The Boston Pops is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts.  It specializes in light classical and popular music.  The orchestra's current music director is 

Keith Lockhart. Lockhart succeeded John Williams.

Founded in 1885 as an offshoot of the Boston Symphony Orchestra,the Boston Pops primarily consists of musicians from the BSO, although generally not all of the first-chair players.  The orchestra performs a spring season of popular music and a holiday program in December.  

Arthur Fiedler in 1968

(1894-1979)

Arthur Fiedler autographed handbill

Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Circa November 28, 1964

The Boston Pops is forever identified with its longtime director, Arthur Fieldler.

Fiedler was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of Johanna and Emanuel Fiedler.  His parents were Austrian Jewish immigrants.  His father was a violinist who played in the Boston Symphony Orchestra and his mother was a pianist. Arthur grew up in Boston and attended Boston Latin School.  In 1915, Fiedler joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra as a violinist under conductor, Karl Muck.  He also worked as a pianist, organist and percussionist.  Arthur Fiedler was not related to former Boston Symphony Otchestra conductor, Max Fiedler. 

Fiedler was appointed the 18th conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1930.  While the position of conductor of the Boston Pops both prior to and after Fiedler tended to be a phase of a conductor's career, Fiedler made it his life's work having the position for a half-century.  Under Fiedler's direction, the Boston Pops reportedly made more recordings than any other orchestra in the world with total sales exceeding $50 million.  His recordings began in July 1935 at Boston's Symphony Hall with RCA Victor which included the first complete recording of Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin. 

Besides recording light classics, Fiedler also recorded music from Broadway shows and Hollywood film scores as well as arrangements of popular music, especially the Beatles.  

Fiedler conducted at the nationally televised opening ceremonies of Walt Disney World in 1971.  He also appeared on numerous telecasts on Evening at Pops carried on PBS stations, nationwide. In 1972, Fiedler was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee School of Music. 

Fiedler is best remembered by contemporary audiences for his conducting of the Boston Pops at the outdoor Hatch Memorial Shell on July 4, 1976 the celebration of the U.S. Bicentennial.  The rendition of the 1812 Overture capped by a huge fireworks finale over the Charles River was the climax of all day long network television coverage. The video of a delighted Fiedler puffing out his cheeks to the beat of the music and mugging (intentionally posing to enhance a performance) for his musicians was one of the most talked about images of the country's celebration. 

On January 10, 1977 Arthur Fiedler was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Gerald Ford. 

The Boston Pops performing at the Hatch Memorial Shell 

Circa July 4, 2005

The Hatch Memorial Shell is named in memory of Edward Hatch, the descendant of a family with deep roots in colonial Massachusetts.  The Shell was built between 1939 and 1940.  It is a prime example of Art Deco architecture and is renowned for hosting the annual Boston Pops 4th of July concert, but it also serves as a venue for numerous free concerts, movie screenings, speeches and large community events throughout the summer.

In 1994, Doubleday published a memoir written by Johanna Fiedler titled 

Arthur Fiedler:  Papa, the Pops and Me

Johanna Fiedler

(1945-2011)

Sidenote:  Fiedler had many different hobbies.  He was fascinated by the work of firefighters and would travel in his own vehicle to large fires in and around Boston at any time of the day or night to watch the firefighters at work.  He was even made an "Honorary Captain" with the Boston Fire Department. A number of other fire departments gave him honorary fire helmets and/or badges.  

Circa 1997

John Williams succeeded Arthur Fiedler as conductor from (1980-1993).  He was the most highly acclaimed composer in Hollywood and today, with 52 Academy Award nominations, Williams is the most-nominated person in Academy history.  Williams stepped down as Boston Pops music director to dedicate more time to writing film scroes and concert music, but his ties with Boston became even stronger.  Williams' most famous piece of music is the "Star Wars Main Theme".  The score is instantly recognizable and considered one of the most famous musical themes in film history!

Williams received five Academy Awards for Best Score in the following films:

"Fiddler on the Roof (1971), Jaws (1975), Star Wars (1977), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and Schnidler's List (1993).