On March 16, 2012 at 8:00pm, The New York Pops orchestra, led by Music Director Steven Reineke, celebrates the 65th anniversary of Ella Fitzgerald’s Carnegie Hall debut with a commemorative performance at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage.
Grammy-winner Patti Austin joins The New York Pops to pay homage to Fitzgerald’s classic album of the George and Ira Gershwin songbook.
The program features Nelson Riddle’s original symphonic arrangements of Gershwin works in their Carnegie Hall debut – including “I Got Rhythm,”S’Wonderful,” and “Our Love Is Here to Stay” – and an appearance by Nelson Riddle’s son, Christopher Riddle. The concert is produced in association with the Ella Fitzgerald Foundation and the Nelson Riddle Foundation.
“I am so excited to pay tribute to my favorite singers of all time, Ella Fitzgerald,” said Steven Reineke. “The charts that were created for her Gershwin Songbook album have never before been performed live with full orchestra in New York City. The powerhouse vocals of Patti Austin and the legendary arrangements by Nelson Riddle will create a dynamic combination and make Carnegie Hall feel like the Cotton Club.”
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Patti Austin is a talented soul and jazz singer whose career spans more than 50 years of wonderful music-making. The Goddaughter of musical legends Quincy Jones and Dinah Washington, Austin garnered national attention for her jazz albums in the late 70s. In her album Street of Dreams, Austin began to channel her immense talents toward interpreting jazz standards, and does so most successfully in 2002 with her album For Ella – a salute to Ella Fitzgerald. In late 2007, Austin released Avant Gershwin, her own interpretation of the Gershwin songbook. Austin’s work on the album earned her a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.
Steven Reineke’s boundless enthusiasm and exceptional artistry have made him one of the nation’s most sought-after pops conductors, composers and arrangers. As Music Director of The New York Pops, Reineke conducts the orchestra’s annual Carnegie Hall concert series, leads concert tours, recordings and nationwide telecasts. Mr. Reineke is the newly appointed Principal Pops Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra. In addition, he serves as Principal Pops
Conductor of the Long Beach and Modesto Symphony Orchestras. Previously, he was Associate Conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, where for fifteen years he served as a composer, arranger and conducting protégé of the late celebrated pops conductor Erich Kunzel.
Steven Reineke’s notable guest conducting appearances include the Boston Pops, Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra and his debut at the Hollywood Bowl in 2007. Reineke is also an
established symphonic composer, with his works most recently performed by the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic.
ABOUT THE NEW YORK POPS
The New York Pops is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States, and the only professional symphonic orchestra in New York City specializing in popular music. Led by Music Director Steven Reineke, the orchestra performs an annual subscription series and birthday gala at Carnegie Hall, enjoying one of their highest subscription renewal rates.
