FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE UPDATED September 29, 2016

September 19, 2016

Contact: Katherine E. Johnson

(212) 875-5718; johnsonk@nyphil.org

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC 2016–17 SEASON

CELEBRATING 175 YEARS IN NEW YORK

PHILHARMONIC LAUNCHES

THE NEW WORLD INITIATIVE SEASON-LONG, CITYWIDE IMMERSION IN

DVOŘÁK’S SYMPHONY NO. 9, FROM THE NEW WORLD

AND THEME OF “HOME”

OPENING GALA CONCERT, FEATURING NEW WORLD SYMPHONY,

TO BE BROADCAST LIVE ON FACEBOOK

September 21, 2016

70+ Music Ensembles From Throughout New York City Join The New World Initiative

Philharmonic To Invite Ensembles Participating in The New World Initiative to

Dress Rehearsal of Opening Gala Concert

Curriculum Developed for NYC Public Schools and Teacher Training

In Partnership with NYC Department of Education

The New York Philharmonic will present its first-ever live concert broadcast on Facebook with

the 2016–17 season Opening Gala Concert, Wednesday, September 21, 2016, launching its 175th

anniversary season and The New World Initiative, a season-long, citywide project revolving

around Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, From the New World, and its theme of “home.” Throughout

the 2016–17 season, The New World Initiative will explore the New World Symphony through

performances, community outreach, and education projects on the occasion of the

Philharmonic’s 175th anniversary season, honoring the Orchestra’s hometown and its role as an

adopted home for many.

The Opening Gala Concert, which features Dvořák’s New World Symphony, honors the

Philharmonic’s legacy of premiering important works, particularly music connected to New

York City, including the New York Premiere of John Corigliano’s STOMP for Orchestra, and

Gershwin’s Concerto in F with pianist Aaron Diehl in his Philharmonic debut. Hosted by

WQXR’s Terrance McKnight and directed by Habib Azar, the live online broadcast — available

at facebook.com/nyphilharmonic — will also feature live interviews with the evening’s artists.

The concert will be available for on-demand viewing on the Philharmonic’s website, YouTube,

and Facebook for 45 days.

Inspired by citywide book programs, The New World Initiative aims to give all New Yorkers the

opportunity to hear and creatively engage with Dvořák’s New World Symphony, understand its

significance, and appreciate its role within New York City’s cultural history. Dvořák wrote the

symphony, which features the Largo melody known as “Goin’ Home,” while he was living here in

New York City. The Philharmonic gave the World Premiere of the New World Symphony in

December 1893, marking the Orchestra’s first World Premiere of a work written in New York City

that would become part of the standard repertoire. The New World Initiative marks the first time in

Philharmonic history that it will use a single work as a thread for presenting ideas and events.

As part of The New World Initiative, the Philharmonic is inviting music ensembles from all over

New York City to join in by performing the symphony, selections from it, arrangements of it, or

reinterpretations of it during the 2016–17 season. More than 70 ensembles from every borough

have joined the initiative to date. Participating groups will be featured in detail on

newworldinitiative.com and receive benefits including access to arrangements, marked conducting

scores, and sheet music bowed by Philharmonic musicians and free access to Open Rehearsals

throughout the 2016–17 season. The Philharmonic will also invite all participating The New World

Initiative ensembles to the Opening Gala Concert dress rehearsal, September 21.

Additional performances, exhibits, community engagement, and education activities to take

place as part of The New World Initiative are outlined below.

“I can think of no better way for the New York Philharmonic to help mark its milestone 175th

anniversary than through The New World Initiative, which celebrates our connection to our great

home city, this iconic work, and its central theme of home,” said President Matthew VanBesien.

“In addition to season-spanning performances of a symphony that has long held a special place

for audiences around the world and in this Orchestra’s heart, we are proud to work with

collaborators across our hometown to engage with our community through performances,

education programs, and archival resources.”

“The New York Philharmonic is not only one of the world’s greatest performing ensembles, with

a history of working with the most important composers of every era, but also the hometown

orchestra of New York City, the nation’s cultural capital,” said Music Director Alan Gilbert.

“The New World Initiative celebrates both of these qualities by engaging in a musical dialogue

with our neighbors across the city through Dvořák’s New World Symphony, an iconic

masterpiece that has been identified with this Orchestra since it premiered it 123 years ago. This

project beautifully achieves one of my aspirations for the New York Philharmonic: to be not just

an orchestra that happens to be in New York, but an orchestra that is New York’s orchestra in a

very meaningful way.”

THE NEW WORLD INITIATIVE ACTIVITIES

New York Philharmonic Performances

The New York Philharmonic will perform the New World Symphony throughout the 2016–17

season, beginning with the Opening Gala Concert, September 21, 2016, when Music Director

Alan Gilbert leads a program honoring the Philharmonic’s legacy of premiering important

works, particularly music connected to New York City. The Opening Gala Concert performance

will mark the Philharmonic’s 370th performance of the work. The concert also includes the New

York Premiere of John Corigliano’s STOMP for Orchestra and Gershwin’s Concerto in F with

Aaron Diehl as soloist in his Philharmonic debut. The concert will be broadcast live on Facebook

Live.

Alan Gilbert and the Orchestra will also perform the New World Symphony on the opening

subscription programs September 22–24 and 27. The September 22–24 program also features

Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with Lisa Batiashvili as soloist; the September 27 program also

features Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto with Principal Clarinet Anthony McGill as soloist and John

Corigliano’s STOMP for Orchestra.

The Orchestra will perform the New World Symphony on the Young People’s Concert The

Ages of Music: “Romantic,” January 21, 2017, and on the Young People’s Concerts for

Schools, January 18–20, 2017, led by Assistant Conductor Joshua Gersen and hosted by Vice

President, Education, Theodore Wiprud.

Alan Gilbert and the Orchestra will conclude the 175th anniversary season by performing the

symphony on the free New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks, Presented by Didi and

Oscar Schafer in June 2017 (dates to be announced).

Community Engagement

The New York Philharmonic is inviting music ensembles from all over New York City to

participate in The New World Initiative by performing the symphony, selections from it,

arrangements of it, or reinterpretations of it. The Philharmonic has reached out to more than 700

ensembles — including amateur and professional ensembles and choruses, faith-based

ensembles, and school ensembles — but the project is open to all music ensembles in New York

City, with no selection criteria. More than 70 music groups from every borough have joined the

initiative thus far, including the All-City High School Orchestra, PUBLIQuartet, UN Symphony

Orchestra, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Bulgarian Children’s Chorus, and Camerata Notturna,

with more being added (see list below). Participating organizations will be represented in detail

on the online hub, newworldinitiative.com, featuring a season calendar of all participating

groups’ performances of the New World Symphony as well as other season performances, and

featuring submitted video or audio of the group’s performance of the New World Symphony.

Participating ensembles will also receive free access to the Opening Gala Concert dress rehearsal

and Open Rehearsals throughout the 2016–17 season; a traveling exhibit from the New York

Philharmonic Archives on the symphony’s 1893 premiere by the Philharmonic; and

arrangements, marked conducting scores, and sheet music bowed by Philharmonic musicians.

New York–based musicians and ensembles can sign up to join The New World Initiative at

newworldinitiative.com/participate.

Education Activities

In preparation for the Young People’s Concerts for Schools and to introduce the New World

Symphony to as many New York City classrooms as possible, the New York Philharmonic

Education department will develop a curriculum for New York City public schools,

grades 3–12, on the New World Symphony, exploring the work’s African American and Native

American musical influences, the controversy surrounding the establishment of an American

“voice” in music, and the theme of “home,” drawing in part on materials from the New York

Philharmonic Archives. In partnership with the New York City Department of Education, the

curriculum will be presented to more than 400 New York City public school music teachers at

the system-wide professional development day, November 8, 2016, in addition to other

professional development workshops. In partnership with the New-York Historical Society and

New York City Department of Education, a collaborative professional development day with

social studies and music teachers will focus on the New World Symphony and its American

historical context, October 27, 2016. In addition, original source packets of archival documents

will be offered to New York City school librarians throughout the city in both facsimile form and

through the New York Philharmonic Leon Levy Digital Archives, available free online.

In addition to performances of the New World Symphony on Young People’s Concerts, ten- to

twelve-year-olds in the New York Philharmonic Very Young Composers program will create

new music inspired by the New World Symphony and the theme of “home”; select works will be

performed by the full Philharmonic at the Young People’s Concerts and Young People’s

Concerts for Schools.

The New York Philharmonic has named Professor Michael Beckerman, author of Dvořák and

His World, The Leonard Bernstein Scholar-in-Residence at the New York Philharmonic for the

2016–17 season. Dr. Beckerman will be involved with public outreach and education programs

throughout the season and work with the Philharmonic Archives on projects related to Dvořák,

contributing further to The New World Initiative.

The New York Philharmonic will present the exhibit American Voices: Dvorak’s New World

Symphony, focusing on the work’s World Premiere, Dvořák’s relationship with the

Philharmonic, his legacy in the United States through his composition students, and the

controversial impact of the New World Symphony on the creation of an American musical style.

The exhibit will feature original material from the New York Philharmonic Archives, including

the Philharmonic’s manuscript parts; letters from Dvořák to conductor Anton Seidl, who led the

premiere, loaned by Columbia University’s Rare Book & Manuscript Library’s performing arts

collections; and the contract that brought Dvořák to the United States, on loan from the Dvořák

American Heritage Association. The exhibit will be on display September 21–October 29 in the

Bruno Walter Gallery on David Geffen Hall’s Grand Promenade. Visitors can interact with the

exhibit materials and more through MagicBox, a new multimedia exhibit case built by Content

Conversion Specialists that enables viewers to flip through pages of the manuscript score and

parts, zoom in on images, listen to excerpts of the first recordings of the symphony, and read

reviews from the premiere. MagicBox will be on display September 21–December 30 on the

Grand Promenade. The exhibit and MagicBox will be available to all Philharmonic ticketholders.

For details and updates visit newworldinitiative.com.

* * *

BMW is a Major Corporate Sponsor of the Opening Gala.

Generous underwriting support is provided by BNY Mellon, Kristen and Alexander Klabin,

Agnes Hsu-Tang and Oscar L. Tang, and Daria L. and Eric J. Wallach.

This concert is made possible with generous support from the Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts.

* * *

Very Young Composers is sponsored, in part, by The Susan and Elihu Rose Foundation, Inc.,

Muna and Basem Hishmeh, Mr. and Mrs. A. Slade Mills, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Stephen D.

Solender, and The ASCAP Foundation Irving Caesar Fund.

* * *

Support for Young People’s Concerts is provided by The Theodore H. Barth Foundation.

* * *

Young People’s Concerts for Schools are made possible with support from the Carson Family

Charitable Trust and the Mary and James G. Wallach Family Foundation.

Additional support is provided by Evalyn E. and Stephen E. Milman, Tiger Baron

Foundation, Muna and Basem Hishmeh, and the Mary P. Oenslager Student Concert

Endowment Fund. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City

Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. New York Philharmonic

Teaching Artist positions are funded by The Susan W. Rose Fund for Teaching Artists.

* * *

Citi. Preferred Card of the New York Philharmonic.

* * *

Emirates is the Official Airline of the New York Philharmonic.

* * *

Programs are supported, in part, by public funds from New York City Department of Cultural

Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the

New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the

New York State Legislature.

Tickets

Single tickets for the Opening Gala Concert start at $79. Single tickets for the September 22–24

program start at $31. Single tickets for the September 27 performance start at $44. Individual

tickets for the Young People’s Concerts are $14 to $41. All tickets include admission to YPC

Overtures. Tickets are available online at nyphil.org or by calling (212) 875-5656, 10:00 a.m. to

6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday; 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 5:00 p.m.

Sunday. The Box Office opens at 10:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and at noon on Sunday.

On performance evenings, the Box Office closes one-half hour after performance time; other

evenings it closes at 6:00 p.m. To determine ticket availability, call the Philharmonic’s Customer

Relations Department at (212) 875-5656. (Ticket prices subject to change.)

For press tickets, call Lanore Carr at the New York Philharmonic at (212) 875-5714, or e-mail

her at carrl@nyphil.org.

For more information about the Opening Gala, which includes a pre-concert champagne

reception, concert, and post-concert dinner, please call the Office of Special Events at (212)

875-5755, or email specialevents@nyphil.org.

The New World Initiative

New York Philharmonic Performances

Opening Gala Concert of the New York Philharmonic’s 2016–17 Season

David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center

Wednesday, September 21, 2016, 7:30 p.m.

Concert will be broadcast live at facebook.com/nyphilharmonic

On-demand for 45 days at nyphil.org, youtube.com/newyorkphilharmonic, and

facebook.com/nyphilharmonic

Alan Gilbert, conductor

Aaron Diehl*, piano

John CORIGLIANO STOMP for Orchestra (New York Premiere)

GERSHWIN Concerto in F

DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9, From the New World

New York Philharmonic

David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center

Thursday, September 22, 2016, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, September 23, 2016, 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 24, 2016, 8:00 p.m.

Alan Gilbert, conductor

Lisa Batiashvili, violin

TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto

DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9, From the New World

New York Philharmonic

David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center

Tuesday, September 27, 2016, 7:30 p.m.

Alan Gilbert, conductor

Anthony McGill, clarinet

John CORIGLIANO STOMP for Orchestra

MOZART Clarinet Concerto

DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9, From the New World

* New York Philharmonic debut

Young People’s Concerts for Schools

David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center

Antonín Dvořák’s New World Symphony — In Search of an American Voice

Wednesday, January 18, 2017, 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. (Middle and High Schools)

Thursday, January 19, 2017, 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. (Elementary Schools)

Friday, January 20, 2017, 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. (Elementary Schools)

Joshua Gersen, conductor

Theodore Wiprud, host

Program to include:

DVOŘÁK Selections from Symphony No. 9, From the New World

Works by Very Young Composers

Young People’s Concert

David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center

The Ages of Music: “Romantic”

Saturday, January 21, 2017, 2:00 p.m.

Joshua Gersen, conductor

Theodore Wiprud, host

Program to include:

DVOŘÁK Selections from Symphony No. 9, From the New World

Works by Very Young Composers

2017 New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks, Presented by Didi and Oscar Schafer

June 2017 (dates tba)

Alan Gilbert, conductor

Program to include:

DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9, From the New World

New York–Area Music Ensembles Participating in The New World Initiative

Accord Treble Choir

ALBA Consort

All-City High School Orchestra

Astoria Symphony Orchestra

Berkeley Carroll School

Bethany Baptist Church

BombaYo

Borough of Manhattan Community College

Downtown Chorus

The Broadway Bach Ensemble

Brooklyn Conservatory Chorale

Brooklyn Conservatory Community

Orchestra

Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir

Brown Rice Family

Bulgarian Children’s Chorus

The Calhoun School

Camerata Notturna

Canterbury Choral Society

The Canticum Novum Singers

The Chamberlain Brass

The Chelsea Symphony

The Choral Society of Grace Church

The Church of the Transfiguration — Choir

of Men and Boys

Classical Musicians’ Rehearsal Symphony

Orchestra

The Colonials

Diderot String Quartet

Double Entendre Music Ensemble

The Ebony Hillbillies

Emmanuel Baptist Church — Total Praise

Ensemble Leonarda

Florilegium Chamber Choir

Fox Meadow Elementary Strings

Gateway Classical Music Society

Gimagua

Greenwich Village Chamber Singers

Greenwich Village Orchestra

The Harlem Chamber Players

Harmony Program

Heathcote Elementary Strings

International Chamber Orchestra of America

LehCats

Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps

Melodia Women’s Choir

Musica Viva NY

Natalia ‘Saw Lady’ Paruz

New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra

New York City Master Chorale

New York Repertory Orchestra

New York Virtuosi

The New York Virtuoso Singers

One World Symphony

Opus 118 Harlem Youth Chorus

Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble

Park Avenue Chamber Symphony

PUBLIQuartet

The Queen’s Cartoonists

The Riverside Church Inspirational Choir

The Riverside Orchestra

The Side Project

Sirius Quartet

Street Beat Brass Band

String Orchestra of Brooklyn

The SymphoNYChorus

Tribattery Pops

Underground Horns

UN Symphony Orchestra

Utopia Winds

Voices of Gotham

Voyces

Washington Square Winds

Women’s Ensemble — Young New

Yorker’s Chorus

Yaz Band

Young New Yorker’s Chorus

Young Voyces

Zulal

# # #

ALL PROGRAMS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

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