Peter Nero and the Philly Pops | Peter Nero: Artistic Director and Conductor of The Philly Pops

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Peter Nero: Artistic Director and Conductor of The Philly Pops

Two-time Grammy Award-winning pianist Peter Nero leads his unrivaled Pops orchestra blending classical, swing, Broadway, blues and jazz - all performed with vibrant virtuosity, amazing authenticity and an inviting sense of humor. "The best aspect of Nero's art could well be his crazy creativity. He has the gift of seeing a song as no one has seen it before," exclaimed Mary Kunz, music critic for The Buffalo News. The Washington Post has called Peter "the epitome of the Pops Conductor/Performer".

In a recent issue of Keyboard Magazine, the late Ray Charles, when asked about his favorite pianist was quoted as saying, "Art Tatum could play anything he wanted to. He's one of the few people who I truly believe could play anything he thought of�and Peter Nero plays his buns off!"

One of Peter's greatest achievements is being the founding Music Director of the world renowned Peter Nero and The Philly Pops�, the largest independent Pops orchestra in the country. In 2004 Peter Nero and The POPS is celebrating its 25th anniversary season "in a strangely blessed state: it seems unable to do anything wrong," according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Extraordinary for any orchestra these days, Peter Nero and the Philly Pops� signed a three-record deal with DRG Records in New York. They are one of only two Pops orchestras in the country to have a recording contract. The first CD, Holiday POPS! which The Philadelphia Inquirer called "a classic of its kind," is now in stores across the country. Peter performed selections from it on national television in the 2003 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Peter's recent guest performances include return engagements with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center; the Buffalo and Dayton Philharmonics; the Florida Orchestra, and the Pacific, St. Louis, Ottawa, Detroit and Virginia Symphony Orchestras. He also performed at the Grand Teton Summer Music Festival in Jackson, Wyoming. Peter continues to tour with his trio throughout the year, and his 2004-2005 concert schedule can be found at peternero.com.

Peter returned to New York City's Carnegie Hall in the spring of 2003 to perform at the 150th Anniversary of Steinway Gala with Billy Taylor, Paul Schaeffer, and Herbie Hancock. He has been a Steinway artist for almost 50 years.

The Brooklyn-born musician started his formal music training at the age of 7. By the time he was 14, he was accepted to New York City's prestigious High School of Music and Art and won a scholarship to the Juilliard School of Music. Constance Keene, his teacher and mentor, wrote in a recent issue of Keyboard Classics, "Vladimir Horowitz was Peter's greatest fan!"

Peter recorded his first album in 1961 and won a Grammy that year for "Best New Artist." Since then, he has received another Grammy Award, garnered 10 additional nominations and recorded 67 albums. Peter's early association with RCA Records produced 23 albums in eight years. His subsequent move to Columbia Records resulted in a million-selling single and album - Summer of '42- now available on CD.

His first major national TV success came at age 17 when he was chosen to perform Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue on Paul Whiteman's TV Special. He subsequently appeared on many top variety and talk shows including 11 guest appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and numerous appearances on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.

Hailed as one of the premier interpreters of Gershwin, Peter starred in the Emmy Award-winning NBC Special S'Wonderful, S'Marvelous, S'Gershwin. Other TV credits include performances on PBS-TV Piano Pizzazz, and with the National Symphony in Washington, D.C. on its July 4th Special entitled A Capitol Fourth. Peter served as music director and pianist for the PBS-TV special The Songs of Johnny Mercer: Too Marvelous for Words with co-stars Johnny Mathis, Melissa Manchester and many members of The POPS, which aired as a national fundraiser. Other television specials featuring Peter and the POPS include CBS' We the People concert in 1987, celebrating the signing of the Constitution, and the ABC-TV special Independence Day 2001, a live performance with renowned stars Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Whoopi Goldberg and Garth Brooks.

Peter's recordings over the last 13 years include three CDs with full symphony orchestra: On My Own, Classic Connections and My Way. He recorded Peter Nero and Friends, which contains collaborations with Mel Torme, Maureen McGovern and Doc Severinsen, among others. His latest CDs are romantic albums entitled Love Songs For a Rainy Day and More in Love. By popular demand, four of his earlier recordings have been re-issued by BMG Music. A younger generation of music lovers can now hear Peter on the recent Rod Stewart CD, As Time Goes By�The Great American Songbook, Volume II.

Among a long list of honors are six Honorary Doctorates, the most recent from Drexel University in 2004, and the International Society of Performing Arts Presenters Award for "Excellence in the Arts." He is also included on two historic walks of fame - one in Philadelphia, and one in Miami, FL. In 1999, he received the prestigious Pennsylvania Distinguished Arts Award, presented by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge. Previous honorees were Bill Cosby, Jimmy Stewart, Marian Anderson, James Michener, Andrew Wyeth and Riccardo Muti.

Peter continues his commitment to many important causes, including funding of school music programs, fundraising for the building of new arts centers across the country, cancer research, dystonia and autism.

Peter has been a devotee and advocate of consumer electronics and his expertise has led him to be dubbed a "technocrat" by leaders of the industry. If it's plugged in or battery operated, then Peter has it. While computers and other electronics have made him "the Gadget King," he still makes music on the traditional Steinway concert grand piano.

When not touring around the world, Peter makes his home in the Philadelphia region. He has two children - Beverly, a successful actress residing with her husband in California and Jedd, a commercial real estate entrepreneur residing with his wife near New York City. Both children have made him a grandfather.