All People Become Brethren
Salvation Army, CMT Hall
120 W14th St, New York, NY 10011
PROGRAM
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125
Selected works by Brahms, Dvorak, Mozart, and Negro Spirituals
In 2016, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the Foundation expanded its usual focus to present four performances of Mozart’s Requiem at St. Bartholomew’s Church in Manhattan, the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in Brooklyn, Lehman College in the Bronx, and Morristown, New Jersey. Now, ten years later, we approach the 25th anniversary of those events. For many young people, 9/11is no longer a living memory, and they have no immediate way of fully grasping either the gravity or the lessons of that day. We therefore feel called to unite our mission of reviving Classical culture with a renewed effort to remind our city not only of the agony of that day, but also of the bravery, self-sacrifice, and unity that it inspired.
America, Know Thyself!
Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
881 7th Ave., New York, NY 10019
PROGRAM
America, Know Thyself!, a musical/historical drama
Dvorak-Haight: My Country, ‘Tis of Thee, premiere
Dvorak: Symphony No.9 in E Minor, Op.95, 1st movement
Beethoven: Symphony No.9 in D Minor, Op.125
On December 16, join us at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium for a landmark celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. The program will feature America, Know Thyself!, a musical historical drama inspired by the nation’s founding documents, the premiere of the completed New American National Anthem, and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony performed by the Bel Canto Youth Chorus alongside a 200-voice chorus. An unforgettable evening where music, history, poetry, and drama unite in celebration of America’s enduring ideals.
Beethoven's 250th Celebration
Beethoven's 250th Celebration
DEC 16, 7PM STERN AUDITORIUM AT CARNEGIE HALL
We wish to thank and congratulate everyone involved for making our Concert "250 Years of Beethoven, Celebrated!" at Carnegie Hall on December 16 -- Beethoven's birthday -- such a resounding success. The pulling together of 130-voice(!) Beethoven Celebration Chorus and Orchestra could not have been accomplished without the special efforts from all the musicians. Everyone rose to the occasion under the masterful baton of internationally renowned conductor Maestro Gerard Schwarz.
This was a historical achievement. As stated in the opening paragraph of the program notes:
"For those who have perhaps never encountered the music of Ludwig van Beethoven live – and we hope that there are many of you here tonight – you could not have picked a better concert to attend. The compositions presented tonight – three by Beethoven, one by Brahms, and two poems by Friedrich Schiller set to music by the two composers – are exemplary of their best work. Most notably, all are being performed at the “Verdi tuning,” where the middle C is at 256 cycles per second, resulting in an A in the range of 430-432, a much lower pitch than is commonly heard in many concert halls today. Authenticity, we contend, need not demand that one perform on late-18th century period instruments. In properly “retuning” to C 256, we seek to present a program which, combining artistry with science, strives to reach as close to the intent of the composers as possible."
We believe this intent was beautifully conveyed to the audience. A near-capacity audience of approximately 2,500 people, including 1,000 sponsored students and their families from NYC public schools attended the concert. The dress circle and balcony were filled to the brim with these grateful New Yorkers, many of whom had never heard classical music live, and could not have been treated to a more wonderful holiday gift. The impact of this evening on the lives of these children is eloquently captured in the following note we received from one of the school principals from a Bronx school, who attended with 30 students:
"Since our introduction, the collaboration upon which we have embarked has brought energy, positivity, and art to our students and staff. These priceless gifts cannot be underestimated during this formative period in our young adults’ lives. Last night, was yet another developmental step in our nascent relationship and the impact was literally and figuratively resounding. The power of last night’s performance changed some of our students’ impressions of Beethoven and the classical music genre for the better. Thank you for expanding audiences and impacting lives."
This year is the year of Beethoven! Moving forward from this concert, our Foundation looks forward to more such wonderful projects and fruitful collaboration. Our slogan this year is “Think Like Beethoven”. We invite and need your participation!
On February 1, 2020, we invite all of you to join us at a symposium on Music, Creativity, Education and the science of beauty and character—dedicated to the great violinist, orator, abolitionist and proponent of literacy and the classics - Frederick Douglass! If you're interested, CLICK HERE. Stay tuned for our announcements of new programs! Join our Newsletter HERE. Best wishes for Happy, Healthy and Musical Holidays and New Year!
"If people understood my music better, there would be no war.”
– Ludwig von Beethoven