Young People's Concerts

Young People's Concerts
AbbreviationYPC
Formation1924; 100 years ago (1924)
FounderErnest Schelling
TypeOrchestral music
Location
  • New York City
Key people
Leonard Bernstein, conductor (1958-72)
Parent organization
New York Philharmonic
SubsidiariesVery Young People's Concerts
AffiliationsCBS
Award(s)4 Emmy Awards
Websitehttps://nyphil.org/education/family-programs/ypc-family

The Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic are the longest-running series of family concerts of classical music in the world.

Symphony concerts for young people in New York City (before 1924)[edit]

On November 26, 1898, conductor Frank Damrosch and the New York Symphony Orchestra, presented one of the first orchestra concerts in New York City directed at a younger audience, entitled "Symphony Concert for Young People".[1] A year prior, in 1897, Damrosch was named the head of music education for New York City's public schools because of his social mission to teach music to impoverished New Yorkers.[2]

Decades later, between 1914–16, the New York Philharmonic's music director Josef Stránský began leading concerts for young people.[3]

Founding of an annual concert series (1924–1939)[edit]

Conductor Ernest Henry Schelling with dog aboard the S.S. Paris, May 24, 1922.

The New York Philharmonic's annual "Young People's Concerts" series was founded in 1924 by conductor "Uncle" Ernest Schelling and Mary Williamson Harriman and Elizabeth "Bessie" Mitchell, co-chairs of the Philharmonic's Educational and Children's Concerts Committee.[4] Schelling designed the concerts to encourage a love of music in children, augmenting the music with demonstrations and talks featuring picture slideshows about composers, instruments, history, and other educational topics. Schelling created over 4,000 magic lantern glass slides to showcase a variety of subjects.[5][6]

Beginning in 1930, the Young People's Concerts were broadcast as a parallel feature with the Philharmonic's Sunday concerts on CBS Radio to homes across the United States and in Europe.[7] Schelling and the Philharmonic also went directly into New York City's public schools, presenting "School Day" concerts to young students.

The Young People's Concerts became very popular with children and their parents, as well as music lovers of all ages. In his first ten years, Schelling led two series of five to six concerts each season.[4] In addition to presenting concerts for children in New York, Schelling also presented concerts on the road in cities such as Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Rotterdam, and London. Schelling conducted the Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic from 1924 until his death in 1939.[8]

After Schelling (1940 to 1958)[edit]

Poster for New York Philharmonic Young People's Concert, conductor Rudolf Ganz, January 19, 1942

Following Schelling's death in 1939, the Young People's Concerts were taken over by Swiss conductor Rudolph Ganz, from 1940 to 1947.[9] Ganz had initially planned six concerts each season at Carnegie Hall, plus a series of three "Elementary", or "Introductory", concerts at New York City's Town Hall for "children with little or no musical training" under the age of nine. However, the Elementary concerts were suspended in 1942 due to World War II and did not resume again until 1947.[4]

In 1947, the Young People's Concert Committee held interviews for the series' next conductor. The Committee voted American conductor Walter Hendl, who went on to lead four concerts.[10] Other conductors were vying for the position, including a young Leonard Bernstein, who had only debuted with the Philharmonic four years prior. Bernstein received only three votes and would not conduct a Young People's Concert until he became music director in 1958.

In 1950, American conductor Igor Buketoff was placed at the helm of all the Philharmonic's children's concerts, following his first guest appearance in the role just two years prior.[11]

In 1953, Canadian conductor Wilfrid Pelletier was appointed conductor of the Young People's Concerts.[12] In Pelletier's final season, 1956-17, the elementary series for younger children was dissolved yet again.[4]

Leonard Bernstein on CBS (1958–72)[edit]

Leonard Bernstein brought the Young People's Concerts to a new level of popular attention as music director of the New York Philharmonic, beginning in 1958. Bernstein wrote, conducted, and narrated a total of 53 episodes from 1958 to 1972, all of which were telecast on CBS and syndicated in over 40 countries.[13] Reaching millions of families across the United States and around the world, these concerts inspired entire generations of musicians and music lovers.[14]

New York Philharmonic Principal Cellist Lorne Munroe and Leonard Bernstein at a Young People's Concert. December 6, 1968.

Bernstein's first concert as music director and Conductor, on January 18, 1958, at Carnegie Hall in New York, was the first of these programs to be televised, "What Does Music Mean?" In 1962, the Young People's Concerts became the first series of concerts broadcast live from Lincoln Center. Initially broadcast on Saturdays (episodes 1–7) and Sundays (episodes 8–15), the concerts eventually moved to primetime (episodes 16–40) before returning to Sunday afternoons (episodes 41–53).[15]

Although Bernstein left the position of music director in 1969, he continued to lead the Young People's Concerts as Conductor Emeritus until 1972, concluding in March 1972 with a television series finale devoted to Gustav Holst's The Planets.[16]

The series won five Emmy Awards between 1962 and 1966.[17]

Ep. No. Title Original airdate Performers
1 What Does Music Mean? January 18, 1958
2 What is American Music? February 1, 1958 Aaron Copland
3 What is Orchestration? March 8, 1958
4 What Makes Music Symphonic? December 13, 1958
5 What is Classical Music? January 24, 1959
6 Humor in Music February 28, 1959
7 What is a Concerto? March 28, 1959 John Corigliano Sr.; John Wummer; William Lincer
8 Who is Gustav Mahler? February 7, 1960 Reri Grist; Helen Raab; William Lewis
9 Young Performers No. 1 March 6, 1960 Daniel Domb; Kenneth Schermerhorn; Barry Finclair; Stefan B. Mengelberg; Alexandra Wager
10 Unusual Instruments of Present, Past, and Future March 27, 1960 New York Pro Musica; Noah Greenberg; Vladimir Ussachevsky; Anita Darian
11 The Second Hurricane April 24, 1960 High School of Music & Art
12 Overtures and Preludes January 8, 1961
13 Aaron Copland Birthday Party February 12, 1961 Aaron Copland; William Warfield
14 Young Performers No. 2 March 19, 1961 Lynn Harrell; Elyakum Shapirra; Jung-Ja Kim; Russell Stanger; Veronica Tyler; Gregory Millar; Henry Chapin
15 Folk Music in the Concert Hall April 9, 1961 Marni Nixon
16 What is Impressionism? November 23, 1961
17 The Road to Paris January 18, 1962 Zara Nelsova
18 Happy Birthday, Igor Stravinsky March 26, 1962
19 Young Performers No. 3 April 14, 1962 Seiji Ozawa; Gary Karr; Maurice Peress; John Canarina; Ruth & Naomi Segal; Paula Robison; Paul Green; Tony Cirone; David Hopper
20 The Sound of a Hall November 21, 1962 Shirley Verrett; John Corigliano, Sr.; Frank Gullino; Joseph Bernstein; William Dembinsky
21 What is a Melody? December 21, 1962
22 Young Performers No. 4 January 15, 1963 Joan Weiner; Yuri Krasnopolsky; Claudia Hoca; Zoltán Rozsnyai; Pamela Paul; Serge Fournier; André Watts
23 The Latin American Spirit March 8, 1963 Netania Davrath
24 A Tribute to Teachers 29 November 1963
25 Young Performers No. 5 December 23, 1963 Heidi Lehwalder; Amos Eisenberg; Weldon Berry, Jr.; Claudio Abbado; Shulamit Ran; Pedro Calderon; Stephen E. Kates; Zdeněk Košler
26 The Genius of Paul Hindemith February 23, 1964
27 Jazz in the Concert Hall March 11, 1964 Richard Davis, Don Ellis, Benny Golson, Eric Dolphy, Joseph Cocuzzo, Gunther Schuller; Aaron Copland
28 What is Sonata Form? November 6, 1964 Veronica Tyler
29 Farewell to Nationalism November 30, 1964 Seymour Lipkin
30 Young Performers No. 6 January 28, 1965 Patricia Michaelian; James Buswell IV
31 A Tribute to Sibelius February 19, 1965 Sergiu Luca
32 Musical Atoms: A Study of Intervals November 29, 1965
33 The Sound of an Orchestra December 14, 1965
34 A Birthday Tribute to Shostakovich January 5, 1966
35 Young Performers No. 7 February 22, 1966 Paul Schoenfield; Stephanie Sebastian; David Oei; Horacio Gutiérrez; James DePreist; Jacques Houtmann; Edo de Waart
36 What Is a Mode? November 23, 1966
37 Young Performers No. 8 January 27, 1967 Elmar Oliveira; Mark Salkind; Fred Alston; Donald Green; Juan Pablo Izquierdo; Sylvia Caduff; Stephen Dominko; George Reid; Young Uck Kim
38 Charles Ives: American Pioneer February 23, 1967 Simon Estes
39 Alumni Reunion April 19, 1967 Stephen E. Kates; Veronica Tyler; André Watts
40 A Toast to Vienna in 34 Time December 25, 1967 Christa Ludwig; Walter Berry
41 Forever Beethoven January 28, 1968 Joseph Kalichstein; Paul Capolongo
42 Young Performers No. 9 March 31, 1968 Lawrence Foster; Alois Springer; Martin and Steven Vann; Helen Quach
43 Quiz-Concert: How Musical Are You? May 26, 1968
44 Fantastic Variations December 25, 1968 Lorne Munroe
45 Bach Transmogrified April 27, 1969 Michael Korn; Leopold Stokowski; Moog synthesizer; David Nadien; Julius Baker; New York Rock & Roll Ensemble
46 Berlioz Takes a Trip May 25, 1969
47 Two Ballet Birds 14 September 1969
48 Fidelio: A Celebration of Life March 29, 1970 Forest Warren; Anita Darian; Howard Ross; David Cumberland
49 The Anatomy of a Symphony Orchestra May 24, 1970
50 A Copland Celebration December 27, 1970 Stanley Drucker
51 Thus Spake Richard Strauss April 4, 1971
52 Liszt and the Devil February 13, 1972
53 Holst: The Planets March 26, 1972

Kultur International Films released Volume I on DVD in 2004[18] and Volume II on DVD in 2013.[19] Each volume contains more than twenty hours of concerts.

International stage (1972–present)[edit]

Following their international rise to fame in the Bernstein era, the Young People's Concerts were subsequently presented by the New York Philharmonic on tour in concert halls throughout the world. The series began to expand its artistic leadership to develop a collective vision for its future.[20]

Following Bernstein's final Young People's Concert in 1972, Michael Tilson Thomas regularly led the series (1971–77),[21] in addition to conductors such as Erich Leinsdorf, Pierre Boulez, Igor Buketoff, Zubin Mehta, Aaron Copland, Kurt Masur, Leonard Slatkin, André Previn, Thomas Wilkins, and Jaap van Zweden.

In 2008, the New York Philharmonic was presenting four Young People's Concerts each season, in addition to concerts on tour to cities like Hong Kong. American conductor Delta David Gier hosted and led the programs and playwright Tom Dulack scripted them, which were themed as a unit and, as Schelling pioneered decades earlier, the live performances were complemented by live images projected on a large screen.[22][23]

As of 2024, the New York Philharmonic continues to present four Young People's Concerts each season. The contemporary concerts are thematically programmed, focusing 21st century issues like climate change, immigration, and social justice. The performances are complemented by live image and video projections, guest actors, dancers, singers, and community partners, with an interdisciplinary approach that brings elements like science, fantasy, and hip hop into the orchestra. These concerts have been streamed online for international audiences.[24][25]

Legacy and other educational programs[edit]

In 2005, the New York Philharmonic revived their "Elementary" series, renamed the Very Young People's Concerts, which is designed for younger children ages 3 to 6. The 30-minute concerts, hosted by the Philharmonic's Associate Principal Violist Rebecca Young, introduce children to music through games, stories, and musical performances of chamber music, as well as give children the opportunity to play musical instruments.[26][27]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "New York Philharmonic Program (ID: 9048)". New York Philharmonic Shelby White & Leon Levy Digital Archives. November 26, 1898. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  2. ^ "Juilliard School". Philanthropy Roundtable. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  3. ^ "New York Philharmonic Program (ID: 987)". New York Philharmonic Shelby White & Leon Levy Digital Archives. January 24, 1914. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Shanet 1975, p. 460.
  5. ^ "Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (slide) - Ernest Schelling". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  6. ^ "Ernest Schelling Lantern Slide Collection, New York Philharmonic Archives". archives.nyphil.org. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  7. ^ "Press Releases - 1940-1941, Sep 4, 1940 - Jan 27, 1941 (ID: 765-04-05)". archives.nyphil.org. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  8. ^ "Ernest Schelling, Famed Pianist, Dies; Composer Who Led Children's Concerts of the Philharmonic Since 1924 Was 63". The New York Times. December 9, 1939. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  9. ^ Shanet 1975, p. 459.
  10. ^ "New York Philharmonic Program (ID: 4989), 1948 Feb 21". New York Philharmonic Shelby White & Leon Levy Digital Archives. February 21, 1948. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  11. ^ "Santa at Youth Concert; Leads Audience in 'Silent Night' – Igor Buketoff Conducts". The New York Times. December 17, 1950. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  12. ^ "New York Philharmonic Program (ID: 6816)". New York Philharmonic Shelby White & Leon Levy Digital Archives. November 28, 1953. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  13. ^ Bernstein, Leonard (2005). Gottlieb, Jack (ed.). Leonard Bernstein's young people's concerts. Pompton Plains, New Jersey: Amadeus Press. ISBN 978-1-57467-102-5.
  14. ^ Kopfstein-Penk, Alicia (2015). Leonard Bernstein and his young people's concerts. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-8108-8849-4.
  15. ^ "Leonard Bernstein at 100 - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. September 23, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  16. ^ "Bernstein, Leonard: Young People's Concerts, Vol. .. - 800608 | Discover more releases from UNITEL Edition". www.naxos.com. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  17. ^ "New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts with". Television Academy. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  18. ^ Young People's Concerts, 9 DVDs, Kultur International Films (2004) OCLC 745367887
  19. ^ Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic. Volume 2, 9 DVDs, Kultur International Films (2013) OCLC 862170555
  20. ^ Westphal, Matthew (November 1, 2007). "New York Philharmonic Reveals Details of 2008 Asia Tour". Playbill.
  21. ^ "New York Philharmonic's Young People's Concerts: What is Noise? What is Music? (TV)". Paley Center for Media. 1975 [May 10, 1975 Saturday 5:00 PM]. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  22. ^ Dulack, Tom. "Dramatists Play Service, Inc". www.dramatists.com. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  23. ^ Smith, Steve (January 14, 2008). "Fanfare for the Common Kid: Fidgeting but Still Curious". The New York Times.
  24. ^ Cooper, Michael (November 3, 2016). "The Philharmonic to Stream Young People's Concerts". The New York Times.
  25. ^ "Young People's Concerts | Family-Friendly Concerts at NY Phil". nyphil.org. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  26. ^ "Classical Music for Children Ages 3-6 | NY Phil Family Concerts". nyphil.org. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  27. ^ Ramey, Corinne (November 29, 2013). "Music to Really Young Ears: New York Philharmonic's Concerts Cater to Toddler Set". The Wall Street Journal.

Sources

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]