Broadway, Bernstein, Education and Night Music with the Boston Pops

Broadway Legend Carol Channing has performed in countless venues during her long and illustrious career.  However, she counts her appearance with the Boston Pops as being one of the most satisfying and it is captured, in part, on the DVD "Broadway's Best at Pops."  Miss Channing now calls California home and when she learned that this article was being written, she commented "The Boston Pops is the inspiration and soul of America and we hope that our educational system in these United States will some day understand that artists and educators need to revise music and performing arts programs in the public school system to secure its longevity for future generations to enjoy."  On the other side of the continent, Keith Lockhart and his orchestra seem to understand what Broadway's Dolly Levi is saying. 

Recuperating from a cold, Maestro Lockhart spoke by phone and was enthusiastic about the Boston Pops' educational projects.  "You've probably heard of the "Pops Search" that we've done for the past several years. We were looking at that and didn't want to do a 'general public' sort of thing, but rather something that would shine the spotlight on education and the fine work that's being in the schools around the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  What we came up with was the idea of inviting teachers throughout the Commonwealth to send us their best Music Theater students—solos or ensembles who've been coached and recommended by them—and doing a competition that will really show the exemplary work that's being done in schools around the state.  We'll whittle that geoup down by video application and see a lot of them in Symphony Hall in the middle of June.  Then we'll select six semi-final acts which will appear with the orchestra in the latter part of June.  They'll be appearing in a program where the star is Brian Stokes Mitchell and we're hoping to have him as a judge.  In the beginning of July we'll have a final round and the winner or winners will perform with us on the Fourth of July." 

For those who are unfamiliar with the Boston Pops, their Fourth of July concerts are massive affairs that are held on the Esplanade beside the Charles River.  It attracts an audience of thousands of people and is televised locally but portions of it are broadcast on national networks.  A highlight of the concert is the Pops' playing of Tchiakovsky's famed "1812 Overture" which is accompanied by shooting off live cannons and the ringing of church bells in the surrounding area. The event has featured such Broadway talents as Marin Mazzie, Jason Daniely, Bebe Neuwirth, Cyndi Lauper and Debbie Reynolds.  Each concert concludes with a spectacular fireworks display that rivals anything seen on the East Coast.  In short, it's quite a way for America to celebrate its birthday.  It's also an incredible showcase for the talents of the Boston Pops Sing-Off champion.   "I'm really excited to see what we come out with," adds the conductor.  "Students can go to www.bostonpops.org where they'll be able to download their applications." 

Lockhart and the Boston Pops are involved in music education in the Boston schools in other ways.  Working with Fidelity Investments and the Community Music Center of Boston, the Pops recently played a special concert at the Clarence A. Edwards Middle School in Charlestown.  At the concert's end, the students were presented with 47 new instruments valued at $25,000.  During the spring semester, Pops musicians will visit the schools involved in the program and participate in special interactive workshops with the students.    Additionally, students from these schools will attend rehearsals and concerts at Symphony Hall.  For many of these youngsters, it will be their first experience in such a setting.                                                                                                

"We're looking to see if we can do something that has a real impact and not just bus the kids into a concert once a year," adds the maestro. "The value of music education is not just about producing more musicians; we have plenty of them.  What it's about is producing kids who learn to think creatively and who understand the value of discipline and doing something really well.  Additionally, they will become the educated audiences of the future." 

As was mentioned earlier in the discussion, Brian Stokes Mitchell will be performing with the Boston Pops during their 2008 season.  The  Tony Award winning star of such Broadway productions as Kiss of the Spider Woman, Ragtime, Kiss Me Kate and Man of La Mancha isbilled as "Broadway's Leading Man" and will perform at the Symphony Hall concerts on June 17 & 18. "Also from a Broadway point of view, we'll be doing tributes to Leonard Bernstein throughout the season on the occasion of his 90 birthday," adds Lockhart, "the first part of the evening will be devoted to the composer's film music, specifically the music he wrote for On The Waterfront, and the second half will consist of the music from his Broadway shows (On The Town, Wonderful Town, West Side Story and Candide).  These concerts will feature the student performers from the Boston Conservatory's music theater program.  I'm very excited about that." 

For the fourth year in a row, the Boston Pops will be doing a concert version of a great American Musical. "This year it's Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music.  As we've been doing with these productions, we'll be bringing together established Broadway stars with fellows from our vocal program.  They'll be working beside each other This year our Broadway stars are Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson who were the Tony Award winners in last season's Grey Gardens.  Ron Raines will be playing Frederick.  It runs from June 12-14.  We'll be performing it again at Tanglewood in July."  Tanglewood is the Boston Symphony's summer home in Lenox, MA.   Situated in the Berkshires, it is pretty much an outdoor venue which lends itself to family picnics and candlelight for those who are enjoying the concerts from lawn seats.  It does, however, present problems for the orchestra during inclement weather. 

"The role of a successful conductor is to control as many of the variables as he can.  There are more uncontrollable variables when you're outside.  Sound-wise there are always issues, however as sound systems get better those things are mostly controllable.  Weather, of course is the big one, whether it's 90 degrees out and so humid that the string instruments won't respond properly or it's pouring rain on us or whether it's so windy that the music is blowing off the stands and those sorts of things.  They're rather prosaic sorts of problems.  They make for a more interesting experience, I suppose."   

Is it true that a violin can fall apart when it's exposed to the rain?  "It is, actually," responded the maestro, "The glue they use is water-based.  I've never seen it happen but it can surely ruin one.  It can also ruin the varnish which is sometimes 200 years old." 

Regardless of whether one prefers to enjoy a Boston Pops concert in the elegant ambiance of Symphony Hall, on the Esplanade off the Charles River or in the peacefulness of Tanglewood's lovely lawns, aficionados of musical theater should be considering purchasing their tickets now.  Not only will they enjoy some fine music, but the talents of Brian Stokes Mitchell, Christine Ebersole, Ron Raines and Mary Louise Wilson always make for memorable occasions.  Besides, the winner of the High School Sing-Off may prove to be the theater's next Patti LuPone, Nathan Lane or even the inestimable Carol Channing.

 To order tickets to any Boston Pops event, go to www.bostonpops.org

 

 

Keith Lockhart photos by Stu Rosner

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