Tehachapi Pops Orchestra enlivens local music scene
Tehachapi Pops Orchestra enlivens local music scene
By: Jon Hammond, Tehachapi News Columnist
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Posted by editor Mon Nov 19, 2007 13:43:52 PST
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0 responses 0 comments Tehachapi is becoming an ever more musical place to live — we now have not one but two community orchestras. The newest addition to the local music scene, the Tehachapi Pops Orchestra, played their debut at this year’s Tehachapi Mountain Festival in a performance that was thoroughly enjoyed by the large audience.
The term “Pops” is an abbreviation of “popular” and refers to popular music as opposed to strictly classical music. The term “popular music” applies to a wide variety of musical styles and genres, ranging from patriotic standards to show tunes to modern rock and more.
The Tehachapi Pops Orchestra’s concert at Mt. Festival, for example, included such diverse fare as the Star-Spangled Banner, Light My Fire, I Heard it Through the Grapevine, the Sound of Music, a medley of Beach Boys songs and the theme to Beverly Hills Cop.
“The whole idea is to have fun with music,” said Pops Orchestra founder and Mountain Music store owner Debby Hand. “Our goal is to promote live orchestral music in the community and to engage young people in playing music with others in a way that is non-competitive.”
Tehachapi Pops Orchestra members range in age from school kids to retirees, brought together by a common love of music.
“We’re very unconventional,” Debby explains. “That’s why we have an informal attire of T-shirts and jeans. We wanted to be far away from the stuffy impression that people often have of an orchestra.”
The Pops Orchestra is led by an enthusiastic and unconventional conductor: Robby Martinez, who heads both the music department at Bakersfield College and is music director for the Desert Community Orchestra in Ridgecrest.
“For us, Robby is first and foremost an educator,” Debby says. “Of all the people in the world I could pick for our orchestra, it would be him. He is willing to work with a variety of instruments and skill levels and he has brought it all together so that we sound great and have a lot of fun playing music together.”
Martinez is backed by principal percussionist Adam Wojack and clarinetist Marsha Whitten, who are his assistant conductors, and talented violinist Suzanne Botha, who is the concert mistress. The group practices on Monday nights thanks to the generous support of St. Jude’s Episcopal Church, who allows the group to use its facility for rehearsals.
The Tehachapi Pops Orchestra has two upcoming performances celebrating the music of Christmas. The first concert will be held at West Park on Dec. 1 at 2 p.m. in conjunction with the “Shop Tehachapi” festivities.
Song selections include Joy to the World, Silent Night, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, What Child is This?, Go Tell It On the Mountain, White Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas and many others. Also featured will be the “Toy Symphony,” a piece originally credited to Hayden but now believed to have been composed by Mozart’s father.
Guest musicians will include Tehachapi Mayor Ed Grimes, Dr. Richard Swanson, Phil Smith, Ida Rennie, Michelle Vance and others.
The performance will be repeated on Dec. 16 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Oak Tree Country Club in Bear Valley Springs with different musical guests.
The Tehachapi Pops Orchestra is also available for hire, Hand notes. “We will play for public events or even private parties,” she said. “Any money we raise will go back into the orchestra to help make it better each year.”
As a fundraiser, the group is also selling custom Christmas cards featuring an original watercolor painting by orchestra member Kathleen Wolf. The cards were donated to the orchestra by Wolf and local gallery owner and culture booster Mel White.
For a number of years Tehachapi has been blessed with the talented classical performances of the Tehachapi Community Orchestra. We now have the addition of varied fare provided by the Tehachapi Pops Orchestra. “Let there be songs to fill the air. . . .”
Have a good week.
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