The New York Pops Presents American Strings: From Folk to Film

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Katlyn Morahan
Morahan Arts and Media
katlyn@morahanartsandmedia.com
(610) 914-3152

THE NEW YORK POPS PRESENTS
AMERICAN STRINGS: FROM FOLK TO FILM, AVAILABLE AT NEWYORKPOPS.ORG FOR FREE ON-DEMAND STREAMING

Recorded Live at the DiMenna Center, Concert Features

New York Pops String Section, Led by Music Director Steven Reineke,
in Program By American Composers

“Meet the Musicians”, Free Digital Educational Series, Now Available at NewYorkPops.org/MeetTheMusicians

May 27, 2021, New York, NY — The New York Pops, led by Music Director Steven Reineke, is presenting American Strings: From Folk to Film, a digital concert recorded at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, now available free and on-demand through August 25 at newyorkpops.org. The New York Pops string section is featured in this all-American program of folk songs, fiddle tunes, novelty pieces, and film scores, including Aaron Copland’s “Hoe-Down” from Rodeo, George Gershwin’s Lullaby, Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer, arranged by Steven Reineke, and John Williams’ “March of the Resistance” from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, plus more.

“Until we return live to the stage later this year, we hope you will join us for this free video stream as a thank you to our New York Pops family and friends for your incredible generosity and support throughout this past year.” said Music Director Steven Reineke. “I look forward to seeing you back in Carnegie Hall very soon!”

The New York Pops has also produced a free educational video series, “Meet the Musicians”, an extension of its Kids in the Balcony program that provides free concert tickets to New York City public school students. The series, now available at newyorkpops.org/meetthemusicians, is designed for K-8 students to learn about the instruments of the orchestra and the musicians that play them. Participating musicians introduce themselves, talk about the basic features and mechanics of their instruments, give interesting historical facts, and conclude with a short demonstration. The New York Pops Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke also is featured in a video teaching kids about conducting. To supplement students’ learning, there are also downloadable student guides that review each family of instruments and contain fun activities.

About the Artists
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 and Conductor Steven Reineke, the orchestra performs an annual subscription series at Carnegie Hall, and is among the venue’s most presented ensembles. Now in its 38th season, The New York Pops’ annual birthday gala is celebrated each spring, raising funds for the orchestra and its education programs. The New York Pops performs annually in Queens, NY at Forest Hills Stadium, a 14,000-seat historic concert venue.

The New York Pops celebrates the diversity of popular music’s evolving songbook. Every concert is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, with influences ranging from Broadway melodies to film scores, jazz, rock, pop, and everything in between. Under Reineke’s dynamic leadership, The New York Pops continues to re-imagine orchestral pops music.

Through its PopsEd music education programs, The New York Pops fulfills its dedication to lifelong learning by collaborating with public schools, community organizations, and senior centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City. PopsEd allows thousands of New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds to participate in fully customizable music programs that blend traditional education with pure fun.

The New York Pops is committed to serving all members of the community. Through its Kids in the Balcony and Kids in the Stadium programs, thousands of children and their parents have had an opportunity to see The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and Forest Hills Stadium free of charge. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, The New York Pops adapted its PopsEd programs to provide remote learning opportunities to students, and orchestra musicians were featured in new digital performances.

The New York Pops was founded by Ruth and 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. The New York Pops is a non-profit organization supported solely through the generosity of individual donations, institutional grants, corporate sponsorships, and concert income.

Follow The New York Pops on Facebook (facebook.com/thenewyorkpops), Instagram (@thenewyorkpops), and Twitter (@thenewyorkpops).

Steven Reineke has established himself as one of North America’s leading conductors of popular music. In 2019, Mr. Reineke celebrates his tenth anniversary as Music Director of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. Additionally, he is Principal Pops Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Principal Pops Conductor of the Houston and Toronto Symphony Orchestras.

Reineke is a frequent guest conductor with The Philadelphia Orchestra and his extensive North American conducting appearances include Atlanta, Cincinnati, Edmonton, San Francisco and Sarasota.

On stage, Reineke has created programs and collaborated with a range of leading artists from the worlds of hip hop, R&B, Broadway, television, and rock including Maxwell, Common, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Cynthia Erivo, Sutton Foster, Megan Hilty, Cheyenne Jackson, Wayne Brady, Peter Frampton, and Ben Folds, among others. In 2017, National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” featured Reineke leading the National Symphony Orchestra performing live music excerpts between news segments — a first in the show’s 45-year history. In 2018 Reineke led the National Symphony Orchestra with hip hop legend Nas performing his seminal album "Illmatic" on PBS's Great Performances.

As the creator of more than 100 orchestral arrangements for the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Reineke’s work has been performed worldwide and can be heard on numerous Cincinnati Pops Orchestra recordings on the Telarc label. His symphonic works Celebration Fanfare, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Casey at the Bat are performed frequently. His Sun Valley Festival Fanfare was used to commemorate the Sun Valley Summer Symphony’s pavilion, and his Festival Te Deum and Swan’s Island Sojourn were debuted by the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops. His numerous wind ensemble compositions are published by the C.L. Barnhouse Company and are performed by concert bands worldwide.

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