HITTING A HIGH NOTE


Jul 31, 2022

The Boston Pops on Nantucket concert celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary.

story by Robert Cocuzzo

After a hiatus of three long years, the Boston Pops on Nantucket concert returns to Jetties Beach this August to celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary. The largest annual fundraiser for the Nantucket Cottage Hospital, to the tune of roughly $2 million, helps support the hospital’s year-round operations. The Pops concert is an extraordinary performance even before conductor Keith Lockhart takes the stage. The transportation logistics alone of getting a symphony along with sensitive instruments back and forth in a single day requires a well-orchestrated event in and of itself. More than three hundred volunteers, electricians, stage crew and sound techs work for thirty-six straight hours to transform the beachfront into a concert venue set for a king—or, in the case of this year’s performance, a Queen.


The twenty-fifth anniversary’s special musical guest is Marc Martel, the award-winning vocalist famous for hitting the high notes of the late Queen front man Freddie Mercury. So convincing is Martel’s rendition of Mercury’s iconic voice that he was selected by the original band members Brian May and Roger Taylor as lead singer for their tribute group, The Queen Extravaganza. In 2018, when filmmakers were bringing Mercury to the big screen with their Bohemian Rhapsody biopic, it was Martel whose voice helped them win the Oscar.


Martel adds his name to the concert’s roster of star-studded musical guests over the past twenty-five years, including Kenny Loggins, Carly Simon, The Beach Boys and the popular Beatles cover band, Rain. The very first Pops on Nantucket concert in 1997 featured none other than John Williams conducting his cinematic classics from Indiana Jones, Star Wars and, of course, Jaws.


“Every year we’re trying to land on a musical guest that will resonate with audiences young and old,” said Bruce A. Percelay, who is co-chairing this year’s Pops alongside his wife Elisabeth. According to Elisabeth Percelay, “The pent-up demand for ticket sales has been spectacular. We’re confident that this year’s performance is truly going to rock!”

The Pops has also been an opportunity for local musical stars to shine while singing the national anthem. From Greta Feeney and Alex Kopko to the Cobbletones and the Nantucket STAR chorus, the performances are a testament to the talent found on this island. During the last Pops before the COVID hiatus, Brynn Cartelli, the breakout singer who was discovered on Jetties Beach and went on to win The Voice, performed the anthem. This year celebrates another homegrown talent with Skyler Wright, a Nantucket-raised actress and singer who recently earned national fame by starring on the Showtime series Dexter: New Blood.

New faces will join more familiar ones as this year also sees the return of Natalie Jacobson as emcee. Since hosting the very first Pops twenty-five years ago, the legendary broadcaster has emceed the event on seven other occasions. “Having hosted eight of our concerts, including the first with my then-husband Chet Curtis, I’m excited to have the opportunity to lead the joy of this moment with my fellow Nantucketers and to acknowledge the spirit, hard work and generosity of so many,” Jacobson said. “On this night, we will define Nantucket within the embrace of music, fresh air and a continuing commitment to one another.” Along with Jacobson, the stage has been helmed over the years by Joyce Kulhawik, Heather Unruh, Katie Couric, Chris Matthews, David Gregory and the late Tim Russert. “The Pops on Nantucket feels like it’s out of a Norman Rockwell painting,” said Katie Couric, who first came to co-host at the behest of Russert. “I know how much Tim loved Nantucket and he loved the Pops and the whole occasion, so I think it was just especially meaningful for me to continue that tradition that was started with Tim.”

Behind the scenes, Jon Rosbrook has been the producer and technical director of the show since it started in 1997. Aisling Glynn of ACKtivities runs the complex logistics of seating, dining, décor and transportation for 1,500 VIP guests. The Boston Pops on Nantucket concert has sold out every year since 2011, and all indications point to another packed crowd this August. “Given what we have all been through over the past three years,” said Bruce Percelay, “this concert promises to be the celebration of celebrations.”

Latest Stories


By Larry Lindner 11 Sep, 2024
Learning t he ways of Nantucket also means learning English.
By Jonathan Soroff 30 Aug, 2024
Though widely feared, spiders are an ecological boom to Nantucket.
By Tim Ehrenberg 30 Aug, 2024
Tim Ehrenberg of “Tim Talks Books” gives you his seven picks for fall reading.
By N Magazine 30 Aug, 2024
Bridget and Jack's Sankaty Beach Club wedding.
By N Magazine 30 Aug, 2024
Add these items to your fall wishlist.
By Antonia DePace 30 Aug, 2024
Make Black Eyed Susan's' Capellini for Your Next Dinner Party
MORE STORIES
Share by: