The New York Pops

Performers

• Rajaton, Guest Artists
• The New York Pops
  Steven Reineke, Music Director and Conductor

Program

• Program is approximately 1 hour, 50 minutes, including one intermission

Bios

• Rajaton
  
  The Finnish word rajaton translates as “boundless”—a word that accurately describes the way this six-voice a cappella ensemble approaches music. Regularly performing more than 100 concerts and workshops each year, Rajaton exposes audiences to the kind of diversity of repertoire, singing style, and stage presentation that has made it a phenomenon on the world stage.
  
  Performing at concert halls, churches, and jazz and choral festivals, this distinct group of musicians approaches all styles of music with the same level of commitment and integrity. In its native Finland, Rajaton is a bona fide pop phenomenon, successfully bridging the gap that often exists between classical and mainstream music. The group has released 10 albums, and in 2003, it rose to No. 2 on the Finnish charts with the album Joulu (Christmas). Building on the momentum of this mainstream success, in 2006 the group recorded Rajaton Sings ABBA with Lahti Symphony Orchestra, which topped the charts in Finland and went platinum in one month.
  
  Deeply connected to its Finnish heritage, the group returned to its choral and cultural roots in 2007 with the album Maa. Like most of its repertoire, the album featured original music written by members of the group. Immediately following its release, the album garnered awards for Top World/Folk Album as well as Top World/Folk Song of the Year by the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America, securing Rajaton’s place among the world’s leading a cappella ensembles.
  
  In 2010, Rajaton celebrates 13 years of music making, with one double-platinum, three platinum, and eight gold records in Finland to its credit. Rajaton’s latest gold-selling album is the compilation Best of Rajaton 1999–2009. Rajaton’s next album, Tarinoita, will be released this month.
  
  Always seeking new artistic challenges, the group has grown immeasurably through collaborations with other a cappella artists, including The King’s Singers and The Real Group, as well as through productions with film directors and choreographers. But it is perhaps its deep passion for choral art, generosity of spirit, and sheer enjoyment of singing that has won the hearts and acclaim of audiences and critics everywhere.

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• The New York Pops
  
  The New York Pops is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States and the only professional symphonic orchestra in New York City that specializes in popular music. Led by Music Director Steven Reineke, the orchestra performs an annual subscription series and birthday gala at Carnegie Hall, enjoying one of the highest subscription renewal rates of any series at Carnegie Hall. The New York Pops was founded by former NBC music director Skitch Henderson in 1983, with a mission to create greater public awareness and appreciation of America’s rich musical heritage through presentation of concerts and education programs of the highest quality.
  
  Along with performing at Carnegie Hall, The New York Pops tours throughout the world and gives free concerts in New York City parks. In 2010, the orchestra made its sixth annual appearance in the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular on NBC. Past media projects include producing a nationally syndicated radio series and performances on PBS. The orchestra’s extensive discography includes recordings of popular songs, film and theater music, and music for the holidays.
  
  The New York Pops’ extensive education programs allow public schoolchildren to participate in numerous concert and music-making experiences: Salute to Music offers free instrumental lessons to more than 100 New York City junior high school students each year; Kids in the Balcony provides over 1,000 free tickets to children to attend The New York Pops’ concerts at Carnegie Hall; other education programs such as Create a Symphony and Rhythm, Rhyme & Rap teach musical skills that include composition, instrument building, percussion performance, and literacy.
  
  A recipient of grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The New York Pops is a not-for-profit corporation supported solely through the generosity of individual donations, institutional grants, and concert income.
  
  
  Steven Reineke
  
  Steven Reineke’s limitless enthusiasm and exceptional artistry have made him one of the nation’s most sought-after pops conductors, composers, and arrangers. In 2010–2011, Mr. Reineke begins his second season as Music Director of The New York Pops. In addition to conducting the orchestra’s annual Carnegie Hall concert series, he leads concert tours, recordings, and nationwide telecasts, including the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular on NBC. In addition, Mr. Reineke serves as Principal Pops Conductor of the Long Beach and Modesto symphony orchestras and as Associate Conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, where for 15 years he served as a composer, arranger, and conducting protégé of the late celebrated pops conductor Erich Kunzel.
  
  Mr. Reineke’s recent engagements include appearances with the orchestras of Houston, Toronto, Detroit, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Vancouver, and Edmonton, as well as the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC. He made his Boston Pops and Philadelphia Orchestra debuts in 2009, and appeared twice with The Philadelphia Orchestra in 2010. He made his Hollywood Bowl debut in 2007 with the multi-faceted entertainer Wayne Brady, and returned to the Hollywood Bowl in 2008 to conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In addition, Mr. Reineke conducted, arranged, and orchestrated the music for Mr. Brady’s orchestral show, and played the same role in his collaboration with rock legend Peter Frampton.
  
  As the creator of more than 100 orchestral arrangements for the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Mr. Reineke’s arrangements have been performed worldwide, and can be heard on numerous Cincinnati Pops Orchestra recordings on the Telarc label. Mr. Reineke is also an established symphonic composer. His works Celebration Fanfare, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Casey at the Bat are performed frequently in North America, with recent performances by the New York and Los Angeles philharmonics. In August 2008, his Sun Valley Festival Fanfare debuted with the Sun Valley Summer Symphony to commemorate the opening of the orchestra’s new pavilion. In 2005, his Festival Te Deum and Swan’s Island Sojourn were performed, respectively, by the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. His numerous wind ensemble compositions are published by the C. L. Barnhouse Company, and are performed by concert bands around the world.
  
  A native of Ohio, Mr. Reineke is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio, where he earned Bachelor of Music degrees with honors in both trumpet performance and music composition. He currently resides in New York City.

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