Orchestra ‘could not afford’ its founder
RIPFrom an AP obituary of Peter Nero.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Peter Nero, a Grammy-winning pianist who interpreted pop songs through classical and jazz forms and served as the Philly Pops’ conductor for more than three decades, has died. Nero was 89.
…Recruited by Philadelphia concert promoter Moe Septee, Nero started the Philly Pops orchestra in 1979, the year Arthur Fiedler died. Fiedler is credited with virtually inventing the modern version of the pops orchestra in Boston, and Nero hoped to rival it in popularity.
“I’d like to beat the pants off them,” Nero said at the time…
He led the Philly Pops until 2013, exiting his leadership role when the orchestra said it could no longer afford him.
The Philadelphia Orchestra filed for protective Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2011. A reorganisation plan, including the loss of ten musicians and a 15% pay cut for the remaining 95. A couple years later Nero was another loss.
Here is a list of US orchestras that have declared bankruptcy during my career: San Diego, Miami, Kansas City, Albuquerque, Syracuse, Tulsa, San Antonio, New Orleans, Denver, San Jose, Colorado Springs, Honolulu, Miami, and Philadelphia. When they manage to return, they are often depleted and their musicians demoralized. The reason for these problems is that the USA is the only developed country in the world without comprehensive systems of public arts funding. The US method of arts funding by and for the wealthy leaves the country’s cultural infrastructure chronically underfunded and reaching only a small segment of its potential audience.
Preach!
The Philly Pops is a completely different organization than the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Given that it seems like a third of the articles posted on this website are about European governments pulling financial support for orchestras and opera houses which could result in their collapse, the European funding model is hardly a panacea.
That’s complete nonsense and propaganda created by American reactionaries. Give us a source that documents one third of the SD articles about about such cuts, and a list of European performing arts institutions that have collapsed show a significant number. Faced with that request, the US baloney falls apart. We’re waiting for your documention.
JUST IN: BAYREUTH FESTIVAL BUDGET IS CUT BY $1 MILLION: https://slippedisc.com/2023/02/just-in-bayreuth-festival-is-cut-by-1-million/
LATEST: BBC STANDS FIRM ON ORCHESTRA CUTS: https://slippedisc.com/2023/05/bbc-will-not-retreat-on-orchestra-cuts/
GLYNDEBOURNE QUITS TOURING ENGLAND AFTER 50% FUNDING CUT: https://slippedisc.com/2023/01/glyndebourne-quits-touring-after-50-cut/
MARK WIGGLESWORTH: ENO CUT ITS THROAT WHEN IT CUT ITS OPERAS: https://slippedisc.com/2022/11/mark-wigglesworth-eno-cut-its-throat-when-it-cut-its-operas/
MUNICH SUFFERS $5M OPERA CUT: https://slippedisc.com/2022/09/munich-suffers-5m-opera-cut/
VIENNA ORCHESTRA IS UNDER THREAT: https://slippedisc.com/2023/02/vienna-orchestra-is-under-threat/
SCOTS END FUNDING FOR SISTEMA ORCHESTRA: https://slippedisc.com/2023/02/scots-end-funding-for-sistema-orchestra/
SEROTA: SECRETARY OF STATE INSTRUCTED US TO TAKE FUNDING OUT OF LONDON: https://slippedisc.com/2022/11/serota-secretary-of-state-instructed-us-to-take-funding-out-of-london/
ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND SLASHES ARTS HUBS: https://slippedisc.com/2023/06/arts-council-england-slashes-arts-hubs/
WALES TERMINATES OPERA IN ENGLAND: https://slippedisc.com/2022/11/wales-terminates-opera-in-england/
That’s what he does when he loses arguments: calls names.
Why is anybody taking him seriously?
I asses the SD coverage to comprise about one-third budget cuts, one-third opera quitters, one-third sex allegations and one-third Yuja Wang exposures.
It’s a full slate!
Any time any city wants to subsidize an orchestra fully with public funds, it’s perfectly free to do so.
Great post, William. So how would you address this? How could a DMA candidate entering the music dept of a large US university who also sees the urgency of the US arts situation focus on this as a doctoral project? (Asking for a friend!) Change is needed. Could addressing it in academia nudge a solution forward? Thanks for your thoughts.
Oklahoma City Symphony and Long Island Philharmonic could be added to Mr. Osborne’s list.
Never heard of the Philly Pops, so I guess Peter didn’t get his wish to beat the Boston’s pants off.
And the Boston Pops did not get where they were by lavishing money on Arthur Fiedler; according to his daughter Johanna’s biography of him, his compensation stayed the same for years, and was modest compared to the amount of money had made for the organization. Money was always a sore point between him and the Board. They knew he’d never leave regardless of how they treated him.
Ironically, one of my first records was “Nero Goes Pops”, an all-Gershwin album Peter Nero made with Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops. My dad handed it down to me when I was a kid, after he wore it out. RCA Shaded Dog (with the notorious Dynagroove effect). Great record, which I wish they’d reissue.
News item: Philly Pops to cease operations at end of 2022-23 season
https://whyy.org/articles/hilly-pops-shutting-down-orchestra-board-of-directors/
A stand-alone pops orchestra sounds like an odd duck. I’m impressed that it lasted as long as it did.
Stand-alone pops orchestras are not that unusual — most cities had them.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the reason that these orchestras have declined is because the symphony orchestras have encroached on their most profitable concerts: Christmas Pops Concerts and Movie Music.
It’s the US, not Europe, where pop culture is king. And these orchs (ie touring film score orchs) are becoming popular in Europe now, too,
Peter Nero’s passing is a great loss. He was the “Horowitz” of the popular piano genre. Additionally, he was kind and affable. His live performances were positively electric. He was a classicist with a truly creative spark.
The problem that the Philly Pops had in 2013 in attempting to separate from Peter Nero was that the legal name of the orchestra was “the Philly Pops with Peter Nero.”
Jasper
Sorry to read this. Such a consummate, classy artist. His jazz piano albums hold pride of place in my library. May he Rest in Peace