The Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by Conductor Rob Fisher, Performs Classic Baseball Music; Special Guest Randy Newman Performs Classic Hits and Conducts Suite from The Natural

WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, JULY 2, 3 AND 4, 2008, AT 7:30 PM

Thursday’s Concert Generously Sponsored by Gallo

Friday’s Concert Generously Sponsored by WaMu

In a first-time collaboration, two institutions that define the Los Angeles experience – the Dodgers and the Hollywood Bowl – come together to celebrate Independence Day and the Dodgers 50th Anniversary in Los Angeles. This great American extravaganza features the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Rob Fisher, and special guest Randy Newman. The evening’s festivities include performances of classic baseball music, a video montage of memorable Dodger moments and the Hollywood Bowl’s unparalleled fireworks finale. The July 4th Fireworks Spectacular: A Ball at the Bowl with the LA Dodgers takes place Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, July 2, 3 and 4, at 7:30 p.m.

Throughout the franchise’s history, the Dodgers have become synonymous with the American spirit and Los Angeles. During the past 50 years and beyond, the Dodgers have unified cultures within communities and around the globe. They’ve made their mark on the field and throughout history: Jackie Robinson’s major league debut with the Dodgers ended decades of baseball segregation; Sandy Koufax refused to pitch the opening game of the 1965 World Series because it fell on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur; Mexico celebrated the heroics of young Fernando Valenzuela, the first player in major league history to win both Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award in the same season; Japan’s Hideo Nomo and Korea’s Chan Ho Park joined the roster and paved the way for greater international opportunity.

Fifty years after relocating from Ebbets Field in Brooklyn to the Coliseum in Los Angeles, the Dodgers remain commited to helping communities realize the American Dream. To celebrate their landmark anniversary, the Hollywood Bowl hosts these once-in-a-lifetime events for baseball and music lovers.

The game begins with longtime Dodger organist, Nancy Bea Hefley, warming up the Hollywood Bowl crowd. In the first few innings, conductor Rob Fisher and the Los Angeles Philharmonic perform classic baseball music including “It’s A Beautiful Day for A Ballgame,” “D-O-D-G-E-R-S (Oh, Really? No, O’Malley)” and “Casey at the Bat,” as well as an orchestral favorite or two to tie in with the celebrations. During the seventh inning stretch, Dodgers icon and Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda leads the crowd in a sing-along of the quintessential baseball song, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” It’s a night of landmark birthday celebrations as the song itself celebrates a milestone 100th anniversary.

To bring home a shutout win, Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter and composer Randy Newman serves up two of his timeless classic hits, “I Love L.A.” and “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” plus the new song “Losing You” from his soon-to-be released Nonesuch album Harps and Angels. Newman also conducts his Suite from The Natural, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award.

Baseball and the Hollywood Bowl epitomize summer fun for the entire family. A Ball at the Bowl with the L.A. Dodgers, a spectacular and unique evening celebrating their 50th Anniversary in Los Angeles, is the place to be this Independence Day.

In their first 50 seasons in Los Angeles, the DODGERS won more games, more pennants, and more World Championships than any other team in the National League. Bold as ever in their efforts to contribute to the community, the Dodgers under the ownership of Frank and Jamie McCourt have turned the Dodgers Dream Foundation into a dynamic philanthropic force. Using the metaphor of a baseball diamond, the foundation, at first base, emphasizes sports and recreation. The marquee program is the series of Dodgers Dreamfields. Eight are complete, and in honor of the 50th anniversary, 42 more are promised. At second base is literacy and education, an effort illustrated by the awarding of more than $100,000 in college scholarships through the Jackie Robinson Foundation to “Team 42,” an annual class of “Dodgers Scholars.” At third base the foundation focuses on health. The new initiative, ThinkCure, is a partnership with City of Hope and Children’s Hospital LA designed to raise the funds and foster the research that finally cures the disease. At home plate is an emphasis on the environment. Appropriately, such measures start at home, and the Dodgers are, in 2008, committing to “Think Blue but Act Green.” With a youthful, talent-laden team under the direction of Manager Joe Torre, the Dodgers continue to provide baseball on the field that is worthy of their name. Off the field, where they built so much of the honor that is associated with that name, they positively impact the community further enhancing the legacy that is already printed on the hearts of Dodgers fans worldwide.

ROB FISHER is an internationally-distinguished artistic director, conductor and pianist, as well as a leading national figure in American music and classic musical theatre. In 2007, Mr. Fisher conducted the critically acclaimed revival of Lerner and Lowe’s “My Fair Lady” with the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center and was hailed by The New York Times for “delivering the score with a plush sound that drew attention to the intricacy and wit of the orchestrations.” Within the same year, Mr. Fisher acted as Producer/Music Director of a highly acclaimed program celebrating the music of Leonard Bernstein for Lincoln Center’s American Songbook Series, served as Music Director of the 40th anniversary production of Hair at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park (for which he will serve as Music Supervisor for its encore presentation this summer) and conducted the New York debut for Morphoses, Christopher Wheeldon’s new ballet company. As music director and conductor of the Tony honored Encores! series at New York City Center from its inception in 1994, Mr. Fisher was also bestowed the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Special Achievement in 1997 for his work on the series (which spawned the Broadway hits Chicago and Wonderful Town). Through the series, Mr. Fisher made numerous recordings for which he served as the conductor and associate producer, including the Grammy-winning Chicago cast recording and the recently-released Wonderful Town. Within the past 10 years, Mr. Fisher has performed with virtually every major orchestra in the United States. Highlights include guest appearances with the Los Angeles, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Atlanta, Virginia, Colorado, Baltimore and National Symphonies, as well as with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. In 2005, Mr. Fisher debuted with the Philadelphia and Cleveland Orchestras. Rob Fisher continues to enjoy an ongoing relationship with the New York Pops and was pleased to share concerts with the late Skitch Henderson on a regular basis.

Los Angeles native RANDY NEWMAN has had a prolific career writing pop songs and movie scores. Born into a famously musical family, he was already a professional songwriter at 17. Newman received his first Grammy Award, Best Instrumental Composition, for his score for The Natural, which was also Oscar-nominated. In 1991, Newman received his first Emmy Award, Outstanding Achievement in Music and Lyrics, for "He's Guilty" from the pilot of Cop Rock. In 2001, after garnering 16 Oscar nominations, Newman received the Academy Award, Original Song, for "If I Didn't Have You" from Monsters, Inc. Well-known for his sense of satire and the wit in his music, Newman has recorded numerous albums and enjoyed massive success with his film work. The Randy Newman Songbok, Vol. 1 (2003) finds Newman singing and playing piano on powerful new solo versions of his early classics and recent gems, including "Louisiana 1927," "You Can Leave Your Hat On," "I Think It's Going to Rain Today," and "Sail Away." The album is an intimate and powerful reminder of the enduring work that established Newman as one of the most musically and lyrically ambitious singer songwriters ever to be at play in the fields of popular music.

One of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of nearly 18,000, the HOLLYWOOD BOWL has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922, and in 1991 gave its name to the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, a resident ensemble that has filled a special niche in the musical life of Southern California. The 2004 season introduced audiences to a revitalized Hollywood Bowl, featuring a newly-constructed shell and stage and the addition of four stadium screens enhancing stage views in the venue. To this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's concerts. While the Bowl is best known for its sizzling summer nights, during the day California's youngest patrons enjoy "SummerSounds: Music for Kids at the Hollywood Bowl," the Southland's most popular summer arts festival for children, now in its 40th season. Attendance figures over the past several decades have soared: in 1980 the Bowl first topped the half-million mark and close to one million admissions have been recorded. In February 2008, the Hollywood Bowl was named Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue for the fourth year in a row at the 19th Annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards. The Bowl's summer music festival has become as much a part of a Southern California summer as beaches and barbecues, the Dodgers, and Disneyland.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, JULY 2, 3, 4, 2008, at 7:30 PM

HOLLYWOOD BOWL, 2301 N. Highland Ave. in Hollywood



JULY 4TH SPECTACULAR: A BALL AT THE BOWL WITH THE L.A. DODGERS



LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC

ROB FISHER, conductor

RANDY NEWMAN, special guest



The July 2 concert is generously sponsored by Gallo.

The July 4 concert is generously sponsored by WaMu.

Tickets ($10 - $114) are on sale now at HollywoodBowl.com, at the Hollywood Bowl Box Office (Tuesday–Saturday, 12 p.m.–6 p.m.), or by calling Ticketmaster at 213.480.3232, and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Groups of 10 or more may be eligible for a 20% discount, subject to availability; call 323.850.2050 for further details. For general information or to request a brochure, call 323.850.2000.