Carnegie Hall Will Feature WEST SIDE STORY Somewhere Project in 2016

Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director, today announced Carnegie Hall's 2015-2016 season consisting of more than 170 concerts as well as wide-ranging education and community programs created by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute. The upcoming season includes performances by many of the world's greatest artists and ensembles representing classical, pop, jazz, and world music, with events presented on Carnegie Hall's three stages, in the Hall's new Resnick Education Wing, and throughout New York City.

As a major highlight of the Hall's extensive education and community programs in the new season, Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute (WMI) launches The Somewhere Project, a citywide exploration of West Side Story in spring 2016. This unique creative learning project will engage students and community members through events in all five New York City boroughs, anchored by a large-scale professional-level production of the iconic musical in March 2016 at Knockdown Center, a restored factory in Queens, conducted by Marin Alsop and directed by Amanda Dehnert.

"In creating this 125th anniversary season, we wanted to build for the future while remaining strongly rooted inCarnegie Hall's heritage and legacy of legendary performances. We were excited about celebrating who we are today and-even more so-looking ahead," said Clive Gillinson, Carnegie Hall's executive and artistic director. "Alongside our terrific line-up of concerts this season by many of the world's great artists, we're eager to set sail on our five-year commissioning project and to engage more and more people in New York and around the world through the Hall's growing education and community mission. As Carnegie Hall embarks on its next 125 years, we are working to ensure that it remains a key destination for all those who love music and an institution that plays a meaningful role in people's lives."

Music education and community programming created by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute (WMI) continues to expand, serving people of all ages in all five boroughs of New York City, nationally, and around the globe. 2015-2016 WMI highlights include The Somewhere Project, a citywide exploration of West Side Story that culminates in professional-level production of the iconic musical in a restored factory in Queens, NY, conducted by Marin Alsop and directed by Amanda Dehnert; workshops and master classes for young professional musicians by leading artists, including mezzo-sopranos Marilyn Horne and Stephanie Blythe, baritone Sir Thomas Allen, pianist Mitsuko Uchida, and Kronos Quartet; expanded family, after-school, and teacher training programs in Carnegie Hall's new ResnickEducation Wing; and a historic July 2015 first tour of China by the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America conducted by Charles Dutoit with pianist YUNDI.