The New York Pops To Present THE MUSIC OF US: FROM THEN TO NOW At Carnegie Hall

The New York Pops will present The Music of US: From Then To Now on Friday, March 13 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. The concert is part of Carnegie Hall’s United in Sound: America at 250 festival, which examines the musical traditions that have shaped American identity since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Led by Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke, the program will feature guest artists Max Clayton, Nova Y. Payton, and Ephraim Sykes, along with Indigenous American courting flutist Tchin, banjoist Hilary Hawke, and Judith Clurman’s Essential Voices USA. The concert traces American musical history from Indigenous traditions and spirituals through jazz, blues, folk, rock ’n’ roll, R&B, and contemporary styles. Selections will include “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” “I Got Rhythm,” “A Change Is Gonna Come,” and “Last Dance.”

“This program spans 250 years of American music, from Native American songs and Revolutionary War anthems to early popular music genres like jazz and blues, through to the music of the 21st century,” said Reineke. “It's an ambitious, eclectic program, and we can't wait for you to see it!”

The concert is one of several offerings by The New York Pops during the 2025–2026 season. Additional programs include If I Ain’t Got You: The Best of R&B on Friday, February 13, featuring Aisha Jackson and Avery Wilson, and the orchestra’s 43rd Birthday Gala, Changed for Good: A Celebration of Stephen Schwartz, on Monday, April 27, also at Carnegie Hall.