NY Philharmonic to Conduct Holiday Food Drive to Support 'NYC Goes Orange' Campaign

The New York Philharmonic will conduct a holiday food drive to benefit New Yorkers in need, December 12-19, 2009, as part of Food Bank For New York City's annual campaign "NYC Goes Orange," which refers to the color of hunger awareness. This is the sixth year that the Philharmonic is collecting food for this initiative. Concertgoers as well as members of the general public are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items in the lobby of Avery Fisher Hall. Monetary donations can also be made online at foodbanknyc.org any time during the season.

The holiday food drive kicks off at the Philharmonic's Young People's Concert on Saturday, December 12, 2009, which begins with Kidzone Live! at 12:45 p.m. followed by the concert at 2:00 p.m. The drive continues with the Holiday Brass concert on Sunday, December 13, at 3:00 p.m., with a collaboration between the New York Philharmonic Principal Brass Quintet and The West Point Band Brass Percussion. The drive will then continue through performances of Handel's famous oratorio, Messiah, presented by the Robert Hekemian Family Foundation, featuring conductor Helmuth Rilling, soprano Annette Dasch (Philharmonic debut); countertenor Daniel Taylor
(debut); tenor James Taylor; bass Shenyang (debut), and the Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Tuesday, December 15-Saturday, December 19, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. In the spirit of the season, attendees of these concerts are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items with them to donate, and members of the general public can bring food to the Avery Fisher Hall lobby at any time during the drive.

Food Bank For New York City recognizes 26 years as the city's major hunger-relief organization working to end food poverty throughout the five boroughs. During the Food Bank's annual NYC Goes Orange campaign, September-December 2009, partners and individual New Yorkers come together to "Go Orange" - the color of hunger awareness - to help hungry New Yorkers throughout the five boroughs. Through its citywide network of approximately 1,000 food assistance programs, the Food Bank helps provide 300,000 free meals a day to New Yorkers in need. The Food Bank further mobilizes its efforts through direct services, food stamp access, research and policy initiatives, nutrition education and free tax assistance for low-income New Yorkers. Every dollar donated to the Food Bank helps provide five meals to New Yorkers in need. Learn how you can help at foodbanknyc.org.

Credit Suisse is the Global Sponsor of the New York Philharmonic. Major support is provided by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, with additional support from The Theodore H. Barth Foundation. Daniel Boico's debut season with the New York Philharmonic is made possible by the
Kurt Masur Fund for the Philharmonic, an endowment fund created to honor the accomplishments of the Philharmonic's Music Director Emeritus, Kurt Masur. MetLife Foundation is the Lead Corporate Underwriter for the New York Philharmonic's Education Programs. The performances of Handel's Messiah are presented by the Robert Hekemian Family Foundation. Major support provided by the Alice Tully Foundation. The New York Philharmonic gratefully acknowledges support for its activities from the Gurnee and Marjorie Hart Endowment Fund. Programs of the New York Philharmonic are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

New York Philharmonic'S YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERT

Avery Fisher Hall

"Points of Entry: Debussy's La Mer"
Saturday, December 12, 2009, 2:00 p.m.
Kidzone Live! - 12:45 p.m.

Daniel Boico, conductor
Theodore Wiprud, host
Tom Dulack, scriptwriter and director

Program to include:
DEBUSSY (Selections from La Mer)
TORKE (Selections from various works)

HOLIDAY BRASS

Avery Fisher Hall

Sunday, December 13, 2009, 3:00 p.m.

New York Philharmonic Principal Brass Quintet
The West Point Band Brass & Percussion
Lt. Col. Timothy J. Holtan, commander/conductor

Program of holiday favorites tba

HANDEL'S MESSIAH

Avery Fisher Hall

Tuesday, December 15, 2009, 7:30 p.m.
Open Rehearsal- 9:45 a.m.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 17, 2009, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, December 18, 2009, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 19, 2009, 7:30 p.m.
Pre-Concert Talk (one hour before each performance) with Senior Teaching Artist David
Wallace

Helmuth Rilling, conductor
Annette Dasch, soprano*
Daniel Taylor, countertenor*
James Taylor, tenor
Shenyang, bass*
Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, chorus

HANDEL (Messiah)

*denotes New York Philharmonic debut

For more information about the New York Philharmonic, visit nyphil.org.