Music That Goes Boom

On tap this weekend: fireworks and a symphony orchestra for free, for everyone.

The Pacific Symphony, led by Carl St.Clair, will play free outdoor concerts Friday in Santa Ana and Sunday in Anaheim.

St.Clair will conduct a broad spectrum of music, including works by Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Duke Ellington, Alberto Ginastera, Scott Joplin and Jose Pablo Moncayo.

“This is all audience-friendly music,” St.Clair said. “There are about twice or three times as many pieces as on a normal program. There’s a lot of variety. No piece is very long.

“When you’re talking about a park atmosphere, with families and young people and children running around, the music needs to complement and enhance that and not work against it.”

There will be fireworks at both concerts. In Anaheim’s Pearson Park, they will be ground-based because of nearby houses. In Santa Ana, they will be aerial. There will also be activities for families and children, beginning at 6 p.m.

The Latin jazz band Sun y Soul will play. Children will be able to make instruments, meet St.Clair and members of the orchestra, and learn about conducting and performing. There will also be face-painting.

The concerts, kicked off last year, are part of a three-year community concert series, funded by Edison International for $150,000.

Additional support this year has come from Disneyland, several private corporations and the cities of Anaheim and Santa Ana.

“Santa Ana and Anaheim have been extremely cooperative as cities,” said the symphony’s executive director John Forsyte. “They’ve put a lot of time and energy into this project.”

Forsyte put the cost for the two concerts this summer at $140,000. About $100,000 in cash has already been committed. “The remaining money will come from general-fund contributions,” he said.

The orchestra plans to continue the series next summer and, if possible, expand it.

“We’re very committed to trying to maintain Anaheim and Santa Ana for sure,” Forsyte said.

“The idea of adding a third city is on the table. It’s really a question of whether we can raise the money to do it.”

Chris Pasles can be reached at (714) 966-5602 or by e-mail at chris.pasles@latimes.com.

BE THERE

Pacific Symphony, community concerts with fireworks. Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Centennial Park, 3000 W. Edinger Ave., Santa Ana. Also Sunday, 7:30 p.m. at Pearson Park, 400 N. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim. Free. (714) 755-5788, Ext. 279.