Symphony concert tonight at Furman Park

Photo by Joan Anderson, DowneyDailyPhotos.com

The Downey Symphony Orchestra will perform its annual “Pops in the Park” concert tonight at Furman Park. 

“This year is the 50th anniversary of the 1965 film version of ‘The Sound of Music,’ so I thought we’d celebrate by performing Rodgers and Hammerstein’s wonderful and popular music,” said Sharon Lavery, music director and conductor of the Downey Symphony Orchestra. 

The 20th Century–Fox film, produced and directed by Robert Wise, and starring Julie Andrews, won the Academy Award for Best Picture and remains the most successful movie musical of all time.

John Williams, considered to be one of the greatest film composers of all time, has won five Academy Awards. In a career spanning over six decades, Williams has composed some of the most popular and recognizable film scores in cinematic history. 

The Downey Symphony Orchestra will perform selections of John Williams music from “Star Wars” and “Jurassic Park.” 

“The second half of the concert we are presenting such patriotic works as American Salute (based on the tune ‘When Johnny Comes Marching Home’), ‘America the Beautiful,’ and a work entitled ‘Armed Forces Salute’ which includes the theme songs of all five branches of the United States military,” said Lavery. “And, continuing a long-time tradition, we will conclude the concert with the kids of Downey invited up on stage to individually conduct the orchestra in a selection of some of the finest marches ever written by John Phillip Sousa.

The concert is free.