NYU Symphony to Premiere Fabled Composer Sheldon Harnick's THE TORTOISE AND THE TWO DUCKS

The NYU Symphony will perform a three-part celebration of new and classic works at the Frederick Loewe Theatre on Monday, May 8 at 8 pm. The program will be conducted by Eduardo Leandro in his NYU debut.

The evening will be anchored by the world premiere of The Tortoise and the Two Ducks, a new composition based on a fable by Jean de la Fontaine with music by NYU Steinhardt's Joseph Church and lyrics by musical theater luminary Sheldon Harnick. The piece, performed by the NYU Symphony and singers of NYU Steinhardt's Vocal Performance program, will be presented in celebration of Harnick's 93rd birthday.

In addition, the NYU Symphony will perform new works by two winners of the 2017 NYU Steinhardt Orchestral Composition Competition, Kyle Tieman-Strauss and Shelley Washington. The program concludes with Antonín Dvo?ák's Symphony No. 9 "From the New World," part of the New York Philharmonic's New World Initiative.

Leandro, an associate professor of music at Stony Brook University and director of the university's Contemporary Chamber Players, regularly conducts some of the most important repertoire of the twentieth century. As a percussionist, he has performed with renowned ensembles such as the Steve Reich Ensemble, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and Bang-on-a-Can All Stars.

Church is part of the music composition faculty at NYU Steinhardt. He has written music for the concert stage, musical theatre, film and television, and incidental music for over 30 plays. He has a well-established career as a Broadway music director, most notably serving as music director/supervisor and arranger of The Lion King and The Who's Tommy on Broadway.

Harnick is a renowned American lyricist best known for his work on hit musicals including Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me, and Fiorello! A winner of several Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize, Harnick was honored in 2016 with the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.

The May 8 concert is free and open to the public. Admission to the Frederick Loewe Theatre, located at 35 W. 4th Street, is on a first come, first served basis. For more information about this and future NYU Symphony performances, contact mpap-orchestras@nyu.edu.

Steinhardt's Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions, established in 1925, instructs over 1,600 students majoring in music and performing arts programs. Music and Performing Arts Professions serves as NYU's "school" of music and is a major research and practice center in music technology, music business, music composition, film scoring, songwriting, music performance practices, performing arts therapies, and the performing arts-in-education (music, dance, and drama).