Over the last 50 years, French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts has become famous for its summer programs in music, theater, dance and the performing arts. The bedrock of the program is an all-encompassing schedule of 80 theater productions, including shows that are fresh off Broadway, along with other favorites, classics, and forgotten jewels from the last century of musical theater. On top of that, Broadway stars, professional musicians, conductors, composers and playwrights as well as members of internationally recognized orchestras will visit French Woods during the summer and offer their mastery as coaches to the campers. Additionally, the instrumental program collaborates with the theater program with the use of live full orchestrations for the musicals. This raises the quality of the performance as well as the experience for performers and their audiences.
George Gershwin loved going to nightclubs. One evening when he was “on the town' with his pal Fred Astaire as they were in a club enjoying a group of entertainers George turned to Fred and said…”Where do all these new young talented people come from”?
Two years ago, I revisited French Woods Festival of the Arts (which I attended from 1999 to 2002 as a camper/teen actor and then as an assistant director/stage manager) and BroadwayWorld kindly published an article I wrote about the experience. In light of my responsibilities at work (attorney by day, theater critic by night) and at home (including a hyperactive toddler and commuting daily between NY and NJ), I was not planning on visiting again this past summer, but that instantly changed when I learned that the camp was planning on presenting 1776 for the first time in nearly two decades - and with an all-female cast.
It was one of the most memorable nights of music ever heard in the Pavilion at the legendary French Woods, the French Woods Symphony Orchestra of 62 camp musicians was augmented by 15 Staff members and 15 members of The New York Pops under the baton of Maestro Steven Reineke, music director and conductor of The New York Pops.
Carnegie Hall is home to some of the greatest 'serious' music created by mankind and when Maestro and Music Director Steven Reineke takes the stage with the 78 member New York Pops Orchestra it's also about great music, great entertainment, and great fun. The final concert of the season was titled 'You've Got a Friend: A Celebration of Singers and Songwriters and it featured guest artists Will Chase, Christopher Jackson, Jessie Mueller and Adrienne Warren.
The New York Pops started it's 34th season off with a glorious concert celebrating the legacy and timeless works of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. In the closing concert of his inaugural season in 2010, music director and conductor Steven Reineke celebrated the music of Lerner and Loewe and the response was so heartwarming that he decided it was the right time to revisit the material.
Last night, May 2, 2016, The New York Pops celebrated its 33rd birthday with a grand gala evening celebrating the revolutionary collaborations of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, the songwriting team behind LES MISERABLES, Miss Saigon, and more. Serving as Honorary Co-Chairs for the event were musical theatre legends Sir Cameron Mackintosh and Patti LuPone. BroadwayWorld takes you inside the dinner following the show below!
Last night, November 13, 2015 at 8:00PM, The New York Pops, led by Music Director Steven Reineke, will continue its 33rd season at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage with SOPHISTICATED LADIES, featuring Montego Glover, Capathia Jenkins, and Sy Smith. Go inside the after-party with us through the photos below!
Brian Worsdale the Artistic Director and Conductor of the French Woods Symphony Orchestra invited his buddy Steven Reineke, musical director and conductor of The New York Pops to bring some friends to share a day of music at summer camp and visit French Woods Festival. As usual, BroadwayWorld also came to camp. Check out photos from the event below!
The Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps (LGBAC) Symphonic Band will welcome New York Pops Music Director Steven Reineke to the podium during its Spring 2011 concert, Once Upon a Musical Time, to conduct the world premiere of his new piece for concert band. The band will perform this concert, the second in its 31st concert season, on Sat., April 30, 2011 at 8 p.m. in Peter Norton Symphony Space, located at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street.
