Leif Pedersen is a New Orleans native who now resides in Lake Charles, Louisiana, with his wife Sheryl.

Leif has been a singer and big-band leader for almost forty years, spending seven of those years touring as the featured vocalist with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and another with Pete Fountain at 1984 World's Fair. 

He served in the Marine Corps, completing his service as a Staff Sargeant and is a member of the Southeastern Louisiana University Music Hall of Fame.  For thirty-five years, he also served as a fundraising executive for Methodist Health System in New Orleans

He has appeared at venues such as Wolftrap, Ravinia, the Sands & Sahara Hotels in Las Vegas, Disneyland & Disney World.

He was the featured vocalist for President & Mrs. Reagan’s 1981 Inaugural and for dozens of French Quarter Festivals & Jazz Fests in New Orleans.

BANDS LEIF APPEARED WITH:

Tommy Dorsey, Woody Herman, Al Belletto, Pete Fountain, Ronnie Kole, Vaughn Monroe, Herb Tassin, Don Lamond, Swing, The D-Day Big Band.

SAMPLE LISTING OF TOURS AND SPECIALS:

1981 Inaugural for President and Mrs. Reagan, S.S. Rotterdam, Mississippi Queen, S.S. Statendam, S.S. Volendam, Sands Hotel, Sahara Hotel, Resorts International, England Tour, Del Webb Resort, LA Jazz & Heritage Festival, Canada Tour, Canadian TV Special, The Today Show, Wolftrap, The Toronto Forum, Nassau, Bermuda, The Summit, Blues Alley, Disneyland, Disney World, Coconut Grove, Waldorf Astoria, Ravinia Arts Center, Smithsonian, Lennon Sisters Tour, Mills Brothers Tour, 1984 World's Fair, Milwaukee Summer Pops, French Quarter Festivals, 1993 - 2000 Congressional Mardi Gras Balls, 2002 Superbowl NFL Owners Party

ENTERTAINERS APPEARED WITH:

Peggy Lee, Johnny Desmond, Vic Damone, Lou Rawls, Carol Lawrence, Nancy Wilson, Ink Spots, Helen O'Connell, Maureen McGovern, The Lettermen, Billy Eckstein, Connie Haines, Helen Forrest, June Allison, Pied Pipers, Four Lads, Henny Youngman, Four Aces, Bob Eberly, Mills Brothers, Gordon Macrae, Four Freshman, Lennon Sisters, The 5^th Dimension, Jack Leonard, Pete Fountain, Rita Moreno, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Mercer Ellington.

In this new holiday offering, Leif Pedersen, author of the popular children’s book series, The Adventures of the Swamp Kids, teams up with artist Mickey Asche to present an enchanting story about how Papa Noël comes to be.
The visuals captured in Asche’s art perfectly convey the atmosphere found “deep down on the Atchafalaya” in Acadia’s bayou country.  His oil on wood art illustrates beautifully the magical setting depicted in the book.
Pedersen’s tale is positioned to join the ranks of other holiday classics such as A Cajun Night Before Christmas and The Legend of Papa Noël.  And, his twist in showing how Papa was “hand-picked” to portray his new role in life, gives even more relevance to the other stories which preceded it.
So next Christmas Eve, put a log on the fire, cook up some tasty hot chocolate and gather the children ‘round the fire for a reading of Bayou Santa.  It could become a new holiday tradition… 

Celebrate the Joy of Christmas with the candle ambiance and the enchanting sounds of the Lake Charles Symphony Jazz Quintet. Immerse yourself in the charm of the historic Sallier Oak, glowing under the canopy of lights unique to this time of year. This performance features many of the LCSO Principal Musicians. 

The Season Finale concert is the culmination of a

season of "Fire and Light.

Our orchestra will be joined by guest

artists BONOVOX,  a new acapella vocal ensemble.

We are happy to present their premier performance with a

symphony orchestra. 

• Manual de Falla's "Ritual Fire Dance" 

• Ferde Grof'e's  "The Grand Canyon Suite"

Click here for details!

Music connects us all. The Lake Charles Symphony is a cornerstone of Southwest Louisiana’s heritage and culture. Your Symphony is social, thrilling and inspiring, and—above all—it permeates everything around us. Music is a truly communal experience that stops time while transporting you back in time to witness the great musical masters at work.

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