007: JAMES BOND FOREVER to Open New York Pops Season

The New York Pops opens its 2026-27 season with 007: James Bond Forever on Friday, October 23, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. Joined by Tony Award winner and Grammy Award nominee Lena Hall (Broadway's Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Kinky Boots), New York Pops Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke leads the orchestra in a celebration of music spanning 60 years of iconic James Bond films, including Skyfall, Diamonds Are Forever, and Live and Let Die.

'We're so excited to kick off The New York Pops' 44th season with our friend Lena Hall and the music of James Bond!' said New York Pops Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke. 'Spanning 60 years of iconic pop music, from Paul McCartney to Billie Eilish, this exciting new program will showcase the incredible versatility of the orchestra. We can't wait to see you there!"

The New York Pops additionally presents One Night Only: An Evening with Denée Benton and Jordan Donica on November 20, 2026; Sleigh Bells Ring with Derek Klena, Lindsay Mendez, and Judith Clurman's Essential Voices USA on December 18 and 19, 2026; Introducing...Jimmie Harrod and Marisha Wallace on February 5, 2027; and John Williams and Steven Spielberg: Movie Magic on March 5, 2027 in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. The organization's annual Underground cabaret event will be held on Monday, October 5, 2026 at 54 Below and features Deborah Cox.

Program Information
THE NEW YORK POPS
007: James Bond Forever

Steven Reineke, Music Director and Conductor
Lena Hall, Guest Artist

Friday, October 23, 2026 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall

Tickets are available via carnegiehall.org, at 212-247-7800, or the Carnegie Hall Box Office at 57th and Seventh.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

About the Artists

Comprised of 78 musicians, The New York Pops is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States, now in its 44th 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, Barry Manilow, and Stephen Schwartz.

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 (NSO) at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Principal Pops Conductor of the Houston Symphony and Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Reineke has had the pleasure of working with some of the nation's greatest orchestras, and can be seen regularly on the podiums of the New York Philharmonic, The Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, LA Philharmonic, and Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, among many others.

On stage, Mr. Reineke creates and collaborates with a range of leading artists in 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 NSO on PBS' Next at the Kennedy Center featuring Ben Folds DeClassified with Jacob Collier, Laufey, and dodie. He was previously seen with the NSO on PBS' 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. In November 2025, Reineke was joined on the podium by NFL legend Marshawn Lynch, who visited the Houston Symphony ahead of Thursday Night Football, for a conducting tutorial featured in his Amazon Prime show, 'N Yo City.'

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 pieces '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, Reineke is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio (2020 Alumnus Distinguished Achievement Medal) where he earned Bachelor of Music degrees with honors in both trumpet performance and music composition.

Lena Hall is a Tony Award winner and Grammy Award nominee who currently stars as Ali Cooper on the Emmy Award nominated Apple TV series Your Friends and Neighbors. Other TV and film includes the title role in the feature film Becks (winner U.S. Fiction Award, L.A. Film Festival), Ethan Coen's Honey Don't, four seasons starring as Miss Audrey in the TNT/AMC hit sci-fi drama Snowpiercer alongside Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly; as well as guest starring roles on HBO's Girls, Amazon's Good Girls Revolt, and Paramount Plus' Evil.

Following her Tony Award winning Broadway run in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Lena toured North America with Josh Groban on his 'Stages' tour, and portrayed the dual starring roles of both Hedwig and Yitzhak in Hedwig and the Angry Inch in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. On stage, Lena originated the role of Nicola in Kinky Boots on Broadway, starred opposite Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei in Lincoln Center Theater's How To Transcend A Happy Marriage, and starred as Audrey in the hit revival of Little Shop Of Horrors, among others.