1. Art and Diseño

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 3, 2015
Contact: Katherine E. Johnson
(212) 875-5718; [email protected]
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC CONCERTS IN THE PARKS
PRESENTED BY DIDI AND OSCAR SCHAFER
June 17–23, 2015
Celebrating Fifty Years of Free Outdoor Concerts Throughout New York City
2015 Concerts To Be Conducted by
Music Director ALAN GILBERT and CHARLES DUTOIT
Soloists To Include Violinists Joshua Bell, Renaud Capuçon, and Soprano Julia Bullock
In All-American Concerts
CROWDSOURCING MEMORIES: 50 YEARS OF THE
PHILHARMONIC IN NEW YORK CITY’S PARKS
Public Is Invited To Contribute Favorite Parks Memories,
To Be Preserved by New York Philharmonic Archives and Shared Throughout Celebration
In June 2015 the New York Philharmonic will mark the 50th anniversary of its historic Concerts
in the Parks, the iconic series of free outdoor performances that has been enjoyed by more than
14 million concertgoers since it was introduced in August 1965. The centerpiece of the
Philharmonic’s celebration will be five free performances throughout the boroughs of New York
City, June 17–23, 2015; this will be complemented by a variety of activities, ranging from
performances to crowdsourcing memories of parks concerts, and other online and educational
projects.
The 2015 Concerts in the Parks will be led by Music Director Alan Gilbert — who will appear
at the Great Lawn in Central Park, Manhattan (June 17), Cunningham Park, Queens (June 22),
and Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx (June 23) — and by Charles Dutoit, who will lead concerts on
the Great Lawn in Central Park, Manhattan (June 18) and in Prospect Park, Brooklyn (June 19).
Violinist Joshua Bell, a New York Philharmonic Board Member, returns to the series after 14
years; the other soloists are violinist Renaud Capuçon and soprano Julia Bullock, both of whom
will be making their New York Philharmonic debuts, as well as a tenor to be announced. In
addition, musicians from the New York Philharmonic will perform a Free Indoor Concert in
Staten Island (date and venue to be announced). The 2015 New York Philharmonic Concerts in
the Parks are presented, for the ninth consecutive year, by Didi and Oscar Schafer.
As part of the celebratory activities, the Philharmonic is creating Crowdsourcing Memories: 50
Years of the Philharmonic in New York City’s Parks, an online portal through which the public
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can share their personal Concerts in the Parks memories. These submissions will be preserved
forever in the New York Philharmonic Archives (which maintains the Orchestra’s historical
treasures dating back to its founding in 1842), and many will be featured throughout the Concerts
in the Parks 50th-anniversary celebrations, including on the Philharmonic’s website. Members of
the public are invited to contribute their memories of the Philharmonic’s parks concerts since
1965 — not only favorite musical moments under the stars, but also family outings, reunions
with friends, elaborate picnics, first dates, marriage proposals, and more — through
photographs, home movies, and personal recollections. For information on how to submit
material, visit nyphil.org/parks50memory.
“It an amazing honor to be part of the New York Philharmonic when we mark the 50th
anniversary of this magnificent series,” said Music Director Alan Gilbert. “I grew up with the
parks concerts and have sensed from both sides — the audience and the stage — how powerful a
force it is in New York City’s life. I love the parks concerts: it is one of the most important
things we do, and I’ve enjoyed planning how we will mark the occasion. The all-American
program we have come up with is full of energy and excitement — a wonderful way to mark this
important celebration.”
“The New York Philharmonic is one of the finest orchestras in the world, and each year
thousands of New Yorkers eagerly await the chance to see them play on the greatest stage: New
York City itself,” said New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom
Finkelpearl. “I applaud the Philharmonic for its incredible commitment to this city and for
creating this indispensable summer tradition over the last half century. Every time I attend one of
these performances, I’m thrilled to witness the size and diversity of the audiences — and the
unique power of art to bring us all together.”
“For 50 years the New York Philharmonic has delighted millions of New Yorkers with free
summertime outdoor concerts in the parks,” said New York City Parks Commissioner Mitchell J.
Silver, FAICP. “This year — on the occasion of the golden 50th anniversary — we are thrilled to
welcome the New York Philharmonic back for what has become one of our most favorite
summertime experiences. Listening to beautiful music in the open air is a highlight of New York
City’s summers and we are pleased that the Philharmonic is continuing to partner with us to
continue this wonderful tradition.”
“The New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks has demonstrated what a valuable resource
an orchestra can be for its community on a grand scale for half a century,” said President
Matthew VanBesien. “These events set the finest performances in the informal setting of New
York City’s beautiful parks. I am pleased that the Archives’ first-ever crowdsourcing project will
collect, preserve, and share memories from the public, who range from music connoisseurs to
those who’ve never before attended a classical performance. I salute Didi and Oscar Schafer and
New York City itself for their steadfast support that has allowed us to continue this worthy
endeavor into the 21st century.”
“Didi and I both feel that our proudest act has been to support the New York Philharmonic
Concerts in the Parks,” said Chairman Oscar Schafer. “Many people discover the beauties of
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Concerts in the Parks 50th Anniversary / 3
classical music through these concerts, with more than 14 million attending them since they first
began. I have long admired the New York Philharmonic musicians, and applaud Alan Gilbert
and Matthew VanBesien for their devotion to this series. It has been an honor to help them share
their music with all of New York and I look forward to continuing this tradition for years to
come.”
The 50th anniversary summer of the New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks will open
June 17 with Music Director Alan Gilbert conducting an all-American program that features
violinist Joshua Bell performing the suite from Bernstein’s West Side Story that he played in his
previous Concerts in the Parks appearances, in July 2001; the program also includes Barber’s
The School for Scandal Overture, Gershwin’s Lullaby, Copland’s Appalachian Spring, Leroy
Anderson’s Fiddle-Faddle, Rodgers’s The Carousel Waltz, and Sousa’s The Liberty Bell. Charles
Dutoit then conducts the Orchestra in Franco-Russian concerts: Berlioz’s Roman Carnival
Overture; Saint-Saëns’s Violin Concerto No. 3, with Renaud Capuçon as soloist; Stravinsky’s
Petrushka (1911 version); and Ravel’s La Valse. Alan Gilbert returns in a variant of the allAmerican program featuring Bernstein’s West Side Story Concert Suite No. 1, performed by
soprano Julia Bullock and a tenor to be announced.
The performances in Central Park, Manhattan; Prospect Park, Brooklyn; Cunningham Park,
Queens; and Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, begin at 8:00 p.m. and will be followed by fireworks by
Bay Fireworks.
New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks: A Brief History
The New York Philharmonic Free Concerts in the Parks — the dream of Carlos Moseley, the
Orchestra’s then-Managing Director — were launched on August 10, 1965, when 70,000
listeners arrived in Central Park’s Sheep Meadow to hear the World Premiere of William
Schuman’s Philharmonic Fanfare — a New York Philharmonic Commission that was composed
for the event — along with Wagner’s Die Meistersinger Overture and Beethoven’s Ninth
Symphony, the last featuring soprano Ella Lee, mezzo-soprano Joanna Simon, tenor Richard
Cassilly, bass John West, and the Manhattan Chorus, conducted by William Steinberg.
According to Time magazine on August 20, 1965, the crowd of 70,000 was the largest audience
for a musical event in the city’s history.
The ensuing 11 concerts that summer took place in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Crocheron Park
in Queens, the Bronx Botanical Gardens, and Clove Lake Park in Staten Island. The second
Central Park concert, which featured clarinetist Benny Goodman, was attended by 73,500, with a
total audience that summer estimated at 457,000. When Leonard Bernstein conducted
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, Eroica, and Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring the following year,
one official estimated the crowd at close to 90,000. The Central Park concerts moved from The
Sheep Meadow to The Great Lawn in 1980.
The first season of the Parks Concerts was funded by a contribution of $57,500 from the Jos.
Schlitz Brewing Company (which continued its sponsorship of the series for ten years); the City
of New York, which spent $100,000 for the stage and other equipment and $90,000 more for
operating costs; and by Schlitz and the Philharmonic, which provided almost $120,000 for the
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remaining expenses. The trailer-ized orchestral shell was named the “Minnie” Guggenheimer
Shell in honor of Mrs. Charles Schafer Guggenheimer of the Philharmonic’s Board of Directors
and Auxiliary Board, as well as the great-aunt of today’s presenter, Oscar Schafer; she had been
a leader in presenting outdoor music in the city at the Lewisohn Stadium Concerts.
The popularity of the Parks Concerts and the breadth of its audiences have attracted more than 50
U.S. and international conductors to the Orchestra’s summer stage. Among their ranks are
Philharmonic Music Directors Lorin Maazel, Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Zubin Mehta,
Kurt Masur, and Alan Gilbert, in addition to conductors Andre Kostelanetz, Alfred Wallenstein,
Lukas Foss, Seiji Ozawa, Josef Krips, Julius Rudel, Rafael Frübeck de Burgos, Jean Martinon,
Michael Tilson Thomas, Thomas Schippers, Erich Leinsdorf, James Conlon, David Zinman,
Andrew Davis, Yuri Temirkanov, Marin Alsop, Valery Gergiev, Bobby McFerrin, Bramwell
Tovey, David Robertson, and Andrey Boreyko.
More than 50 soloists have also joined the New York Philharmonic in these al fresco concerts. In
addition to Benny Goodman, who played Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, Aaron Copland performed
his own Piano Concerto, Marian Anderson narrated Copland’s A Lincoln Portrait, and Music
Director Leonard Bernstein was the conductor and soloist for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25
and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. The artists who have made their New York Philharmonic
debuts in the Parks Concerts include violinists Leonidas Kavakos, James Ehnes (who proposed
to his girlfriend in Central Park on the occasion), and Leila Josefowicz; cellist Alisa Weilerstein;
and alto saxophonist Bradford Marsalis. The numerous pianists who have joined forces with the
Philharmonic in its summer outings include Rudolf Firkusńy, André Watts, John Browning,
Byron Janis, Grant Johannesen, Earl Wild, Alicia de Larrocha, Lorin Hollander, Gina Bachauer,
Misha Dichter, Jorge Bolet, Gary Graffman, Horacio Gutierez, and Lang Lang, along with
violinists Michael Rabin, Ruggiero Ricci, Isaac Stern, Yura Lee, and Karen Gomyo. Many
musicians of the New York Philharmonic have also performed as soloists.
The vast repertoire — which has ranged from Tchaikovsky and Brahms to Shostakovich, Barber,
and Lutosławski — included the U.S. Premiere of Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 4, performed
by Ruggiero Ricci and conducted by James DePreist in August 1971, and the New York
Premieres of arrangements of music from Bernstein’s West Side Story, On the Town, and
Candide in July 2001, with soprano Kristin Chenoweth and violinist Joshua Bell, conducted by
William Eddins.
On August 24, 1965, an editorial in the New York World-Telegram exclaimed: “The
Philharmonic has proved that great music is a thrilling experience to a lot of people who can’t
pay their way into Lincoln Center. Bravos to the orchestra and to the city and the Schlitz
Brewing Co. for bringing it into the parks. Let’s make this a regular part of summertime New
York.”
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***
The New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks are presented by Didi and Oscar Schafer.
***
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of
Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
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2015 NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC CONCERTS IN THE PARKS
PRESENTED BY DIDI AND OSCAR SCHAFER
All concerts begin at 8:00 p.m.
Program I
Alan Gilbert, conductor
Joshua Bell, violin
BARBER
GERSHWIN
BERNSTEIN/Arr. Brohn
COPLAND
ANDERSON
RODGERS
SOUSA
The School for Scandal Overture
Lullaby
West Side Story Suite for Violin and Orchestra
Appalachian Spring Suite
Fiddle-Faddle
The Carousel Waltz
The Liberty Bell
Great Lawn, Central Park, Manhattan
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Westside entrances: West 81st or 86th Streets at
Central Park West
 Eastside entrances: East 79th or 85th Streets at Fifth
Avenue
_____________________________________

Program II
Charles Dutoit, conductor
Renaud Capuçon*, violin
BERLIOZ
SAINT-SAËNS
STRAVINSKY
RAVEL
Roman Carnival Overture
Violin Concerto No. 3
Petrushka (1911 version)
La Valse
Great Lawn, Central Park, Manhattan


Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Westside entrances: West 81st or 86th Streets at
Central Park West
Eastside entrances: East 79th or 85th Streets at Fifth
Avenue
Friday, June 19, 2015
Enter at Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Park West at
9th Street or Bartel-Pritchard Circle at the
intersection of Prospect Park West, Prospect Park
Southwest and 15th Street
_____________________________________
* denotes New York Philharmonic debut
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Concerts in the Parks 50th Anniversary / 7
Program III
Alan Gilbert, conductor
Julia Bullock*, soprano
Tenor tba
BARBER
COPLAND
ANDERSON
RODGERS
BERNSTEIN
GERSHWIN
SOUSA
The School for Scandal Overture
Appalachian Spring Suite
Fiddle-Faddle
The Carousel Waltz
West Side Story Concert Suite No. 1
Lullaby
The Liberty Bell
Cunningham Park, Queens

Monday, June 22, 2015
Enter at 193rd Street, near 81st Avenue or Union
Turnpike. Concert site is at 193rd Street Field
Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Enter the park from Broadway, near West 251st
Street. Concert site is north of the baseball fields
_____________________________________
* denotes New York Philharmonic debut

FREE INDOOR CONCERT
PRESENTED BY DIDI AND OSCAR SCHAFER
Musicians from the New York Philharmonic
Program tba
Staten Island
Venue tba
Date tba
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ALL PROGRAMS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
More information is available at nyphil.org/parks50
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