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PBS SoCal-produced and nationally broadcasted concert special receives award in the Arts category

Pacific Symphony's collaboration with PBS SoCal, Aretha! with Sheléa and the Pacific Symphony, earned a Los Angeles Area Emmy® Award at the 78th annual ceremony held on July 25th at the Skirball Cultural Center. The concert special celebrates the music and legacy of Aretha Franklin, featuring GRAMMY®-nominated vocalist Sheléa, Emmy Award-winning music director Rickey Minor and the Pacific Symphony orchestra. The work was recorded live at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in November 2024 before premiering on PBS stations nationwide in 2025.

Produced in partnership with PBS SoCal, the special showcases unforgettable performances of Aretha Franklin classics including “Respect,” “Chain of Fools,” “Natural Woman” and “Say a Little Prayer.” The Emmy-winning production, which brought one of America’s most beloved musical legacies to audiences nationwide, reflects Pacific Symphony's commitment to artistic excellence and expanding access to exceptional live orchestral music.

Artistic collaborators included Maura Daly Phinney, executive producer; Andy Trimlett, producer; Steve Purcell, director; Keena Levert, associate producer; and Sheléa Melody McDonald, on-camera talent.

The program is still available for viewing by PBS Passport holders at https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/aretha-shelea-pacific-symphony. PBS SoCal won a total of eight Los Angeles Area Emmy® Awards this year as announced in a news release.

About Pacific Symphony
Founded in 1978, Pacific Symphony welcomes Alexander Shelley for his inaugural season as Artistic & Music Director in 2026-27, building on nearly five decades of artistic growth, innovation, and community impact. His inaugural season reflects an ambitious artistic vision that blends core symphonic masterworks, contemporary voices, multidisciplinary collaboration, and a commitment to expanding access to orchestral music. Today, Pacific Symphony is recognized as a major cultural force in Southern California and performs as a resident company of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. Learn more at pacificsympony.org. 

About PBS SoCal
PBS SoCal uses the power of public media for good, strengthening the civic fabric of Southern California and providing our community with an essential connection to a wider world. As a local, donor/member-supported non-profit organization, PBS SoCal is available to stream on the PBS app and the PBS Kids App and reaches over 22M viewers across 7 Broadcast channels —including 2 primary channels, PBS SoCal and PBS SoCal Plus and 5 digital subchannels. Select programming is also available on PBS SoCal’s YouTube channel. With a commitment to make content available anytime and anywhere for free, PBS SoCal offers programming that reflects the diversity of Southern California and showcases the full schedule of beloved and trusted PBS content spanning Education, News, Environment and Arts & Culture. PBS SoCal also sparks the sharing of ideas at in-person cultural events and community conversations as well as prepares children for kindergarten and beyond by bringing bilingual, hands-on learning experiences to the community for free.

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