NY Phil's Young People's Concerts to Continue with Silk Road Ensemble, 2/21

The New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts (YPCs) continue Saturday, February 21, 2015, at 2:00 p.m. with the program "Orchestra Transformed," the third in this season's series, SUPER SONIC MUSIC BOX, exploring the variety of symphonic music and its interpretation. Featuring the Silk Road Ensemble, which is marking its 15th anniversary season, the concert celebrates influences and instruments from different cultures through a variety of works: Mozart's Overture to The Abduction from the Seraglio; Cristina Pato and Wu Tong's Fanfare for Gaita, Suona, and Brass; and selections from Borodin's Prince Igor, The Silk Road Suite, and Osvaldo Golijov's Rose of the Winds. Assistant Conductor Courtney Lewis will lead the performance, and Vice President, Education, Theodore Wiprud will host the event.

UNIQLO, the global clothing retailer, is sponsoring the Philharmonic's 2014-15 season of YPCs, dressing the Orchestra for all YPCs this season in UNIQLO clothing with colors identifying each orchestral section. Children are invited to come to the concerts dressed in the color of their favorite section: strings will wear red or pink, woodwinds green, brass blue, percussion orange, and harp and keyboards light blue. In addition, UNIQLO and the New York Philharmonic will be conducting a clothing drive at all of this season's YPCs, at which attendees can leave gently used clothes in bins placed around Avery Fisher Hall; the clothing will be distributed directly to people in need living in New York City Homeless Shelters by UNIQLO volunteers.

Attendees are invited to come early to meet Philharmonic musicians and take part in YPC Overtures, pre-concert activities inside the hall, such as live performances by ensembles of Philharmonic musicians of works by Very Young Composers inspired by the YPC's thematic content, and videos projected on screen above the stage, including a tutorial on folding origami while audience members do so from their seats. The youngest audience members are invited to the Helen Huntington Hull Room to hear stories read by members of the New York Philharmonic Volunteer Council.

A special podcast for children is released the week before each YPC; it is available at nyphil.org/ypc, as is TuneUp, the children's concert program that includes activities related to the event.

The Silk Road Ensemble and Yo-Yo Ma is marking its Philharmonic debut, led by Music Director Alan Gilbert, February 19-21, 2015, in concerts celebrating the group's 15th anniversary.