The Golden State Pops Orchestra, www.gspo.com has become an institution in OUR community.

Residents from all over the eastern Rancho Palos Verdes have enjoyed concerts performed by this orchestra for years.

Every year the concerts get better and better and a wider variety of programs are being introduced.

The Orchestra has welcomed guest conductors whose music they created has been used in motion pictures. Guest soloists have provided outstanding music that cannot be believed to be coming from such local organization.

The overall talent demonstrated by all the members of the Orchestra combines musicians involved in education, movie and television production, live musical theater, other professionals, and others to create an evening of enjoyment for everyone.

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The Orchestra's conductor, Mr. Steven Fox goes out of his way to create brave new adventures in music enjoyment that are rarely heard anywhere else.

One of the concerts that is truly unbelievable is the recurring music taken from video games.

Conductor Fox probably only hoped for the great reaction he received when he ventured into an arena heard mostly by younger people, but appreciated so much by those of us who are not into video games.

As you read the schedule for both the Golden State Pops Orchestra and what will be produced at the Warner Grand Annex, I think you will find a larger array of music programs now scheduled.

One of the former criticisms of the programs was that not enough truly classical music was presented.

With the previous few programs that offered opera soloists and a program where a tenor brought the house completely down after the audience heard something nothing short of magic, it now looks like music lovers of many more types of music will have something to enjoy.

Now I have to admit, Terri and I have been to as many concerts as we possibly could have attended over the years and I even attended concerts in a wheel chair and on crutches.

I am not that objective when it comes to GSPO.

They are OUR Orchestra and I hope we continue to grow the audience numbers at both the Warner Grand Theater and at the Warner Grand Annex.

The GSPO season ends each year with the free 4th of July Concert at Cabrillo Beach. It has become a larger event every year and there is no stopping the pride and pleasure afforded by that Concert.