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Modesto Symphony Orchestras The Music Of Michael Jackson
symphony

The Modesto Symphony Orchestra (MSO), continuing its trend of booking high-profile shows with instant name recognition, will present ‘The Music Of Michael Jackson’ at its 22nd Annual Picnic at the Pops concert Saturday, Sept. 10. Held on the grounds of the E. & J. Gallo Winery, this family-friendly event attracts nearly 4,000 guests from throughout the Central Valley for an evening of music, dancing and fun underneath the stars. The grounds open at 4 p.m. and the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. In addition to an excellent concert, Picnic at the Pops also serves as a successful fundraiser for MSO, and raises thousands of dollars to support music and educational outreach initiatives in the community.

Picnic at the Pops provides a rare opportunity for guests to not only enjoy the symphony outside of its regular Gallo Center for the Arts home, but to also experience a “behind-the-scenes” glimpse into the E. & J. Gallo Winery’s beautiful grounds. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket, pack a picnic and enjoy all that the space has to offer. Outside alcohol is prohibited; however, wine and assortment of beverages are available for purchase, with all proceeds benefiting MSO. O’Brien’s Market and Greens will be offering pre-ordered lunch options for those who choose not to bring a picnic.

The E. & J. Gallo Winery Grounds are at 600 Yosemite Blvd., Modesto. Reserved Lawn Seating tickets are $58 for Adults, $19 for Youth; General Lawn Seating cost is $38 for Adults and $12 for Youth. General Lawn Groups of 10+ include a fee of $32 for Adults and $10 for Youth. (Youth tickets are for those 17 and under; 3 and under are admitted free).

Tickets can be purchased by calling the Gallo Center Ticket Office at 209-338-2100 or at modestosymphony.org. General lawn seating tickets can also be purchased at all O’Brien’s Market locations, the Hilmar Cheese Visitor’s Center, Nu-Way Cleaners and Salon Salon.

The star of this year’s performance, in addition to the Modesto Symphony lead by guest conductor Brent Havens, is James Delisco, one of the nation’s top Michael Jackson tribute artists and a budding superstar in his own right. Since winning The E! Network’s reality show “The Entertainer” in 2005, Delisco has been performing non-stop.

Guest conductor Brent Havens is a Berklee-trained arranger/conductor and has written music for orchestras, feature films and virtually every kind of television. His TV work includes movies for networks such as ABC, CBS and The Family Channel, commercials, sports music for networks such as ESPN and even cartoons.

 

“Jackson’s career spanned 40 years, so there’s a pretty good chance that nearly everybody knows at least one of his songs,” said Caroline Nickel, Modesto Symphony’s President and CEO. “The name recognition, the high quality of the show and the unique opportunity to spend time at the Gallo Winery all come together to create an event that’s sure to drum up a lot of excitement. And it’s also important to note this is a fundraiser, so all the money raised stays in the community and we couldn’t be more appreciative of all that the Gallo Family and the Gallo Winery does to support this event.”