LOS ANGELES – Classical music transcends cultural boundaries and musical genres in Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO) is Bach to Rock!
The LA-based Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO), conducted by Robert Shroder, presents an eclectic evening of music including Bach and symphonic arrangements of pop-rock songs such as Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody and Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven, as well as disco, alternative and Filipino rock music. The event will take place on Saturday, July 28 at 7:30 p.m., at the Ford Theatres, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, California 90028.
“This is very exciting because it will be the first time FASO will be doing this mixture of genres in a major concert,” said conductor Robert Shroder. “Bach to Rock is a very interesting combination of repertoire because the Baroque era, the era of Bach, is where improvisation started – even before jazz and rock music. So it’s really a good combination to mix both genres together.”
Expected to be one of the show’s exciting highlights is FASO’s performance of Stairway to Heaven, as arranged by Filipino composer Louie Ramos. Building off the popularity of American rock music in the Philippines, FASO will also perform music from Filipino rock and pop groups, as well as classics from the Beatles and Chicago.
Audience members can expect guest performances by Joey Albert, Mon David, and Mirielle Enriquez. Immaculate Heart of Mary Children’s Choir will perform, arriving fresh from their award winning performance at The World Choir Games in Cincinnati, Ohio. The concert will also feature FASO’s Youth String Ensemble, showcasing the talent of emerging artists ages eight to fourteen years-old.
Bach to Rock! is part of the 21st annual Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture (FPAC), which will be held on Sept. 8-9 at Point Fermin Park in San Pedro, CA. FPAC is the largest celebration of Filipino arts and culture, presenting over 1,000 artists and cultural bearers from all over the nation every year.
Tickets prices start at $30 and $20 for full-time students with ID and children 12 and under. Tickets are available at www.FordTheatres.org or 323 461-3673 (for non-visual media 323 GO 1-FORD). For groups of 8 or more, please call 323 769-2147.
About FASO
FASO is the first and only Filipino orchestra outside of the Philippines. Since its inception in 2009, it has successfully performed in major concerts and events including Handog ng FASO sa Pasko and FASO Goes to the Movies, at the prestigious Pasadena Civic Auditorium, and FASO at the Cathedra at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. FASO is committed to encouraging orchestral music and cultural diversity by developing and promoting Filipino-American artists through programs designed to educate and enrich the community.
About the ford amphitheatre
The Ford Amphitheatre is located at 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90068, just off the 101 Hollywood Freeway across from the Hollywood Bowl and south of Universal Studios. The grounds open two hours before showtime for picnicking. The Ford offers a number of dining options: a variety of food and beverages is available on site and box dinners for evening events may be ordered in advance. Patrons are welcome to bring their own food and drink.
The Ford is disabled accessible. Portable wireless listening devices are available upon request. On-site, stacked parking costs $5 per vehicle for evening shows and $1 per vehicle for morning family shows. For evening shows only, FREE non-stacked parking serviced by a FREE shuttle to the Ford, for evening amphitheatre performances only, is available at the Universal City Metro Station lot at Lankershim Blvd. and Campo de Cahuenga. The shuttle, which cycles every 15-20 minutes, stops in the “kiss and ride” area.
This event is part of the Ford Amphitheatre 2012 Season, a multi-disciplinary arts series produced by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission in cooperation with Los Angeles County-based arts organizations. For a complete season schedule, directions to the theater and parking information, log on to www.FordTheatres.org.