Boston Pops Orchestra
Affectionately known as "America's Orchestra," the Boston Pops is the most recorded and
arguably the most beloved orchestra in the country, beginning with the establishment of the
modern-era Pops by Arthur Fiedler and continuing through the innovations introduced by John
Williams and the new-millennium Pops spearheaded by Keith Lockhart. With the 125th
anniversary season in 2010, the Boston Pops reached a landmark moment in a remarkable
history that began with its founding in 1885. Four years earlier, in 1881, Civil War
veteran Henry Lee Higginson founded the Boston Symphony Orchestra, calling its
establishment "the dream of my life." From the start, he intended to present, in the warmer
months, concerts of light classics and the popular music of the day. From a practical
perspective, Higginson realized that these "lighter" performances would provide year-round
employment for his musicians. The "Promenade Concerts," as they were originally called,
were soon informally known as "Popular Concerts," which eventually became shortened to
"Pops," the name officially adopted in 1900. The following year, the orchestra performed
for the first time in its new home, Symphony Hall. Not only is this performance space
acoustically outstanding, it was also designed, at Higginson's insistence, so that the rows
of seats for Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts could be replaced by tables and chairs for
Pops concerts.
Some people may not realize that there were 17 Pops conductors, beginning with the German
Adolf Neuendorff, who preceded Arthur Fiedler (1930-1979), the first American-born musician
to lead the orchestra. When John Williams (1980-1993) succeeded Arthur Fiedler, he was the
most highly acclaimed composer in Hollywood, and today, with 47 Academy Award nominations,
he is the most-nominated living person in the Academy's history. In response to the
ever-diversifying trends in music, Keith Lockhart (1995-present) has taken the Pops in new
directions, creating programs that reach out to a broader and younger audience by
presenting artists-both established performers and rising stars-from virtually every corner
of the entertainment world, all the while maintaining the Pops' appeal to its core
audience.
Keith Lockhart
Keith Lockhart became the 20th conductor of the Boston Pops in 1995, adding his artistic
vision to the Pops tradition established by his predecessors John Williams and Arthur
Fiedler. During his 17-year tenure, Mr. Lockhart has conducted more than 1,300 Boston Pops
concerts. Under his leadership, the Boston Pops has commissioned several new
works-including The Dream LivesOn, a tribute to the Kennedy brothers that
was premiered in May 2010 during the 125th anniversary season-and dozens of new
arrangements. Mr. Lockhart has worked with artists from virtually every corner of the
entertainment world. Audiences love his inimitable style, expressed not only through his
consummate music making, but also by his unique ability to speak directly to the audience
about the music to which he feels so passionately committed. He and the Boston Pops have
released four self-produced recordings-Sleigh Ride, America, Oscar
& Tony, and The Red Sox Album. They have also recorded eight albums with
RCA Victor. Mr. Lockhart has made 71 television shows with the Boston Pops, including the
annual Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, broadcast nationally on CBS. He has also
led many Holiday Pops telecasts, as well as 38 new programs for PBS's Evening
at Pops (1970-2004). He has led the Boston Pops on 35 national tours, as well as
performances at Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall, and has brought the music of
"America's Orchestra" overseas in four tours of Japan and Korea. Born in Poughkeepsie, New
York, Mr. Lockhart began his musical studies with piano lessons at the age of seven. He
holds degrees from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, and Carnegie Mellon
University in Pittsburgh, and has previously served as associate conductor of both the
Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops orchestras. In addition to guest conducting
appearances in the US and abroad, he holds the titles of principal conductor of the BBC
Concert Orchestra and artistic director of the Brevard Music Center Summer Institute in
North Carolina. He was music director of the Utah Symphony from 1998 to 2009, and led that
orchestra in performances at the 2002 Olympic Games. Visit keithlockhart.com for further
information.