NY Philharmonic & Harmony Program Partnering with Second All Stars Initiative

The New York Philharmonic and Harmony Program, a non-profit organization that provides free instruments and daily classical music instruction to children in economically challenged communities across New York City, will collaborate again in the annual Harmony Program All Stars Ensemble. Nine All Stars - New York City middle- and high-school students from low- income neighborhoods - have been selected by audition for a month-long mentorship with New York Philharmonic musicians. The All Stars will attend a Philharmonic concert, experience an intensive day of coaching and rehearsal with Philharmonic musicians, and perform with their Philharmonic mentors during a free public concert in the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, at 6:00 p.m. The concert will feature the World Premiere of Lucy's Aria, a string quartet by American composer John Corigliano, which will be premiered as part of a partnership between classical music publisher G. Schirmer and the Harmony Program.

"The opportunity to study and perform with world class musicians of the New York Philharmonic is an invaluable educational experience that challenges and motivates our students," said Anne Fitzgibbon, Founder and Executive Director of the Harmony Program. "We are extremely grateful for the New York Philharmonic's commitment to recognizing and nurturing a young generation of classical musicians."

"We are thrilled to be collaborating again with the inspiring Harmony Program as part of Philharmonic Academy Jr.," said Theodore Wiprud, New York Philharmonic Vice President, Education, The Sue B. Mercy Chair. "We are even more excited that this next generation of musicians will be performing brand new music by the wonderful John Corigliano this year. We look forward to continuing and expanding our partnership with Harmony, in support of efforts that reach students who otherwise may not have exposure to the Philharmonic, and that encourage diversity in the next generation of classical musicians and classical music enthusiasts."

The 2016 Harmony Program All Stars Ensemble consists of nine young musicians - six high- school students and three middle-school students from Washington Heights, Harlem, and Flatbush. The students attend nine different schools in Manhattan and Brooklyn and have been studying through the Harmony Program for between two and eight years. The All Stars range between 12 and 15 years old and play violin, viola, and cello. Five of the students are returning as All Stars for a second year.

Of all 250 current Harmony Program students, those who were interested required an initial recommendation from their Harmony Program instructors to audition. A first round of auditions was held in December 2015; students who passed proceeded to a final audition in March in front of a panel of New York Philharmonic musicians.

This year, three All Star students will have the opportunity to premiere a new piece of music by American composer John Corigliano. Through a new partnership with classical music publisher G. Schirmer/Associated Music Publishers (AMP), some of the world's top living composers have been commissioned to score works written specifically for beginner students playing in orchestra and small ensembles. These pieces, collectively called "Living Harmony," will be premiered by Harmony Program students and then made available to children in similar non- profit youth orchestras around the world. Lucy's Aria, a string quartet by John Corigliano, will be premiered at the All Stars Ensemble concert by three Harmony Program students and their mentor, New York Philharmonic violinist Hae-Young Ham. Mr. Corigliano is expected to attend the performance.

Launched in 2003 as a pilot program of the New York City Mayor's Office, the Harmony Program is a rigorous daily after-school music program modeled on Venezuela's youth orchestra movement known as "El Sistema." It provides instruments and free daily instruction - up to 400 hours a year - to more than 250 students from more than 40 schools in underserved communities across New York City. After three full years of intensive study, some students continue their training through less-intensive weekly Harmony Program coachings. At the same time, the Harmony Program helps students to audition for advanced youth orchestras across the city. The successes that students have achieved in securing placement in advanced youth orchestras after graduation, gaining admission to prestigious music schools like LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, and now landing mentorships with New York Philharmonic musicians, demonstrate the potential for programs like Harmony to help nurture a more diverse pool of talented musicians when supported by the classical music community.

The Harmony Program is a partner in Philharmonic Academy Jr., a New York Philharmonic Global Academy initiative involving training of pre-college students by Philharmonic musicians and Teaching Artists in partnership with institutions in New York committed to strong orchestra programs. The Philharmonic and the Harmony Program have been formally partnering since 2013, and launched the All Stars initiative in 2015.

Since 2013, New York Philharmonic musicians and conductors have joined the Harmony Program in leading a series of master classes for the Harmony Program's youth orchestra. The All Stars initiative is designed to provide an opportunity for a more personal and in-depth collaboration between Philharmonic musicians and a much smaller group of the Harmony Program's most advanced students.