The Orchestra Now Offers Free Concert At Symphony Space

The Orchestra Now (T?N) kicks off 2019 with a free concert led by resident conductor Zachary Schwartzman at Peter Norton Symphony Space on Sunday, January 27. The program features Ravel's arrangement of the ten musical illustrations of Viktor Hartmann's artwork that comprise Mussorgsky's well-known and powerful Pictures at an Exhibition in addition to Ravel's own ominous La valse. Other works include Russian composer Anatoly Lyadov's gentle and colorful fantasy, The Enchanted Lake, in addition to Stravinsky's lush and fantastical Firebird Suite.

These free community outreach events have become engaging neighborhood activities and are a great opportunity to introduce families and new explorers to the joys of classical music.

Tickets: These concerts are FREE. Advance RSVP is suggested. RSVPs can be made at theorchestranow.org or symphonyspace.org, or by calling the Symphony Space box office at 212.864.5400.

The next and final free concerts for this season are Beethoven's Seventh Symphony (April 13) at Olin Hall at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, and Schubert's Fifth Symphony (April 14) at Hudson Hall in Hudson, NY.
The Orchestra Now

The Orchestra Now (T?N) is a group of more than 60 vibrant young musicians from 14 different countries around the globe: the United States, Bulgaria, China, France, Hungary, Malaysia, Mongolia, Peru, Poland, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Venezuela. All share a mission to make orchestral music relevant to 21st-century audiences. Hand-picked from hundreds of applicants from the world's leading conservatories - including The Juilliard School, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Royal Conservatory of Brussels, and the Curtis Institute of Music-the members of T?N are not only rousing audiences with their critically acclaimed performances, but also enlightening curious minds by presenting on-stage introductions and demonstrations at concerts, offering program notes written from the musicians' perspective, and connecting with patrons through one-on-one discussions during intermissions. To date, members of T?N have earned positions with orchestras across the United States and in Europe. Some play regularly with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Baltimore Symphony.

Conductor, educator, and music historian Leon Botstein founded T?N in 2015 as a master's degree program at Bard College, where he also serves as president. The Orchestra is in residence at Bard's Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, offering multiple concerts there each season as well as participating in the annual Bard Music Festival. The Orchestra also performs numerous concert series at major venues in New York, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as a schedule of free performances across New York City boroughs. T?N has collaborated with many distinguished conductors, including Fabio Luisi, Neeme Järvi, Gerard Schwarz, and JoAnn Falletta.

For upcoming activities and more detailed information about the musicians, visit theorchestranow.org.

Leon Botstein brings a renowned career as both a conductor and educator to his role as music director of The Orchestra Now. He has been music director of the American Symphony Orchestra since 1992, artistic co-director of Bard SummerScape and the Bard Music Festival since their creation, and president of Bard College since 1975. He was the music director of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra from 2003-2011 and is now conductor laureate. In 2018 he has assumed artistic directorship of Campus Grafenegg and Grafenegg Academy in Austria. Mr. Botstein is also a frequent guest conductor with orchestras around the globe, has made numerous recordings, and is a prolific author and music historian. He is the editor of the prestigious The Musical Quarterly and has received many honors for his contributions to music. More info online at LeonBotstein.com.