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  This spring, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute (WMI) continues to bring unique and compelling performances to community venues throughout the five boroughs of New York City with its FREENeighborhood Concert Series, now celebrating its 35th anniversary. Performances are given by top artists across multiple genres including classical, jazz, world, and bluegrass music. In addition, WMI presents a number of family-friendly programs in community venues in The McGraw-Hill Companies CarnegieKids series.

For a complete schedule of Neighborhood Concerts throughout the season, please visit: carnegiehall.org/neighborhoodconcerts.

JapanNYC Neighborhood Concerts
Carnegie Hall’s citywide festival JapanNYC returns this spring with more than 40 events, including four free Neighborhood Concerts. JapanNYC invites audiences to explore the incredible diversity of Japanese arts and culture with performances and events at Carnegie Hall and New York City partner venues. The festival explores the world of Japan today, where artists embrace their country’s unique aesthetic sensibilities while continually revitalizing its cultural landscape. Led by famed conductor Seiji Ozawa as Artistic Director, JapanNYC celebrates a country that values its long-standing cultural heritage while also embracing and transforming Western art forms, in a spirit that very much looks ahead.

Yutaka Oyama and Masahiro Nitta; Saturday, March 26 at 3:00 p.m.; Abrons Arts Center (Lower East Side, Manhattan)—Performing on the Tsugaru shamisen, a banjolike instrument from northern Japan, Oyama and Nitta bring a modern sensibility to an ancient, highly percussive folk music. Oyama and Nitta present a program featuring traditional music from Northern and Southern Japan, the elaborate and animated folk “Japanese bluegrass” songs of Tsugaru, as well as original music by the duo. Click here to see a video sample of the duo.

Soh Daiko; Sunday, March 27 at 2:00 p.m.; Brooklyn Center for Performing Arts and Saturday, April 9 at 8:00 p.m.; Lehman Stages at Lehman College (Bronx)—Performing in two Neighborhood Concerts, the taiko drummers of Soh Daiko present a varied repertoire deriving from Shinto music traditions, as well as adaptions of existing taiko compositions and original compositions/arrangements by ensemble members. In addition to drums, the group uses instruments such as the bamboo flute, brass bells, conch shells, and gongs. Much more than just percussion, Soh Daiko’s presentation also features movement and choreography, requiring the physical strength, endurance, and energy that makes taiko such an exciting performance experience.

Line C3 Percussion Group; Saturday, April 2 at 8:00 p.m.; LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (Queens)—This entertaining group plays virtuosic percussion music with unbelievable skill and an enthusiasm that’s infectious. On this concert, part of Carnegie Hall’s JapanNYC festival, Line C3 performs works by Michio Kitazume, Toru Takemitsu, Hiroya Miura—all composers from Tokyo—as well as music by New York composer Nico Muhly, whose music is influenced by Japanese culture.


The McGraw-Hill Companies CarnegieKids
WMI’s family-friendly program continues to be presented in local venues with performances by children’s favorites Hot Peas ‘N Butter and The Itty Biddies. These free, interactive, 45-minute concerts are fun for the whole family, but especially appropriate for children ages three to six and feature songs, movement, and instrument demonstrations and create opportunities for musical creativity and play.

The McGraw-Hill Companies CarnegieKids presents: The Itty Biddies; Saturday, March 5 at 2:00 p.m.; Snug Harbor Cultural Center (Staten Island)—The Itty Biddies' genre-defying sound has earned the group an avid following. Their interactive, energetic show takes children on a musical journey around the US and beyond through song and storytelling. The audience will dance at a hoedown, soar over imaginary rivers, and play instruments they didn’t know they had. The Itty Biddies' show is a joyful celebration for all, including parents and teachers!

The McGraw-Hill Companies CarnegieKids presents: Hot Peas ‘N Butter; Saturday, March 19 at 3:00 p.m.; Hostos Community College (Bronx)—Hot Peas 'N Butter is a unique children’s musical group that melds elements of traditional Latin and Afro-Caribbean music with jazz, folk, and rock styles. By approaching multicultural music performance with an invigorating, interactive style, Hot Peas 'N Butter inspires creativity in kids and adults alike.

For a complete schedule of CarnegieKids concerts throughout the season, please visit: carnegiehall.org/carnegiekids.


Additional Spring Highlights, Carnegie Hall’s Neighborhood Concert Series
Manhattan Brass Quintet; Friday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m.; The Performance Project @ University Settlement (Lower East Side, Manhattan)—Chosen as a Critic’s Pick by Time Out New York, the award-winning Manhattan Brass Quintet is best known for its innovative programming, dynamic performances, eye-opening repertoire, and commitment to educating audiences of all ages about live music and the brass idiom. Currently in its 18th season, the ensemble is an amalgam of individual virtuoso musicians, each bringing to the table a unique experience and vision. Comfortable in every genre from Renaissance music to jazz, the quintet is intent on taking brass ensemble playing to a new level and bringing its audience along for the ride.

Regina Carter’s Reverse Thread Sunday, March 13 at 3:00 p.m.; Brooklyn Museum—Reverse Thread is a reflection of Carter’s new approach to world music. After receiving the 2006 MacArthur Fellowship grant, this windfall of generous funding went towards supporting her research of African music traditions. Carter’s extensive studies and adventurous musical sensibilities have resulted in the combination of the violin with the majestic kora, the 21-stringed African instrument; these two instruments are joined by the more standard accordion, guitar, bass, and drums.

Chris Washburne and the SYOTOS Band; Saturday, March 19 at 4:00 p.m.; El Museo del Barrio (Harlem, Manhattan)—Chris Washburne and the SYOTOS Band push the boundaries of Latin jazz, embracing dissonance and fusing contemporary up-tempo beats with a driving sound. Time Out New York has called them a “Latin jazz institution.” Holding the longest running Latin jazz gig in New York City’s history, SYOTOS carries an impressive legacy with former musicians of the Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri bands. The group’s most recent album Field of Moons was released in 2010 on the Jazzheads Records label.

The Parker Quartet; Sunday, April 3 at 2:00 p.m.; Flushing Town Hall (Queens)—The Parker Quartet, which is celebrating its recent Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance, began its professional touring career in 2002 and in 2005 sparked international acclaim by winning the Concert Artists Guild Competition as well as the Grand Prix and Mozart Prize at the 2005 Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition in France. Most recently, the quartet was awarded the prestigious 2009–2011 Cleveland Quartet Award. Hailed by The New York Times as “something extraordinary” and by The Boston Globe for their “fiercely committed performances,” The Parker Quartet has rapidly distinguished itself as one of the preeminent ensembles of its generation.

New York Arabic Orchestra featuring Bassam Saba; Tuesday, April 12 at 7:00 p.m.; The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (Manhattan)—Carnegie Hall presents the New York Arabic Orchestra as part of Muslim World Music Day—a worldwide, one-day event organized by The Archive of Contemporary Music and Columbia University. This event has two focuses: a live online effort to identify and catalog 50,000 recordings of Muslim music and a series of live concerts around the world to celebrate the diversity, beauty and cultural importance of Muslim music. Bassam Saba and his orchestra will perform innovative interpretations of pieces from the classical Arabic repertoire, works by distinguished modern composers such as Marcel Khalifeh, and original music written by founder and conductor Bassam Saba whose music brings a new distinctive voice to Arabic music.

Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile; Sunday, May 1 at 2:00 p.m.; Snug Harbor Cultural Center (Staten Island)—The Punch Brothers are a bluegrass band consisting of Chris Thile (mandolin), Gabe Witcher (fiddle), Noam Pikelny (banjo), Chris Eldridge (guitar), and Paul Kowert (bass). A frequent performer at Carnegie Hall, Thile has been noted for introducing bluegrass instrumentation and spontaneity into the structures of modern classical music.

Celso Duarte Ensemble; Thursday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m.; Jamaica Performing Arts Center (Queens)—Celso Duarte is a virtuoso of Paraguayan harp and Mexican jarocho harp, an arranger, singer, and multi-talented instrumentalist. Duarte has performed and recorded with Lila Downs since 1998 and has also accompanied and collaborated with other artists, including Susana Baca, Celso Piña, Placido Domingo, Mariza, Ramón Vargas, Julieta Venegas, Wynton Marsalis, The Chieftains, and Ry Cooder. As a solo artist, he has performed with his band at Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Joe's Pub, and other historic venues. His first solo album, De Sur a Sur (From South to South), was released in 2006.

Charlie Porter Jazz Quartet; Sunday, May 15 at 3:00 p.m.; Abrons Arts Center (Lower East Side, Manhattan)—Charlie Porter recently released his first album as a band leader, entitled Initiation and featuring the quartet playing all original compositions by Porter. The personnel on the recording includes Adam Birnbaum on piano, Scott Ritchie on bass, and Jon Wikan on drums. They recorded the album just before departing for a recent tour of South Asia, where they played in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Dhaka, and Turkey.

ETHEL; Tuesday, June 21 at 6:30 p.m.; Abrons Arts Center (Lower East Side, Manhattan)—As part of the annual music festival Make Music New York, the string quartet ETHEL offers a program centered around John Cage’s seminal 4’33”. ETHEL is known for performing original music as well as works by notable contemporary composers such as Julia Wolfe, John Zorn, Don Byron, Marcelo Zarvos, Pamela Z, Phil Kline, John King, and many more. The group has also collaborated with rock artists Joe Jackson and Todd Rundgren, which included an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

The Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall
The Weill Music Institute creates broad-reaching music education and community programs that play a central role in Carnegie Hall’s commitment to making great music accessible to as wide an audience as possible. Woven into the fabric of the Carnegie Hall concert season, these programs occur at Carnegie Hall as well as in schools and throughout neighborhoods, providing musical opportunities for everyone, from preschoolers to adults, new listeners to emerging professionals. With access to the world’s greatest artists and latest technologies, the Weill Music Institute is uniquely positioned to inspire the next generation of music lovers, to nurture tomorrow’s musical talent, and to shape the evolution of musical learning itself. The Weill Music Institute’s school and community programs annually serve over 170,000 children, students, teachers, parents, young music professionals, and adults in the New York metropolitan area and across the US, with more than an additional 100,000 people taking advantage of WMI’s online music education resources.


Program Information
All events are free. Please contact the performance venue for specific reservation information.

Saturday, March 5 at 2:00 p.m.
THE MCGRAW-HILL COMPANIES CARNEGIEKIDS: THE ITTY BIDDIES
Snug Harbor Cultural Center
Veterans Memorial Hall
1000 Richmond Terrace
Staten Island, NY 10301
(718) 815-SNUG (7684)

The McGraw-Hill Companies is proud to sponsor CarnegieKids.

CarnegieKids is supported, in part, by a generous endowment gift from Linda and Earle S. Altman.
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Friday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: MANHATTAN BRASS QUINTET
The Performance Project @ University Settlement
184 Eldridge Street
New York, NY 10002
(212) 453-4532

The Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series is sponsored by Target®.
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Sunday, March 13 at 3:00 p.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: REGINA CARTER’S REVERSE THREAD
Brooklyn Museum
200 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 638-5000

The Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series is sponsored by Target®.
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Saturday, March 19 at 3:00 p.m.
THE MCGRAW-HILL COMPANIES CARNEGIEKIDS: HOT PEAS 'N BUTTER
Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture
Hostos Community College
450 Grand Concourse at 149th Street
Bronx, NY 10451
RSVP: (718) 518-4455

The McGraw-Hill Companies is proud to sponsor CarnegieKids.

CarnegieKids is supported, in part, by a generous endowment gift from Linda and Earle S. Altman.
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Saturday, March 19 at 4:00 p.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: CHRIS WASHBURNE AND THE SYOTOS BAND
El Museo del Barrio
1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street
New York, NY 10029
RSVP Online at elmuseo.org

The Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series is sponsored by Target®.
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Thursday, March 24, at 10:00 a.m & 11:30 a.m.
THE MCGRAW-HILL COMPANIES CARNEGIEKIDS: THE ITTY BIDDIES
LaGuardia Performing Arts Center
The Main Theater
31-10 Thomson Avenue
Long Island City, Queens, NY 11101

This event is at capacity. Please contact LaGuardia Performing Arts Center to inquire about a waiting list in the case of cancellations at (718) 482-5151.

The McGraw-Hill Companies is proud to sponsor CarnegieKids.

CarnegieKids is supported, in part, by a generous endowment gift from Linda and Earle S. Altman.
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Saturday, March 26 at 3:00 p.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: YUTAKA OYAMA AND MASAHIRO NITTA
Abrons Arts Center
The Playhouse
466 Grand Street
New York, NY 10002
(212) 598-0400

This event is part of JapanNYC.

The Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series is sponsored by Target®.
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Sunday, March 27 at 2:00 p.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: SOH DAIKO
Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts
The Walt Whitman Theatre
2900 Campus Road and Hillel Place
Brooklyn, NY 11210
Free tickets required (718) 951-4500

This event is part of JapanNYC.

The Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series is sponsored by Target®.
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Saturday, April 2 at 8:00 p.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: LINE C3 PERCUSSION GROUP
LaGuardia Performing Arts Center
LaGuardia Community College
The Little Theatre
31-10 Thomson Avenue
Long Island City, NY 11101
RSVP: (718) 482-5151

MICHIO KITAZUME Side by Side
CHRIS THOMPSON Famicom
AKEMI NAITO Sanctuary
HIROYA MIURA Percussion Quartet
TORU TAKEMITSU Seasons
TORU TAKEMITSU Cross Hatch
TORU TAKEMITSU Rain Tree
NICO MUHLY Fast Music with Folk Songs

This event is part of JapanNYC.

The Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series is sponsored by Target®.
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Sunday, April 3 at 2:00 p.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: THE PARKER QUARTET
Flushing Town Hall
137-35 Northern Blvd. (at the corner of Linden Place)
Flushing, NY 11354
(718) 463-7700 x222

JOSEPH HAYDN String Quartet in C Major, Op. 74, No. 1
GYÖRGY KURTÁG Hommage à Mihály András, Op. 13 (12 Microludes)
JOHANNES BRAHMS String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 51, No. 2

The Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series is sponsored by Target®.
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Saturday, April 9 at 8:00 p.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: SOH DAIKO
Lehman Stages at Lehman College
The Lovinger Theatre
250 Bedford Park Boulevard West
Bronx, NY 10468
RSVP (718) 960-8025

This event is part of JapanNYC.

The Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series is sponsored by Target®.
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Tuesday, April 12 at 7:00 p.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: NEW YORK ARABIC ORCHESTRA, FEATURING BASSAM SABA
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Boulevard
New York, NY 10037
RSVP: (212) 491-2040

The Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series is sponsored by Target®.
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Sunday, May 1 at 2:00 p.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: PUNCH BROTHERS FEATURING CHRIS THILE
Snug Harbor Cultural Center
Outdoor South Meadow Stage
1000 Richmond Terrace
Staten Island, NY 10301
(718) 815-SNUG (7684)

The Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series is sponsored by Target®.
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Thursday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: CELSO DUARTE ENSEMBLE
Jamaica Performing Arts Center
153-10 Jamaica Ave.
Jamaica, NY 11432
(718) 658-7400 ext. 123

The Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series is sponsored by Target®.
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Sunday, May 15 at 3:00 p.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: CHARLIE PORTER JAZZ QUARTET
Abrons Arts Center
The Playhouse
466 Grand Street
New York, NY 10002
(212) 598-0400

The Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series is sponsored by Target®.
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Tuesday, June 21 at 6:30 p.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT: ETHEL
Abrons Arts Center
Outdoor Amphitheater
466 Grand Street
New York, NY 10002
(212) 598-0400

This concert is part of the citywide music festival Make Music New York.

The Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series is sponsored by Target®.
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JapanNYC Lead Sponsors are Epson Corporation; Mizuho Securities USA Inc.; Nomura Holding America Inc. and Nomura America Foundation; Kotaro ONO, The Chairman of The ONO Group; ROHM Co., Ltd. and Rohm Music Foundation; Sony Corporation; and Yoko Nagae Ceschina.

Supporting Sponsors are Deloitte LLP; Mitsubishi International Corporation; Suntory Holdings Limited and Suntory Hall; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited; Toshiba Corporation; and Toyota.

With additional funding from Aladdin Capital Holdings LLC; Asian Cultural Council; The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd.; GWFF USA Inc.; ITOCHU International Inc.; J.C.C. Fund of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York; Kawasaki Good Times Foundation; The NY Mets Foundation; Nihon Unisys, Ltd.; Nippon Express Foundation, Inc.; Nippon Life Insurance Company; Hiroko Onoyama and Ken Sugawara; Seiko Instruments Inc.; Subaru of America, Inc.; and Sumitomo Corporation of America Foundation.

With special thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan; the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan; Japan Tourism Agency; Japan National Tourism Organization; the Japan Foundation; and the Consulate-General of Japan in New York.


Bank of America is the Proud Season Sponsor of Carnegie Hall.

Continental Airlines is the Official Airline of Carnegie Hall.