Stepping Out

Return of the British Invasion

Strawberry Fields joins Nassau Pops for annual benefit concert

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The venerable Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra is caught up in the throes of Beatlemania as it prepares for its annual concert to benefit United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau (UCPN). For this, the orchestra’s 11th concert in support of the vital agency, Music Director Louis Panacciulli has turned to the acclaimed Beatles tribute band, Strawberry Fields, to recapture, some of the excitement of that British Invasion, on Sunday, Nov. 16.
Those lads from Liverpool — who first appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and immediately became the focus of hordes of screaming fans across the country and then the world — are honored by the Nassau Pops who join forces with Strawberry Fields for some symphonic interpretation of those memorable Beatles songs.
“We are very excited to have Stawberry Fields with us this year,” says Panacciulli. “They performed at our first benefit concert for UCPN 10 years ago, and now it seems fitting as we mark the 50th anniversary of The Beatles appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, that they are with us again. This concert cuts across all generations as result of The Beatles’ timeless appeal, so it will be fun for all.”
The Beatlemania frenzy returns for the 21st century as Strawberry Fields theatrically recreates the sights and sounds of the beloved Beatles, as they trace — through a series of costume changes — the evolution of the band, with the Nassau Pops’ symphonic
accompaniment.
With orchestral arrangements created specially for the Nassau Pops, the orchestra offers a dynamic enhancement of these treasured tunes, according to Panacciulli. “When The Beatles first appeared they were just a four person band. As they progressed they added symphonic instruments to their recordings. By using a full orchestra we are creating a much fuller version of their music.”

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