Regulars at past Peninsula Symphony “Summerfest” outdoor...

Regulars at past Peninsula Symphony “Summerfest” outdoor pops concerts are used to hearing the orchestra play light classics and show tunes and dancing to music of the Jazz All Stars.

But at today’s festivities on the Chadwick School grounds, something new will be added: international music and dance to reflect the Palos Verdes Peninsula’s growing ethnic population.

There will be the classic dancing of South India as 14-year-old Shoma Sircar of Rolling Hills combines dance movement, mime and drama to music played on the seven-stringed sitar, tabla drums and other Indian instruments.

Traditional Chinese dances also will be presented, along with music on a guitar-like Chinese instrument called a pipa, while Iranian folk dances will be performed by the Mohammed Khordadian Dance Group.

“We’re making an attempt to do an outreach . . . and hope people from these ethnic groups will attend. We’ve not had many of them in the past,” said Mimi Horowitz, the orchestra’s executive director. “We hope it will be the first of a tradition.”

The festival, from 2 to 8 p.m., usually draws 1,000 people for an afternoon of picnicking and music that ends with twilight dancing. The free summer pops concerts, started 20 years ago, have been fund-raisers for the community orchestra for the past four years. Box suppers are sold--this year, they include pomegranate-glazed chicken and assorted salads--and there are drawings for prizes.

Said Horowitz: “The whole idea of summer, music and outdoor concerts is something people look forward to.”

Chadwick School is at 26800 S. Academy Drive, Palos Verdes Peninsula.