PETER NERO AND THE PHILLY POPS �

History: A fixture on the Philadelphia music scene, "Peter Nero and The Philly Pops" is an outstanding orchestra that always brings enthusiastic responses from the audience. Launched in 1979, Grammy Award winning pianist Peter Nero is proud to present the nation's "best orchestra in the entire galaxy!"

Performing in the prestigious Academy of Music, "Peter Nero and The Philly Pops" has been endowed from the start with a talented group of instrumentalists from the musically rich Philadelphia area. The orchestra consists of players who are extremely versatile in that they play for the Pennsylvania Ballet, the Opera Company of Philadelphia, chamber orchestras such as the Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia, pit bands in touring Broadway musicals and jazz ensembles throughout the city. As a result, they are able to shift gears quickly and adapt to Peter's programming of music with limitless boundaries.

Under the baton of maestro Nero, who serves as music director, conductor, arranger and pianist, the orchestra brings a blend of talent that energizes the audience with a wide array of music. Running the gamut from great classics to upbeat jazz favorites, from vigorous big band medleys and marches to popular Broadway tunes and adored Hollywood themes, from ragtime to rock n' roll, there is something for everyone who attends a "Peter Nero and The Philly Pops" concert.

"Our concerts are for people who love all kinds of music," explained Nero recently. "We've learned that audiences want a really good mix of music, a mix they can't get anywhere else. That's the success of our Pops concerts -- quality, variety and a great orchestra that can play anything."

It's the combination of great music that makes "Peter Nero and The Philly Pops" so unique. In fact, the Philadelphia Inquirer's Daniel Webster once attended a concert where they performed selections from the disco musical, "The Wiz" followed immediately by Beethoven's Ninth. In his glowing review, Webster said, "Miraculously ... it worked!"

There have been many television performances that feature the music of this orchestra dating back to 1981 during a live coast-to-coast PBS telecast as well as on CBS-TV in 1988 as part of Philadelphia's "We The People" concert celebration of the signing of the Constitution. In 1997, Peter Nero served as music director and co-star of the PBS-TV special THE SONGS OF JOHNNY MERCER: TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS hosted by Willard Scott and starring Johnny Mathis, Melissa Manchester, Margaret Whiting, John Pizzarelli. Many members of The Philly Pops were featured in the orchestra.

Since the summer of 1981, "Peter Nero and The Philly Pops" have served as the city's music host before millions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art during the July 4th fireworks festivities. They have been joined by such celebrities as Julius Erving (Dr. J) and James Earl Jones who read from the Declaration of Independence and other great talents including Patti LaBelle, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, Mickey Rooney, Ray Charles and Dionne Warwick.

The Pops made their New York debut on February 6, 1984 at Carnegie Hall and re-visited this concert hall as recently as May 1997. Responding to the popularity of the Pops, the University of Pennsylvania College of General Studies has twice given a course called "Meet the Philly Pops."

"Peter Nero and The Philly Pops" is produced by Encore Series, Inc., a non-profit organization enriching the cultural life of Philadelphia through the performing arts.