We all know “The Phantom of the Opera” as a great show on Broadway and other well-known stages, but the story began long before it became a long-running musical. From newspaper to novel to film to two different stage versions … Continue reading →

James Taylor is a master singer and songwriter. His iconic voice and distinctive song style are known throughout the world, and his music has sold millions of copies. Yet, for all his great acclaim, his only number one song was … Continue reading →

Lots of states have “unofficial” anthems. “Rocky Mountain High” for Colorado and “Take Me Home, Country Roads” for West Virginia are two of the best known. For us here in North Carolina, “Carolina in My Mind” by James Taylor is … Continue reading →

Some state songs are well known and others are not. Everyone knows Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” as both the song of the Sooner State and as the title song of the Broadway musical. And two of Stephen Foster’s melodies are … Continue reading →

When Dave Bennett brings his clarinet to play Benny Goodman’s music with the Greensboro Symphony on New Year’s Eve, it won’t be the first time the orchestra has played the music of the “King of Swing” in a Pops Concert. … Continue reading →

Benny Goodman, “The King of Swing”, is one of the most important figures in jazz.  A strange fact of music history is that we probably would not even know the great clarinetist’s name today if it were not for a … Continue reading →

Newly found pictures of Michael Jackson are rare these days. At the height of the Jackson’s popularity in the 1970’s, the entire Jackson family and band were to meet with President Gerald Ford in the White House. Unfortunately an emergency … Continue reading →

For the recent Symphonic Pops concert by the Greensboro Symphony, I wrote this little quiz on the music to be performed. The answers are at the end. Have fun! 1. What Year was “Jailhouse Rock” released? a.1955 b.1957 c. 1959 … Continue reading →

Victor Vanacore has made a career of arranging and conducting the best known pop and rock hits. When he leads the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra in the upcoming Rock at the Pops Concert, it will be an evening of Elvis Presley, … Continue reading →