NY Philharmonic Announces 2013 Holiday Concerts

The New York Philharmonic will celebrate the 2013 holiday season with timeless classics and new programs with theatrical flair that bring in talents from the worlds of Broadway and the Internet. This year's schedule includes the annual Holiday Brass concert with the Philharmonic Principal Brass Quintet, joined for the third consecutive year by Grammy and Emmy Award- winning pianist/arranger Lee Musiker and his trio; Handel's Messiah, led by Andrew Manze in his New York Philharmonic debut; A Broadway Christmas with Brian Stokes Mitchell, with the Tony Award winner making his Philharmonic debut in concerts led by Ted Sperling; and a New Year's Eve program led by Music Director Alan Gilbert with special guests Igudesman & Joo in their Philharmonic debuts.

? December 15, 2013, at 3:00 p.m. - Holiday Brass
The New York Philharmonic Principal Brass Quintet shares the stage with the Lee Musiker Trio, comprising Grammy and Emmy Award-winning pianist, composer, and arranger Lee Musiker along with jazz bassist Jay Leonhart and percussionist/drummer Rick Cutler for the 19th-annual Holiday Brass concert. The program, which features new arrangements by Mr. Musiker, will present a mix of traditional and contemporary holiday classics from around the world, including a witty Viennese Christmas, a new Nutcracker, a special Thanksgiving Chanukah, and Christmas favorites from "Sleigh Ride" to "Mele Kalikimaka" from Hawaii.

• ? December 17-19 and 21, 2013, at 7:30 p.m. and December 20, 2013, at 11:00 a.m. - Handel's Messiah
  Presented by the Robert Hekemian Family Foundation
  Handel's celebrated and celebratory oratorio returns, conducted by early-music expert Andrew Manze in his New York Philharmonic debut, and sung by soprano Joe?lle Harvey, mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford (subscription debut), tenor Allan Clayton, bass Matthew Rose (debut), and the Westminster Symphonic Choir directed by Joe Miller.

  In a Pre-Concert Talk, composer Joelle Wallach will introduce the program one hour before the start of each performance.

• ? December 20, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. & December 21, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. -
  A Broadway Christmas with Brian Stokes Mitchell
  Tony Award-winning vocalist and Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell will make his New York Philharmonic debut with A Broadway Christmas with Brian Stokes Mitchell, a special holiday program conducted by Ted Sperling. The versatile singer will perform Broadway favorites and holiday repertoire including "We Need a Little Christmas," "Sleigh Ride," and "We Are Lights."

• ? December 31, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. - New Year's Eve Concert with Igudesman & Joo Music Director Alan Gilbert will conduct the New York Philharmonic's annual New Year's Eve celebration, which this year will feature musical humorists Igudesman & Joo in their Philharmonic debut. The duo's comedic, insightful, and virtuosic interpretations of classical repertoire (a? la Victor Borge and Danny Kaye) 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. The Philharmonic players themselves will join in the action, and a new selection created by Igudesman & Joo will feature the comedic stylings of Alan Gilbert.

Single tickets for the Holiday Brass performance start at $60. Single tickets for Messiah start at $30. A limited number of $13.50 tickets for Messiah may be available through the Internet for students within 10 days of the performance, or in person the day of. Valid identification is required. Single tickets for A Broadway Christmas with Brian Stokes Mitchell start at $55. Single tickets for New Year's Eve Concert with Igudesman & Joo start at $79. Tickets for Open Rehearsals are $18. Pre-Concert Talks for Messiah concerts are $7; discounts are available for multiple concerts, students, and groups (visit nyphil.org/preconcert for more information). All other 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