Peter Nero News

Peter Nero and the Philly Pops® announces upcoming auditions for its volunteer vocal ensemble, the POPS Festival Chorus, on June 22 and June 23, 2009. The POPS Festival Chorus is a 125-voice volunteer chorus that joins Peter Nero and the Philly Pops for their annual Holiday POPS! performances.

Peter Nero and the Philly Pops has pulled out all the stops for its 30th anniversary concert on Friday, June 5 at 7:00 p.m. Two-time Grammy Award-winning pianist/conductor Peter Nero is joined by special guests Jack Jones, Lucie Arnaz, Ann Hampton Callaway, and Christiane Noll for an unforgettable night of music. Celebrate 30 years of Peter Nero and the Philly Pops and toast 'the best orchestra of its kind in the entire cosmos!'

Peter Nero and the Philly Pops® celebrates the magic of movie music with Hooray for Hollywood! This special concert event honors the captivating movie music that has the uncanny ability to transport us to another place and time.

Celebrated jazz vocalist Diane Schuur joins Grammy Award-winning pianist/conductor Peter Nero and the Philly Pops for an extraordinary concert program entitled 88 Keys, a Big Band, and a Voice. These performances mark Ms. Schuur's debut with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops. Between them, Peter and Diane have four Grammy awards and recording careers that combined span more than five decades. Now, take all of that brilliant talent and imagine it together on stage at Verizon Hall!

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced casting for its production of RAGTIME in the Eisenhower Theater April 18 - May 10, 2009. Based on a 1975 novel by E.L. Doctorow, the production features book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and will be directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge. The musical is part of the Kennedy Center's Broadway: The Third Generation, a series celebrating the current generation of Broadway musical composers. The official press night will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.

Broadway leading lady Rachel York, most recently seen in the world premiere musical Turn of the Century at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, has added several new engagements to her symphony concert schedule. Now through July, the versatile stage, screen, and recording artist will be a guest soloist performing the works of Bernstein, Sondheim, Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more with major orchestras across the country.

Celebrated jazz vocalist Diane Schuur joins Grammy Award-winning pianist/conductor Peter Nero and the Philly Pops for an extraordinary concert program entitled 88 Keys, a Big Band, and a Voice. These performances mark Ms. Schuur's debut with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops. Between them, Peter and Diane have four Grammy awards and recording careers that combined span more than five decades. Now, take all of that brilliant talent and imagine it together on stage at Verizon Hall!

After three sold out standing room only engagements at Upright Cabaret in Los Angeles, Chris Isaacson and Shane Scheel proudly present Broadway star and Los Angeles native Eden Espinosa (Broadway: Wicked, Brooklyn, Rent) in her hit solo debut entitled Eden Espinosa - Me.

Two longtime veterans of Broadway's The Phantom of the Opera will be headlining a star-studded Benefit Evening, MASQUERADE: ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S GREATEST HITS, on Saturday, April 18, at the Bickford Theatre, 6 Normandy Heights Road, in Morristown, NJ.

Two longtime veterans of Broadway's The Phantom of the Opera will be headlining a star-studded Benefit Evening, MASQUERADE: ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S GREATEST HITS, on Saturday, April 18, at the Bickford Theatre, 6 Normandy Heights Road, in Morristown, NJ.

Broadway leading lady Rachel York, most recently seen in the world premiere musical Turn of the Century at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, has added several new engagements to her symphony concert schedule. Now through July, the versatile stage, screen, and recording artist will be a guest soloist performing the works of Bernstein, Sondheim, Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Andrew Lloyd Webber with major orchestras across the country.

ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY, the platinum-selling singer and songwriter, will celebrate the release of her new CD AT LAST with two weeks of concerts at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola (60th Street and Broadway) from February 17 to March 1. She will be joined by Ted Rosenthal on piano, Jay Leonhart on bass and Victor Lewis on drums. Shows are at 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM. Please call (212) 258-9595 for tickets or visit jalc.org. On Monday, February 16 at 6:00 PM, join Ann at Barnes & Noble Lincoln Center (1972 Broadway at 66th Street) for their Cool Mondays Jazz series. She will perform a few selections from the new recording and sign CDs.

Peter Nero and the Philly Pops? steps into the magical life of one of the world's greatest entertainers, Frank Sinatra, with its sensational series Celebration of Ol' Blue Eyes. With his unmatched vocal stylings, Sinatra and his legendary friends embodied the very essence of hip. Vocalist Steve Lippia, who is known for his interpretations of the Sinatra songbook, joins Peter and the POPS as it pays homage to this late, great icon. Performances of Celebration of Ol' Blue Eyes take place February 15 at 3:00 p.m., February 18 at 8:00 p.m., February 20 at 8:00 p.m., February 21 at 3:00 p.m., and February 22 at 3:00 p.m.

ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY, the platinum-selling singer and songwriter, will celebrate the release of her new CD AT LAST with two weeks of concerts at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola (60th Street and Broadway) from February 17 to March 1. She will be joined by Ted Rosenthal on piano, Jay Leonhart on bass and Victor Lewis on drums. Shows are at 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM. Please call (212) 258-9595 for tickets or visit jalc.org. On Monday, February 16 at 6:00 PM, join Ann at Barnes & Noble Lincoln Center (1972 Broadway at 66th Street) for their Cool Mondays Jazz series. She will perform a few selections from the new recording and sign CDs.

After three sold out standing room only engagements at Upright Cabaret in Los Angeles, Chris Isaacson and Shane Scheel proudly present Broadway star and Los Angeles native Eden Espinosa (Broadway: Wicked, Brooklyn, Rent) in her hit solo debut entitled Eden Espinosa - Me.

Peter Nero and the Philly Pops? steps into the magical life of one of the world's greatest entertainers, Frank Sinatra, with its sensational series Celebration of Ol' Blue Eyes. With his unmatched vocal stylings, Sinatra and his legendary friends embodied the very essence of hip. Vocalist Steve Lippia, who is known for his interpretations of the Sinatra songbook, joins Peter and the POPS as it pays homage to this late, great icon. Performances of Celebration of Ol' Blue Eyes take place February 15 at 3:00 p.m., February 18 at 8:00 p.m., February 20 at 8:00 p.m., February 21 at 3:00 p.m., and February 22 at 3:00 p.m.

Acclaimed Singer and Songwriter ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY Finds true love on new CD from Telarc Jazz 'AT LAST'

How do you portray democracy through the arts? That question was the inspiration for Visions of America and the collaboration between famed Grammy Award-winning pianist/conductor Peter Nero, renowned Americana photographer Joseph Sohm, and Grammy Award-winning pianist/composer Roger Kellaway. Visions of America paints a portrait of America by choreographing Sohm's photographs to stirring traditional and new music performed by Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, resulting in a photo symphony that celebrates the sights and songs of democracy. With the world premiere taking place at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia on January 25, 2009, five days after America inaugurates its new president, Visions of America is a post-inaugural celebration for the people that marks a unique time in the nation's history. Visions of America unfolds for audiences as a visual and musical journey through the 50 states over three musical-movements and 13 'Mosaics' (visualized-songs). Nero, who is the founding music director of the Philly Pops, will conduct the world premiere of original music composed by Kellaway to support Sohm's stunning visuals. Kellaway, a fellow jazz pianist, has been friends with Nero for 50 years. Legendary lyricists Alan and Marilyn Bergman (best known for their Grammy and Academy Award-winning work with Barbra Streisand) collaborated with Kellaway on two new songs, written specifically for this program and performed by 2008 Grammy Award-winning vocalist Patti Austin. The concert is preceded by a video introduction by Pennsylvania Governor Edmund G. Rendell, who acknowledges Peter Nero on the 30th anniversary of his Philly Pops.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced casting for its production of RAGTIME in the Eisenhower Theater April 18 - May 10, 2009. Based on a 1975 novel by E.L. Doctorow, the production features book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and will be directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge. The musical is part of the Kennedy Center's Broadway: The Third Generation, a series celebrating the current generation of Broadway musical composers. The official press night will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.

How do you portray democracy through the arts? That question was the inspiration for Visions of America and the collaboration between famed Grammy Award-winning pianist/conductor Peter Nero, renowned Americana photographer Joseph Sohm, and Grammy Award-winning pianist/composer Roger Kellaway. Visions of America paints a portrait of America by choreographing Sohm's photographs to stirring traditional and new music performed by Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, resulting in a photo symphony that celebrates the sights and songs of democracy. With the world premiere taking place at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia on January 25, 2009, five days after America inaugurates its new president, Visions of America is a post-inaugural celebration for the people that marks a unique time in the nation's history. Visions of America unfolds for audiences as a visual and musical journey through the 50 states over three musical-movements and 13 'Mosaics' (visualized-songs). Nero, who is the founding music director of the Philly Pops, will conduct the world premiere of original music composed by Kellaway to support Sohm's stunning visuals. Kellaway, a fellow jazz pianist, has been friends with Nero for 50 years. Legendary lyricists Alan and Marilyn Bergman (best known for their Grammy and Academy Award-winning work with Barbra Streisand) collaborated with Kellaway on two new songs, written specifically for this program and performed by 2008 Grammy Award-winning vocalist Patti Austin. The concert is preceded by a video introduction by Pennsylvania Governor Edmund G. Rendell, who acknowledges Peter Nero on the 30th anniversary of his Philly Pops.