In a one-of-a-kind concert created especially for Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC), the world's most seasoned Gershwin interpreter, Peter Nero, will perform Gershwin's timeless works from Broadway and film on Saturday, November 14 at 8pm. This two-part program will be a special evening dedicated to the work Gershwin composed in Los Angeles after relocating from New York.
George Gershwin had already indelibly changed American popular music when he relocated to Los Angeles in 1936, his first project being the RKO film, Shall We Dance with
Fred Astaire and
Ginger Rogers. The young composer had Hollywood in his sights, and his Broadway credentials ensured he would be welcomed by the film industry's greatest stars and producers. While only in Hollywood for less than two years, Gershwin wrote, "They Can't Take That Away from Me," "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off," "A Foggy Day (in London Town)," "Nice Work if You Can Get It," and "Our Love is Here to Stay." But the songwriter only completed two films before his untimely death. This fact is easily overlooked, because so many films included his music posthumously.
"Lovers of the American Songbook as well as cinephiles will equally find this evening revelatory. Nero is not only a master pianist, his commentary between musical numbers reflects his six decades in show business and the encyclopedic knowledge only he possesses," said, Thor Steingraber, VPAC's Executive Director. "Gershwin's life was sadly short-lived but we are thankful that so much of his important works were created right here in Southern California. After I asked Peter to create this concert just for VPAC, it's been a yearlong process honing the playlist to impart a story about Gershwin that is rarely told."
"I always try to imagine what he would be doing now,"
Peter Nero told the Las Vegas Review-Journal "When you think 'who's an American composer,' to me, it was Gershwin who personified it."
More than 60 years ago, a teenage
Peter Nero made his TV debut playing
George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," on a TV special hosted by bandleader
Paul Whiteman, the musician who introduced the piece to the world in 1924. 2015 marks the 55th anniversary of the birth of
Peter Nero's recording career, which eventually produced 70 recordings. In 1960 he was signed to a three-year contract with RCA Victor records, which was then renewed for another five years, producing more than 26 LPs, including Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Piano Concerto in F with
Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops. The following year, he was honored with his first Grammy Award, as "Best New Artist of the Year."
In January 2013 pianist and conductor
Peter Nero was awarded a Certificate by the President of the Philadelphia City Council honoring his outstanding lifetime musical achievements, and recognizing his innumerable contributions to the arts and culture in Philadelphia as an award-winning pianist and the founding conductor and Artistic Director of the world renowned
Peter Nero and the Philly POPS orchestra.
In October 2009
Peter Nero was also honored with lifetime achievement awards from the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) and the Philadelphia Musicians' Union Local 77, AFM. He also received the
Mario Lanza Award, in recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of music, in November 2009.
One of his greatest achievements is being the founding Music Director of the world renowned
Peter Nero and the Philly Pops. On January 27, 2007, Mr. Nero joined
Rod Stewart from the piano with the Philadelphia Orchestra for a performance of "They Can't Take That Away from Me" at the Academy of Music 150th Anniversary Concert. Mr. Nero's recent guest performances include engagements with the Indianapolis Symphony, the National Arts Centre Symphony in Ottawa, the Charlotte Symphony, the Detroit Symphony, and the Baltimore Symphony, among others. His complete concert schedule can be found at
www.peternero.com.
Hailed as one of the premier interpreters of Gershwin, Mr. Nero starred in the Emmy Award- winning NBC Special "S'Wonderful, S'Marvelous, S'Gershwin." Other TV credits include performances on PBS-TV's "Piano Pizzazz" and with the National Symphony in Washington, D.C., on its July 4th special titled "A Capitol Fourth." He served as music director and pianist for the PBS-TV special "The Songs of
Johnny Mercer: Too Marvelous for Words" with co-stars
Johnny Mathis,
Melissa Manchester, and the Philly Pops.
During the years of the prime time Variety shows he performed 12 times on the
Ed Sullivan Show,
Perry Como, Jonathon Edwards,
Dinah Shore,
Jackie Gleason and
George Gobel, to name a few.
Among Mr. Nero's long list of honors are six honorary doctorates (the most recent from Drexel University in 2004) and the prestigious International Society of Performing Arts Presenters Award for "Excellence in the Arts." He is also included on two historic walks of fame-one in Philadelphia, and one in Miami, Florida. In 1999 he received the Pennsylvania Distinguished Arts Award, presented by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge. Previous honorees include Marian Anderson, James Michener, Andrew Wyeth, and Riccardo Muti. In February 2009, the Abraham Lincoln Foundation of the Union League of Philadelphia presented Mr. Nero with its prestigious Lincoln Award as part of its Lincoln Birthday anniversary 2009 celebration. The Award is given to persons of distinction who, through their actions, have significantly contributed to the United States of America.
Photo by Donna Billingsley
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