Boston Pops FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR Canceled; Special Broadcast to Take Place July 4

By: May. 08, 2020
Enter Your Email to Unlock This Article

Plus, get the best of BroadwayWorld delivered to your inbox, and unlimited access to our editorial content across the globe.




Existing user? Just click login.

Boston Pops FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR Canceled; Special Broadcast to Take Place July 4

This July 4, the Boston Pops will present A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes to pay tribute to the COVID-19 frontline workers and honor those who have lost their lives during the current health crisis, while also celebrating our diverse nation's founding values of liberty and justice for all. With public gatherings now banned, A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes will be available only on television, radio, and digital media; no live performance will take place.

Featuring newly created content from the Boston Pops and guest artists, as well as traditional Fourth of July favorites and other highlights from recent broadcasts of The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes will air on Bloomberg Television, Bloomberg Radio, and Boston's WHDH-TV, on Saturday, July 4, starting at 8 p.m. ET.

BROADCAST OF A BOSTON POPS SALUTE TO OUR HEROES
With America's Orchestra, under the direction of Keith Lockhart, taking center stage, the program will feature the Boston Pops' newly released video production of John Williams' Summon the Heroes and other newly created content paying tribute to the healthcare workers, first responders, and other essential service providers who are the heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic and honoring the memories of those who have lost their lives during this crisis. In keeping with tradition, the concert will also include the Boston Pops' signature performances of Tchaikovsky's "1812" Overture and "The Stars and Stripes Forever," and other favorites from recent broadcasts of The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular. Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart and popular on-air personalities from Bloomberg Television and Bloomberg Radio will host this special broadcast.

Additional details about the Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes broadcast will be announced in the coming weeks.

STATEMENT FROM Keith Lockhart, JULIAN AND EUNICE COHEN BOSTON POPS CONDUCTOR
"All of us at the Boston Pops are pleased to have this opportunity to pay tribute to the many and various frontline workers who have been the glue holding our communities together since this health crisis began, and to honor those who have lost their lives due to the coronavirus. While disappointed not to be able to present our traditional live concert on the Charles River Esplanade, we are putting all our energies into developing a truly special commemorative broadcast event.

"We hope A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes will bring viewers and listeners the consolation, comfort, and inspiration we all seek during these challenging times. Please join us as we show our appreciation for the heroes of this epic crisis and celebrate the meaningful messages of Independence Day that unite us as citizens of this great and beautifully diverse country."

STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR Charlie Baker
"The Boston Pops' spectacular July 4 celebration is a hallmark event for the Commonwealth and we are pleased they have found a way to still share this tradition in a different fashion due to COVID-19. Each year, the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular unites residents from across the Commonwealth as they celebrate the founding of our nation, and we especially look forward to this year's tribute honoring our frontline workers."

STATEMENT FROM BOSTON MAYOR MARTIN J. WALSH
"The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular is one of the City's most beloved traditions and anticipated annual events. While a live concert and fireworks display are not possible this year due to the ongoing public health crisis, I am so glad that thanks to a host of partners who were determined to carry on this tradition, the show will go on in a new way. I encourage all residents who look forward to Boston's Independence Day celebrations to embrace this year's celebration with us, as we mark another moment in our nation's history."

STATEMENT FROM THOMAS E. FAUST, JR., CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF EATON VANCE
"Eaton Vance is proud to sponsor this year's Boston Pops Fourth of July concert paying special tribute to the heroes and honoring the fallen of the current public health crisis. I can think of no better way to commemorate our nation's founding in these challenging times than by sharing together the great music of the Boston Pops."


STATEMENT FROM AL MAYERS, GLOBAL HEAD OF BLOOMBERG TELEVISION AND RADIO
"We are honored to serve as a major sponsor and media partner of the iconic Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular for the fourth special in a row. This year's redesigned broadcast, A Boston Pops Salute to our Heroes, will be especially meaningful as it will pay tribute to the frontline workers and to those who have lost their lives during the pandemic."

BLOOMBERG TO BROADCAST A BOSTON POPS SALUTE TO OUR HEROES ON BLOOMBERG TELEVISION (AVAILABLE ON CABLE/SATELLITE AND STREAMING SERVICES) AND BLOOMBERG RADIO ON JULY 4, STARTING AT 8 P.M.; SHOW TO BE SIMULCAST ON BOSTON'S WHDH-TV

A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes airs on Bloomberg Television, with a simulcast on WHDH-TV, on July 4 starting at 8 p.m. ET, and will be available for streaming on Bloomberg.com. The digital stream will be available for 24 days after the July 4 performance broadcast. The stream, along with the live broadcast on Bloomberg Television and Bloomberg Radio, and a variety of additional radio listening options (see "Tune In" information below), will help ensure easy access for the event's loyal traditional television watchers and radio listeners, as well as fans wanting to view the show online or on their mobile device, here in Boston, throughout the country, and around the world. Visit bostonpopsjuly4th.org for further details about the wide variety of options for viewing or listening to the show.

Where to Tune in for Bloomberg's Television Broadcast in the Greater Boston Area
Pay TV customers in the Greater Boston area can view A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes on DISH: Channel 203; DirectTV: Channel 353; FIOS: Channel 605; and RCN: Channels 325/672. For Comcast subscribers within the Greater Boston area, Bloomberg Television can be found on channels 45, 757, or 844, depending on the location in the market. Viewers beyond the Greater Boston area should check their local pay TV provider listings for information on where to tune in to see Bloomberg Television's A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes in their local areas. For a TV Tune-In Chart on where to view the A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes on Bloomberg Television in the Greater Boston area, visit bostonpopsjuly4th.org.

Bloomberg Radio
Radio listeners in the greater Boston area can hear the broadcast through Bloomberg's flagship stations in Boston and Newburyport on 106.1 FM / 1330 AM / 1450 AM/ 92.9-HD2, and via expanded coverage this year on 99.1 WPLM-FM (Plymouth, MA) covering Boston's South Shore, southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and portions of Rhode Island. Nationally the concert can be found on SiriusXM channel 119, online at bloombergradio.com, and via mobile on the Bloomberg and iHeartRadio apps.

PRODUCTION TEAM FOR A BOSTON POPS SALUTE TO OUR HEROES
Pamela Picard, Executive Producer and Event Director of the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular and BSO Broadcast and Media Director, and Dennis Alves, Boston Pops Director of Artistic Planning, are serving as executive producers of this year's broadcast of A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes. The production team also includes Christopher W. Ruigomez, Director of Boston Pops and Concert Operations and Assistant Director of Tanglewood.

DETAILS ABOUT BOSTON POPS AT HOME
Launching on Monday, May 11, and running through July 4, Boston Pops at Home is designed to entertain, enlighten, and engage audiences around the world with special 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. Each day of the week brings 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 there will air 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. For more information, go to www.bostonpops.org/athome.



Videos