(MEDFORD NJ) -- The South Jersey Pops, the area’s own non-profit orchestra, delves into the darker side of theater with its first concert of the 2022-23 season. “Villains,” to be staged October 23, 2022, at Lenape High School in Medford, will pay homage to some of the great and memorable foes, scoundrels and other evil entities from the history of cinema, theater, fabledom and classical music. 

Conducted by Rob Bradshaw, founder of the Haddonfield School of Music and the South Jersey Pops’ musical director for the past four seasons, “Villains” will lure audiences into a musical abyss punctuated by low brass and percussion, with haunting melodies and soaring string motifs, evoking favorite fictional fears from our past. The lineup includes music from Wicked, The Terminator, and Jaws, as well as Poor Unfortunate Souls from The Little Mermaid, Edvard Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King, Night on Bald Mountain, World Burn, and Stravinsky’s Danse Internale. Other surprises lay in store.

“This concert is all about fun, in that we’ve always taken great pleasure at hissing at the bad guy. For hundreds of years, music has encouraged us to revile villainy whether in the mind’s eye, on the stage, or on the big screen,” said Bradshaw. “In essence, we will be ‘celebrating’ the villains we’ve grown up with, so there will be something everyone can relate to.”

The concert, the first of the four-concert season, also marks the first outing for the South Jersey Pops’ new board president, Shannon Halvorson. Serving as vice president since 2019, Ms. Halvorson has also been a member of the Pops’ cello section since 2017. Her passion for music began as a flutist in high school performing with the Chula Vista High Marching Spartan Alliance and competing in marching band competitions across Southern California. She assumes leadership of the orchestra from Christian Stebbins, who remains on the Board of Trustees.

“Villains” begins at 3:00pm on October 23; doors open 30 minutes before the performance. Admission is $15 for adults, and $5 for children under 12. Children under 2 are free. Lenape High School is located at 235 Hartford Road, Medford, N.J. To order tickets, click here.

Upcoming performances include:

* “All is Bright” holiday show - December 11, 2022

* “Discord: The Sound of Human Conflict” - March 26, 2023

*“Top Secret” - May 21, 2023

Season subscriptions are also available for $45 at www.southjerseypops.org/events-tickets.

Founded in 1969, the South Jersey Pops is a 60-piece community orchestra based in Burlington County, New Jersey. Comprised of professional and volunteer instrumentalists, the orchestra brings stylistic musical entertainment to South Jersey.