Pittsburgh and Pops

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra history with popular programming goes back to its early days with Victor Herbert who often programmed lighter music, including his own compositions. In the following decades, conductors brought inventive programming to Pittsburgh audiences, including introducing Pops concerts at unexpected venues like the first outdoor performance in the symphony’s history at the Sky Club in West Mifflin in 1935. Pops performances were often billed as “light programs and popular soloists,” with guest conductors and stars of the era such as Benny Goodman, Henry Mancini, Ethel Merman, Phyllis Diller and Doc Severinsen. With the advent of the Marvin Hamlisch era, the venerable Pops series was infused with a new injection of excitement and “razzle-dazzle” as he welcomed memorable programs like “Love Nights” and “Prom Nights,” and stars like Bernadette Peters. With the unexpected passing of Hamlisch in 2012, the symphony’s Pops programming continued under the baton of leading guest conductors, welcoming star guest artists like Chris Botti.