History of the Boston Pops

The Boston Pops Orchestra is a branch of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 1885 the founder of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Henry Lee Higginson, decided that there was a need for "concerts of a lighter kind of music" in Boston. So he began the Boston Pops (then called the Promenade Concerts). The Boston Pops gave their first show on July 11, 1885. The rest is history.

The Boston Pops performed regularly and with increasing popularity over the next few decades, but they were still performing for only upper-class audiences. In 1924, a BSO violinist named Arthur Fiedler organized a group of BSO members he called the Boston Simfonietta. They performed a five-week series of free concerts that anyone could attend. In 1930, Arthur Fiedler became the 18th conductor of the Boston Pops. Much of the success and popularity of the Boston Pops over the years can be directly attributed to Fiedler's insight and talent as both a conductor and a promoter.  Read more of this article.  Image Source