Alan Gilbert to Conduct New Year's Eve Concert with Igudesman & Joo and Joshua Bell, 12/31

Music Director Alan Gilbert will conduct the New York Philharmonic's annual New Year's Eve celebration, this year featuring musical humorists Igudesman & Joo in their Philharmonic debut and a special guest appearance by violinist Joshua Bell, Tuesday, December 31, 2013, at 7:30 p.m. The duo - violinist Aleksey Igudesman and pianist Hyung-ki Joo - will perform original acts that will have Philharmonic musicians and Alan Gilbert joining in the fun.

Highlights of the unique program will include Rachmaninoff by Himself, a piece that humorously acknowledges the origins of Eric Carmen's power ballad "All by Myself" in Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2; A Very Blue Danube, taking Johann Strauss II's famed waltz to virtuosic extremes and poking fun at the waltz-filled Viennese New Year; and From Mozart with Love, in which Mozart's Symphony No. 40 and the James Bond theme are woven together. The evening will also include the World Premiere of Ring in the Classics, written by Igudesman & Joo for Alan Gilbert and featuring the Music Director in a spotlighted role.

"Without too much boasting, if people come to this performance they will not need New Year's resolutions anymore, simply because their lives will change so much to the positive, all of their dreams will be fulfilled," Aleksey Igudesman jokes. "Or not - we're not liable if they don't. But most likely, everything they've ever wished for will come true if they come to our New Year's Eve performance."

Igudesman & Joo's comedic interpretations of classical repertoire - in the tradition of Victor Borge and Danny Kaye, both of whom performed with the New York Philharmonic - have made them viral internet stars. Combining humor, music, and pop culture, Igudesman & Joo perform around the world in stadiums and concert halls, and videos of their skits have garnered more than 32 million hits on YouTube.

Single tickets for New Year's Eve Concert with Igudesman & Joo start at $79. All tickets may be purchased online at nyphil.org or by calling (212) 875-5656, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets may also be purchased at the Avery Fisher Hall Box Office. The Box Office opens at 10:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and at noon on Sunday. On performance evenings, the Box Office closes one-half hour after performance time; other evenings it closes at 6:00 p.m. To determine ticket availability, call the
Philharmonic's Customer Relations Department at (212) 875-5656. [Ticket prices subject to change.]