Whittier High School Wurlitzer Theatre Organ

06/16/2026

George M. Cohan was the Man who Owned Broadway, creating such timeless shows as “George Washington Jr.” and “Little Johnny Jones” featuring American classics such as “Grand Old Flag”, “Yankee Doodle Boy” and “Give My Regards to Broadway”

If anybody could be said to “own” theater in this town, it’s actor/director Jonathan Tupanjanin, who’s appeared in many many productions at Whittier High, Whittier College and the Whittier Community Theatre.

On June 27 at our Patriotic Concert, see, among other things, Tupanjanin perform a medley of Cohan’s greatest hits. Link to purchase tickets is https://www.whittierhighalumni.org/americas-250th-patriotic-concert/

06/16/2026

Great article on the Patriotic Concert

American history and music combine for a Fourth of July concert and singalong in Whittier on June 27.

06/15/2026

River City's Mayor Shinn might always be wordsing his mix-ups, but he's got one thing right: You better be down to the high school June 27, 2026 at two o'clock for the Patriotic Concert! He couldn't make himself any plainer if he was a Quaker on his day off!

06/14/2026

Happy Flag Day, everybody!

13 stars on the Betsy Ross flag and 13 days left until the concert on June 27! All children in attendance will get a free flag! Make sure to visit the DAR booth! And visit our website to purchase tickets!

06/12/2026

WHS Principal Andres Favela and ASB president Marle Schaefer are happy to announce that WHS students will get in FREE to the Patriotic Concert on June 27!

06/10/2026

Did you know that the Patriotic Concert on June 27 is an official California 175/America 250 event? Or that Robert York will be performing a medley of California classics? Or that our "grizzled" host Charles Bennett will tell several bad jokes and you'll have to just grin and "bear" it?

(Image is AI, obviously)

06/08/2026

We're excited to announce that Robert York will be playing the Wurlitzer Organ at the Patriotic Concert on the 27th!

York will be accompanying the singalong and Dr. Maldonado's solos. He will also perform a wide repertoire, ranging from Sousa marches to Joplin piano rags to film scores.

York began his musical career at age 14 and has since performed for audiences in the United States and throughout France, Poland, and Belgium. He has performed for Presidents, Hollywood legends, and famous musicians. He is regularly featured at the famed Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo and has performed in concert at the world-famous Spreckels Organ Pavilion in San Diego, CA. He now resides in Palm Desert, California.

Visit https://www.whittierhighalumni.org/americas-250th-patriotic-concert/ to purchase tickets, or purchase them in cash on the day of the event!

06/05/2026

Hoist the topsail, weigh the anchor and haul away to the Patriotic Concert with Joe Maldonado from the Class of 2007!

Hailed by Opera News as a “seemingly unlimited baritone,” international vocalist Dr. Josè Luis Maldonado, from Whittier, California, is a 2007 Whittier High School alumnus, and then attended Cal State Fullerton (BM), Manhattan School of Music (MM), and Michigan State University (DMA) in vocal performance. Maldonado’s roles include Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte), Don Magnifico (La Cenerentola), Escamillo (Carmen), Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni), the Father (Hansel y Gretel), the title role of Falstaff (Falstaff), and most recently as Rigoletto (Rigoletto) and Tonio (Pagliacci). He first performed with Maestro Anthony Parnther in his Long Beach Opera debut in Anthony Davis’ Central Park Five. In 2022, he covered Sir Bryn Terfel as Sir John Falstaff in Falstaff at the Aspen Music Festival, the first of several performances there. Maldonado has also toured with OperaMaya in Cancún, Mexico. Maldonado has been a finalist in competitions both in New York and overseas.

Dr. Maldonado will be singing American classics such as "Shenandoah", "Ol' Man River" and the "Soliloquy" from Carousel, as well as music that Edward Nelson commissioned for HIM when Maldonado was in Manhattan.

The concert is June 27 at 2 PM and the link to purchase tickets is https://www.whittierhighalumni.org/americas-250th-patriotic-concert/

06/03/2026

Just a reminder that the Patriotic Concert is on June 27, at 2 PM at the Vic Lopez Auditorium at Whittier High School! Tickets are just $10 and can be purchased at the door or at https://www.whittierhighalumni.org/americas-250th-patriotic-concert/! Come celebrate America's 250th birthday with us!

06/01/2026

Fire up your Flathead V8, turn on your PhilCo transistor radio, and hit the open road to the Whittier High School Vic Lopez Auditorium! Celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States and the 100th birthday of Route 66 with the Patriotic Concert on June 27!

🎆🎆FIREWORKS

🍏🥧APPLE PIE

🎹🎹ORGAN MUSIC

🦅🇺🇸FOR THE 4TH

🦅🇺🇸 OF JULY

🎶🎵CONCERT JUNE 27