The Boston Pops ORCHESTRA is an American ORCHESTRA based in Boston, Massachusetts that specializes in playing light classical and popular music. Founded in 1885, it is one of the oldest orchestras in the United States and the second-oldest symphony ORCHESTRA in the country. The ORCHESTRA's name originated from the fact that the members were originally all men, and the group was known as the 'Boston Populace ORCHESTRA'. Today, the ORCHESTRA consists of professional musicians from around the world and is conducted by Keith Lockhart.