New York composer/conductor Marvin Hamlisch is beaming. Even though he’s on the phone, it’s palpable.
“I’m in a very good mood,” said the Pulitzer Prize, Tony, Emmy and Academy Award winning composer. “The Yankees won 8-3.”
Another thing about Hamlisch: He’s a journalist’s dream. The Downtown News asked Hamlisch, San Diego Symphony’s resident pops conductor, about Summer Pops 2007, which plays June 29 through Sept. 2 at Embarcadero Marina Park. He was off and running, ebullient, informative and thoroughly likable.
“What’s exciting about the Pops is its incredible breadth,” he said. “You’ve got a show about the movies, you’ve got ‘Star Wars,’ you’ve got ‘Star-Spangled’ and you’ve got Clay Aiken and Chris Botti, who is one of the greatest solo trumpeters I’ve ever heard in my life “” incredible, don’t miss that “” followed by Burt Bacharach and the Classical Mystery Tour. And of course, we’re thrilled to have Aaron Neville.”
Hamlisch’s show, titled “Marvin at the Movies” (Friday and Saturday July 27and 28) is composed of things from some of Hamlisch’s film scores, particularly “The Sting” and “The Way We Were.” (He received his Pulitzer for the 1975 Broadway musical “A Chorus Line.”)
“I think I’m going to do some things from movies that were also shows, like ‘My Fair Lady,’ for instance, and ‘Schindler’s List’ (music by John Williams). I’ll also be doing a medley of nominated songs; I realized that many times songs that have lost the Academy Awards have become more famous than songs that won,” he said.
Audiences will hear some wonderful movie music and not all of it by Hamlisch, who planned the summer program along with symphony Director of Artistic Planning Shelly Fuerte.
Fuerte worked with Hamlisch at Pittsburgh Symphony, where he holds the post of principal pops conductor. She works on programming all season, coordinating with other staff members, including resident conductor Matt Garbutt, filling “wish lists” whenever possible and working with agents, artists’ schedules and contracts “” all within budget, of course.
Each year, two programs “” “Star-Spangled Pops” and “1812 Tchaikovsky Spectacular” ” bookend the Pops season. The “1812 Tchaikovsky Spectacular” is replete with canon and fireworks over San Diego Bay. Thirteen additional programs lie between.
Hamlisch said he is “not a writer who just writes” but “a gun for hire.
“If I have a project, everything else stops and I write the project. If I don’t have a project, then having these other things [he’s also principal pops conductor at the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C.] is very good for me, because I’m a double-A personality. I do not not want to be working.
“I enjoy performing and I love composing “” composing is just you and the piano. As long as you can feel joy and translate it into music, you’ve got a good thing going. The minute it becomes work, you’ve got a real problem. The best thing about performing is you get instant feedback from an audience. I’m very happy about where I am and what I’m doing,” Hamlisch said.
For the benefit of Pops aficionados, such joy and happiness spills over into Summer Pops 2007. There will be fireworks, fellowship and food as well.
For details, go to www.sandiegosymphony.com or call (619) 235-0804. All programs begin at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m.