Summer Pops Goes Light Classical

The San Diego Symphony’s 12-week summer season at Hospitality Point on Mission Bay will stress light classics as opposed to the popular bent of the 1988 pops season.

According to symphony executive director Wesley Brustad, who announced the pops programming Wednesday, the season will open June 21, with an all-Tchaikovsky program featuring 11-year-old violinist Leila Josefowicz, and run through Sept. 10.

Guest conductors on the summer lineup include Murry Sidlin, Jorge Mester and Skitch Henderson. Local pianist Cecil Lytle of the UC San Diego faculty will be the soloist on the orchestra’s annual all-Gershwin program Aug. 9-12.

On the lighter side, Norman Leyden will conduct a tribute to Glenn Miller (July 26-29), as well as a program called “Lucky Strike Hit Parade” (Aug. 16-19), patterned after the 1930s radio show. Brustad said an audience survey taken at the end of last year’s pops season was used as the basis for orienting the musical fare to light classics and Big Band music.