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Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

The orchestra was formed in 1977 in Cincinnati, Ohio by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Board of Trustees.  Erich Kunzel was their first conductor who was with them until his death in 2009, and he celebrated 40 seasons with them in 2005-6.  The day he died he was posthumously named the “Founder and Conductor Emeritus” of the Cincinnati Pops by the CSO board of trustees.  Previous to this orchestra Erich Kunzel was asked to join the orchestra at Brown University and after he had conducted a sold-out pops concert the Cincinnati Pops was born.

They perform in the Cincinnati Music Hall and through their many tours, and at least two recordings a year, they have become one of the most active pops orchestras with at least 29 subscription concerts in two locations over the year.  They are also the custodians of the Concert in the Parks series.

It is said that they have one of the highest attendance ratings of an orchestra in America, with nearly 350,000 people attending performances each year and have appeared on PBS programs on several occasions.  They are unmatched by any other orchestra with 53 of their recordings appearing on the Billboard charts and won a Grammy Award for Copland: Music of America along with receiving four other nominations.

The orchestra made history by being the first pops orchestra to perform in China in 2005.

After James Morris Russell was named the new director in 2010, after the death of Erich Kunzel, he began with them in September 2011.

Richard Addinsell Recordings
Warsaw Concerto
Telarc 80175 (CD: Selections from Victory at Sea and Other Favorites)
Conductor – Erich Kunzel
Piano – William Tritt

Leroy Anderson recordings
Concerto in C for piano and orchestra
Telarc CD-80112 (CD: American Piano Classics)
Conductor – Erich Kunzel
Piano – Stewart Goodyear

Paul Anka recordings
The Longest Day March
Telarc 80175 (CD: Selections from Victory at Sea and Other Favorites)
Conductor – Erich Kunzel

Thomas Moore and Sir John Stevenson recordings
The Last Rose of Summer
Telarc CD-80571 (CD: A Celtic Spectacular)
Conductor – Erich Kunzel
Arranger – Leroy Anderson
Tenor – John McDermott
Fiddle – Liz Knowles
Silver Arm Celtic Band
Pipes – Kieran O’Hare

Sources:

  1. http://www.cincinnatisymphony.org/pops
  2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincinnati_Pops_Orchestra
  3. http://www.telarc.com/biography/bios.asp?aid=16&gsku=0405&mscssid=3GAA7BF1J7579MXDM2UK1540GHSSDF60
  4. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/cincinnati-pops-orchestra-mn0000780690/biography
  5. https://www.discogs.com/artist/978126-Cincinnati-Pops-Orchestra