The American Pops Orchestra

Founded in 2015 by Maestro Luke Frazier, The American Pops Orchestra (APO) is dedicated to bringing American popular music to diverse new audiences in dynamic ways.

The Musicians Maestro Luke

Name That Tune

Join APO Music Director Luke Frazier on Tuesday, August 16th at 8pm ET for the return of our popular Name That Tune! Featuring special performances by the APO staff, this live, online game show will feature hit tunes from the 80's, 90's, and 2000's. Tune in on Facebook Live and compete for a variety of prizes!

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If you missed our latest PBS broadcast, you can still watch it on PBS Passport

True Colors: LGBTQ+ Our Stories, Our Songs

Tune in to hear exclusive performances and personal stories of hope, resilience and triumph from some of today’s most talented artists. Enjoy genre-defying performances from André De Shields, Indigo Girls, Billy Gilman, Morgxn, and more with Luke Frazier and The American Pops Orchestra.‍

Stream on pbs passport

Broadway Celebration at CityCenterDC

On June 16, APO took stage outdoors in The Plaza at CityCenter for a free summer concert! This spectacular evening was filled with performances by Broadway stars Manu Narayan (Company, My Fair Lady), Morgan James (Godspell, Motown the Musical), and Brittany Johnson (Howard University Musical Theatre Area Faculty). Follow us on Instagram to be the first to hear about all upcoming events!

APO's Spring 2022 Virtual Children’s Tour

The Ugly Duckling

APO’s most recent Virtual Children’s Tour was a great success! Our shows reached nearly 53,000 students across 700 classrooms. Students enjoyed interactive instrument demonstrations and a brand new musical with live accompaniment from APO musicians. Follow us on Instagram to be the first to hear about our Fall Outreach Tour.Interested in hosting a live APO show at your school? Send an email to education@theamericanpops.com.

Congratulations to the 2022 NextGen National Winners

The final round of the 2022 NextGen National Competition was held on Sunday, March 20 in the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. While in New York City, finalists participated in rehearsals with APO musicians, attended a Broadway masterclass, and saw a Broadway show. All of the contestants gave fantastic performances on Sunday afternoon!Congratulations to the 2022 winners:

Ethan Hardy Benson, Chip Hand Prize for Vocal Excellence
Audri Bartholomew, First Place Female
Franco Valerga, Second Place Male
Mya Hunter, Second Place Female

APOxPBS

Have you seen us on PBS? APO has presented national broadcasts featuring music that ranges from Broadway to Indigenous music, Classical to Sacred. Click below to learn about our PBS specials, all of which are available to stream with a subscription to PBS Passport.

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Upcoming Events

Name-That-Tune

Online

Aug 16

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PBS Filming Session in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Aug 27-30

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Private Porch Concert

Sept 9

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NextGen Auditions Open

Sept 26

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all upcoming events

Out Impact

From inspiring young artists from diverse backgrounds through our outreach programs to partnering with nonprofit organizations across the country, we are proud to build our APO family.

See Our Impact

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