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Back to Press Release List >  - The New York Pops Launches 2009–10 Carnegie Hall Season Under New Music Director Steven Reineke

THE NEW YORK POPS LAUNCHES 2009–10 CARNEGIE HALL SEASON
UNDER THE DIRECTION OF NEW MUSIC DIRECTOR STEVEN REINEKE


Special Guest Artist Wayne Brady Featured in Sammy and Sam:
A Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. and Sam Cooke on Friday, October 9

Other Season Highlights: a Johnny Mercer Centennial Celebration,
Three December Holiday Concerts, a St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, and a
Program of Lerner & Loewe with South Pacific Stars Kelli O’Hara and Paulo Szot

On Friday, October 9 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Steven Reineke begins his inaugural season as Music Director of The New York Pops with a program dedicated to the unforgettable artistry of two American music icons: Sammy Davis Jr. and Sam Cooke. Mr. Reineke succeeds Skitch Henderson, the legendary bandleader and Pops founder who led the ensemble from 1983 until his death in 2005.

The New York Pops season kicks off with renowned singer, dancer, and entertainer Wayne Brady joining the orchestra for an opening performance entitled Sammy and Sam: A Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. and Sam Cooke. Together with the orchestra, Brady will celebrate the songs and antics that earned Cooke the reputation as one of the greatest singers of all time, and Davis the status as one of America’s most notable entertainers.

The New York Pops returns to Carnegie Hall for six additional performances this season. On November 20, Mr. Reineke conducts the orchestra along with celebrated cabaret singer Ann Hampton Callaway and renowned soprano N'Kenge in a performance entitled Too Marvelous for Words: A Johnny Mercer Centennial Concert. This event celebrates the lyricist behind timeless classics including Moon River, Dream, Hooray for Hollywood, and countless other standards from the Great American Songbook. Additional guests for this performance are to be announced.

On December 18–19, conductor John Morris Russell returns to Carnegie Hall to lead the Pops and five-time Grammy Award-winning singer Sandi Patty for two evenings of festive carols and holiday favorites. Known to many as simply “The Voice,” Patty is one of the foremost contemporary Christian singers performing today. The Young People's Chorus of New York City—an award-winning, internationally acclaimed youth ensemble directed by Francisco J. Núñez also performs. The Pops continues to celebrate the magic of the holiday season on December 19 with a special matinee performance of the beloved children’s tale The Polar Express. Narrated by singer, actor, and puppeteer John Tartaglia, and featuring the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, this Carnegie Hall Family Concert is presented by The Weill Music Institute.

On March 12, The New York Pops celebrates Saint Patrick’s Day with an all-Celtic music program featuring singer and Celtic Woman founder, Méav, and renowned Irish tenor Ronan Tynan. And in their final production of the season on April 16, Steven Reineke conducts the Pops orchestra in a program entitled The Best of Lerner and Loewe—featuring music by the celebrated musical comedy writing team of lyricist and librettist Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Loewe. Special guest artists Kelli O’Hara and Paulo Szot from the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of South Pacific perform the duo’s timeless musical classics along with The Clurman Singers.

About Steven Reineke
Steven Reineke begins his tenure as Music Director of The New York Pops in the 2009–2010 season, conducting the orchestra’s annual concert series at Carnegie Hall as well as tours, recordings, and nationwide telecasts, including the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular on NBC Television. New York’s only permanent and professional symphonic pops orchestra, The New York Pops is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States.

Mr. Reineke also begins as Principal Pops Conductor of the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra in 2009–2010, and retains that title with the Modesto Symphony Orchestra. In addition, he holds the title of Associate Conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, where for over thirteen years he has served as a composer, arranger, and conducting protégé of the celebrated pops conductor Erich Kunzel.

Reineke’s most recent guest conducting appearances include the orchestras of Los Angeles, Toronto, Houston, Detroit, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Vancouver and Edmonton. In 2009 he made his Boston Pops and Philadelphia Orchestra debuts, and in 2008 he made his Carnegie Hall debut conducting The New York Pops 25th Birthday Gala. Mr. Reineke makes his debut in Asia conducting the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra in 2009. 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 one hundred 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 the most recent performances by the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic in July 2008. 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 by the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops respectively. The Cincinnati Enquirer had this to say about Festival Te Deum: “Melodious and joyous, it had antiphonal brass in the balconies, organ, full orchestra and wonderful choral passages.” 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.

About Wayne Brady
Emmy Award-winning entertainer Wayne Brady is one of the most versatile performers in show business today. Brady consistently entertains audiences with his acting, improv, singing, and dancing on television, film, and on the stage. His extensive television experience has included guest starring roles on The Dave Chappelle Show, 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother, Dirt, and Everybody Hates Chris. He became well known for his improvisational skills on the ABC show Whose Line Is It Anyway? for which he won an Emmy award and earned four Emmy nominations. He went on to host his own syndicated talk/variety show The Wayne Brady Show for two years and picked up two Emmys for Outstanding Talk Show Host and Outstanding Talk Show. He can be seen currently on Fox hosting Don’t Forget the Lyrics.

Brady recently provided a voice for the upcoming animated feature Foodfight! (Lions Gate) and starred in two feature films including Crossover (Screen Gems) and the independent feature The List, a romantic comedy with Sydney Tamiia Poitier and Illeana Douglas. Brady was also featured in the Fox Searchlight film Roll Bounce in 2005, and completed a run playing Billy Flynn in the Broadway production of Chicago that same year. In September 2008 his debut R&B album A Long Time Coming was released by Peak Records, and his cover of A Change is Gonna Come earned a Grammy nomination. Brady continues to tour the country performing live improvisational comedy shows as well as song and dance tributes to some of his biggest inspirations. Currently, Brady can be seen performing at the Venetian in Las Vegas.

About 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 specializing 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 venue’s highest subscription renewal rates of any series. 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. Along with performing at Carnegie Hall, The New York Pops tours throughout the world and gives free concerts in New York City parks through its Summermusic program. The orchestra’s media projects include performing for the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular on NBC, nationwide radio broadcasts, and numerous recordings. The New York Pops’ extensive education programs allow thousands of public schoolchildren to participate in concert and music-making experiences at Carnegie Hall and in schools throughout New York City’s five boroughs.


Program Information
Friday, October 9, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
THE NEW YORK POPS
Steven Reineke, Music Director and Conductor
Wayne Brady, Guest Artist

WAYNE BRADY'S SAMMY AND SAM: A TRIBUTE TO SAMMY DAVIS JR. AND SAM COOKE

The Emmy-winning comedian, singer and television personality stars in a tribute to two American icons.
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Friday, November 20, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
THE NEW YORK POPS
Steven Reineke, Music Director and Conductor
Ann Hampton Callaway, Guest Artist
N'Kenge, Guest Artist
Additional guest artists to be announced

TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS: A JOHNNY MERCER CENTENNIAL CONCERT

The New York Pops celebrates the composer and lyricist of "Laura," "Dream," "Blues in the Night," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "One for My Baby," "Hooray for Hollywood," "Moon River," and countless other standards of the American Songbook.
____________________________________

Friday, December 18 and Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
THE NEW YORK POPS
John Morris Russell, Conductor
Sandi Patty, Guest Artist
Young People's Chorus of New York City
Francisco J. Núñez, Founder and Artistic Director

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH SANDI PATTY!

The five-time Grammy-winner sings holiday favorites in a traditional concert of Christmas carols and music for Hanukkah.
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Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
CARNEGIE HALL FAMILY CONCERT: THE POLAR EXPRESS
The New York Pops
John Morris Russell, Conductor
John Tartaglia, Narrator
Young People's Chorus of New York City
Francisco J. Núñez, Artistic Director

THE POLAR EXPRESS

Celebrate the magic of the holiday season with the New York Pops performing the beloved children’s tale, The Polar Express as well as other holiday tunes sure to warm the hearts of your entire family.

Pre-concert activities will take place one hour before each performance and are free to all ticket holders.

Carnegie Hall Family Concerts are made possible, in part, by generous endowment gifts from Mr. and Mrs. Lester S. Morse Jr., and the Henry and Lucy Moses Fund.
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Friday, March 12, 2010 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
THE NEW YORK POPS
Steven Reineke, Music Director and Conductor
Méav, Guest Artist
Ronan Tynan, Guest Artist
Liz Knowles, Violin
Kieran O'Hare, Uilleann Pipes

CELTIC MUSIC: A SAINT PATRICK'S DAY CELEBRATION

The beloved Irish tenor and the former star of Celtic Woman headline a celebration of Celtic music in time for Saint Patrick's Day.

Sponsored by KPMG LLP
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Friday, April 16, 2010 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
THE NEW YORK POPS
Steven Reineke, Music Director and Conductor
Kelli O'Hara, Guest Artist
Paulo Szot, Guest Artist
The Clurman Singers
Judith Clurman, Director

THE BEST OF LERNER AND LOEWE

The stars of the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of South Pacific perform the timeless music of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe.

Sponsored by Aon

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

Ticket Information
Beginning on September 10, single tickets, priced at $33, $37, $46, $74, $94, and $104, will be available. Tickets for The Polar Express Family Concert will be priced at $9. Subscriptions are currently available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 West 57th Street, or can be charged to major credit cards by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800 or by visiting the Carnegie Hall website, www.carnegiehall.org.

For all Carnegie Hall Corporation presentations taking place in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, a limited number of seats, priced at $10, will be available day-of-concert beginning at 11:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:00 noon on Sunday until one hour before the performance. The exceptions are Carnegie Hall Family Concerts and gala events. These $10 tickets are available to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis at the Carnegie Hall Box Office only. There is a two-ticket limit per customer. In addition, for all Carnegie Hall presentations in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage a limited number of partial view (seats with obstructed or limited sight lines or restricted leg room) will be sold for 50% of the full price and can be purchased, starting September 10, at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 West 57th Street, or can be charged to major credit cards by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800 or by visiting the Carnegie Hall website, www.carnegiehall.org.

A limited number of $10 Student RUSH tickets may also be available at the Box Office for some Carnegie Hall events. For more information on student discount tickets please call CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800 or visit www.carnegiehall.org/students. For information on Notables: Carnegie Hall’s Membership and Ticket Program for Music Enthusiasts in their 20s and 30s, including discount ticket privileges, please visit www.carnegiehall.org/notables.

Bank of America card holders receive a 10% discount off the full ticket price when using their card to purchase tickets to Carnegie Hall presentations.


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Images from top of release (L to R): Steven Reineke, Wayne Brady, Sandi Patty, and Kelli O’Hara

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