Creating an experience both inside and outside of the performance hall is part of a recent effort to welcome more members of the community into the fold of Pasadena’s arts and music scene, said Zdunek.
“We want to make it more than a sit-in-your-seat-and-don’t-move experience,” he added. “We want to make the whole night an experience.”
And organizers want as many people as possible to be able to experience classical music, which is why they are offering “stimulus package” discounts this season for new and returning subscribers.
As part of a limited time offer, first-time subscribers and those who haven’t subscribed in the past three seasons will receive one free subscription for each one they purchase. Zdunek said the hope is that reducing financial barriers for those who may not otherwise be able to afford local symphony events will widen participation.
To further this aim, the Pasadena Symphony and POPS has also designed two other special offers. The FamilyPack program offers a $10 ticket price for children 14 and under who accompany a full-paying adult, and the new Student SoundCheck card lets students sit in the best seats available at Symphony and POPS concerts for one low price.
The idea for creating new avenues to membership came after organizers witnessed the community’s enthusiasm for classical music at three recent events: The Musical Circus at the Americana at Brand, the most recent ArtNight and the Pasadena Wine Festival held earlier this month.
“We were really taken, with those three groups, by how much classical music is on the rise again,” Zdunek said. “We thought, why not take advantage of that excitement?”
Saturday’s opening night reception will begin at 6 o’clock with a pre-concert celebration, a 25th-anniversary champagne toast to Music Director Maestro Jorge Mester.
For more information on scheduled events, subscription discounts or educational programs, call (626) 793-7172 or visit www.PasadenaSymphony-Pops.org.
