The Little Orchestra Society Presents 'Music Under the Big Top' Tonight

The Little Orchestra Society presents Music Under the Big Top, an evening of entertainment and musical acrobatics for audiences of all ages at Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center tonight, December 10, 2013. This first of its kind program for The Little Orchestra Society, conducted and co-hosted by new Music Director James Judd, will feature the Orchestra performing an eclectic array of classic and contemporary pieces in the ring of the Big Apple Circus joined by the talented violinist and composer Daniel Roumain. See Judd andRoumain discuss the upcoming concert on The Little Orchestra Society's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/LittleOrchestraSoc.

"I am tremendously excited to make my debut as Music Director of The Little Orchestra Society with this particular concert," said Judd. "This performance is the Orchestra's own high-wire act - an exciting venture out of the concert hall and into unconventional spaces. As a conductor, it is a rare treat to take these kinds of risks to enhance the music and add elements of surprise for the audience."

Guest soloist Daniel Roumain, a violinist, composer, recording artist, and educator will perform his own Woodbox Violin Concerto in its New York City premiere. Roumain is widely recognized for compositions and performances that blend cultural, ethnic and stylistic boundaries creating contemporary sounds that attract a wide range of audiences.

This concert reunites Judd and Roumain - the two have a 20-year history going back to Roumain's time as a student at the Dillard High School for the Performing Arts in Sunrise, Florida. As a student, Roumain participated in the Florida Philharmonic's education program as an intern in the Box Office and administrative offices. He was mentored by Judd, Music Director of the Florida Philharmonic at the time.

"It was a unique situation in that throughout the day, I was able to attend rehearsals, watch James and really learn about the world of the Orchestra from the box office to management to the artists and musicians," said Roumain. "I remember the excitement of having James looking over one of my very early scores at the time. "

"Daniel was and remains an extraordinary talent, both as a violinist and composer. As a young man, he came into rehearsals of the Orchestra whenever he was able, and seemed to have a great curiosity and musical intelligence. It is thrilling to be reunited in this manner," said Judd.

The two collaborated again in 1994 when Roumain's composition Haitian Essay was performed by Judd and the Florida Philharmonic at the Broward Center whileRoumain was just a university student.

"The educational mission of The Little Orchestra Society and creativity of this institution are what really drew me to participate in this program, as well as the opportunity to collaborate with James again and perform with the Orchestra," said Roumain.

The Little Orchestra Society will take the audience on a carnival-esque musical extravaganza with familiar favorites by Franz Joseph Haydn, Johann Strauss, John Philip Sousa and Julius Fu?ík, as well as a diverse program of works by contemporary masters including Samuel Barlow, David Little, Igor Stravinsky and guest soloist and composer, Daniel Roumain. Crowd favorite upbeat circus marches, known as "screamers," will also be prominently featured in the program.

"We are proud to share this venue for the first time with our longstanding friends at The Big Apple Circus. Music Under the Big Top is a whole new experience for The Little Orchestra Society and for its audience - the setting, the program and the conducting debut of James Judd as Music Director - marks a new chapter of experimenting and innovating for the Orchestra that will appeal to all," said Joanne Bernstein-Cohen, Executive Director.

Co-hosting the evening will be Tony Roberts, an award-winning film and theatre actor, known for his work in Woody Allen films. Judd and Roberts will narrate the 80-minute program with captivating stories of the circus and the festive music that audiences have come to love and identify with the magic of the big top.

Following the performance, The Little Orchestra Society will host a benefit event in the Rotunda Tent. Kathryn Korte; and LOS Board Members Dr. Christine Wheeler; Brigid and William S. Ohlemeyer; and Carol and Chuck Schaefer are the Benefit Co-Chairs. At the benefit, The Little Orchestra Society will honor WilLiam Craig, III, the Chair Emeritus of The Little Orchestra Society and long-time New York City real estate broker; and Robert B. Morrison, Founder of Quadrant Arts Education Research, one of the nation's leading arts education research and intelligence organization.

"Music Under the Big Top will help us continue to share classical music in bold, new ways with New York audiences while also supporting our music education and community engagement programs," said Bernstein-Cohen.

Music education programming has been a centerpiece of Judd's career. In 2008, he founded the Miami Music Project which provides education, instruction and performance opportunities for hundreds of children, based on the "El Sistema" model. The Little Orchestra Society's Musical Connections: The School Partnership ProgramTM, which brings music education to children with a range of musical skills in public school classrooms, will be buoyed by Judd's experience and input.

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Concert and Ticket Information:

Music Under the Big Top: A Concert and Benefit

December 10, 2013, 7:30pm

Presented in the Big Apple Circus Tent in Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center

James Judd, Conductor, Co-Host and Debut as Music Director

Daniel Roumain, Violin

Tony Roberts, Co-Host

Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center - 175 West 62nd Street

Tickets: $25 - $65

Contact: The Little Orchestra Society at 212-971-9500 or www.littleorchestra.org. Please call to inquire about the benefit after the performance.

Media Opportunities to cover the performance and/or dress rehearsal (2pm, Dec 10) are available.

Program

Igor Stravinsky - Circus Polka

David T. Little - Screamer

Johann Strauss - Tritsch-Tratsch Polka

Daniel Roumain - Woodbox Violin Concerto

Samuel L. Barlow - Circus Overture

Franz Joseph Haydn - Symphony No. 94 in G Major "Surprise"

Johann Strauss - Thunder and Lightning Polka

John Philip Sousa - Stars and Stripes

Julius Fu?ík - Entry of the Gladiators

About The Little Orchestra Society®

The Little Orchestra Society entering its 66th season, performed its inaugural concert at The Town Hall on October 20, 1947, and has since been devoted to performing innovative concerts of classical music for audiences of all ages. The Orchestra performs dynamic repertoire using multiple art forms with a variety of artists to create meaningful musical experiences for today's audiences. The 2013-14 season marks the stArt James Judd's role as the new Music Director of The Little Orchestra Society. Mr. Judd is an internationally acclaimed conductor, artist of outstanding versatility and educator. His debut as Music Director will be on December 10 when he conducts Music Under the Big Top, an evening concert and benefit, at Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center. He is the third Music Director of The Little Orchestra Society in its 66-year history.

The Orchestra productions include the crowd-favorite Lolli-PopsTM series for children ages 3 to 5, the Peabody Award-winning Happy Concerts for Young People for children ages 6 to 12, and the adult concerts Vivaldi's Venice and Sound Discoveries® series, as well as Cathedral Concerts - Great Music Under a Byzantine Dome®.

The Orchestra has given many important premieres, more than 65 throughout its history, and launched the careers of major musical talents in its concert programming for adult audiences. Past guest artists include iconic rock star Patti Smith as narrator in Tubby The Tuba; Academy-Award nominated actress Sigourney Weaver as narrator in Music Takes Flight; actor James Earl Jones and world renowned violinist Mark O'Connor in Honest Abe: Four Scores and More; violinist Lara St. John and guitarist Sharon Isbin in the critically-acclaimed Vivaldi's Venice series; the popular children's book author Daniel Handler as Lemony Snicket narrating the New York Premiere of The Composer is Dead; and soprano Angela Meade in the exquisite Candlelight Cathedral Concerts; and many more.

The Little Orchestra Society is also committed to music education and public service. Last season alone its public service programs, Musical Connections: The School Partnership Program®, Live in Concert! and Project 65Plus brought music education and live concert experiences to 12,000 New York City public school children, families and seniors. Participants attend LOS concerts without charge. These important public service and music education programs are vital to the Orchestra's mission and vision.

About James Judd, Music Director

British conductor James Judd's music directorships have included the New Zealand Symphony, a groundbreaking 14 years at the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, and now The Little Orchestra Society of New York. During his eight years as Music Director of the New Zealand Symphony, Judd garnered acclaim for his recordings with the orchestra, including works by Copland, Bernstein, Vaughan Williams, Gershwin and many others. He brought the orchestra to international renown through appearances at many festivals, and led the orchestra on its first tour of the major concert halls of Europe, culminating with the BBC Proms and the Concertgebouw. He has also served as Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestre National de Lille in France.

James Judd's live recordings of Mahler's Symphonies No. 9 with the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra and No. 10 with the European Community Youth Orchestra were enthusiastically received, and his performance of Elgar's Symphony No. 1 with the Hallé Orchestra is still a highly-regarded reference standard among conductors today. The most recent addition to his discography is a recording with pianist Benjamin Grosvenor and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic on the Decca label.

Mr. Judd came to international attention as the assistant conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra at the invitation of Lorin Maazel. Four years later, he returned to Europe after being appointed Associate Music Director of the European Community Youth Orchestra by Claudio Abbado, an ensemble in which he continues to serve as honorary Artistic Director.

Since that time, James Judd has conducted the Berlin Philharmonic and the Israel Philharmonic, conducted in the great halls of Europe including the Salzburg Mozarteumand Vienna's Musikverein, and made guest appearances with such prestigious ensembles as the Vienna Symphony, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, PragueSymphony,Orchestre National de France, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, the Monte Carlo Symphony Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Flemish Radio Orchestra, and the Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg. In the Far East, he works regularly with Tokyo's NHK Orchestra and the Seoul Philharmonic.

Dedication to the development of young musicians and a passionate belief in the transformative power of music have inspired James Judd to make an important place in his life for this work. Since 2007, he has been Principal Guest Conductor of the Asian Youth Orchestra, an ensemble of the most gifted musicians from mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Korea. For more than twenty years the AYO has brought these young musicians across political, social and religious boundaries to perform with some of the finest conductors and soloists in the world. His highly successful Miami Music Project, which he founded in 2008, uses music on El Sistema lines as an instrument for social transformation, enabling children to achieve their full potential while positively influencing their society through the study and performance of music.

James Judd is the co-founder of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, which he led on tours throughout the United States, the Far East and Europe. In North and South America he is a frequent and much admired guest conductor, having appeared with the orchestras of St. Louis, Montreal, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Seattle, Indianapolis, Utah, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

His recent performances of Holst's 'The Planets' with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, where he replaced Mariss Jansons at short notice, brought standing ovations. Highlights of the 2011-12 season included concerts with the Orchestra dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia with Evgeny Kissin as soloist, the Hungarian National Orchestra, the Beijing Symphony with Vadim Repin and the Vienna Symphony with performances of Elgar's oratorio 'The Dream of Gerontius'.

Last season featured concerts with the Japan Virtuoso Symphony Orchestra and with the Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra in Tokyo's Suntory Hall, and concerts in cities as diverse as San Juan, Tel Aviv, Melbourne and Taipei. The summer began with James Judd at the Istanbul Festival with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, and opening the Féstival de Radio France in Montpellier with Leonard Bernstein's 'Mass', prior to touring Asia with his Asian Youth Orchestra. He conducted Britten's 'War Requiem' at the Enescu Festival in Bucharest. James Judd recently became Music Director of New York's Little Orchestra Society, an organization renowned for its unconventional and innovative programming, with which he has already had great success guest conducting at Lincoln Center and other venues.

About Daniel Roumain, Guest Soloist

Daniel Roumain's acclaimed work as a composer and a performer has spanned more than two decades, and has been commissioned by venerable artists and institutions worldwide. Proving that he's "about as omnivorous as a contemporary artist gets" (New York Times), Mr. Roumain is perhaps the only composer whose collaborations span the worlds of Philip Glass, Cassandra Wilson, Bill T. Jones, Savion Glover and Lady Gaga.

Mr. Roumain made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2000 with the American Composers Orchestra performing his Harlem Essay for Orchestra, a Whitaker commission. He would go on to compose works for the Albany Symphony (Harvest for Baritone Voice and Orchestra); the American Composers Orchestra (Call Them All: Fantasy Projections for laptop, orchestra, and film); the Boston Pops Orchestra (Woodbox Violin Concerto); the Dogs of Desire Ensemble (Grace for Two Sopranos and Chamber Orchestra); Carnegie Hall (Five Chairs and One Table); the Library of Congress (Numerical Music); and the Stuttgart Symphony (We March!: Concerto for Guitar and String Orchestra premiered by Eliot Fisk). Additionally, Mr. Roumain's music has been performed by the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Cincinnati Symphony, Des Moines Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Memphis Symphony, New Haven Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, New World Symphony, Noord Nederlands Orkest, and the Vancouver Symphony, among many others. Dancers, Dreamers, and Presidents is a 2010 Sphinx Commissioning prize and was performed by the Detroit Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic, Virginia Symphony, and other member orchestras of an esteemed consortia.

Mr. Roumain was the first artist to be awarded Arizona State University's prestigious Gammage Residency, "a three-year commitment to an extraordinary performing artist that includes performance, creative time and resources, intensive training for ASU students and local artists and engagement with many of the local communities. "His outreach and residencies have garnered extravagant praise and long-term relationships with countless universities, orchestras, and performing arts centers including the Berklee School of Music (Boston), More Music @Moore (Seattle), The Academy - a program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School and the Weill Music Institute, PACE University and the Tribeca Performing Arts Center (New York City), the University of North Carolina (Raleigh) and Vanderbilt University (Nashville). He has served as Chair of the Music Composition/Theory Department and Composer-in-Residence at The Harlem School of the Arts; Music Director for the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company; Assistant Composer-in-Residence with the Orchestra of St. Luke's; Visiting Professor at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music; Artist-in-Residence with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra; and is currently the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center Artist-in-Residence (University of Houston), and a Center for Art and Performance Resident Artist at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).

From 2007-2011, Mr. Roumain was a Next Wave Artist-in-Residence at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music (BAM), resulting in three commissioned works in One Loss Plus (2007); Darwin's Meditation for the People of Lincoln (2008); and Symphony for the Dance Floor (2011). In 2011, a new work for the Atlanta Ballet (Home in 7), in collaboration with the choreographer Amy Seiwert and the poet Marc Bamuthi Joseph, was followed in 2013 with a new work for the Boston Children's Chorus (A Boy Called King) with the same creative team. Mr. Roumain has performed at The Macau International Music Festival, Ten Days Festival in Tasmania, Central ParkSummerStage, 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, and the Sydney Opera House.

For the 2012-13 season, Mr. Roumain created The Collide, in collaboration with the singer/songwriter Laurelyn Dosset. A commission from North Carolina State University, the project included the creation of 11 songs and 1 instrumental as musical portraits of selected cities in North Carolina. The work travelled across the state to Wilmington, Davidson College, Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, and Raleigh.

Additional performances in 2013 included Woodbox Beats & Balladry (Minnesota State University); the premiere of Woodbox Violin Concerto (New Haven Symphony Orchestra); Clas/sick Hip-Hop with the dancer/choreographer Rennie Harris (Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco); Filter (South-Miami Dade Cultural Center for the Arts and Emory University); and the premiere of En Masse with the University of Houston Spirit Marching Band (University of Houston). In January 2014, Mr. Roumain will make his debut with the Sacramento Philharmonic performing his Woodbox Violin Concerto with Maestro Michael Morgan. Mr. Roumain earned his doctorate in Music Composition from the University of Michigan under the tutelage of William Albright, William Bolcom, and Michael Daugherty.

For more on Daniel Roumain, visit www.danielroumain.com.

About Tony Roberts, Co-Host

Tony Roberts has been in six films for Woody Allen, and five Broadway hits for David Merrick. He was most recently seen in the 2009 Broadway revival of The Royal Family, and in the Tony nominated musical, Xanadu. These were preceded by The Tale of the Allergist's Wife; Victor, Victoria; Cabaret; The Sister's Rosenzweig; Doubles;Absurd Person Singular; They're Playing Our Song; Jerome Robbins' Broadway; Sugar; How Now, Dow Jones; Promises, Promises; Play It Again, Sam; and a dozen others. He has received two Tony Award nominations, and was the winner of the London Critic's Poll Award for his performance in Promises, Promises. He also starred in both the original, and the recent Broadway revival of Barefoot In The Park. His versatility was on display at Madison Square Garden where he played Scrooge, as well as in the New York City Opera productions of Brigadoon and South Pacific.

He can be seen on screen in the Academy Award winning Annie Hall; Play It Again, Sam; Serpico; The Taking of Pelham (the original); Amityville 3D; Radio Days; 18 Again; Star Spangled Girl; Switch, and many others. His television output includes Arthur Miller's The American Clock, Saul Bellow's Seize The Day, The Carol Burnett Show, and his own series for NBC, Rosetti & Ryan. Mr. Roberts has recorded more than 50 Audio books including the popular StuArt Woods detective series featuring Stone Barrington. He won an Audio Book Award for Rudolph Guiliani's Leadership, and starred in the 2005 revival of Samuel Beckett's Endgame at The Irish Repertory Theatre. He is a New Yorker by birth and graduated from The High School of Music & Art, and Northwestern University.