Keith Lockhart and Boston Pops Perform 'Pomp and Circumstance' Tonight in Massachusetts Commencement 2020

In honor of this year's graduating seniors from the 668 public and private schools across the Commonwealth, members of the Pops' brass and percussion sections participate in Massachusetts Commencement 2020, performing the familiar graduation march "Pomp and Circumstance" by Edward Elgar. In this collaborative video filmed and recorded "in quarantine," Pops conductor Keith Lockhart leads the musicians from his living room wearing a traditional cap and gown.

Co-presented by Governor Charlie Baker who will give the commencement address, Massachusetts Commencement 2020 broadcasts on WGBH Tuesday evening at 7:30. Also featured with Lockhart and the Pops players will be congratulatory remarks from members of the New England Patriots, Red Sox and the Boston Celtics and a number of celebrities with Massachusetts ties, including singer Rachel Platten, actor Steve Carell, and more. WGBH will stream the commencement program on their website and social media platforms and make the program available to other television stations in Massachusetts, including community access channels. The Pops performance of "Pomp and Circumstance" will also be shared on www.bostonpops.org/athome and social media channels later this week.

CONVERSATIONS WITH KEITH SERIES, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2 P.M. AT WWW.BOSTONPOPS.ORG/ATHOME: AN INTERVIEW WITH BOSTON POPS PRINCIPAL HORN PLAYER GUS SEBRING

Each Thursday, Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart acquaints viewers with people who make the Boston Pops "America's Orchestra," on the stage and behind the scenes. This week, Keith interviews Boston Pops principal horn player Richard ("Gus") Sebring. Born and raised in Concord, Massachusetts, Mr. Sebring joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1981. Mr. Sebring has been soloist with the BSO and the Boston Pops in Boston, at Tanglewood, and on tour. As a studio musician, he is heard regularly in popular music, on PBS, and in films. His arrangements of holiday and ceremonial music have been played by the Boston Pops in Symphony Hall and at Fenway Park.

In the interview, you will hear Keith tell Gus why he's glad he isn't a horn player (excerpt here). The complete video will be available at www.bostonpops.org/athome beginning at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 11. (Originally scheduled to air last week, it was delayed until this week in solidarity with the protests surrounding the death of George Floyd.)

HEROIC PERFORMANCES SERIES, SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 3 P.M. AT WWW.BOSTONPOPS.ORG/ATHOME: A VIDEO PRESENTATION OF THE DREAM LIVES ON
Presented in honor of the front line personnel working during the COVID-19 crisis, this week's Heroic Performances video concert is The Dream Lives On. Recorded in 2010 in celebration of the Pops' 125th anniversary, conductor Keith Lockhart leads the orchestra in The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers, a commissioned work by New England-native composer Peter Boyer and lyricist Lynn Ahrens that celebrates the inspiring language and public service of the Kennedy family with a star-studded cast of narrators and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.

Heroic Performances is the Boston Pops' contribution to the Boston Globe's "ArtsAlive" series and is accessible at www.bostonpops.org/athome. The video stream is available for free on-demand viewing on Sunday, June 14 at 3 p.m. EDT for a 45-day duration. (Originally scheduled to air last week, it was delayed until this week in solidarity with the protests surrounding the death of George Floyd.)

BSO HOMESCHOOL, AVAILABLE NOW AT WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/BOSTONSYMPHONY: THOMAS WILKINS, BSO ARTISTIC ADVISOR FOR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND GERMESHAUSEN YOUTH AND FAMILY CONCERT CONDUCTOR

BSO HomeSchool is an educational resource for anyone who wants to learn more about music. It includes an archive of Youth & Family Concert lesson plans created by the BSO Educators Advisory Council, as well as videos created by BSO musicians that cover a wide variety of topics from demonstrations, excerpt tutorials, and more. For this week, BSO Artistic Advisor for Education and Community Engagement and Germeshausen Youth and Family Concert Conductor Thomas Wilkins continues his series of conducting tutorials with "The upbeat is more than just an upbeat." The video is currently available here. BSO HomeSchool is sponsored by Arbella Insurance Foundation.

THE BACH PROJECT, CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT WWW.BSO.ORG/ATHOME: BSO VIOLINISTS PLAY BACH'S COMPLETE SOLO VIOLIN SONATAS AND PARTITAS

Johann Sebastian Bach's Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin present extraordinary technical and musical challenges for their performers and have special meaning for musicians and music-lovers alike. Many BSO violinists say that these pieces are central to their relationship to all music, and that each approaches the Sonatas and Partitas in unique ways as these represent the most personal aspect of a violinist's repertoire.

In this wonderful offering, members of the BSO's violin section present the complete cycle of works, with individual movements shared among a number of players. The recording project now finished, all six videos are currently available at www.bso.org/athome.

NOTES OF APPRECIATION, AVAILABLE NOW AT WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/BOSTONSYMPHONY: BSO PRINCIPAL FLUTIST ELIZABETH ROWE

BSO player are showing their appreciation for local healthcare workers through the BSO's "Notes of Appreciation" program. Each week, a new video "note" is delivered to area hospitals from an orchestra member in which he/she thanks the hospital staff for what they are doing and the sacrifices they are making to keep all of us safe during this crisis. The musician then plays a favorite piece selected for the front line COVID-19 heroes. For this week, BSO Principal Flutist Elizabeth Rowe plays the Sarabande from Johann Sebastian Bach's Partita in A minor for solo flute. The video is currently available at www.youtube.com/bostonsymphony.

Created in response to concert cancellations due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19, BSO at Home, BSO HomeSchool and Boston Pops at Home are designed to entertain, enlighten, and engage audiences around the world with complimentary online and radio content. Although nothing can take the place of a live performance, these audio and video presentations help to lift spirits in these trying times. Since the start of the BSO at Home series on March 23, the BSO's website and social media platforms have received more than 8.5 million interactions, with website traffic 122% higher than usual.

Boston Pops at Home programming began running on May 11 with each day of the week scheduled to bring a different activity. Mondays feature a 20-30-minute playlist that draws from the Boston Pops audio archives. Tuesdays on Boston Pops social media channels, fans can play a "Name That Tune" game based on recent Pops performances. Wednesdays include Pops HomeSchool content for elementary and middle school students. "Conversations with Keith" airs on Thursdays, consisting of one-to-one interviews between Pops conductor Keith Lockhart and select guests. Each Friday brings a new video segment and musical demonstration from a Boston Pops player. Saturdays recap previously recorded material and on Sundays, 99.5 WCRB rebroadcasts complete Pops performances.

BSO at Home and BSO HomeSchool continue with special projects and family-friendly educational content, including the ongoing Bach Project, featuring BSO violinists performing selections from J.S. Bach's solo violin sonatas and partitas. BSO at Home, BSO HomeSchool, and Boston Pops at Home programming lasts through July 4.

Boston Pops at Home is sponsored by Fidelity Investments. Additional support provided by Fairmont Copley Plaza, Official Hotel of the Boston Pops; Commonwealth Worldwide Executive Transportation, Official Chauffeured Transportation Provider; American Airlines, the Official Airline of the Boston Pops.

To post a comment, you must register and login.