The Fresno Philharmonic, conducted by music director Rei Hotoda, will present a pops concert with the acclaimed group Pink Martini, featuring lead singer China Forbes, on Saturday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the William Saroyan Theatre.
Hailed as a “rollicking, around-the-world musical adventure,” the 12-member Pink Martini transcends national and musical boundaries with songs in 25 languages. The group has performed with more than 70 orchestras around the world, including multiple engagements with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the Boston Pops and the San Francisco Symphony.
In the words of Pink Martini founder and bandleader Thomas Lauderdale, “If the United Nations had a house band in 1962, it would have been Pink Martini.”
This concert will be Pink Martini’s first appearance with the Fresno Philharmonic. Tickets to Pink Martini in concert with the Fresno Philharmonic are on sale now. Tickets range from $30-$86 (plus an $11 per ticket FCEC Venue Fee) and may be purchased at fresnophil.org or by calling 559-261-0600.
About Pink Martini
Now in their 29th year of performing, Pink Martini was founded by bandleader/pianist Thomas M. Lauderdale in 1994 to provide beautiful and inclusive performances at fundraisers and galas for progressive causes, with a style inspired by Latin, big band, classical, and the Golden Age of Hollywood. Lauderdale’s friend from their time at Harvard, China Forbes, soon moved to Portland to become lead singer, and they released their landmark album Sympathique in 1997. Soon this “little orchestra” was touring the globe with a dozen or more musicians, singing their culturally inclusive music in over 20 languages, and performing at legendary venues such as Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, the Sydney Opera House, and the Hollywood Bowl. The band has released nine studio albums and numerous side projects on its own label, Heinz Records, and is proud to call Oregon home.
About the Fresno Philharmonic
The Fresno Philharmonic, now in its 68th season, is one of the leading arts organizations in California’s Central San Joaquin Valley. As Fresno’s professional symphony orchestra, the Fresno Philharmonic presents incomparable live musical experiences to thousands of people each season and provides high quality music education programs to students throughout our region.