Pacific Symphony musicians are calling on the luck of the Irish and adding a special St. Patrick’s Day twist to the third edition of Music Mixology, a classical musician’s take on the local trivia night. During the show, co-hosts Ben Smolen (principal flute) and Bridget Dolkas (principal second violin) lead the audience in music-inspired trivia questions and the winner of each round chooses what the ensemble plays next.
Selections include favorite rock and pop songs, virtuosic classical pieces, clips from movie soundtracks and—as a special addition for St. Patrick’s Day—Irish pop and folk music!
The group of Symphony musicians also includes Jessica Pearlman Fields (principal oboe), Alice Wrate (violin), Meredith Crawford (viola) and Bob Vos (cello), who have rehearsed three concerts worth of music to prepare for the event. Since the choices are up to the audience, no Music Mixology concert is the same, and this one promises to be especially Shamrock-inspired!
Making its way to popular dining locales across Orange County, Music Mixology travels next to the Anaheim Packing House (440 S. Anaheim Blvd.) on Thursday, March 17, from 7-9:30 p.m. Participants are invited to come wearing green, enjoy innovative food offerings from the food hall’s many merchants, and head to the central staircase for the Symphony’s show. This event is free with no tickets required. For more information, call the Symphony at (714) 755-5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org.
“We are planning to go all out, both musically and otherwise, for this special St. Patrick’s Day Mixology celebration,” says Smolen. “We’ve added a variety of special musical selections to our normal menu, including hits from U2, Irish reels and other Irish folk favorites. We are encouraging everyone to come decked out in their finest green couture, and we will be working with vendors in the Packing House to come up with specifically themed food and drinks to accompany the music.”
Music Mixology was met with great success when it premiered at Santa Ana’s 4th Street Market last April and returned to a packed room at the Boathouse Collective in Costa Mesa in January. The Anaheim Packing House offers an entirely new vibe for people to enjoy and participate in this event. One of the few remaining packing houses from the agricultural era in Orange County, the restored Anaheim Packing House is a food hall much like those found in South America and Europe. The two-level building features a central atrium with communal dining areas, as well as markets and restaurants of varying sizes and cuisines.
“The first time we entered the Anaheim Packing House, we were all blown away by the gorgeous space and incredible array of vendors, and we knew it would be the perfect venue for one of our Mixology shows,” says Smolen. “Each of our venues so far has been different from the others, both in terms of layout and geography. The Packing House is by far the biggest venue we’ve visited, and it has the unique advantage of allowing people to watch and participate from all sides and from multiple levels.
“We’re starting to develop a devoted audience who follows us to different locations, but we also hope to reach new people at every venue,” continues Smolen. “For everyone, I hope they enjoy our casual, hands-on format and hear some of their favorite songs—we’ve got everything from Bach to Tchaikovsky to Adele and The Beatles—but that they will also discover some new, awesome music to love. I’m looking forward to presenting another evening of zany, musical fun.”
Pacific Symphony, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, is the largest orchestra formed in the United States in the last 50 years. With a rich offering of classical, pops and family programming, the Symphony presents more than 100 concerts a year at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, and at its summer home at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre. This event is made possible by The James Irvine Foundation.
Janelle Kruly
Public Relations and Social Media Manager
Pacific Symphony
3631 S. Harbor Blvd. Suite 100
Santa Ana, CA 92704
Direct: 714/ 876-2385 │Tickets: 714/ 755-5799
