Studebaker Rd.
In an effort to support arts education, local music students have been invited to join the group for a dress rehearsal, giving them a behind-the-scenes look at the preparation of a major work, including a question-and-answer session with artistic director Eliza Rubenstein. LBCCO is also making a special outreach to veterans and the Long Beach Veterans Affairs hospital, offering complimentary tickets to those who would not otherwise be able to attend.
Vaughan Williams composed the stirring work in 1936 in Britain during the tumultuous years leading up to World War II. Having served in the Field Ambulance Service during World War I, Williams was haunted by the carnage he witnessed and the loss of friends in battle. Dona Nobis Pacem reflects the social and political tension of a specific time and place in history; however, its pacifist message and lyrical beauty are timeless.
The chorale will be joined by soprano Jenny Spence and baritone David Stoneman, who last performed with LBCCO in 2010 when the chorale presented Johannes Brahms’s German Requiem.
Dona Nobis Pacem incorporates portions of the Latin mass, Biblical texts, poetry by Walt Whitman, and even a quote from British statesman John Bright to create its compelling message for peace.
The concert will also feature a performance of Arvo Pärt’s haunting Fratres for violin and chamber orchestra by award-winning soloist Caitlin Kelley. She is the concertmaster of the Young Musicians Foundation orchestra and has a bachelor’s degree from the Colburn School Conservatory of Music, where she is currently pursuing a professional studies certificate.
The audience is invited to join members of LBCCO for a reception after the show. Refreshments and desserts will be available, and guests can also bid on silent-auction items and enter raffle drawings to win prizes.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for students, and they can be purchased at longbeachchorale.org or by calling (562) 427-1931.

More Information
longbeachchorale.org

The Pacific Standard Time vocal jazz ensemble, which consists of 12 singers and four band members, will be one of only three groups in its category performing at the American Choral Directors Association conference on March 11.

The California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) Wind Symphony and the Pacific Standard Time Vocal Jazz group from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music will perform at separate national conferences in March, prestigious honors for both.
Christine Guter’s Pacific Standard Time vocal jazz group will perform at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) conference, which takes place in Chicago from March 9 through March 12. Guter’s group will perform on March 11.
The Wind Symphony, under the direction of John Carnahan, has been selected to perform at the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Conference, which takes place in Seattle from March 23 to March 26. The Wind Symphony will perform on Thursday, March 24.
Guter’s Pacific Standard Time Vocal Jazz ensemble is made up of 12 singers and four band members and will be one of only three groups in its category performing at the event in Chicago.“This is the first time we have ever been invited to go,” said Guter, who has a master’s degree in studio music and jazz from the University of Miami. “In order to get invited, you have to submit recordings of the last three years, so your submission is not based on one year alone. You actually have to show that your program has a history and tradition of excellent ensembles, and they have a panel that chooses a certain number of groups that are invited to perform. So, we are obviously happy about being selected.”
She notes that while traditional jazz groups are smaller, generally six or eight members, and there are some with as many as 20 individuals, she feels working with her ensemble of 12 provides some subtle differences.
“The harmonies are a lot tighter and more dissonant,” she said. “Twelve is a nice medium number. I think it’s well-rounded and gives the group a little bit of a fuller sound.”
Guter is active nationally as a guest conductor, lecturer, adjudicator and clinician.  She also teaches private jazz classes and classical voice lessons.
In addition, Guter is a jazz vocalist, pianist and studio singer who has worked with legendary musicians, including Rosemary Clooney, Joe Williams, Diane Schuur, Maynard Ferguson, Mercer Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Mel Tormé and Bobby McFerrin. She has also toured internationally with the Dorsey Then and Now Orchestra. She has worked extensively in studio settings since 1990, having sung on Hollywood soundtracks of such movies as X-Men 3, Superman Returns, Charlotte’s Web, Deep Sea 3D and Happy Feet.
The invitation for the CSULB Wind Symphony to perform at the University of Washington comes “because we are recognized by many as one of the finest wind bands,” said Carnahan, director of bands and director of the Cole Conservatory. “The conference is held every two years, and you compete for a spot with nearly every university in the country. This is a validating recognition for CSULB, The Bob Cole Conservatory of Music and the Wind Symphony.”
The CBDNA conference is one the most prestigious in the wind band field and CSULB’s Wind Symphony is one of only seven, and the lone representative from the CBDNA Western Division, selected to participate in this conference.  The group will perform for hundreds of college wind band conductors, their students, and members of the Seattle community.
Carnahan has been a professor of music at the university since 1988, and his teaching responsibilities include serving as conductor of the Wind Symphony and professor of graduate conducting. In addition, Carnahan is active nationally as a guest conductor, adjudicator, lecturer and composer/arranger. He received his bachelor of music degree from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and a master of education degree from the University of San Francisco.

More Information
csulb.edu/depts/music

Enrique Arturo Diemecke

Long Beach Symphony Orchestra recently announced that Music Director Enrique Arturo Diemecke and Principal POPS! Conductor Steven Reineke have been appointed to noted symphony orchestras.
Maestro Diemecke was appointed music director of the Bogota Symphony Orchestra in Columbia, South America. Comprised of more than 100 musicians, it is the most important symphony orchestra in Columbia.
Maestro Reineke was appointed principal pops conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1931, the National Symphony Orchestra is the artistic affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where it has presented annual concert seasons since the Center opened in 1971.

“We applaud Maestros Diemecke and Reineke on their new positions with these distinguished orchestras,” says LBSO Executive Director Robert Jones.  “These recent appointments are yet another shining example of the world-class conductors we have leading the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra.”  
The recipient of the 2009 Distinguished Artist of the Year Award from the Arts Council for Long Beach, Enrique Arturo Diemecke is celebrating his 10th year as music director and conductor of the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra during the 2010-2011 season. Diemecke is also principal guest conductor of the Orchestre National de Montpellier in France and in 2005 was named music director of the Buenos Aires Philharmonic.
Among Diemecke’s many accolades are four Jean Fontaine Orpheus d’Or Gold Medals for “best vocal music recording” by France’s Academy of Lyric Recordings, including the 2010 Orpheus Prize for his recording of Jules Massenet’s opera, The Juggler of Notre Dame, starring Italian tenor Roberto Alagna.
Diemecke received a Golden Record Award in honor of his best-selling recording of music by Revueltas, Chávez and Moncayo. In 2002, he was nominated for a Latin Grammy in the “best classical album” category for his recording, Chávez: Concertos for Violin and Piano.
Reineke began his tenure as The Long Beach Symphony Orchestra’s principal POPS! conductor during the 2009-2010 season. He is also music director of The New York Pops, the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States. He holds the title of principal pops conductor with the Modesto Symphony Orchestra and is the associate conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, where for more than 13 years he has served as a composer, arranger, and conducting protégé of the celebrated pops conductor Erich Kunzel.
 Reineke’s recent guest conducting appearances include the orchestras of Los Angeles, Toronto, Houston, Detroit, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Vancouver and Edmonton. In 2009 he made his Boston Pops and Philadelphia Orchestra debuts. In 2008 Reineke made his Carnegie Hall debut conducting The New York Pops’ 25th Birthday Gala. He made his Hollywood Bowl debut in 2007 with entertainer Wayne Brady and returned to the Hollywood Bowl in 2008 to conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In addition, Reineke conducted, arranged and orchestrated the music for Brady’s orchestral show and played the same role in his collaboration with rock legend Peter Frampton.