Outreach Programs For Our Youth

The Ocean City Pops Orchestra values the opportunity to reach out to children through music. Our musicians not only have the opportunity to inspire young people with their enthusiasm, they find the children’s response brings them a new energy as well.

If anything represents Our Heritage of Good Music, it’s the delight of children discovering it for the first time.

The Ocean City Pops Orchestra presently has three outreach programs for young people:

Pops performances with gifted music students - with an average of six student musicians making guest appearances with the Orchestra.

A Musical Theater Workshop - this two-week project with children, ages 8 to 16 culminates in a fully-staged live production of a Broadway musical in summer at the Music Pier.

Programs of special concerts for students in area schools - Individual Pops sections visit area schools to perform, and discuss careers in music. The schools are later invited to a concert held especially for them. This concert closes the Pops’ summer season.

Planning Goal: provide further opportunities to inspire new generations of music lovers.

Bayside Ensemble Concerts

We are extremely fortunate to have the Ocean City Music Pier as our main stage.

With the opening of the Bayside Center in Ocean City, we have a chance to offer a different style of music in another excellent venue.

This smaller arena allows for a more intimate setting, where individual divisions of the Orchestra — chamber, wind, and other ensembles — can perform outdoor concerts by the bay.

Imagine the pleasure of a summer evening spent with beautiful, live music surrounding you as you watch the sun dip slowly into the bay. You’ll understand why we feel this is an experience that should not be missed.

Planning Goal: funding for a Bayside Concert Series.

Increase to 31 Chairs

An Evening with the Pops can mean anything from Broadway musicals, to opera, jazz, theme nights, movie scores, ethnic nights, Lollipops concerts, and wonderful pairings with dancers, soloists, vocalists, and special musical ensembles.

Each year, as new arrangements are acquired, it has become apparent that the middle sections of the orchestra need to be strengthened to produce the quality of performance that will allow listeners to enjoy any piece of music to its fullest potential.

Planning Goal: add eight full-time musicians to the Pops during the next three years.

Adding To Our Heritage: Acquisition Of Musical Compositions

One of the ways we keep our programs fresh and our audiences expanding is to constantly broaden our repertoire to present Good music that appeals to a variety of tastes.

We are driven to expand the definition of ‘an evening with an orchestra’ from strictly classical music to quality music that speaks to many different tastes.

In order to keep providing audiences with programs that are interesting and new, we must purchase new pieces to add to our library each year.

Planning Goal: acquiring new scores for the Pops Library.

Needed: Additional Rehearsal Time For Special Programs

Concerts with special artists and theme nights are just some of the ways the Pops bring in a variety of music to appeal to many different tastes.

As an Orchestra that is constantly trying something new, rehearsal time is especially important. New scores require time — to learn and to bring to life.

Planning goal: seek funds for additional rehearsal time.

You are invited to help fulfill these plans...

It will require new resources to ensure that these goals can be achieved, and that our Heritage of Good Music will benefit future generations of concert goers...

Here’s how you can participate and forge your lasting link to the future.
You are invited to become Bellwether Benefactors by making an initial contribution of $2000 in 1998, combined with a statment of intent to contribute $2,000 in 1999 and $2,000 in the year 2000 for a total of $6,000 in tax deductible gifts over a three year period. 25% of each gift will be placed in the Friends’ Endowment Fund, with the balance allocated to underwrite the enhancements outlined above.

The first 50 Bellwether Benefactors will become members of the Frank Ruggieri Society, which honors beloved Pops Conductor Emeritus, Frank Ruggieri.

The Friends of the Ocean City Pops, Inc. is pleased to salute all the Members of the Ruggieri Society, whose leadership has set the pace for success in meeting our goals.

The Friends’ long range plan is now underway. Now it’s your turn to come on board. Please contact the Friends of the Ocean City Pops at 609-398-9598 for more details.