Philharmonic to perform five-show Pops season

Season and single concert tickets for the five-concert New Mexico Philharmonic Pops Series are now available.

The Pops Series begins at Popejoy Hall at 6 p.m. Sept. 8 with “Dave Bennett’s Tribute to Benny Goodman,” a night of swing-era classics by a clarinet prodigy who brings to life the music of “The King of Swing.”

At 6 p.m. Dec. 15 the sounds of the season will fill Popejoy Hall with the “Holiday Joy” concert conducted by Randol Bass, who will be joined by The Choir of the Cathedral of St. John, the Manzano Day School Choir, and special guest Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry narrating the beloved poem, ” ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

Moving to the Kiva Auditorium at the Albuquerque Convention Center, at 6 p.m. Oct. 13 the Pops Series offers an evening of music and comedy with mime Dan Kamin in a program titled “Charlie Chaplin at the Symphony.”

Everything goes wrong at a classical concert when the Classical Clown shows up to wreak havoc. Two timeless Chaplin comedies, “Easy Street” and “The Immigrant,” are introduced, accompanied by new symphonic scores by the evening’s conductor, Grant Cooper, the music director of the West Virginia Symphony.

Popejoy Hall becomes the scene for romance at 6 p.m. Feb. 9 with the program, “Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Ann Hampton Callaway.” Nominated for a Best Actress in a Musical Tony Award for her role in “Swing!,” Callaway won the Theatre World Award for “Outstanding Broadway Debut” and garnered a number of other prestigious awards. She will perform music from the Cole Porter songbook. Roger Melone will conduct.

Head back to the ’70s at 6 p.m. April 6 when “The Music of ABBA” comes alive on the Kiva Auditorium stage. Some of the most danceable music ever performed is resurrected by the talented Swedish group “Arrival.”

Since its formation in 1995, Arrival has toured more than 35 nations and appeared on television and radio shows throughout the world. It is the only group with the exclusive right to copy ABBA’s original colorful outfits, and the only group to receive an unreleased ABBA song directly from the original group.

Patrons of the Pops Concerts should purchase tickets early as the popular series is expected to sell out quickly, according to the Philharmonic. A 10 percent discount is available by subscribing to the five-concert series. Details and an order form are available at www.nmphil.org or by calling 323-4343.

Ticket prices for all Pops concerts are: A Section $68.50; B Section $46.50; C Section $35.50; D Section $19.50.

Single tickets for Pops concerts at Popejoy Hall can be purchased at www.unmtickets.com, UNM ticket offices at The Pit (8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays), at the UNM Bookstore (10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays) and at all Albertsons supermarkets in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Santa Fe. They can be purchased by phone at 925-5858 (10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Fridays).

Single tickets for Pops concerts at the Kiva Auditorium can be purchased at www.holdmyticket.com, the Hold My Ticket box office in the Sunshine Building at 112 Second St. SW or by calling 886-1251.

For quick links to purchasing single tickets online, visit www.nmphil.org.