Sat.  June 12 

The Boston Pops are celebrating their 125th anniversary. You’ll hear the ghost of Arthur Fielder, the man who was at the podium longest. You’ll see John Williams, the man who has the most Academy Award nominations ever and the Pops conductor post-Fielder. And, of course, you’ll see Keith Lockart, conductor and public face of the Pops, entering his 16th season.
   On the Symphony Hall stage: A lot of genres will mix it up this spring.
    His job, Lockhart said, is to serve not just as the conductor, but the congenial host. “That’s one of the things that brings people into the fold and keeps them there,” he said.
     The primary demographic, he said, was “baby boomers, 45-65. That’s the core of the people who attend live events like ours. You have to play to your core first. But you can’t neglect the other parts. There is the danger of coming up with a program that works for the age of the conductor and the age of the audience, but then, you grow old with your audience.  So, I keep trying to find my inner 35-year-old.” 
     A highlight: On Saturday June 12  Christopher O’Riley, the pianist and host of NPR’s “From the Top” – you know him from his Radiohead and Nirvana covers too, concludes his run with the Pops with various young musicians from around the country. It’s the 10th anniversary of “From the Top” and they’ll be taping the radio show at Symphony Hall. 
   “I’ve known Chris for years,” Lockhart said. “He was the pianist for my first audition in Utah back in ’97.” (Lockhart also conducts the Utah Symphony.)
     For this hookup, Lockhart said, one of the most attractive elements was “the presentation of young talent on a broader stage, attractive young people on the edge of doing something great.”
   “Chris is a great host, an intelligent moderator,” Lockhart continues, “and has somewhat improbably launched a very popular syndicated classical music show in an age that hasn’t produced a lot of classical shows. He anticipated this whole fascination with reality TV, the experience with competition and elimination.”
    As always, Lockhart stressed the Pops’ versatility and range.    “We’re a mash-up of different styles and genres,” he said.

Tickets: $99-$29. Check website below for specific programs and start times.

(This is a condensed version of a story that ran in the Boston Herald, www.bostonherald.com in Feburary.)

391 Massachusetts Ave.  617-266-1200 or www.bostonpops.org