Born: May 22, 1934 Primary Instrument: Piano
Peter Nero was trained as a classical musician, and became interested in jazz at the age of 19 after hearing the legendary Art Tatum. In the late 50s, he spent four years playing jazz clubs such as the Village Gate, Village Vanguard, the Blue Angel, and the Tropicana lounge in Las Vegas, before being discovered by RCA Records in 1960. They were looking for a ‘pop’ pianist, and auditioned more than 100 before choosing Nero. During the next eight years, he recorded some 24 albums, including the Grammy-winning “The Colorful Peter Nero,” in 1963. Two years previously, in 1961, Nero had won the Grammy for Best New Artist.
Peter Nero is unrivaled as a pianist and Pops conductor. His blending of classical, swing, Broadway, blues and jazz - all performed with vibrant virtuosity, amazing authenticity and an inviting sense of humor, have won him a loyal and enthusiastic audience. “The best aspect of Nero's art could well be his crazy creativity. He has the gift of seeing a song as no one has seen it before,” exclaimed Mary Kunz, music critic for The Buffalo News. The Washington Post has dubbed Peter “the epitome of the Pops Conductor/Performer.”
One of Peter's greatest achievements is being the founding Music Director of the world renowned Peter Nero and the Philly Pops. Extraordinary for any orchestra these days, Peter Nero and the Philly Pops also recently signed a three-record deal with DRG Records.
The Maestro's recent guest performances include return engagements with the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Buffalo and Dayton Philharmonics, the Florida Philharmonic, and the Pacific, St. Louis, Ottawa, Detroit and Virginia Symphony Orchestras. Peter also continues to tour throughout the year in solo recitals. As a Steinway artist for close to 50 years, Peter returned to New York's Carnegie Hall in the spring of 2003 to perform at the 150th Anniversary of Steinway Gala with many noted pianists, including Dr. Billy Taylor, Herbie Hancock and Michel Legrand.
The Brooklyn-born musician started his formal music training at the age of 7. By the time he was 14, he was accepted to New York City's prestigious High School of Music and Art and won a scholarship to the Juilliard School of Music. Constance Keene, his teacher and mentor, once wrote in an issue of Keyboard Classics, “Vladimir Horowitz was Peter's greatest fan!”
Peter recorded his first album in 1961 and won a Grammy that year for “Best New Artist.” Since then, he has received another Grammy Award, garnered 10 additional nominations and released 67 albums. Peter's early association with RCA Records produced 23 albums in eight years. His subsequent move to Columbia Records resulted in a million-selling single and album ” “The Summer of '42” - now available on CD.
His first major national TV success came at age 17 when he was chosen to perform Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue on Paul Whiteman's TV Special. He subsequently appeared on many top variety and talk shows including 11 guest appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and numerous appearances on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.
Hailed as one of the premier interpreters of Gershwin, Peter starred in the Emmy Award-winning NBC Special, S'Wonderful, S'Marvelous, S'Gershwin. Other TV credits include performances on PBS-TV Piano Pizzazz and with the National Symphony in Washington, D.C. on its July 4th special titled A Capitol Fourth. Peter 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 many members of The POPS. In 1963 Peter composed and performed the musical score for the major motion picture “Sunday in New York.” The title song has been recorded by over two dozen vocalists and the score was nominated for both a Golden Globe and Hollywood Reporter Award. He also made an appearance in the film along side Jane Fonda, Rod Taylor, and Cliff Robertson.
Peter's recordings over the last 13 years include three CDs with full symphony orchestra: “On My Own,” “Classical Connections” and “My Way.” He recorded “Peter Nero and Friends,” which contains collaborations with Mel Torme, Maureen McGovern and Doc Severinsen, among others. Peter's latest CDs are romantic albums titled “Love Songs for a Rainy Day” and “More in Love.” By popular demand, four of his earlier recordings have been re-issued. A younger generation of music lovers can now hear Peter on the recent Rod Stewart CD, “As Time Goes By…The Great American Songbook, Volume II.”
The Maestro's long list of honors includes 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.
He is an active participant committed to many important causes, including the funding of school music programs, fundraising for the building of new arts centers across the country, as well as research for cancer, dystonia and autism.
