By Inside Track
Source: Boston Herald
He came to Symphony Hall at the tender age of 35 and last night - 12 years later - Keith Lockhart conducted his 1,000th concert with the Boston Pops.
“It’s frightening, isn’t it?” Lockhart laughed, as he cruised toward Fenway Park [map] to throw out the first pitch in celebration of his musical milestone. “It’s so funny, after 1,000 performances in 32 states, it’s still amazing to think I’d be in one place long enough to do something like that.”
Lockhart said some of his most memorable moments over the past 12 years - excluding “last week’s 15-round welterweight bout at the Pops” - include the first time he ever conducted the 4th of July concert on the Esplanade.
“I walked onstage and thought ‘Yikes, that’s what a half-million people look like,” he said. “That was huge and it kind of showed me what the scope of the job was, how many people knew the Pops and how central we were to that celebration.”
Over the years, the conductor has performed with a galaxy of stars and his favorites include Yo-Yo Ma, Kristen Chenoweth, Elvis Costello and, of course, hometown heroes Aerosmith.
“It was last 4th of July and it was huge for Boston, and huge for me because I grew up listening to them,” he said. “That’s the thing about this job, there are still things that excite me.”
As for his personal life, the ever-adorable baton-waver, who split with wife Lucia Lin in 2004, is currently dating attorney Emily Zalesky. On the rumors of an impending wedding, Lockhart was coy.
“I’m very happy,” he said. “How’s that?”
Music to our ears, Keith . . . .
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