Tag: spreckels organ

Celebrating the 109th birthday of the Spreckels Organ!

A special concert today in Balboa Park celebrated the 109th birthday of the Spreckels Organ!

San Diego Civic Organist Raúl Prieto Ramírez performed a crowd pleasing assortment of music, and received another standing ovation. Our city is fortunate to have a charismatic, world-class organist increasing the popularity of the Spreckels Organ, the largest outdoor musical instrument in the world!

During the free concert, audience members were invited to file through the organ building to watch and hear the incredible pipe organ in action. I myself entered as Raul began a medley from The Sound of Music. I wanted to take another look at historical photographs that line the walls of the building’s central hallway.

(You can see behind-the-scenes photos I took of the Spreckels Organ nine years ago by clicking here.)

The Spreckels Organ made its debut on January 1, 1915, at the opening of the Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park. The organ was donated by the Spreckels brothers to the people of San Diego and the people of all the world. They stipulated that all concerts must be free.

Free concerts can be enjoyed 109 years later every Sunday at 2 pm!

Crowd listens to Spreckels Organ 109th birthday concert during the holiday season.

The San Diego Union newspaper, Friday Morning, January 1, 1915. John D. Spreckels Gives to San Diego America’s First Out-Of-Door Organ.

Mr. Edward Crome, Spreckels Organ Installer, 1914.

Mr. Harrison Albright, Architect, Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

Dr. Humphrey J. Stewart, City Organist, 1915-1932.

The Spreckels Organ Pavilion Under Construction – 1914. The only surviving picture.

A 1915 Concert. Note the hooded console and umbrellas.

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Nutcracker dances by San Diego Civic Youth Ballet.

The San Diego Civic Youth Ballet has been an institution in Balboa Park since 1945. Their annual performances of holiday favorite The Nutcracker begin in early December. That’s quickly approaching!

A preview of several Nutcracker dances was offered this afternoon at Balboa Park’s Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

Most of the weekly Sunday organ concert was devoted to the youthful dancing. And it was quite good!

Light, graceful movement, as if on a cloud, shined up on the stage. The professionalism and poise of the young ballet dancers was remarkable.

Several times during today’s preview a connection problem with an iPhone caused the music to unexpectedly stop, but the dancers danced on, unfazed. When the music suddenly started again, it was as if the glitch had never happened.

These photos show how wonderful The Nutcracker is bound to be. The upcoming performances will be at the Casa del Prado Theater in Balboa Park. Get your tickets by clicking here!

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

A patriotic Massing of the Colors in San Diego.

The 67th Annual Massing of the Colors and Service of Remembrance was held today in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

The patriotic ceremony featured a procession of color guards through the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. In addition to military color guards, participants represented dozens of schools, organizations and agencies from throughout San Diego County.

The event was presented by the San Diego Chapter of Military Order of the World Wars, whose mission includes instilling love of country by honoring our nation’s flag and the liberty it promises. For a writer like myself, freedom is precious.

As I sat in the front row waiting for the event to begin, a gust of wind on the stage blew over our nation’s flag. Several people immediately rushed forward to raise Old Glory again.

The Massing of the Colors this year was co-sponsored by the Spreckels Organ Society. Patriotic music, including an Armed Forces Medley, was provided by San Diego Civic Organist extraordinaire Raúl Prieto Ramírez!

A special mention in the ceremony and program acknowledged Vietnam Veterans and their sacrifices. Fifty years ago, that terrible war ended.

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

The Enchanted Tail performs magic in Balboa Park!

Young kids excited about an opera, cheering the characters, cheering the actors? It must be magic!

This afternoon the San Diego Children’s Choir joined Opera4Kids at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. Accompanied by San Diego Civic Organist Raul Prieto Ramírez, the children’s Apprentice Choir sang two fun pieces, then added to the lively opera with their voices.

The Enchanted Tail is a wonderful production of Opera4Kids. It’s a sort of mix of traditional fairy tale with that classic O. Henry short story The Gift of the Magi. It’s about a woodsman and princess who, cursed by an evil witch, can’t use their voices to sing. Through human kindness and the unselfish sacrifices of both characters, they resolve a seemingly intractable conflict and regain their voices.

This was the second time I’ve seen The Enchanted Tail and I loved it even more than before! (I suppose I’ve grown overly sentimental.)

Want to introduce your kids to fun, infectious opera? Opera4Kids has another Balboa Park performance coming up on November 5th, 2023. Check that out here.

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

The Sound of Music comes to Balboa Park!

Those in San Diego who love The Sound of Music, rejoice! The timeless musical will be playing in Balboa Park next Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater!

I was sitting on a bench at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion reading a book this afternoon when the full cast unexpectedly assembled on the stage for a photograph!

My camera got busy, too!

This uplifting Sound of Music production involves members of the Santa Sophia Catholic Church in Spring Valley. Everyone up on the stage wore a big smile!

If you want to enjoy next weekend’s performance, check out their website by clicking here.

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Massing of the Colors to honor Vietnam Veterans.

A patriotic Massing of the Colors event is returning to San Diego this October. The grand procession of flags will feature from 40 to 50 Color Guards from around our region, and will honor Vietnam Veterans, as 2023 marks the 50th Anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.

The 67th Annual Massing of the Colors and Service of Remembrance, presented by the San Diego Chapter of The Military Order of the World Wars, is free and open to the public. The many Color Guards will assemble in Balboa Park’s Spreckels Organ Pavilion on October 14th, and the ceremony will commence at 10:30 am.

This year is also the 125th Anniversary of the famous march Stars and Stripes Forever. John Philip Sousa marches will be played by San Diego Civic Organist Raul Prieto Ramírez during the procession as it enters and exits the pavilion. The event is co-sponsored by the Spreckels Organ Society.

If you know of a Color Guard in San Diego that would like to participate, use the contact email shown in the graphic below.

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Silent movie star returns to San Diego!

Public domain image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Harold Lloyd, star of silent movies a century ago, returned to his home in San Diego this evening!

The famous comic actor appeared on a big screen in Balboa Park’s outdoor Spreckels Organ Pavilion. He was starring in one of his most popular silent movies, The Freshman, accompanied by renowned organist Clark Wilson playing the Spreckels Organ!

Harold Lloyd is considered one the three great comedians from Hollywood’s era of silent movies. He stands with Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.

Did you know he also lived for a time in San Diego, attending San Diego High School?

So, in a sense, Harold Lloyd returned home this evening!

And thousands in the audience laughed at his all-too-human, silly antics. A century later, he still brings smiles into the world.

This was the second-to-last performance for this year’s free 35th San Diego International Summer Organ Festival. Next Monday–Labor Day–San Diego’s Civic Organist and rock and roll musicians together conclude the festival with a blast!

If you want to watch another silent movie accompanied by organ in San Diego, your opportunity is coming up on Tuesday, September 19 at noon at downtown’s Balboa Theatre. The performance is also free! Buster Keaton stars in the silent film One Week. Click here for more info!

Public domain image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Symphony brass, a World Premiere, and the Spreckels Organ!

When San Diego Symphony musicians team up with San Diego Civic Organist Raul Prieto Ramírez, you know extraordinary music will follow. When the concert includes a World Premiere by noted composer Texu Kim, it’s an experience you won’t soon forget!

This evening, in San Diego’s always amazing Balboa Park, a Brass and Organ Stereophonic Stravaganza was enjoyed by a huge crowd at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

Fine music flowed from the brass instruments of eight San Diego Symphony musicians. Their notes were often accompanied by the mighty Spreckels Organ, world’s largest outdoor musical instrument. A stream of emotions was summoned almost magically, as excellent music will do. It all resulted in a prolonged final standing ovation.

The World Premiere of the piece Mir by Texu Kim was surprising, innovative and a whole lot of fun. I heard audience members gasp when the piece concluded. Learn more about the featured guest composer Texu Kim here.

If you haven’t been to any of this year’s 35th Annual San Diego International Organ Festival free concerts, you should go! There are three more scheduled in Balboa Park. Next Monday the organist is from the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris! The following Monday is Silent Movie Night–a crowd favorite every year!

Interested? Check out the schedule for the remaining concerts here.

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Young person’s concert in Balboa Park to help homeless!

Eva Mather, young vocalist, singer and actress, will be performing in San Diego at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park on Friday, November 24, 2023. Her concert will benefit a project that helps those who are homeless.

Today she sang the National Anthem at Balboa Park’s International Cottages, as the “Independence Day of United States of America” program began. Her powerful voice soared.

Eva has performed at diverse events around San Diego–most recently at the San Diego County Fair. She is also a Princess representing the House of China of the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages.

Youthful optimism, energy and ambition will be taking the stage! Why not make a note on your calendar?

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Long Beach Youth Chorus inspires San Diego!

The first ever tour of the Long Beach Youth Chorus has begun in San Diego!

This afternoon the youth singing group performed at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. They were accompanied by Adam Ferrara, a fine guest organist. A sizable crowd sat listening in the benches.

What did we hear? Songs about hopes, dreams, love and acceptance. The inspirational performance was titled Hopes and Dreams.

The young people sang their hearts out and received great applause.

There were some patriotic songs to celebrate this Memorial Day weekend. Gratitude was expressed that we all live in a free country, where we are free to be who we want to be.

Looking at the Long Beach Youth Chorus website, I see they have a very positive mission statement. Why not check it out and support them!

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!