Firebird Pops Orchestra
About
The Firebird Pops Orchestra is a nonprofit regional pops orchestra based in Wakefield that performs music from film, television, video games, Broadway and beyond. Its concerts pair a live orchestra with synchronized video, custom effects and other multimedia design, aiming for professional-caliber productions that remain accessible to local audiences. Musicians come from across Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire, and the group sees itself as a community of players, collaborators and audience members drawn together by cinematic music.
Founder and conductor Brendan J. Kenney started the ensemble virtually in 2020, giving musicians an outlet during pandemic isolation, and its online performances drew local and national media attention before the group pivoted to live concerts. Kenney came to conducting after nearly 20 years as a theatre music director, leading more than 100 productions. The season runs from June through December, with concerts in Wakefield and at partner venues around the region.
What to Know
- Partner venues have included The Umbrella Arts Center in Concord, the Museum of Science in Boston and Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester, where the orchestra runs a dedicated concert series.
- The orchestra takes part in the Card to Culture program, offering discounts to EBT, WIC and ConnectorCare cardholders.
- Musicians interested in joining, and prospective sponsors or donors, can get in touch through the orchestra’s website.
- The orchestra also offers virtual guidance to school districts.
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