Mayor's Daughter To Perform National Anthem At Dodgers Game

CALABASAS, CA — The annual Calabasas Night at Dodger Stadium is tomorrow, but this year's event will be extra special because Mayor David Shapiro's daughter will be performing the national anthem on the saxophone.

Sami Shapiro, 19, auditioned for the Dodgers and was selected to perform before the game. She just completed her sophomore year at the Thornton School of Music at USC, and is in the Jazz Scholarship program.

"I’m beyond grateful to have the opportunity to perform the national anthem at the Dodgers game," Sami Shapiro said. "It really is a great honor and I'm really looking forward to it."

Sami has received many awards at competitions on a national and statewide level, including the National Louis Armstrong Award for Jazz as a Calabasas High School student. Even though she's a seasoned performer of the national anthem — including playing at Fourth of July events, at Pepperdine University and in front of more than 18,000 people at a Los Angeles Clippers game — she said she is still feeling butterflies before her Friday night performance.

"I am certainly a little nervous because this will be the largest crowd I’ve played in front of, but I’m more so excited to perform because I’ve put in the work to make it sound how I want it to, and, hopefully, any sense of nervousness goes away when I start playing," she told Patch.

Calabasas Night at Dodger Stadium is an annual event where the City staff and residents enjoy a wonderful night at the ballpark with the community, Mayor Shapiro told Patch. Shapiro said Calabasas officials proudly present the city flag on the field for more than 1,000 Calabasas residents and community members who attend.

Mayor Shapiro will be hosting the event and participating in on-the-field activities before the game as part of Calabasas Night. There will also be a special firework show afterward, he said. Shapiro, who is a lifelong Dodgers fan, grew up in the Bay Area surrounded by Giants fans but said he's always been a Dodger fan "bleeding true blue."

The love for the Dodgers runs in the Shapiro family. Sami told Patch her community should come to the game to support the city, hear a unique version of the national anthem and see a great game between the Dodgers and the Cubs.

"As a city we all love the Dodgers and bringing out the community to support helps show a strong unity for our City and the Dodgers! Most importantly, we all have a great time," Mayor Shapiro said.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will play against the Chicago Cubs on Calabasas Night, which starts at 7:10 p.m. Friday, June 14. For more information, visit the City of Calabasas website.

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