Megan Hilty to Reunite with the New York Pops for THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR

Megan Hilty reunites with The New York Pops and Music Director and conductor Steven Reineke for two festive, holiday-inspired concerts entitled The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, on Friday, December 15 and Saturday, December 16 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall.

Hilty and the orchestra will perform songs from her holiday album, A Merry Little Christmas (2016) including "Count Your Blessings" from White Christmas, "The Christmas Song," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," and "Santa Baby".

They will be joined by Judith Clurman's Essential Voices USA, who will be featured on a Hanukkah Medley, as well as other seasonal favorites.

The New York Pops' 2017-18 season also includes Women of Notes: In Dedicated to Female Composers and Lyricists on Friday, November 17 at 8:00 p.m. with guest artists Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolfe, and special guests Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Georgia Stitt, and Shaina Taub; Heart and Soul featuring James Monroe Iglehart and Capathia Jenkins on Friday, February 2 at 8:00 p.m.; The Best of Hollywood: Blockbuster Film Scores on Friday, March 9 at 8:00 p.m.; and the orchestra's 35th Birthday Gala on Monday, April 30 at 7:00 p.m. paying tribute to Alan Menken's contributions to stage and screen.

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IF YOU GO:

The New York Pops
THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
Friday, December 15, 2017 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 16, 2017 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall
Steven Reineke, Music Director and Conductor
Megan Hilty, Guest Artist
Essential Voices USA, Judith Clurman, Music Director and Conductor

Tickets, priced at $21-$140, are available for purchase at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, at 57th and Seventh, or can be charged to major credit cards by calling CarnegieCharge at (212) 247-7800 or by visiting the Carnegie Hall website at carnegiehall.org.

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ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

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 and a summer series at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY. 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.

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 Houston Symphony and 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 Seattle, Edmonton and Pittsburgh. As the creator of more than one hundred orchestral arrangements for the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and the composer of symphonic and wind ensemble compositions, Mr. Reineke's work has been performed worldwide.

Megan Hilty is most recognizable for her portrayal of seasoned triple-threat Ivy Lynn in NBC's musical drama Smash. She received critical acclaim for her role of Brooke Ashton in the Roundabout Theater Company's revival of Noises Off. She earned nominations for a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Drama League Award and won a Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite Featured Actress in a Play. Earlier this year, she recurred on Bravo's dramedy Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce and the final season of CBS' The Good Wife.

Hilty released a live album comprising of songs from her recent concert tour, entitled Megan Hilty Live at the Café Carlyle and completed a residency at New York's Café Carlyle, where she previously performed the last two years. Additionally, she released a Christmas album entitled A Merry Little Christmas and made her Australian debut as part of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

In March 2013, Hilty released her debut solo album, It Happens All The Time, which included fresh interpretations of compositions by contemporary songwriters and producers. Earlier, Hilty starred as Lorelei Lee, the diamond-loving blonde made famous by Carol Channing, in the Encores! production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, to which she earned rave reviews. Additionally, her voice was featured as Rosetta in Disney's Tinker Bell: Secret of the Wings. She has also recorded vocals in Disney's The Secret Life of Magic Gourd, Phineas & Ferb, Glenn Martin DDS, American Dad, Tinker Bell and the Pixie Hollow Games, Robot & Monster, as well as singing as Snow White in the film Shrek the Third. Hilty can be heard in the animated film "Dorothy of Oz" with Kelsey Grammer, Hugh Dancy, and Lea Michele. She can also be heard alongside Plácido Domingo on the opera star's duet album.

A native of Seattle, Hilty moved to New York City after graduating from the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University, and quickly made her Broadway debut as Glinda in Wicked. She went on to perform the role in both the national tour and in Los Angeles.

After receiving high praise for her portrayal of Doralee Rhodes in Broadway's 9 to 5: The Musical, Hilty was honored with nominations for Lead Actress in a Musical at the Drama Desk Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, the Drama League Awards, and L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Awards. Hilty has previously performed at Carnegie Hall with The New York Pops, the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center, the Boston Pops, the Cincinnati Pops, the Houston Symphony, the Phoenix Symphony among many others. She was also featured on TNT's 2012 Christmas in Washington special and continues to perform at prestigious venues nationwide. Megan is a frequent guest on PBS' televised Live from Capitol Hill concerts. Her solo concert concerts continue to sell out and receive critical acclaim across the country.

Her television credits include: Sean Saves the World, Difficult People, Braindead, Melissa & Joey, Bones, The Closer, Desperate Housewives, CSI, Shark, Ugly Betty, Eli Stone, and The Suite Life of Zach & Cody. Among Hilty's film credits are Warren Beatty's Rules Don't Apply, The Bitter Feast, and the short film The Happiest Man Alive, opposite Justin Chambers.

Judith Clurman's Essential Voices USA (EVUSA) is one of New York's preeminent choral ensembles. EVUSA performs in many of the city's iconic venues and events, and records and premieres works by America's finest composers and lyricists. ?Regularly on stage with The New York Pops in its Carnegie Hall subscription series, and televised on NBC's July 4th Macy's 2014 Spectacular Fireworks and the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting, the ensemble comprises a talented roster of seasoned professionals and auditioned volunteers, dynamically fitted to the unique needs of each project. EVUSA participated in the 2013 Presidential Inaugural activities and held a month-long residency at National Public Radio. The ensemble has performed with a diverse and impressive array of artists including the young opera sensation Jamie Barton, Broadway star Idina Menzel and numerous musical theater luminaries. EVUSA has premiered works by composers Milton Babbitt, Jennifer Higdon, Nico Muhly, and Howard Shore. The group currently produces The Composer Speaks at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, a series of musical performances complemented by panel discussions with composers and lyricists. EVUSA Youth Workshop provides select high school students the opportunity to participate with the main ensemble in the heart of New York City's music scene. The ensemble's recordings include Celebrating the American Spirit, Cherished Moments: Songs of the Jewish Spirit, Holiday Harmonies: Songs of Christmas, and Season of Light: Songs of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah, New Year. EVUSA's music director Music Director Judith Clurman is an Emmy and Grammy-nominated conductor and educator. She also is the musical director for The Symphony Singers and is on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music.

Photo Credit: Sidney Beal