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Carnegie Hall News
Back to Press Release List > 06/03/2008 - Carnegie Hall and New York Philharmonic Announce Bernstein Festival in Fall 2008
CARNEGIE HALL AND NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC PRESENT
BERNSTEIN: THE BEST OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS
A CITY-WIDE FESTIVAL CELEBRATING LEONARD BERNSTEIN
September 24 to December 13, 2008
Festival Offers More Than 30 Events, Including
Concerts, Musical Theater, Film Screenings, and Panel Discussions,
Celebrating 90th Anniversary of Bernstein’s Birth and
50th Anniversary of Appointment as New York Philharmonic Music Director
Carnegie Hall Launches 2008–09 Season with All-Bernstein Opening Night Gala
Featuring Michael Tilson Thomas Leading the San Francisco Symphony
With Soloists Dawn Upshaw, Thomas Hampson, and Yo-Yo Ma
New York Philharmonic Honors Bernstein at Avery Fisher Hall in
Opening Weeks of the Season
Music Director Designate Alan Gilbert Leads New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall
Marking 65th Anniversary of Bernstein’s Historic Debut
Encores! Production of On The Town Produced by New York City Center
Programs Reflecting Bernstein’s Commitment to Education Reach Thousands of Young People With Carnegie Hall’s The Bernstein Mass Project Featuring Marin Alsop and the
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Performing with New York City Public School Students,
New York Philharmonic’s School Partnership Program, and other Concerts for Families
Leonard Bernstein: American Original, How a Modern Renaissance Man Transformed
Music and the World During his New York Philharmonic Years, 1943-1976
New Book Published by HarperCollins in August 2008 to Coincide with Festival
(NEW YORK)—Carnegie Hall and the New York Philharmonic today announced Bernstein: The Best of All Possible Worlds, a city-wide festival celebrating one of the most important international musicians of the 20th century and a quintessential New Yorker—Leonard Bernstein—in commemoration of the 90th anniversary of his birth and the 50th anniversary of his appointment as the Music Director of the New York Philharmonic.
Recognizing Bernstein’s many roles as performer, composer, educator, advocate, and idealist, this special festival, presented from September 24 to December 13, 2008, will feature more than 30 events at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, New York City Center, and venues throughout New York City. The celebration, reflecting Bernstein’s multi-faceted artistry and work in diverse musical genres, will include concerts, recitals, musical theater, lectures, and film screenings, as well as family and educational programming, illustrating the breadth of this legendary artist’s contributions to music history on both the American and international music scenes.
“All of us at Carnegie Hall are very proud to be presenting—jointly with his great orchestra, the New York Philharmonic—this special celebration of Leonard Bernstein," said Carnegie Hall's Executive and Artistic Director Clive Gillinson. "Lenny appeared on Carnegie Hall's stage more than 400 times in his career, with audiences experiencing his talents as performer, composer, and master educator. Well beyond our walls, he inspired an entire generation, bringing music to the center of people’s lives all around the world. A celebration of Lenny is a celebration of life and a celebration of music. His love of life and of music, allied to his insatiable curiosity, inspired everyone, informing our appreciation and understanding of music for a lifetime. We look forward to joining our partners in placing special focus on someone who was not only a remarkable artist and a great New Yorker, but also someone who truly belonged to the world. Lenny was music!"
“Leonard Bernstein’s New York Philharmonic legacy is like no other. From the moment of his legendary conducting debut in 1943 to his final concert, from the players on stage to adoring audiences in New York and around the world, Leonard Bernstein inspired nearly everyone he encountered,” said New York Philharmonic President and Executive Director Zarin Mehta. “Even today, Lenny’s legacy—as conductor, composer, and educator—continues to resonate throughout the New York Philharmonic. We look forward to celebrating Leonard Bernstein and his music with our partner, Carnegie Hall, and hope that all New Yorkers will join us.”
Bernstein: The Best of All Possible Worlds launches on September 24 with the 2008–09 season Opening Night Gala at Carnegie Hall featuring Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony. The orchestra will be joined by soloists Dawn Upshaw, Thomas Hampson, and Yo-Yo Ma in a program showcasing highlights from Bernstein’s operatic and musical theater works including selections from Fancy Free, A Quiet Place, On the Town, Wonderful Town, Candide, and West Side Story.
Marking the 50th anniversary of Bernstein’s appointment as Music Director, the New York Philharmonic will present three Avery Fisher Hall programs that showcase Bernstein’s three symphonies paired with works by fellow Philharmonic music directors and with other 20th-century American composers. Music Director Lorin Maazel will lead the Philharmonic in Bernstein’s Symphony No. 2, “The Age of Anxiety,” paired with works by Mahler, Boulez, and Maazel himself on September 25–27. David Robertson will conduct a program featuring Bernstein’s Symphony No. 1, “Jeremiah,” alongside works by Copland, Elliott Carter, and Christopher Rouse on October 30–November 1. On November 24, New York Philharmonic Music Director Designate Alan Gilbert will lead The Juilliard Orchestra in Bernstein’s Symphony No. 3, “Kaddish,” paired with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, “Eroica.” This final concert with The Juilliard Orchestra symbolizes not only Bernstein’s lifelong commitment to education, but also a new era in collaboration between The Juilliard School and the New York Philharmonic.
On November 14, 1943, Leonard Bernstein stepped onto the stage of Carnegie Hall for the first time, substituting at the last minute for the ailing Bruno Walter and making his historic New York Philharmonic debut in a performance that grabbed national attention. On November 14, 2008, the 65th anniversary of that special occasion will be celebrated at Carnegie Hall with an all-Bernstein program by the New York Philharmonic, led by Music Director Designate Alan Gilbert and featuring Bernstein’s music for the concert hall, theater, and film, including the two suites from West Side Story.
Among other exciting musical festival highlights are a semi-staged production of the Bernstein/Comden and Green musical, On The Town, as part of New York City Center’s Encores! series (November 19–23); performances of Bernstein’s Mass with Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (October 24–25); and a one-night-only concert with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra led by Gustavo Dudamel at Carnegie Hall (November 16).
A number of New York cultural partners will broaden the reach of the festival, presenting Bernstein-themed performances, film screenings, and panel discussions. Joining Carnegie Hall and the New York Philharmonic in these special festivities are Absolutely Live Entertainment, The Jewish Museum, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York City Center, and The Paley Center for Media.
Reflecting Bernstein’s legacy as an extraordinary educator and extending out to the community, a key component of the Bernstein: The Best of All Possible Worlds Festival will be The Bernstein Mass Project, an expansive education program for New York City public school students. Starting in spring 2008, New York City public school students will be engaged in a variety of educational initiatives created by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, exploring Bernstein’s Mass and its themes of faith, doubt, tolerance, and renewal of tradition. For the project’s grand finale in the fall, participating students will come together for two programs: the first on October 19, when original student compositions inspired by Bernstein’s Mass will be performed in Zankel Hall, and the second on October 25, when a massive choir of hundreds of young people will perform the Mass with Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the United Palace Theater in Upper Manhattan.
Leading off the 85th season of Young People’s Concerts, which Bernstein made famous with his television broadcasts, the October 18 concert, entitled Capitals of Music: Bernstein’s New York, celebrates New York and the music of Leonard Bernstein with daughter Jamie Bernstein as host and Delta David Gier conducting. The New York Philharmonic’s acclaimed School Partnership Program will bring the music and ideas of Leonard Bernstein into more than 20 partner elementary schools, involving 4,000 students. Throughout November and December, as part of a year-long curriculum, the Teaching Artists Ensemble of the Philharmonic will perform at least two dozen interactive in-school chamber concerts focusing on Bernstein. Twelve thousand students will hear Bernstein’s music with the full New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall at School Day Concerts in February.
As a prelude to the festival and in conjunction with the Bernstein anniversaries, HarperCollins Publishers will publish Leonard Bernstein: American Original, How a Modern Renaissance Man Transformed Music and the World During his New York Philharmonic Years, 1943–1976 in August 2008. The book, authored by Burton Bernstein and New York Philharmonic Archivist/Historian Barbara Haws, will examine some of Bernstein’s landmark achievements and activities, placing them in the broader cultural context of New York City from 1943 to 1976.
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Bernstein: The Best of All Possible Worlds celebrates a quintessential New Yorker and one of the most important musicians of the 20th century. Renowned nationally and internationally as a leading musical figure in his own lifetime, most notably as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic from 1958 to 1969 and Laureate Conductor from 1969 to 1990, Leonard Bernstein brought his own particular New World sensibility to classical music. Equally at home in a Broadway theater or concert hall, Bernstein’s enthusiasm for and understanding of music extended far beyond the classical realm into jazz, world music, American song, and 1960s pop and rock. His charismatic personality and remarkable communication skills through both words and music made him a natural ambassador for music as well as an international celebrity. Through television, Bernstein influenced millions of viewers, sparking excitement and love for classical music that remains with them to this day. With this festival, Carnegie Hall and the New York Philharmonic honor an extraordinary artist, revered as conductor, composer, educator, advocate, and media pioneer.
Festival events will include:
CONCERTS
Opening Night Gala of Carnegie Hall’s 118th Season
September 24 at 7:00 p.m., Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
Michael Tilson Thomas leads the San Francisco Symphony in a glittering Opening Night Gala launching Carnegie Hall’s 2008–09 season with soloists Dawn Upshaw, Thomas Hampson, and Yo-Yo Ma. The all-Bernstein program will focus on his works for the stage, from ballet to opera and musical theater, including Fancy Free Suite, Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, as well as selections from A Quiet Place, Mass, Songfest, Candide, Wonderful Town, and On The Town.
New York Philharmonic Performances at Avery Fisher Hall
September 25 at 7:30 p.m., September 26 at 8:00 p.m., and September 27 at 8:00 p.m.
Music Director Lorin Maazel leads the New York Philharmonic in a program of works composed by Philharmonic music directors. They include Bernstein’s Symphony No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra, “The Age of Anxiety,” with soloist Joyce Yang; Mahler’s Adagio from Symphony No. 10; Pierre Boulez’s Improvisation sur Mallarmé II from Pli Selon Pli; and Lorin Maazel’s own Music for Flute and Orchestra, featuring New York Philharmonic Principal Flute Robert Langevin.
October 30 at 7:30 p.m., October 31 at 8:00 p.m., and November 1 at 8:00 p.m.
Conductor David Robertson leads the New York Philharmonic in performances of works by 20th-century American composers: Bernstein’s Symphony No. 1, “Jeremiah”; Carter’s Of Rewaking with mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung; Copland’s Appalachian Spring; and Christopher Rouse’s Rapture.
The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall: The Bernstein Songbook
October 17 at 8:00 p.m., Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
Leonard Bernstein’s best-loved songs as performed by The New York Pops with conductor Constantine Kitsopoulos and soprano soloist Christiane Noll.
Standard Time with Michael Feinstein at Carnegie Hall
October 22 at 7:30 p.m., Zankel Hall
One of the premier interpreters of American song, vocalist/pianist Michael Feinstein explores Bernstein’s song output in an intimate program in Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall.
Bernstein’s Mass at Carnegie Hall
October 24 at 8:00 p.m., Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
Marin Alsop—a Bernstein protégé—leads the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Morgan State University Choir, and Brooklyn Youth Chorus in Bernstein’s 1971 dramatic Mass: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers, presented with stage direction by James Robinson. Additional performers for this program are to be announced. This program by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will be repeated on October 25 at the United Palace Theater in Washington Heights as part of an expansive education program with New York City public schools.
New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall
November 14 at 8:00 p.m., Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
The New York Philharmonic and Carnegie Hall mark the 65th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s legendary Philharmonic debut with an all-Bernstein program highlighting his music for the concert hall, theater, and film. Music Director Designate Alan Gilbert conducts the one-night-only special concert to include the Symphonic Suite from On The Waterfront, Serenade, and Suite Nos. 1 and 2 from West Side Story. Soloists include New York Philharmonic Concertmaster Glenn Dicterow, soprano Ana María Martínez, and tenor Paul Groves. On November 14, 1943, Bernstein made front page news, garnering national attention when he substituted at the last moment for an ailing Bruno Walter to conduct the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall. The performance—both his debut with the Philharmonic and the first of over 400 performances to come at Carnegie Hall—is widely hailed as his breakthrough, launching a relationship with the Philharmonic that would last throughout his lifetime.
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at Carnegie Hall
November 16 at 2:00 p.m., Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
Gustavo Dudamel leads the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Bernstein’s Halil (with flutist Eyal Ein-Habar) and Concerto for Orchestra, “Jubilee Games,” both written for the Israel Philharmonic, with which Bernstein had a long relationship and which gave him the title Laureate Conductor in 1988. The program also includes Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, a Bernstein favorite.
New York Philharmonic Presents The Juilliard Orchestra
November 24 at 7:30 p.m., Avery Fisher Hall
New York Philharmonic Music Director Designate Alan Gilbert leads The Juilliard Orchestra in Bernstein’s Symphony No. 3, “Kaddish,” and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, “Eroica”. Soloist and chorus are to be announced. The concert partnership celebrates Bernstein’s lifelong commitment to education, as well as a new era in collaboration between The Juilliard School and the New York Philharmonic.
Bill Charlap Trio at Carnegie Hall
December 10 at 8:30 p.m., Zankel Hall
The Bill Charlap Trio—pianist Bill Charlap, drummer Kenny Washington, and bassist Peter Washington—present Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein, a special jazz tribute. This performance is presented by Carnegie Hall in partnership with Absolutely Live Entertainment LLC.
Arias, Barcarolles, A Sonata, and Riffs at Carnegie Hall
December 13 at 7:30 p.m., Zankel Hall
A unique program of Bernstein chamber music and songs marks the conclusion of Bernstein festival programming. Program will include Bernstein’s Sonata for Clarinet and Piano; Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs; Arias and Barcarolles; a selection of songs; and Copland’s El salón Mexico as arranged by Bernstein. The evening’s artist roster will feature conductor and pianist Robert Spano, mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, baritone Rod Gilfry, clarinetist Ricardo Morales, pianist Jeremy Denk, and members of the Brooklyn Philharmonic.
MUSICAL THEATER
New York City Center Encores! Presents Bernstein’s On The Town
Six Performances, November 19–23, New York City Center, W. 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues
Reflecting Bernstein’s great contribution to American musical theater, New York City Center presents a semi-staged production of Bernstein’s breakthrough 1944 musical On The Town with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Several popular and classic songs emerged from the musical, including “New York, New York,” “Lonely Town,” “I Can Cook Too,” and “Some Other Time.”
FILM SCREENINGS
The Joy of Music: Leonard Bernstein on Film
October 15–November 1, Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center
The unique artistry and communicative power of Leonard Bernstein was frequently captured in a wide variety of contexts on film and television. As an unmatched music educator, conductor, and composer, Bernstein used the emerging film and television technologies of his time to share his passion for music with millions of people worldwide. This series of films and television shows, first viewed between 1954 and 1993, includes performances from around the world, archival footage featuring rare interviews, and biographical documentaries. Detailed schedule is to be announced.
Presented by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in association with the New York Philharmonic, Classifilms, and the Film Society of Lincoln Center.
Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note
October 16 at 6:30 p.m., The Jewish Museum, 5th Avenue at 92nd Street
This Emmy Award-winning American Masters documentary incorporates personal materials, historical footage, and interviews to portray Bernstein’s life as well as the broader context of his time. The film includes interviews with family members and noted collaborators such as Jerome Robbins, Isaac Stern, and Stephen Sondheim. Susan Lacy, Series Creator and Executive Producer of the American Masters series and director, writer, and producer of this documentary, will introduce the screening.
Bernstein’s Broadway
November 8–23, The Paley Center for Media, 25 W. 52nd Street
The Paley Center for Media (formerly The Museum of Television and Radio) will screen several television adaptations of Leonard Bernstein’s musical theater work, including some programs never seen before in the United States. Schedule and line-up to be confirmed in spring 2008.
PANEL DISCUSSIONS AND LECTURES
Leonard Bernstein: A Jewish Legacy—Performance/Demonstration
October 23 at 7:30 p.m., The Jewish Museum, 5th Avenue at 92nd Street
The psalmist rejoices: “All my bones shall exult in the Creator!” These words were an article of faith with which Bernstein lived his life as a conductor and composer. This performance/demonstration offers a selection of mostly unknown works by Bernstein—songs and choral and piano works on Jewish themes—as well as some of his celebrated pieces heard in a new light.
Discovery Day: Leonard Bernstein
November 15 at 12:30 p.m., Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall
Bernstein as media innovator. Bernstein as social activist. Bernstein as New Yorker. In this Discovery Day, a Sound Insights presentation by The Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall, all these subjects and more will be explored through a series of panel discussions and multimedia presentations. Joining moderator Barbara Haws, Archivist/Historian of the New York Philharmonic and co-author of Leonard Bernstein: American Original (HarperCollins, 2008), will be a panel of eminent figures sharing their reminiscences and thoughts on this fascinating figure.
Seminar: Bernstein’s Broadway
November 17 at 6:00 p.m., The Paley Center for Media, 25 W. 52nd Street
An examination of Leonard Bernstein’s Broadway legacy, including excerpts from On The Town, Wonderful Town, Candide, West Side Story, and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Director Rick McKay (Broadway: The Golden Age) moderates a conversation with some of Bernstein’s chief collaborators in a program that will feature archival footage from the Paley Center collection.
EDUCATION AND FAMILY CONCERTS
New York Philharmonic Young People’s Concert
October 18 at 2:00 p.m., Avery Fisher Hall
Leading off the 85th season of Young People’s Concerts, which Bernstein made famous with his television broadcasts, this concert, entitled Capitals of Music: Bernstein’s New York, celebrates New York and the music of Leonard Bernstein. Jamie Bernstein hosts and Delta David Gier conducts.
The Bernstein Mass Project: A Choral Exploration
October 19 at 3:00 p.m., Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall
The original choral anthems heard on this free program will be inspired by Bernstein’s Mass and composed and performed by New York City middle and high school students. Their performance will also include specially selected repertoire, including excerpts from the Mass. This event is a program of The Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall.
The Bernstein Mass Project
October 25 at 3:00 p.m., The United Palace Theater, 4140 Broadway
Marin Alsop leads the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in Bernstein’s 1971 dramatic Mass: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers. In the months leading up to this performance, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, working with consultant Thomas Cabaniss, will create a variety of educational initiatives in New York City public schools that examine the themes of faith, doubt, tolerance, and the renewal of tradition. These projects will culminate in this performance of Bernstein’s Mass, in which a massive choir of hundreds of young people will have the opportunity of working with a professional orchestra, conductor, choirs, and soloists. Students will participate in a range of projects, including learning excerpts from Mass and creating their own songs that explore the themes of Bernstein’s work.
Carnegie Hall Family Concert: The Bernstein Beat
November 1 at 2:00 p.m., Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
Jamie Bernstein narrates this concert for families and young people with music performed by conductor Michael Barrett and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Modeled after the Young People’s Concerts that were presented in the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s by Jamie’s father with the New York Philharmonic, The Bernstein Beat explores the catchy, complex rhythms in Leonard Bernstein’s music. This event is a program of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute.
NEW BOOK: LEONARD BERNSTEIN: AMERICAN ORIGINAL, How a Modern Renaissance Man Transformed Music and the World During his New York Philharmonic Years, 1943–1976
In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Bernstein’s appointment as the Philharmonic’s Music Director and the 90th anniversary of Bernstein’s birth, HarperCollins will publish Leonard Bernstein: American Original, How a Modern Renaissance Man Transformed Music and the World During his New York Philharmonic Years, 1943–1976 (Collins, 0061537861, on sale August 19, 2008, $29.95). The book, a visually rich look at his life, times, and orchestra, will feature more than 100 rare photographs, letters, and memorabilia from Bernstein’s life and career, and essays by leading authorities, including John Adams, Paul S. Boyer, Joseph Horowitz, James M. Keller, Bill McGlaughlin, Carol J. Oja, Tim Page, Alan Rich, and Jonathan Rosenberg, as well as reminiscences by Bernstein’s brother, Burton. The book, authored by Burton Bernstein and New York Philharmonic Archivist/Historian Barbara Haws, will examine some of Bernstein’s landmark achievements and activities, placing them in the broader cultural context of New York City from 1943 to 1976.
SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS
Throughout fall 2008, special exhibitions in Carnegie Hall’s Rose Museum and at Avery Fisher Hall will pay tribute to Leonard Bernstein, his contributions to music, and his artistic achievements as conductor, composer, educator, and media pioneer.
The Scores Behind the Music, an exhibit at Avery Fisher Hall curated by Philharmonic Archivist/Historian Barbara Haws and Charles Z. Bornstein, will focus on Bernstein’s score markings and what they reveal in such scores as Mahler’s Symphonies Nos. 6 and 9, as well as Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique.” Original scores as well as correspondence and memoranda will be featured.
An exhibit in Carnegie Hall's Rose Museum will highlight Bernstein's extraordinary career with material from the The Leonard Bernstein Collection at the Library of Congress and Carnegie Hall's own collections. The exhibit, curated by Carnegie Hall Archivist and Rose Museum Director Gino Francesconi, will feature programs, artifacts, photographs, correspondence, recordings, excerpts from the Young People's Concerts, the Harvard lectures, and original manuscripts from such works as Chichester Psalms, On the Town, Symphony No. 1, West Side Story, Mass, Fancy Free, Candide, and music from the film, On the Waterfront.
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Major funding to Carnegie Hall for Bernstein: The Best of All Possible Worlds has been provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, American Express, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Major funding to the New York Philharmonic for the Bernstein: The Best of All Possible Worlds has been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Credit Suisse is the Global Sponsor of the New York Philharmonic.
Programs of Carnegie Hall and the New York Philharmonic are supported, in part, by public funds from the City of New York: Office of the Mayor; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York City Council; and the New York State Council on the Arts.
Single tickets for Bernstein festival performances and events will go on sale in summer 2008. For ticket information and programming updates, please visit www.bernsteinfestival.org .
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For a complete press kit, please visit media.carnegiehall.org .
For high resolution images of featured artists, please contact the Carnegie Hall Public Affairs Office at 212-903-9750 or publicaffairs@carnegiehall.org .
For high resolution images of the New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein, or events at Avery Fisher Hall, please contact the New York Philharmonic Public Relations office at 212-875-5700 or PR@nyphil.org . Additional information available at www.nyphil.org/newsroom .
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