The New York Pops to Honor Stephen Schwartz at 43rd Birthday Gala on April 27 at Carnegie Hall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Katlyn Morahan
Morahan Arts and Media
katlyn@morahanartsandmedia.com
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THE NEW YORK POPS TO HONOR
STEPHEN SCHWARTZ AT 43RD BIRTHDAY GALA,
ON MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2026 AT CARNEGIE HALL

November 19, 2025, New York, NY — The New York Pops will honor Grammy, Academy, and Tony Award winning composer Stephen Schwartz at the orchestra’s 43rd Birthday Gala on Monday, April 27, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. The celebratory concert will feature Schwartz's most memorable songs performed by The New York Pops, led by Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke, with an exciting line-up of guest artists to be announced.

Stephen Schwartz wrote the music and lyrics for the current Broadway shows Wicked and The Queen of Versailles, as well as the current off-Broadway revival of The Baker’s Wife. His other shows include Godspell, Pippin, The Magic Show, Working, Rags, and Children of Eden. For film, in addition to the two-part adaptation of Wicked, he wrote the songs for The Prince of Egypt and collaborated with Alan Menken on the songs for Disney’s Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Enchanted.

"To receive an award from the New York Pops, an orchestra that is one of New York City's cultural treasures, is an honor indeed,” said Stephen Schwartz. “And the fact that the event is at Carnegie Hall makes it even more special, even if I did have to 'practice, practice, practice'".

“We’re beyond excited to honor the work of Stephen Schwartz at our 43rd Birthday Gala in April,” said New York Pops Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke. “His songs have captivated audiences in theaters across the globe for over 50 years, and we look forward to sharing a bit of their magic on the Carnegie Hall stage with the fabulous musicians of our New York Pops. We can’t wait to see you there!”

Proceeds from the Gala support The New York Pops orchestra and the organization’s PopsEd music education programs. The concert is followed by a black tie optional dinner and dance at the Mandarin Oriental New York.

The New York Pops’ 2025-26 season of performances in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall also includes Everything I Know: Mandy Gonzalez Sings Lin-Manuel Miranda on Friday, November 21, 2025 at 8:00 p.m.; A Place Called Home with Megan Hilty on Friday, December 19 and Saturday, December 20, 2025 at 8:00 p.m.; If I Ain’t Got You: The Best of R&B with Maleah Joi Moon and Avery Wilson on Friday, February 13, 2026 at 8:00 p.m.; and The Music Of US: From Then to Now on Friday, March 13, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. with Max Clayton, Nova Y. Payton, and Ephraim Sykes.

Concert Information
THE NEW YORK POPS 43RD BIRTHDAY GALA
Monday, April 27, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall
Steven Reineke, Music Director and Conductor
Stephen Schwartz, Music Honoree

Tickets to the general public go on sale on Monday, November 24, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. via carnegiehall.org, at 212-247-7800, or the Carnegie Hall Box Office at 57th and Seventh.

New York Pops donors of $100 or more receive early access to tickets before they go on sale to the general public. To make a donation and receive the presale code, visit newyorkpops.org/donate. For information about Dinner Dance tickets, email development@nypops.org or call (212) 765-7677.

About the Honoree
Stephen Schwartz wrote the music and lyrics for the current Broadway shows Wicked and The Queen of Versailles, as well as the current off-Broadway revival of The Baker’s Wife. His other shows include Godspell, Pippin, The Magic Show, Working, Rags, and Children of Eden. For film, in addition to the two-part adaptation of Wicked, he wrote the songs for The Prince of Egypt and collaborated with Alan Menken on the songs for Disney’s Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Enchanted. In the classical field, he collaborated with Leonard Bernstein on the English texts for Bernstein’s Mass and has written an opera, Seance on a Wet Afternoon, and several choral works.

Mr. Schwartz has been inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame and has been given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  Awards include three Academy Awards, four Grammy Awards, and a special Tony Award for his support of young theatre artists.

About the Artists
Comprised of 78 musicians, The New York Pops is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States, now in its 43rd season as 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 concert series at Carnegie Hall and is among the venue’s most presented ensembles. The New York Pops’ star-studded annual Birthday Gala is celebrated each spring, raising vital funds for the orchestra and its education programs. Recent Gala honorees include Clive Davis, Kristen and Bobby Lopez, and Barry Manilow.

The New York Pops celebrates the richness of popular music’s evolving songbook. Every concert is a unique experience, with influences that range from Broadway melodies to film scores, jazz, rock, pop, and more. The orchestra collaborates with stars from the stage and screen including Sara Bareilles, Kristen Bell, Clive Davis, Father John Misty, Sutton Foster, Montego Glover, Capathia Jenkins, Carly Rae Jepsen, Angela Lansbury, Queen Latifah, Cyndi Lauper, Norm Lewis, Barry Manilow, Jason Mraz, Kelli O’Hara, LeAnn Rimes, Adrienne Warren, Dionne Warwick, Miss Piggy, and many others.

Through its PopsEd music education programs, The New York Pops fulfills its dedication to lifelong learning and collaborates with public schools, community organizations, and senior centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Each year, PopsEd provides thousands of New York City public school students with arts access, performance opportunities, and in-school music instruction. These programs develop and mentor the next generation of musicians and music lovers from diverse backgrounds and socioeconomic groups.

PopsEd residency programs blend traditional education with pure fun, utilizing tools like composition, lyric writing, and performance to foster learning and unbridled creativity. In doing so, PopsEd excites students and gives them skills they can apply to all areas of their lives. The orchestra’s Kids on Stage program invites middle school music students to experience the professional performance process, including audition and rehearsal, culminating in a performance alongside New York Pops musicians at the orchestra’s annual Birthday Gala. 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. To date, PopsEd programs have served over 100,000 New York City students.

Over the years, the orchestra has performed in iconic New York City venues like Forest Hills Stadium and Radio City Music Hall; presented free concerts in city parks, community organizations, senior centers, and public libraries; performed the National Anthem at sports venues; and toured throughout the world. Past media projects include the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular on NBC Television, a nationally syndicated radio series, and performances on PBS. The orchestra’s discography encompasses recordings of popular standards, theater and film scores, and music for the holidays.

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) and Instagram (@thenewyorkpops).

Steven Reineke is one of North America's leading conductors of popular music and is in his second decade as Music Director of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. He is the Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Principal Pops Conductor of the Houston Symphony and Toronto Symphony Orchestra.?

Reineke is a frequent guest conductor and can be seen on the podium with the Chicago, Philadelphia, and Detroit Symphony Orchestras.

On stage, Mr. Reineke creates and collaborates with a range of leading artists from the worlds hip-hop, R & B, Broadway, television and rock including: Killer Mike, Maxwell, Common, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Ne-Yo, Bob Weir, Trey Anastasio, Barry Manilow, Cynthia Erivo, Ben Rector, Cody Fry, Sutton Foster, Amos Lee, Dispatch, Jason Mraz, and Ben Folds, amongst others. In 2024 he led the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) on PBS's Next at the Kennedy Center featuring Ben Folds DeClassified with Jacob Collier, Laufey and dodie. He was previously seen with the NSO on PBS on Great Performances with hip-hop legend Nas performing his seminal album "Illmatic." Reineke is the conductor on "Ben Folds Live with The National Symphony Orchestra and William Shatner's "So Fragile, So Blue" with The National Symphony Orchestra.

As the creator of hundreds of orchestral arrangements, Reineke’s work is performed worldwide and can be heard on numerous Cincinnati Pops Orchestra recordings. His symphonic works Celebration Fanfare, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Casey at the Bat are performed frequently in North America, including performances by the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic. 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 Orchestras. His numerous wind ensemble compositions are published by the C.L. Barnhouse Company and are performed by concert bands perennially.

A native of Ohio, Mr. Reineke is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio (2020 Alumnus Distinguished Achievement Medal), where he earned two bachelor of music degrees with honors in both trumpet performance and music composition. He currently resides in New York City with his husband Eric Gabbard.

Image at top of release by Nathan Johnson

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