Make us a part of your Valentine's Day Celebrations PIANo from page 51 became executive director of East Meadow Jewish Center in Brooklyn. Nero's mother, born in New York, taught foreign languages in the city's public schools. "My father worked day and night during the week, so on Saturdays, he'd take me to lessons, a half-hour by sub- way," the pianist says. At the weekly lessons, Nero's father would listen to everything the teacher said and scrupulously take notes. Then, he'd go home and transcribe those notes onto 3x5 cards for his son to review during the week. "I saved them all. For [my father's] 75th birthday, I put them all in an album and gave them to him," says Nero, who remembers his mother returning to their Brooklyn apartment at around 5 p.m. weekday afternoons and calling out the window for him to come inside and practice the piano. "In those days, if your mom said, lump,' you jumped," he says. As she prepared dinner, his mother would listen to every note. Says Nero, "If I started to boogie-woogie, I'd hear, 'Bernie!"' At 14, the young pianist was accept- ed at the city's prestigious High School of Music and Art. "At first, I didn't want to go," he says. "I had to leave my friends; it was 32 stops on the subway. "They made a deal with me — go for six mpriths, then we'll see. After two weeks, I knew it was for me." After graduation, he won a scholar- ship to the Juilliard School of Music — "only 30 subway stops." A television appearance with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra at age 17, in which he soloed in Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue, first brought his name before the public. However, it wasn't until 1960 that Nero began his pops career at RCA records. In their search for a superstar, the record company had auditioned more than 100 pianists. Starting at RCA and continuing at Columbia Records, Nero churned out at least three well-reviewed albums a year through 1973. He dismisses this achievement, saying, "When you signed a contract back then, that's what you did." So far, Nero has made 67 record- ings, from lushly orchestrated pops- style to harder-edged jazz format. Most recently, he's recorded three CDs with symphony orchestras and two CDs of romantic ballads. Among his reissues are the million-selling sin- gle and album Summer of '42, dating from 1971. On The Podium Nero took up conducting "in self- defense." "Playing with orchestras, I'd be assigned some assistant conductor, who usually didn't look at the music until I got there," he says. "They did- n't have pops experience, didn't take it seriously." Then, one night in the 1970s, a conductor in Pittsburgh threw out his back just before the concert. Nero vol- unteered to take over and was a hit. In 1979, while continuing to tour and record as a pianist, he founded the Philly Pops, an independent orchestra performing everything from classics to big band, Broadway to rock roll. A great orchestra can perform any- thing, Nero says. "Our concerts are for people who love all kinds of music. We've learned that audiences want an eclectic mix, a mix they can't get any- where else." The Philly Pops, which recently took residence at Philadelphia's new Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, is the largest of the 10 independ- ent pops orchestras nationwide. And, Nero says, its concerts are "102 per- cent" sold out. Before his DSO appearance, Nero will complete a series of 15 shows with his jazz trio in Florida's Palm Beach County. From Detroit, it's on to Philadelphia and back on the podium for rehearsals with the Philly Pops. Whether it's pops, jazz or classical, Nero says his first responsibility is to make something vibrate within each person in the audience. "Art is by definition 'artificial," he says. "We use artificial things to make people feel something authentic. What is music but notes on a printed page? Our job is to make those notes come alive." ❑ dinner MONDAY - THURSDAY, 5PM - 1 OPM FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, 5PM - 11PM CLOSED SUNDAY 1824 west 14 mile road royal oak, michigan 48073 248-655-5000 Deli Nosh Special — Buy 1 pound or more of your choice of Our Famous Corned Beef, Natural Turkey Breast or Our Tender Pastrami & Get FREE* ,0009- • 1 lb. Coleslaw or Potato Salad • 1 lb. Double Baked R_ye Bread • Russian Dressing • Old & New Dill Pickles I 1 coupon per customer Bloom's deli trays use Kosher meats only CORNED BEEF UNITED meat &de.' Good with Coupon • expires 2/20/05 MEER MEM, 32418 Northwestern Hwy., between 14 & Middlebelt 248.855.9463 Pianist-conductor Peter Nero will appear with soloists Alyson Cambridge and Leonard Rowe as the Detroit Symphony Orchestra presents five performances of "A Gershwin Valentine." Performances are 10:45 a.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10; 8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11; 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13. Ticket prices range from $15-$100. For ticket information, go to www.DetroitSymphony.com or call (313) 576-5111. - IN - :-:1 - 1:-:1 Tfir %Luc, Niko Servin, tite great torte of Etiu'orto "---1-;•:1 • - - 17.•: • - • 1: -:1 - • If the occalion if credal... the Flan fkotild be too!! I. Dinner for Two ETHIOPIAN FEAST VEGETARIAN FEAST I. $ $ 30.00 25.00 offer expires February 28th, 2005 - with coupon a J1ST 545 West 9 Mile • Femdale • 248-547-6699 221 E. Washington Rd. • Ann Arbor • 734-998-4746 Open for Dinner Only • Hours —Sun 3-9, Mon-Thurs 5-9, Fri-Sat 4-11 1•24 El Col 11104 Ell 101 CI 931900 2/ 3 2005