Cincinnati Pops presents Sounds of Simon & Garfunkel Sunday October 4

simon-and-garfunkel

Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Presented by PNC
Michael Krajewski, conductor, AJ Swearingen, vocalist, Jon Beedle, vocalist
Cincinnati Music Hall
7 p.m. Sunday, October 4
Tickets start at $25 (Kids tickets just $10) and are available by calling: (513) 381-3300 or visiting www.cincinnatipops.org

The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, under the direction of guest conductor Michael Krajewski, presents a special one-night only event, The Sounds of Simon & Garfunkel. The Sounds of Simon & Garfunkel will take audiences on a musical journey that began in the 1960’s and continued throughout the decades. The Pops will perform classic Simon & Garfunkel hits such as The Sounds of Silence, Homeward Bound, and Mrs. Robinson, all with rich orchestral textures at Music Hall, Sunday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. The evening will feature vocalists AJ Swearingen and Jon Beedle. For over ten years, this duo has been wowing audiences with their renditions of Simon and Garfunkel songs. In addition to the featured vocalists, concert-goers will also enjoy hearing the orchestra play a compilation of Paul Simon numbers from You Can Call Me Al to Mother and Child Reunion.

The Cincinnati Pops is grateful to the Pops series sponsor, PNC, the Pops Artist Series Sponsor, The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation, and Artist Sponsors Lang Financial Group, Inc and Amica. The ArtsWave partner companies for these performances are Proctor & Gamble and GE Aviation.

Michael Krajewski, conductor, The Sounds of Simon & Garfunkel
Known for his entertaining programs and clever humor, Michael Krajewski is a much sought after conductor of symphonic pops. He is Music Director of The Philly Pops and Principal Pops Conductor of the Houston, Atlanta and Jacksonville Symphonies.

As a guest conductor Michael has performed with the Cleveland and Philadelphia Orchestras; the Boston and Cincinnati Pops; the San Francisco, Baltimore, Detroit, Indianapolis, Seattle, Dallas, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and National Symphonies, and numerous other orchestras across the United States. In Canada he has led Ottawa’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, and the Edmonton, Winnipeg and Kitchener-Waterloo Symphonies. Other international appearances include performances in Dublin and Belfast with the Ulster Orchestra as well as performances with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and this season’s debut with Spain’s Bilbao Symphony Orchestra.

Michael is the conductor of the video Silver Screen Serenade with violinist Jenny Oaks Baker that aired worldwide on BYU Broadcasting. On recording he has led the Houston Symphony on two holiday albums: Glad Tidings and Christmas Festival. In 2014/2015 Michael will be conducting his original Sounds of Simon & Garfunkel program all over North America featuring national touring artists AJ Swearingen and Jonathan Beedle. Michael’s other collaborative programs have included such artists as flutist James Galway, mezzo Marilyn Horne, pianist Alicia de Larrocha, guitarist Angel Romero, and pop artists Jason Alexander, Roberta Flack, Judy Collins, Art Garfunkel, Wynonna Judd, Kenny Loggins, Ben Folds, Doc Severinsen, Patti Austin, Sandi Patty, Ann Hampton Callaway, Chicago, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, The Chieftains, Pink Martini, Rockapella, Cirque de la Symphonie, Classical Mystery Tour, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and The Midtown Men.

With degrees from Wayne State University in Detroit and the University of Cincinnati College- Conservatory of Music, Michael furthered his training at the Pierre Monteux Domaine School for Conductors. He was a Dorati Fellowship Conductor with the Detroit Symphony and later served as that orchestra’s assistant conductor. He was resident conductor of the Florida Symphony and for eleven years served as music director of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra. Michael lives in Orlando, Florida with his wife Darcy. When not conducting he enjoys travel, photography and solving crossword puzzles.

AJ Swearingen and Jon Beedle, vocalists and guitarists, The Sounds of Simon & Garfunkel
AJ Swearingen and Jon Beedle have been performing this remarkable tribute to Simon & Garfunkel for more than a decade and their sold out shows prove the effect on audiences is undeniable. A chance meeting in 1991, in a local club in Bethlehem, PA, brought the two talented artists together. A brief introduction and moments later they were blending their voices as if they had been performing together for a life time.

AJ’s warm baritone and Jonathan’s soaring tenor combine flawlessly to capture the essence and magic of Simon & Garfunkel’s sound of the early years in Greenwich Village. With a quiet stage and an acoustic guitar, A.J and Jonathan re-create the memories of the classic hits and obscure songs of Simon & Garfunkel. Discover why audiences are cheering for this duo as they capture the magic of Simon and Garfunkel.