El 2015 Summer Pops season<\/a> starts off with a (big bay) bang this weekend, and promises to offer both new and returning audiences a reason to keep coming back for more in a season that runs through Labor Day.<\/p>\n We will focus on the details of this year\u2019s July lineup, which sees a wide mixture of musical genres and performing styles, and share the rest of the season in our August issue.<\/p>\n This weekend kicks off the Summer Pops season with its popular Fourth of July spectacular, \u201cStar Spangled Pops.\u201d Local American Idol alum Jessica Sanchez will share patriotic songs while Bill Conti conducts the full San Diego Symphony Orchestra.<\/p>\n Fireworks will commence at the end of each Friday, Saturday and Sunday performance this weekend; however on Saturday, when the country is celebrating Independence Day, the show will conclude a little sooner than usual and Summer Pops will take a back seat to the city\u2019s Big Bay Boom over the San Diego Bay.<\/p>\n Matthew Garbutt returns as the principal Summer Pops conductor and will take the reigns most of the season except for a few special performances.<\/p>\n Films take center stage this year, starting out with the latest in the Star Trek franchise, 2013\u2019s \u201cInto Darkness\u201d and music from its award-winning composer Michael Giacchino Comic Con weekend (July 11).<\/p>\n \u201cThe magic of this performance is that the score will be played by the San Diego Symphony live on stage \u2014 and perfectly timed to the action that the audience is watching on the big screen,\u201d said Stephen Kougias, director of public relations\u00a0for the San Diego Symphony.<\/p>\n \u201cHooray for Hollywood\u201d (July 31, Aug 1) will tip its hat at some of tinsel town\u2019s best films through the years, such as \u201cPsycho,\u201d \u201cJames Bond\u201d and \u201cStar Wars.\u201d<\/p>\n Other films include \u201cBugs Bunny at the Symphony II\u201d (July 26) with Carl Stalling\u2019s original scores; and the return of Captain Jack in \u201cPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man\u2019s Chest\u201d in August.<\/p>\n The featured films \u2014\u00a0which he said all have their own unique audience \u2014 are shown on a large screen positioned above the orchestra.<\/p>\n The soundtrack, drama and excitement will all be there, the only thing missing is the musical score, and Kougias said the \u201cStar Trek: Into Darkness\u201d show is one not to miss.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a concert-going experience, a movie experience and a theatrical experience as the conductor leads the orchestra through this wonderful presentation,\u201d he continued.\u00a0\u201cWe have found that the audience loves it \u2014 this journey, this ride, this wonderful night at the Summer Pops.\u201d<\/p>\n On Thursday night July 9, \u201cPokemon: Symphonic Evolutions\u201d will also be brought to life by the orchestra for Comic Con fans and it will be accompanied by exciting visuals.<\/p>\n Giacchino began his long and storied award-winning career scoring video games. He won awards for scores he wrote for \u201cLOST\u201d and an Academy Award for \u201cBest Original Score\u201d for \u201cUP.\u201d He most recently composed for \u201cJurassic World.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe composer\u2019s job, regardless of the platform, is to support the story emotionally: whether it is soldier during a raid in\u00a0\u2018Medal of Honor,\u2019 a young woman giving birth on a mysterious island after a plane crash, or a young cadet struggling to prove himself to his superiors, the idea of making that emotional connection to the story is key. So the thinking is the same for all three,\u201d Giacchino told Noticias del centro de San Diego<\/em>, adding that the \u201creal differences are in terms of budget and luxury of time.\u201d<\/p>\n Giacchino said he works very closely with the directors of each platform he\u2019s composing but composing is a personal experience.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce I receive the film, I watch it, and then see how it hits me emotionally, what feels tense, what is sad, where does it take me,\u201d he said. \u201cFor \u2018Star Trek: Into Darkness,\u2019 it was quite fun because I was given such a fantastic villain to write for played by the great actor Benedict Cumberbatch. Usually a sequel is like that, you have a few of your main themes that will be reprised but something different is happening, a new character is introduced, and you get to play with that. \u2018Star Trek: Into Darkness,\u2019 has a much darker tone than \u2018Star Trek 09,’ so I was able to work with those colors as well.\u201d<\/p>\n While in the past Pops has featured the songs of Motown on its schedule, this year they\u2019ve moved into the 1970s and are offering the \u201cDivas of Disco\u201d (July 24-25) performed by the very entertaining \u201cRadiance\u201d quartet.<\/p>\n Not to leave out their fans of the Symphony\u2019s classical season, \u201cPops Goes Classical\u201d (Aug 2) takes fans on a musical journey with a \u201cpassport to the world,\u201d Kougias said. In years past they\u2019ve visited Italy and France and this year they take the audience to Spain.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s light classical, something to enjoy on a Sunday night \u2014 it gives Pops goers who may not experience the classical season [a taste of it] \u2014 and classical fans a chance to come out to the pops and have a fun night outdoors,\u201d Kougias said.<\/p>\n The seating and pricing options at Summer Pops are also diverse and there is something for everyone. You can\u2019t go wrong with any of the choices, based on your personal preferences; the champagne section is up front and is closest to the orchestra, the screen and\/or the artist, and includes table service; the cabaret options a little further back offer a food court; the grandstand, with its individual seats and graduated seating and perfect line of sight; and the lawn, where attendees can bring a blanket or a beach chair and enjoy an evening under the stars on the grass.<\/p>\n![\"giacchinoweb\"](\"https:\/\/sandiegodowntownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/giacchinoweb.jpg\")
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