Members of the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles rehearse for the “NFL Honors” broadcast. Photo: Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times
“The Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles … has been selected to perform before—and during—the 11th ‘NFL Honors’ show,” writes Jessica Gelt in Wednesday’s (2/9) Los Angeles Times. “The event will be broadcast live Thursday night on ABC as part of the celebrations leading up to Sunday’s Super Bowl game…. 54 orchestra members [will] play during the awards show. The event will honor the NFL’s MVP, as well as coach of the year, comeback player of the year and offensive and defensive players of the year…. The NFL will be donating $60,000 to the nonprofit youth group, which is one of the nation’s largest primarily African American orchestras. Charles Dickerson, the orchestra’s founder and conductor, says it’s the first time the awards ceremony will feature an orchestra for its music program. The group will play a pre-show concert featuring the ‘Star Wars’ main theme and ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’ among other tunes…. The orchestra will also play music by longtime NFL composer David Robidoux…. The ‘NFL Honors’ show isn’t Inner City Youth Orchestra’s only high-profile gig. The group has also made appearances at Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, as well as at community centers and churches.”
