Kelly Levesque

There was a lot of talking at the Symphony Pops during the Star Spangled Pops concert. Like, a lot.

First off, we were welcomed by someone from the front office. Honestly, I can’t remember who it was, but he felt it necessary to share something about his father being in the Air Force, patrolling the Canadian Border for the Strategic Air Command, and that there was no symphony in Montana.

Okay, I get it. As pedantic as that narrative was, it was a Fourth of July concert. I miss Nuvi Mehta, the usual Symphony lecturer.

The Embarcadero Park setting for the Pops is spectacular, being on the waterfront with the San Diego skyline to "house right" and the water on "house left."

As the concert got started, Bill Conti talked between each and every number. He shared stories about composing in Hollywood and something about a composer claiming to be born on the 4th July when he was actually born on July 3rd — just like Conti’s daughter.

At one point my 10-year-old daughter leaned over to me and said, “Uh, we didn’t come here to learn about your life.” I might have my hands full with that girl in a year or two, but she did have a point.

I haven’t been to that many pops concerts, and maybe it’s traditional to share a little story between each piece, but the concert got a little long from all the talking.

My favorite was Conti explaining that they were doing Whitney Houston’s If I Don’t Have You and the you, in this case, was America.

I get it. I really do. Someone wanted to have that song but including it in a patriotic concert is a little bit of a stretch even though, in many regards, Whitney was a fine example of the American Dream. (Or perhaps more of a cautionary tale?)

Gary Mauer

It reminded me of when I wanted to sing Schubert’s Du bist die Ruh as a solo at my church job. It’s basically a love song, but I explained that in this case, the du was Jesus.

It’s a good thing it was a UCC church because I’m not sure the Catholics would have let me extend the “du” to Jesus.

Enough with the griping. What about the performances? The performances were on the great side.

Soloists Gary Mauer and Kelly Levesque had some pipes.

Kelly Levesque was impressive in the aforementioned I Have Nothing.

However, with America the Beautiful she became one of those singers who doesn’t think the notes of the song as written are good enough.

The beautiful text about alabaster cities unstained by human tears was preempted by a flourish of belty pitches which served no purpose except to impress us.

Is there something wrong with singing America the Beautiful beautifully?

The pop-music habit of adding a flurry of notes to what is a simple vocal line is so cliché — and people think classical music is tired? Please.

If a singer wants to impress us with a lot of vocal fireworks, sing a song that has a lot of vocal fireworks.

I Have Nothing was perfect. It's an impressive vocal display and it will burn a singer to the ground if the singer don't have the nodes — er, I mean notes.

I was impressed with The Prayer duet that Gary and Kelly sang. I also liked the little nugget Bill Conti gave us about its origin. I had no idea it was from a movie.

Of course he then went on to assure us that these singers were better than when he conducted it with Bocelli and Charlotte Church. He was right but still, come on, enough the name dropping.

Gary Mauer's vocals on The Prayer were astounding.

The orchestra cruised through the concert like a V12 on a casual Sunday drive along PCH.

The San Diego Master Chorale sang fine.

There were fireworks.

Happy Fourth.