New York Philharmonic Begins New Season of Young People's Concerts Today

The 92nd season of the New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts (YPCs) will begin today, November 15, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. with the program "Melody Transformed," the first in this season's series, SUPER SONIC MUSIC BOX, exploring the variety of symphonic music and its interpretation. The opening concert will feature Ives's Variations on America and selections from Mahler's Symphony No. 1, Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, and Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5. Courtney Lewis, the Orchestra's new Assistant Conductor, will make his Philharmonic debut leading the performance, and Vice President, Education, Theodore Wiprud will host the event, directed and scripted by Tom Dulack.

UNIQLO, the global clothing retailer, will sponsor the Philharmonic's 2014-15 season of YPCs, dressing the Orchestra for all YPC concerts this season in UNIQLO clothing with colors identifying each orchestral section. Children are invited to come to the concerts dressed in the color of their favorite section: strings will be clad in red or pink, woodwinds in green, brass in blue, percussion in orange, and harp and keyboards in light blue. In addition, UNIQLO and the New York Philharmonic will donate 50 tickets for the November 15 YPC to the New York City Department of Homeless Services, and will be conducting a clothing drive during all of this season's YPCs, at which attendees can leave gently used clothes in bins placed around Avery Fisher Hall; the clothing will be distributed directly to people in need living in New York City Homeless Shelters by UNIQLO volunteers.

Attendees are invited to come early to meet Philharmonic musicians and take part in other pre- concert activities inside the hall, such as works by Very Young Composers inspired by the YPC's thematic content performed live by ensembles of Philharmonic musicians, and videos

projected on screen above the stage. The youngest audience members are invited to the Helen Huntington Hull Room to hear stories read by members of the New York Philharmonic Volunteer Council.

Beginning one week before each YPC a special podcast for children is made available, at nyphil.org/ypc, as is TuneUp, the children's concert program, complete with activities related to the event.

Photo: Michael DiVito