It’s All on the Upbeat, By George!, for Cal Phil
Twelve years ago Victor Vener took a huge gamble: Los Angeles County agreed to allow a series of summer concerts by a new group, the CalPhil Foundation, the non-profit community benefit organization that supports the California Philharmonic Orchestra, at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Gardens in Arcadia. With that contract in hand, the California Philharmonic Orchestra found a stage and stage cover not in use and with generous support, was able to acquire the item. Picking a suitable music program, hiring musicians, finding rental tables, tickets, sales brochures and hundreds of similar items came next. But, for all the worries that must have been engendered among family and friends, thousands began showing up. 
Now, the Festival on the Green is staple fare in the Southern California summer music events. Year after year, the audience returns to the fabulous Arboretum gardens to enjoy music that is designed to present music from symphonies to musicals, to jazz and more.
“Cal Phil’s mission since its inception has been to bring great music of every genre and from every era to the community” is the way music director and conductor of the California Philhamonic Orchestra, Victor Vener puts it. Further, he insists that the opening concert this summer is that and more. About the first concert now set to open this weekend, Saturday, June 27 at The Arboretum and Sunday, June 28 at Walt Disney Concert Hall, he goes on to say, “And, “By George!” is a perfect illustration of our commitment to this.”
Setting the theme, “By George!” means some fancy footwork on Vener’s part to bring in the music of George Gershwin, George Frederic Handel, and George M. Cohan. But, as he has over the years, he will present the eclectic program with some of our best professional musicians and guest artists.
Special guests include baritone Cedric Berry, soprano Henrietta Davis and the Cal Phil choir directed by Marya Basaraba.
Berry has performed several times with the orchestra in several of its venues in the year-round program the orchestra mounts. His talents have been recognized by Cal Phil audiences as well as opera aficionados. The L A Opera tapped Berry for several roles and he has appeared as soloist with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Pacific Symphony. Davis is a regular on the “Hour of Power” TV program and her interpretation of Bess in the Gershwin opera “Porgy and Bess” received rave notices. Marya Basaraba has extensive training and experience in choral music direction in addition to her stellar operatic roles as a soprano and mezzo-soprano. She has directed the Cal Phil Chorale Chorus for several years.
The “By George!” program is to include Handel’s “Music for the Royal Fireworks”, several hit tunes from Gershwin’s Broadway shows, “I Got Rhythm”, “The Man I Love”, and “Embraceable You” and excerpts from “Porgy and Bess”, and “Salute to George M. Cohan”, songs such as “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag”.
Concert seating at the Arboretum is provided at tables in two sections, theater-style seating in a third section and open-lawn seating at the rear. These tickets start at $20. Walt Disney Concert Hall ticket prices start at $25. To purchase Arboretum tickets, please call (626) 300-8200. For Disney Hall, please call (213)365-3500 or online at www.ticketmaster.com
Saturday, gates open for picnicking at The Arboretum at 5:30 p.m.; the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. The Sunday concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall begins at 2:00 p.m.
By Bill Peters
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