The Philadelphia Orchestra celebrates the 151st anniversary of the Academy of Music with the annual Anniversary Concert and Ball, on Saturday, January 26, 2008. The Philadelphia Orchestra, led by Music Director Christoph Eschenbach, performs. Billy Joel makes a special guest appearance, in his first appearance with a major American orchestra. Rising young talents Dísella Làrusdóttir, soprano, and Conrad Tao, piano, will be featured. Blue Man Group will perform an original work with The Philadelphia Orchestra, and the concert will be hosted by MSNBC’s Chris Matthews. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. The Academy Ball follows at the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue. Blank Rome LLP is the lead underwriter of the 151st Anniversary Concert and Ball.
Legendary singer/songwriter/composer Billy Joel makes his Philadelphia Orchestra debut with this performance. Mr. Joel and the Orchestra will perform a selection of his popular works from a career spanning 30 years. The Orchestra gives the world premiere of an original classical composition by Mr. Joel. A portion of the Ball proceeds will support The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Billy Joel Endowment Fund for Education. Details of the programs to be supported by the Fund will be announced in the near future. This marks the first time Mr. Joel has created an endowment fund with an orchestra, although he has made significant donations to the music programs of New York University, the Juilliard School, Syracuse University, Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, the State University of New York at Purchase, the New England Conservatory, Tanglewood Music Center, and the Boston Symphony’s Academy for Advanced Musical Study.
Concert program
As the “Grand Old Lady of Locust Street” commences her next 150 years, the Academy of Music 151st Anniversary Concert celebrates the theme “From This Moment On” with a program emphasizing the classical, the popular and the avant garde. The concert commences with an overture performed by Christoph Eschenbach and The Philadelphia Orchestra. Performances by Dísella Làrusdóttir and Conrad Tao with Mr. Eschenbach and the Orchestra represent the wave of the future of classical music. Ms. Làrusdóttir is the 2007 vocalist winner of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s distinguished Greenfield Competition. Piano/violin/composition prodigy Conrad Tao is the winner of both Juilliard Pre-College’s Gina Bachauer Piano Competition and the Prokofiev Concerto Competition. A special highlight of the evening will be the Orchestra’s world premiere performance of a classical work composed by Billy Joel. The innovative Blue Man Group will present a new approach to symphonic performance with the Orchestra. The concert closes with Mr. Joel and The Philadelphia Orchestra performing a selection of his popular songs specially orchestrated for the occasion, continuing the Academy’s long history of presenting popular music. The Anniversary Concert is created and produced by Wayne Baruch and Charles F. Gayton, who also produced the spectacular Academy 150th Anniversary Concert. For concert-only tickets, which are available on the Amphitheatre level and go on sale on Monday, September 24, please call 215.893.1999 or visit www.philorch.org/academyofmusic.
Dinner and Ball
The gala champagne dinner and ball following the concert take place at the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue. Nine dance orchestras will be located throughout the hotel. Blank Rome LLP is the lead underwriter of the 151st Anniversary Concert and Ball, which is chaired by Mrs. Joseph W. Rogers, Jr., and Mr. David F. Girard-diCarlo.
For gala information, call The Philadelphia Orchestra Academy of Music Restoration Fund Office at 215.893.1940.
Proceeds benefit the Academy of Music Restoration Fund and The Philadelphia Orchestra Association.
The orchestra will be donating their services for this performance.
For further information, please call the Restoration Fund Office at 215.893.1940.
Co-Chairmen
Mr. David F. Girard-diCarlo
Mrs. Joseph W. Rogers, Jr.
Program Book Co-Chairmen
Mrs. Donald L. Besecker, Jr.
Mrs. Kenneth G. Lawrence
Esther D. Schwartz
Invitations Co-Chairmen
Liz Odiorne
Jood Thompson
Felecia Weiss
Director
Linda Scribner
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