John Tartaglia Set for New York Pops' A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS, 12/21; Steven Reineke to Conduct

On Saturday, December 21 at 2:00PM in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute presents A Charlie Brown Christmas in a special holiday Family Concert with The New York Pops and Music Director Steven Reineke. This staged concert version of Charles M. Schulz's iconic television special brings the beloved Peanuts characters to life through special choreography performed by dancers from New York Theatre Ballet and child actors from TADA! Youth Theater. Tony Award nominee John Tartaglia (Avenue Q, Sesame Street) narrates the heart-warming story, underscored by the music of Vince Guaraldi, performed by The New York Pops and Judith Clurman's Essential Voices USA.

The Family Concert is one of three holiday concerts performed at Carnegie Hall this December by The New York Pops. On Thursday, December 19 at 8:00PM and Friday, December 20 at 8:00PM, Mr. Reineke and the orchestra will perform Under the Mistletoe with Ashley Brown, featuring traditional favorites and new holiday hits from one of Broadway's favorite leading ladies.

Following the Family Concert, the Notables, Carnegie Hall's young patrons, will host the Fourth Annual Family Party featuring food, crafts, cookie decorating, and other Peanuts-themed activities for children. In addition, guests will enjoy prime seating at the concert. Proceeds support the music education and community programs of Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute, which annually serve more than 400,000 people in New York City, across the US, and around the world, as well as The New York Pops and its free education programs throughout New York City. Concert co-chairs are Julie Turaj and Robert Pohly. Family Party co-chairs include: Carrie Clendenin, Caroline Rocco Dennis, Lyss Stern, Christin Barringer Rueger, Amy Tarr, Sarina Sassoon Sanandaji, and Mary Wible Vertin. Ticket prices include family packages at $500 (4 tickets), single ticket prices for adults are $200, children over 4 are $100, and children 3 and under are $75. For tickets, please contact the Carnegie Hall Notables office at 212-903-9734 or notables@carnegiehall.org.

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. Under the leadership of dynamic Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke, The New York Pops continues to re-imagine orchestral pops music. The orchestra performs an annual subscription series and birthday gala at Carnegie Hall. The New York Pops is dedicated to lifelong learning, and collaborates with public schools, community organizations, children's hospitals and senior centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City. PopsEd allows thousands of New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds to participate in fully customizable music programs that blend traditional education with pure fun. Visit www.newyorkpops.org for more information. Follow The New York Pops on Facebook (facebook.com/newyorkpops) and Twitter (@newyorkpops).

Steven Reineke is the Music Director of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, Principal Pops Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Principal Pops Conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Reineke is a frequent guest conductor with The Philadelphia Orchestra and has been on the podium with the Boston Pops, The Cleveland Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia. His extensive North American conducting appearances include San Francisco, Houston, Seattle, Edmonton and Pittsburgh. As the creator of more than one hundred orchestral arrangements for the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Mr. Reineke's work has been performed worldwide, and can be heard on numerous Cincinnati Pops Orchestra recordings on the Telarc label. His symphonic works Celebration Fanfare, Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Casey at the Bat are performed frequently in North America. His numerous wind ensemble compositions are published by the C.L. Barnhouse Company and are performed by concert bands around the world. A native of Ohio, Mr. Reineke is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio, where he earned bachelor of music degrees with honors in both trumpet performance and music composition. He currently resides in New York City with his partner Eric Gabbard.

The Weill Music Institute creates visionary programs that embody Carnegie Hall's commitment to music education. With unparalleled access to the world's greatest artists, the Weill Music Institute inspires audiences of all ages, nurtures tomorrow's musical talent, and harnesses the power of music to make a meaningful difference in people's lives. An integral part of Carnegie Hall's concert season, these programs facilitate creative expression, develop musical skills and capacities at all levels, and encourage participants to make lifelong personal connections to music. The Weill Music Institute generates new knowledge through original research and shares a wide range of free online resources with educators and music lovers around the globe. More than 400,000 people each year engage in the Weill Music Institute's programs through national and international partnerships, in New York City schools and community settings, and at Carnegie Hall.