Young People's Concerts

The Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic are the longest-running series of family concerts of classical music in the world.

Young People's Concerts

Abbreviation	YPC
Formation	1924; 100 years ago (1924)
Founder	Ernest Schelling
Type	Orchestral music
Location	New York City
Key people	Leonard Bernstein, conductor (1958-72)
Parent organization	New York Philharmonic
Subsidiaries	Very Young People's Concerts
Affiliations	CBS
Award(s)	4 Emmy Awards
Website	https://nyphil.org/education/family-programs/ypc-family

Symphony concerts for young people in New York City (before 1924)

On November 26, 1898, conductor Frank Damrosch and the New York Symphony Orchestra, presented one of the first orchestra concerts in New York City directed at a younger audience, entitled "Symphony Concert for Young People".^[1] A year prior, in 1897, Damrosch was named the head of music education for New York City's public schools because of his social mission to teach music to impoverished New Yorkers.^[2]

Decades later, between 1914–16, the New York Philharmonic's music director Josef Stránský began leading concerts for young people.^[3]

Founding of an annual concert series (1924–1939)

 

Conductor Ernest Henry Schelling with dog aboard the S.S. Paris, May 24, 1922.

The New York Philharmonic's annual "Young People's Concerts" series was founded in 1924 by conductor "Uncle" Ernest Schelling and Mary Williamson Harriman and Elizabeth "Bessie" Mitchell, co-chairs of the Philharmonic's Educational and Children's Concerts Committee.^[4] Schelling designed the concerts to encourage a love of music in children, augmenting the music with demonstrations and talks featuring picture slideshows about composers, instruments, history, and other educational topics. Schelling created over 4,000 magic lantern glass slides to showcase a variety of subjects.^[5][6]

Beginning in 1930, the Young People's Concerts were broadcast as a parallel feature with the Philharmonic's Sunday concerts on CBS Radio to homes across the United States and in Europe.^[7] Schelling and the Philharmonic also went directly into New York City's public schools, presenting "School Day" concerts to young students.

The Young People's Concerts became very popular with children and their parents, as well as music lovers of all ages. In his first ten years, Schelling led two series of five to six concerts each season.^[4] In addition to presenting concerts for children in New York, Schelling also presented concerts on the road in cities such as Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Rotterdam, and London. Schelling conducted the Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic from 1924 until his death in 1939.^[8]

After Schelling (1940 to 1958)

 

Poster for New York Philharmonic Young People's Concert, conductor Rudolf Ganz, January 19, 1942

Following Schelling's death in 1939, the Young People's Concerts were taken over by Swiss conductor Rudolph Ganz, from 1940 to 1947.^[9] Ganz had initially planned six concerts each season at Carnegie Hall, plus a series of three "Elementary", or "Introductory", concerts at New York City's Town Hall for "children with little or no musical training" under the age of nine. However, the Elementary concerts were suspended in 1942 due to World War II and did not resume again until 1947.^[4]

In 1947, the Young People's Concert Committee held interviews for the series' next conductor. The Committee voted American conductor Walter Hendl, who went on to lead four concerts.^[10] Other conductors were vying for the position, including a young Leonard Bernstein, who had only debuted with the Philharmonic four years prior. Bernstein received only three votes and would not conduct a Young People's Concert until he became music director in 1958.

In 1950, American conductor Igor Buketoff was placed at the helm of all the Philharmonic's children's concerts, following his first guest appearance in the role just two years prior.^[11]

In 1953, Canadian conductor Wilfrid Pelletier was appointed conductor of the Young People's Concerts.^[12] In Pelletier's final season, 1956-17, the elementary series for younger children was dissolved yet again.^[4]

Leonard Bernstein on CBS (1958–72)

Leonard Bernstein brought the Young People's Concerts to a new level of popular attention as music director of the New York Philharmonic, beginning in 1958. Bernstein wrote, conducted, and narrated a total of 53 episodes from 1958 to 1972, all of which were telecast on CBS and syndicated in over 40 countries.^[13] Reaching millions of families across the United States and around the world, these concerts inspired entire generations of musicians and music lovers.^[14]

 

New York Philharmonic Principal Cellist Lorne Munroe and Leonard Bernstein at a Young People's Concert. December 6, 1968.

Bernstein's first concert as music director and Conductor, on January 18, 1958, at Carnegie Hall in New York, was the first of these programs to be televised, "What Does Music Mean?" In 1962, the Young People's Concerts became the first series of concerts broadcast live from Lincoln Center. Initially broadcast on Saturdays (episodes 1–7) and Sundays (episodes 8–15), the concerts eventually moved to primetime (episodes 16–40) before returning to Sunday afternoons (episodes 41–53).^[15]

Although Bernstein left the position of music director in 1969, he continued to lead the Young People's Concerts as Conductor Emeritus until 1972, concluding in March 1972 with a television series finale devoted to Gustav Holst's The Planets.^[16]

The series won five Emmy Awards between 1962 and 1966.^[17]

Ep. No.	Title	Original airdate	Performers	Description	Music Selections
1	What Does Music Mean?	January 18, 1958		Leonard Bernstein told the television audience at the start of the first Young People's Concert: "No matter what stories people tell you about what music means, forget them. Stories are not what music means. Music is never about things. Music just is. It's a lot of beautiful notes and sounds put together so well that we get pleasure out of hearing them. So when we ask, 'What does it mean; what does this piece of music mean?' we're asking a hard question. Let's do our best to answer it." During the course of this first program, the New York Philharmonic performs portions of Rossini's William Tell Overture, Beethoven's Sixth Symphony, and Ravel's La valse.	William Tell Oyertyre (Rossini); Don Quixote (R. Strauss); Pastoral Symphony (Beethoven); Pictures at an Exhibition (Mussorgsky); Symphony No 4 in F Minor, Op. 36 (Tchaikovsky); Symphony No 5 in E Minor, Op. 64 (Tchaikovsky); Six Pieces (Webern); La Valse (Ravel)
2	What is American Music?	February 1, 1958	Aaron Copland	From Carnegie Hall, Bernstein discusses the origins and characteristics of American music. After an extended excerpt from George Gershwin's "An American in Paris" and a discussion of nationalistic and folk music, excerpts from compositions by American composers Edward MacDowell, William Schuman, Virgil Thomson, and others are performed. In closing, Aaron Copland conducts parts of his own Third Symphony.	An American in Paris (Gershwin); Overture (George W. Chadwick); New World Symphony (Dvorâk); Dance on Place Congo (Henry F. Gilbert); Ragtime (Stravinsky); Rhapsody in Blye (Gershwin); American Festival Overtyre (William Schuman); Sympbony No 3 (Roy Harris); Symphnny No 2 (Randall Thompson); Motber of Us AlI (Virgil Thomson); Mysic for the Theatre (Copland); Billy the Kid (Copland); Symphony No 3 (Copland)
3	What is Orchestration?	March 8, 1958		After brief introductory remarks, Bernstein conducts the finale of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Capriccio Espagnol" and then explains what a composer must know in order to orchestrate music successfully. After asking the audience to sing two notes in a variety of ways, he contrasts the families of instruments that compose an orchestra, using excerpts from Prokofiev, Hindemith, Mozart, and others to illustrate, and ends with Ravel's "Boléro".	Capriccio Espagnol (Rimsky-Korsakov) Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (Debussy); Rhapsody in tll..u.e. (Gershwin); Brandenburg Concerto No, 5 (Bach); Peter and the Wolf (Prokofiev); American Symphony (William Schuman); The Soldier's Story (Stravinsky); Boléro (Ravel)
4	What Makes Music Symphonic?	December 13, 1958		Using the examples of Mozart's Jupiter Symphony and Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony, Bernstein demonstrates the techniques of repetition and variation in the development of symphonic music. After conducting part of Tchaikovsky's "Romeo and Juliet", he asks the audience to sing "Frère Jacques," demonstrating the uses of sequence and imitation in symphonic composition. The final movement of Brahms' Second Symphony is then analyzed and played.	Jupiter Symphony in C Major, K.551 (Mozart); Symphnny No 4 in F Minor, Op. 36 (Tchaikovsky); Eroica Symphony in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Beethoven); Marching song from Bridge Over the River Kwai; l'm All Shook Up (E. Presley); Romeo and Juliet (Tchaikovsky); Rhapsody in Blue (Gershwin); Frère Jacques; Symphony No 2 in D Major, Op. 77 (Brahms)
5	What is Classical Music?	January 24, 1959		Bernstein conducts Handel's Water Music and cites it as an indisputable example of classical music. "Exact" is the word that best defines classical music, Bernstein says, and then explains that “classical music” accurately refers to music written mainly in the eighteenth century. He demonstrates with musical illustrations from Bach's Fourth Brandenburg Concerto, Mozart's Concerto No. 21 in C Major and "The Marriage of Figaro," and Haydn's Symphony No. 102. The decline of classical music is tied to Beethoven's innovations and the Romantic movement, and Bernstein conducts Beethoven's Egmont Overture.	Water Music (Handel); Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K.467 (Mozart); Brandenburg Concerto No 4 (Bach); Overture to The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart); Symphnny No 102 in B-flat Major (Haydn); Egmont Overture (Beethoven)
6	Humor in Music	February 28, 1959		Using excerpts from Shostakovich, Mahler, Prokofiev, Haydn and others, Bernstein demonstrates how a "serious" composition can take an unexpected humorous turn.	Ballet Music (Walter Piston); Mosquito Dance (Paul White); An American in Paris (Gershwin); Hary Janos Suite (Kodaly); Symphony No 88 in G Major (Haydn); Classical Symphony (Prokofiev); Symphony No 1 in D Major (Mahler); A Musical Joke (Mozart); Polka from the Golden Age (Shostakovich); Burlesque from Music for the Theater (Copland); Symphony No 4 in E Minor, Op. 98 (Brahms)
7	What is a Concerto?	March 28, 1959	John Corigliano Sr.; John Wummer; William Lincer	Leonard Bernstein discusses the development of the concerto form from Bach to Bartok. Bernstein conducts examples of early concertos - Bach's Fifth Brandenburg Concerto and Vivaldi's Concerto in C Major. From the classical period, he conducts Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, then the finale of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto and, finally, the fourth and fifth movements of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra.	Concerto for two Mandolins, Strings and Cembalo in C Major (Vivaldi); Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 (Bach); Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E-flat Major, K.364 (Mozart); Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64 (Mendelssohn) Concerto For Orchestra (Bartok)
8	Who is Gustav Mahler?	February 7, 1960	Reri Grist; Helen Raab; William Lewis	Leonard Bernstein celebrates Mahler's 100th Birthday by conducting excerpts from Gustav Mahler’s Fourth Symphony and discussing the “double man” inside him. Soprano Reri Grist joins the orchestra in a performance of the last movement of the Fourth Symphony, William Lewis sings "Youth" and Helen Raab sings from "The Farewell," both from Mahler's "The Song of the Earth" ("Das Lied von der Erde")	Symphony No. 4 in C Major Symphony No 2 in C Minor/E-flat Major; Symphony No 1 in D Major; Des Knaben Wunderhorn; Das Lied von der Erde;
9	Young Performers No. 1	March 6, 1960	Daniel Domb; Kenneth Schermerhorn; Barry Finclair; Stefan B. Mengelberg; Alexandra Wager	Leonard Bernstein introduces young conductors and performers. Cellist Daniel Domb plays the Dvořák Cello Concerto in B Minor, conducted by Kenneth Schermerhorn, and Stefan Mengelberg conducts the final movement of the Wieniawski Violin Concerto in D Minor, with Barry Finclair on violin. Finally, Leonard Bernstein conducts Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" with nine-year-old Alexandra Wager narrating.	Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B Minor, Op. 104 (Dvorak) Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 in D Minor (Wieniawski) Peter and the Wolf (Prokofiev)
10	Unusual Instruments of Present, Past, and Future	March 27, 1960	New York Pro Musica; Noah Greenberg; Vladimir Ussachevsky; Anita Darian	Bernstein discusses the development of instruments from their earlier forms. This concert begins with "The Little Train" by Heitor Villa-Lobos, followed by a discussion of South American percussion instruments. Compositions by Giovanni Gabrieli and Johann Sebastian Bach are used to illustrate the emergence of new orchestral instruments. Finally, Luening and Ussachevsky's "Concerto for Tape Recorder and Orchestra" and Bucci's "Concerto for Kazoo" with Anita Darian on kazoo are heard.	Toccata, "Little Train of Caipira" from Bachianas Brasileiras No 2 (Villa-Lobos); Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 (Bach), Canzon Septimi Toni (G. Gabrieli), Alta (De La Torre) Concerted piece for Tape Recorder and Orchestra (Luening-Ussachevsky) Concerto for a Singing Instrument (Bucci)
11	The Second Hurricane	April 24, 1960	High School of Music & Art	Students from the New York City High School of Music and Art perform Aaron Copland's opera The Second Hurricane. Bernstein conducts and provides narration for the opera, which concerns the fictional plight of students who became stranded during a relief mission to the site of a natural disaster.	The Second Hurricane (Copland)
12	Overtures and Preludes	January 8, 1961		After defining 'overture,' Bernstein analyzes and conducts the overture to the opera "Semiramide" by Rossini and the Leonore Overture No. 3 by Beethoven. Then, to illustrate 'prelude,' Bernstein conducts Debussy's "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun." The program closes with a performance of the overture to Bernstein's "Candide."	Semiramide Overture (Rossini); Leonore Overture No. 3 (Beethoven); Prelude to the Afternoon of a Eaun (Debussy); Candide Overture (Bernstein)
13	Aaron Copland Birthday Party	February 12, 1961	Aaron Copland; William Warfield	To celebrate Aaron Copland's 60th birthday, Bernstein discusses his music and conducts the Philharmonic in performances of "An Outdoor Overture", the "Dogmatic" movement from "Statements", music from the film "Our Town", "Hoe-Down" from "Rodeo", and baritone William Warfield singing "The Boatman's Dance" and "I Bought Me a Cat". In conclusion, Aaron Copland conducts "El Salón México".	An Outdoor Overture (Copland); Dance from Music for the Theatre (Copland) Grovers Corners Our Town (the Music for Movies arrangement) (Copland); Hoe-down from Rodeo (Copland); Grovers Corners Our Town (the Music for Movies arrangement) Dogmatic from Statements for Orchestra (Copland) Boatmen's Dance and I Bought me a Cat from Old American Songs (Copland) El Salon Mexico (Copland)
14	Young Performers No. 2	March 19, 1961	Lynn Harrell; Elyakum Shapirra; Jung-Ja Kim; Russell Stanger; Veronica Tyler; Gregory Millar; Henry Chapin	Leonard Bernstein presents the annual Young People's Concert devoted to young performers, including: cellist Lynn Harrell and conductor Elyakum Shapira playing music by Dvořák; pianist Jung Ja Kim and conductor Russell Stanger with music by Chopin; soprano Veronica Tyler and conductor Gregory Millar with two arias by Puccini and Menotti, and Bernstein conducting and Henry Chapin narrating "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra" by Britten.	Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B Minor, Op. 104 (Dvorak) Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 11 (Chopin) Mimi's Farewell from La Boheme and Hello, Hello, from The Telephone (Menotti) The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Britten)
15	Folk Music in the Concert Hall	April 9, 1961	Marni Nixon	Bernstein discusses folk music and its influence on orchestral music, and conducts excerpts from Mozart, Chavez and Ives, and "Songs of the Auvergne" sung by Marni Nixon.	Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major, K.543 (Mozart) Sinfonia India (Chavez) Songs of the Auvergne (arranged by Canteloube) Symphony No. 2 (Ives)
16	What is Impressionism?	November 23, 1961		Bernstein focuses on Impressionism in music, discussing the methods and styles of Debussy and Ravel. He conducts all of Debussy’s "La Mer" and the final dance of Ravel’s "Daphnis et Chloé."	Voiles from Piano Preludes, Bk. I; Poissons D'or from Images, Set II; La Puerta del Vino from Preludes, Bk. II; Golliwogg's Cakewalk from Children's Corner; La Mer (Debussy) Daphnis and Chloe, Suite No. 2 (Ravel)
17	The Road to Paris	January 18, 1962	Zara Nelsova	Bernstein discusses three composers - George Gershwin, Ernest Bloch and Manuel de Falla - who went to live and work in Paris around 1900, and the influence of Paris on their compositions.	An American in Paris (Gershwin); Schelomo (Bloch) Two Dances from The Three Cnrnered Hat (de Falla)
18	Happy Birthday, Igor Stravinsky	March 26, 1962		Bernstein sketches a brief history of Stravinsky's musical career, noting changes of style and shifts of direction. The whole of "Petrouchka" is played and each scene is analyzed.	Greeting Prelude (Stravinsky) Petrouchka (Stravinsky)
19	Young Performers No. 3	April 14, 1962	Seiji Ozawa; Gary Karr; Maurice Peress; John Canarina; Ruth & Naomi Segal; Paula Robison; Paul Green; Tony Cirone; David Hopper	Leonard Bernstein presents Seiji Ozawa, who conducts the overture to "The Marriage of Figaro" by Mozart. Also on this program, Maurice Peress and John Canarina conduct compositions featuring Gary Karr on double bass, and Berinstein discusses and conducts "The Carnival of the Animals" by Camille Saint-Saëns. Featured are guest soloists Ruth and Naomi Segal (piano duo), Tony Cirone (xylophone), David Hopper (glockenspiel), Paula Robison (flute), and Paul Green (clarinet).	Overture to The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart) Prayer (Bloch-Antonini) Fantasy on a Theme from the Opera "Moses in Egypt" by Rossini (Paganini-Reinshagen, transcribed for orchestra by Gary Karr) The Carnival of the Animals (Saint Saens)
20	The Sound of a Hall	November 21, 1962	Shirley Verrett; John Corigliano, Sr.; Frank Gullino; Joseph Bernstein; William Dembinsky	Bernstein discusses acoustics, and the acoustical properties of Philharmonic Hall are demonstrated as the orchestra plays pieces by Berlioz, Copland, Vivaldi, Walton, and Tchaikovsky.	The Roman Carnival Overture (Berlioz) The Little Horses from Old American Songs (Copland) Concerto for Four Violins and StringOrchestra Op. 3, No. 10 (Vivaldi) Tango_Pasodoble from Facade (Walton) 1812 Overture (Tchaikovsky)
21	What is a Melody?	December 21, 1962		Bernstein discusses the different forms melody can take, including tune, theme, motive, melodic line and musical phrase. He illustrates by conducting the orchestra in excerpts from Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Mozart, Hindemith and Brahms.	Prelude to Tristan and Isolde (Wagner); Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K.550 (Mozart); Concerto Music for Strings and Brass, Op. 50 (Hindemith); Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98 (Brahms).
22	Young Performers No. 4	January 15, 1963	Joan Weiner; Yuri Krasnopolsky; Claudia Hoca; Zoltán Rozsnyai; Pamela Paul; Serge Fournier; André Watts	Leonard Bernstein introduces three young pianists, Joan Weiner (14 years old), Claudia Hoca (12) and Pamela Paul (13), who each perform one movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto in A Major. Conducting these movements, respectively, are Yuri Krasnopolsky, Zoltan Rozsnyai and Serge Fournier. Finally, 16-year-old André Watts plays Liszt's Piano Concerto in E-flat Major, with Bernstein conducting.	Piano Concerto in A Major, K.488 (Mozart) and Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major (Liszt)
23	The Latin American Spirit	March 8, 1963	Netania Davrath	Bernstein discusses "the two ingredients that give this music its special Latin flavor: rhythm and color." Excerpts include Fernandez, Villa Lobos, Revueltas, Copland, and Bernstein himself.	8atuque (Fernandez); Bachianas Brasileiras Nn 5 (Villa-Labos) Sensemaya (Revueltas); Danzon Cubano (Copland); Symphonic Dances from West Side Story (Bernstein)
24	A Tribute to Teachers	29 November 1963		Bernstein pays tribute to many of his teachers by conducting works important to his mentors or written by them. The program closes with a tribute to the man who is, for Bernstein, "the greatest conductor alive today", Fritz Reiner.	Prelude to Khovantschina (Mussorgsky); Symphony No. 2 in E Minor (Randall Thompson); Suite from the Incridible Flutist (Walter Piston); Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80 (Brahms).
25	Young Performers No. 5	December 23, 1963	Heidi Lehwalder; Amos Eisenberg; Weldon Berry, Jr.; Claudio Abbado; Shulamit Ran; Pedro Calderon; Stephen E. Kates; Zdeněk Košler	In this annual presentation of young talent, Heidi Lehwalder, harpist, plays Handel's Concerto in B-flat with Bernstein conducting, and then joins Weldon Berry (clarinet) and Amos Eisenberg (flute) for Ravel's "Introduction and Allegro", with Claudio Abbado conducting, Shulamit Ran plays piano in a composition of her own with Pedro Calderon conducting; Stephen Kates (cello) plays a Bartók rhapsody with Zdeněk Košler conducting and solos during Rossini's William Tell Overture" with Bernstein conducting.	Concerto for Harp and Orchestra in B-flat Major, Op. 4, No. 6 (Handel) Introduction and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet and Strings (Ravel) Cappriccio for Piano and Orchestra (Shulamith Ran) Rhapsody No. 1 (arranged for cello and orchestra) (Bartok) William Tell Overture (Rossini)
26	The Genius of Paul Hindemith	February 23, 1964		Bernstein pays tribute to Paul Hindemith, who had died since the last Young People's Concert, discussing Hindemith's use of dissonance and tonality and conducting the orchestra in performances of some of his pieces.	String Quartet No. 1; Kleine Kammermusik, Op. 24, No. 2; Mathis der Maler (Hindemith)
27	Jazz in the Concert Hall	March 11, 1964	Richard Davis, Don Ellis, Benny Golson, Eric Dolphy, Joseph Cocuzzo, Gunther Schuller; Aaron Copland	Bernstein discusses the blending of jazz and symphonic music, with performances and readings to illustrate. The program ends with larry Austin's "Improvisations for Orchestra and Jazz Soloists."	Journey into Jazz (Gunther Schuller, Script by Nat Hentoff) Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (Copland) Improvisations for Orchestra and Jazz Soloists (Larry Austin).
28	What is Sonata Form?	November 6, 1964	Veronica Tyler	Leonard Bernstein describes the three-part sonata form, and exemplifies it by singing the Beatles 'And I Love Her.' Veronica Tyler sings Micaela's aria from Bizet's 'Carmen' and Bernstein conducts the Philharmonic in the first movement of Mozart's Jupiter' Symphony.	Jupiter Symphony in C Major, K.551 (Mozart); Micaela's Aria from Carmen (Bizet) Piano Sonata in C Major, K.545 (Mozart); Classical Symphony (Prokofiev)
29	Farewell to Nationalism	November 30, 1964	Seymour Lipkin	Bernstein discusses the difference between national styles and international style, giving many examples of both. The orchestra performs pieces in national styles by Ives, de Falla, and Smetana.	Prelude to Die Meistersinger (Wagner); Mazurka in B-flat Major (Chopin); Sempre Libera from La Traviata (Verdi); Symphony no. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36 (Tchaikovsky); Sonata for Flute and Harpsichord in G Minor (Bach) Concerto for Flute, Bassoon, Violin and Bass No. 41 in G Minor (Vivaldi); Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (Liszt); Five Pieces for Orchestra Op. 10, No. 1 (Webern); Pieces for Prepared Piano And String Quartet (Mayuzumi); Composition for Twelve Instruments (Babbitt); Incontri fuer 24. Instrumente (Nono); Battle Hymn of the Republic (Steffe); Yankee Doodle; The Moldau (Smetana); Suite No. 1 (De Falla); Fourth of July (Ives); Russian Sailor's Dance (Gliere); Columbia, The Gem of the Ocean (Beckett).
30	Young Performers No. 6	January 28, 1965	Patricia Michaelian; James Buswell IV	15-year-old Patricia Michaelian plays a Mozart piano concerto, and James Oliver Buswell IV plays a Mendelssohn violin concerto. The program closes with Bernstein analyzing and conducting Maurice Ravel's "Mother Goose Suite".	Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K.466 (Mozart); Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64 (Mendelssohn) Mother Goose Suite (Ravel)
31	A Tribute to Sibelius	February 19, 1965	Sergiu Luca	Bernstein celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, and comments on Finland, the Finnish language, and Finnish patriotism, as well as Sibelius himself. Works by the composer, including "Finlandia" and the first movement of his Violin Concerto, with soloist Sergiu Luca, are performed.	Finlandia; Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47 Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43 (Sibelius)
32	Musical Atoms: A Study of Intervals	November 29, 1965		Leonard Bernstein explains musical intervals and discusses their relationship to harmony, melody, and inversion. After analysis, the first movement of Brahms’s Symphony No. 4 is performed. The discussion continues, focusing on major and minor seconds, and ending with the last movement of Vaughan Williams’s 4th Symphony.	Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin (Wagner); The Blue Danube (Strauss); Help (John-McCartney); Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98 (Brahms); Symphony No. 4 in F Minor (Vaughan Williams)
33	The Sound of an Orchestra	December 14, 1965		Bernstein explains that the duty of the orchestra is to reproduce faithfully the notes and instructions of the composer. The main focus is the first half of Haydn's Symphony No. 88. The opening music is deliberately incorrectly and errors are pointed out. Excerpts by Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Stravinsky, and Copland follow.	Symphony No. 88 in G Major (Haydn); Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 (Beethoven); Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 68 (Brahms); Iberia (Debussy); The Royal March from L'Histoire du Soldat (Stravinsky); An American in Paris (Gershwin); Hoedown from Rodeo (Copland).
34	A Birthday Tribute to Shostakovich	January 5, 1966		Bernstein celebrates Dmitri Shostakovich's 60th birthday by discussing his work and conducting an excerpt from his Symphony No. 7 and all of Symphony No. 9.	Leningrad Symphony in C Major, Op. 60 (Shostakovich) Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 (Beethoven)
35	Young Performers No. 7	February 22, 1966	Paul Schoenfield; Stephanie Sebastian; David Oei; Horacio Gutiérrez; James DePreist; Jacques Houtmann; Edo de Waart	Leonard Bernstein introduces four young pianists, Paul Schoenfield, Stepanie Sebastian, David Oei and Horacio Gutierrez, who each play a section of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition", followed by three young conductors, James De Preist, Jacques Houtmann and Edo de Waart, who conduct Ravel's orchestrations of the same pieces.	Pictures at an Exhibition (Original piano version) and (Orchestrated by Ravel) (Mussorgsky)
36	What Is a Mode?	November 23, 1966		Leonard Bernstein discusses scales, intervals, and tones, and analyzes several pieces, including Debussy's "Fêtes", Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov”, and music from the Kinks and the Beatles, to illustrate different modes. An excerpt from Bernstein's ballet "Fancy Free" is also performed.	Fetes from Nocturnes (Debussy) Scheherazade (Rimsky-Korsakov) Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98 (Brahms); Symphony No. 6 in D Minor, Op. 104 (Sibelius); the Sunken Cathedral from Preludes (Debussy); Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 (Beethoven) Fancy Free (Bernstein);
37	Young Performers No. 8	January 27, 1967	Elmar Oliveira; Mark Salkind; Fred Alston; Donald Green; Juan Pablo Izquierdo; Sylvia Caduff; Stephen Dominko; George Reid; Young Uck Kim	Soloists Elmar Oliveira (violin), Mark Salkind (oboe), Fred Alston (bassoon) and Donald Green (cello) perform Haydn’s Sinfonia Concertante in B-Flat Major, Juan Pablo Izquierdo conducting the first movement and Sylvia Caduff conducting the second and third movements. Stephen Dominko plays an accordion arrangement of a Chopin piano concerto. George Reid (basso) sings a selection from Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and Young Uck Kim solos in Saint-Saëns’s Violin Concerto No. 3 in B Minor.	Sinfonia Concertante in B-flat Major (Haydn) Accordion arrangement of Piano Concerto no. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21 (Chopin) Diesen heil'gen Halle from The Magic Flute (Mozart) Violin Concerto No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 61 (Saint Saens)
38	Charles Ives: American Pioneer	February 23, 1967	Simon Estes	Bernstein discusses and performs the music of Charles Edward Ives (1874-1954), "the first great American composer." The program includes performances and analyses of certain pieces, including "The Unanswered Question".	The Gong on the Hook and the Ladder (Fireman's Parade on Main Street); Washington's Birthday from Holidays Symphony; The Circus Band-Parade (arranged by Harold Farberman); Lincoln, the Great Commnner the Unanswered Question
39	Alumni Reunion	April 19, 1967	Stephen E. Kates; Veronica Tyler; André Watts	Bernstein celebrates the final concert of the tenth season of "Young People's Concerts" by welcoming back three young performers who made their debuts on this series. Cellist Stephen Kates performs Tchaikovsky's "Variations on a Rococo Theme"; soprano Veronica Tyler sings "Mi Chiamano Mimi" from Puccini's "La Bohème", as well as “My Man’s Gone Now” from Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess”; and André Watts performs the Second Piano Concerto in B-flat Major, by Brahms.	Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33 (Tchaikovsky) Mi chiamano Mimi from La Boheme (Puccini) and My Man's Gone Now from Porgy and Bess (Gershwin) Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83 (Brahms)
40	A Toast to Vienna in 3⁄4 Time	December 25, 1967	Christa Ludwig; Walter Berry	Bernstein pays tribute to the New York Philharmonic's "fraternal orchestra," the Vienna Philharmonic, in celebration of the 125th anniversary of both orchestras. Works by Johann and Richard Strauss, Mozart, Beethoven, and Mahler are performed, preceded by brief discussions.	Wiener Blut (J. Strauss); German Dance No. 3, K.605 and Jupiter Symphony in C Major, K.551 (Mozart); Symphony No. 7 in A Major, op. 92 (Beethoven); Das Knaben Wunderhorn (Mahler) Waltzes from Der Rosenkavalier (R. Strauss).
41	Forever Beethoven	January 28, 1968	Joseph Kalichstein; Paul Capolongo	In this all-Beethoven program, works by the composer are performed and discussed. The assistant conductor is Paul Capolongo; the piano soloist is Joseph Kalichstein. Performances include the first movement of Symphony No. 5; Concerto in G for piano and orchestra; and the Leonore Overture No. 3.	Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, op. 58 Leonore Overture No. 3 (Beethoven)
42	Young Performers No. 9	March 31, 1968	Lawrence Foster; Alois Springer; Martin and Steven Vann; Helen Quach	14-year-old Lawrence Foster solos in Saint-Saëns' Cello Concerto No. 1, conducted by Alois Springer. Three movements of Hindemith's "Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes by Weber" are performed, with twins Martin and Steven Vann playing the Weber originals on piano. Helen Quach guest-conducts one of the movements.	Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor (Saint Saens) Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber (Hindemith) Original weber Version:
43	Quiz-Concert: How Musical Are You?	May 26, 1968		Leonard Bernstein quizzes Avery Fisher Hall and television audiences on their musicality.	Overture to The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart); Classical Symphony (Prokofiev); Capriccio Espagnol (Rimsky-Korsakov); Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 68 (Brahms).
44	Fantastic Variations	December 25, 1968	Lorne Munroe	Bernstein discusses and conducts excerpts from Richard Strauss' "Don Quixote", subtitled "Fantastic Variations on a Theme of Knightly Character."	Don Quixote (R. Strauss)
45	Bach Transmogrified	April 27, 1969	Michael Korn; Leopold Stokowski; Moog synthesizer; David Nadien; Julius Baker; New York Rock & Roll Ensemble	Bernstein discusses different transmogrifications or treatments of Bach's works. After an organ recital of the Little Fugue, guest conductor Leopold Stokowski conducts his own transcription of the fugue for symphony orchestra. Other transmogrifications include Foss' Phorion and a version of the Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 performed by the New York Rock and Roll Ensemble.	Little Organ Fugue in G Minor (J.S. Bach): Original Version Transcription for Orchestra (L. Stokowski) Moog Synthesizer Version (Albert Seer); Violin Partita in E Major (J.S. Bach) Phorion (Lukas Foss)
46	Berlioz Takes a Trip	May 25, 1969		Bernstein discusses what he describes as the "first psychedelic symphony," Berlioz's "La Symphonie Fantastique", examining the concept of the idée fixe in music and illustrating this concept with excerpts from the first movement. Bernstein analyzes the music and discusses the story line of the symphony.	Symphonie Fantastique (Berlioz)
47	Two Ballet Birds	14 September 1969		Leonard Bernstein compares the main theme of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" with Stravinsky's "Firebird". A performance of the Pas de Deux from "Swan Lake" illustrates the concept of abstract ballet, followed by excerpts from Stravinsky's "Firebird."	Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky) and Firebird Suite (Stravinsky)
48	Fidelio: A Celebration of Life	March 29, 1970	Forest Warren; Anita Darian; Howard Ross; David Cumberland	Bernstein takes a look at Beethoven's so-called "flawed masterpiece" - his only opera, "Fidelio". After discussing the story and its problems, "charming excerpts" are performed. Four vocal selections from Act II follow, each preceded by analysis and plot summary.	Fidelio (Beethoven)
49	The Anatomy of a Symphony Orchestra	May 24, 1970		The roles of various sections of the orchestra are revealed by Respighi's "The Pines of Rome". Leonard Bernstein analyzes each of the work's four movements, and conducts the piece in its entirety.	Pini di Roma (Respighi)
50	A Copland Celebration	December 27, 1970	Stanley Drucker	Young People's Concerts celebrates Aaron Copland's 70th birthday by performing, with Leonard Bernstein's analysis, the Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra and an abridged version of the Suite from Billy the Kid.	Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra (abridged version) Suite from Billy the Kid (Copland)
51	Thus Spake Richard Strauss	April 4, 1971		Leonard Bernstein examines Richard Strauss' musical interpretation of the writing of Friedrich Nietzsche. The orchestra performs "Thus Spake Zarathustra", a musical tone poem about mortality and immortality, rebirth and transcendence.	Also Sprach Zarathustra (R. Strauss)
52	Liszt and the Devil	February 13, 1972		Bernstein examines the Faust Symphony and suggests that Liszt himself was a kind of Faust. Each of the three movements - "Faust," "Gretchen," and "Mephistopheles" - are analyzed and performed.	Faust Symphony (Liszt)
53	Holst: The Planets	March 26, 1972		Bernstein conducts the Philharmonic in Holst's orchestral suite. Five of the seven movements - "Mars," "Venus," "Mercury," "Jupiter" and "Uranus" - are performed, and then Bernstein improvises a musical theme for Pluto, whose discovery in 1930 postdated the Holst composition.	The Planets (Holst)

Kultur International Films released Volume I on DVD in 2004^[18] and Volume II on DVD in 2013.^[19] Each volume contains more than twenty hours of concerts.

International stage (1972–present)

Following their international rise to fame in the Bernstein era, the Young People's Concerts were subsequently presented by the New York Philharmonic on tour in concert halls throughout the world. The series began to expand its artistic leadership to develop a collective vision for its future.^[20]

Following Bernstein's final Young People's Concert in 1972, Michael Tilson Thomas regularly led the series (1971–77),^[21] in addition to conductors such as Erich Leinsdorf, Pierre Boulez, Igor Buketoff, Zubin Mehta, Aaron Copland, Kurt Masur, Leonard Slatkin, André Previn, Thomas Wilkins, and Jaap van Zweden.

In 2008, the New York Philharmonic was presenting four Young People's Concerts each season, in addition to concerts on tour to cities like Hong Kong. American conductor Delta David Gier hosted and led the programs and playwright Tom Dulack scripted them, which were themed as a unit and, as Schelling pioneered decades earlier, the live performances were complemented by live images projected on a large screen.^[22][23]

As of 2024, the New York Philharmonic continues to present four Young People's Concerts each season. The contemporary concerts are thematically programmed, focusing 21st century issues like climate change, immigration, and social justice. The performances are complemented by live image and video projections, guest actors, dancers, singers, and community partners, with an interdisciplinary approach that brings elements like science, fantasy, and hip hop into the orchestra. These concerts have been streamed online for international audiences.^[24][25]

Legacy and other educational programs

In 2005, the New York Philharmonic revived their "Elementary" series, renamed the Very Young People's Concerts, which is designed for younger children ages 3 to 6. The 30-minute concerts, hosted by the Philharmonic's Associate Principal Violist Rebecca Young, introduce children to music through games, stories, and musical performances of chamber music, as well as give children the opportunity to play musical instruments.^[26][27]

References

1. "New York Philharmonic Program (ID: 9048)". New York Philharmonic Shelby White & Leon Levy Digital Archives. November 26, 1898. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
2. "Juilliard School". Philanthropy Roundtable. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
3. "New York Philharmonic Program (ID: 987)". New York Philharmonic Shelby White & Leon Levy Digital Archives. January 24, 1914. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
4. Shanet 1975, p. 460.
5. "Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (slide) - Ernest Schelling". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
6. "Ernest Schelling Lantern Slide Collection, New York Philharmonic Archives". archives.nyphil.org. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
7. "Press Releases - 1940-1941, Sep 4, 1940 - Jan 27, 1941 (ID: 765-04-05)". archives.nyphil.org. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
8. "Ernest Schelling, Famed Pianist, Dies; Composer Who Led Children's Concerts of the Philharmonic Since 1924 Was 63". The New York Times. December 9, 1939. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
9. Shanet 1975, p. 459.
10. "New York Philharmonic Program (ID: 4989), 1948 Feb 21". New York Philharmonic Shelby White & Leon Levy Digital Archives. February 21, 1948. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
11. "Santa at Youth Concert; Leads Audience in 'Silent Night' – Igor Buketoff Conducts". The New York Times. December 17, 1950. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
12. "New York Philharmonic Program (ID: 6816)". New York Philharmonic Shelby White & Leon Levy Digital Archives. November 28, 1953. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
13. Bernstein, Leonard (2005). Gottlieb, Jack (ed.). Leonard Bernstein's young people's concerts. Pompton Plains, New Jersey: Amadeus Press. ISBN 978-1-57467-102-5.
14. Kopfstein-Penk, Alicia (2015). Leonard Bernstein and his young people's concerts. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-8108-8849-4.
15. "Leonard Bernstein at 100 - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. September 23, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
16. "Bernstein, Leonard: Young People's Concerts, Vol. .. - 800608 | Discover more releases from UNITEL Edition". www.naxos.com. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
17. "New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts with". Television Academy. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
18. Young People's Concerts, 9 DVDs, Kultur International Films (2004) OCLC 745367887
19. Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic. Volume 2, 9 DVDs, Kultur International Films (2013) OCLC 862170555
20. Westphal, Matthew (November 1, 2007). "New York Philharmonic Reveals Details of 2008 Asia Tour". Playbill.
21. "New York Philharmonic's Young People's Concerts: What is Noise? What is Music? (TV)". Paley Center for Media. 1975 [May 10, 1975 Saturday 5:00 PM]. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
22. Dulack, Tom. "Dramatists Play Service, Inc". www.dramatists.com. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
23. Smith, Steve (January 14, 2008). "Fanfare for the Common Kid: Fidgeting but Still Curious". The New York Times.
24. Cooper, Michael (November 3, 2016). "The Philharmonic to Stream Young People's Concerts". The New York Times.
25. "Young People's Concerts | Family-Friendly Concerts at NY Phil". nyphil.org. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
26. "Classical Music for Children Ages 3-6 | NY Phil Family Concerts". nyphil.org. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
27. Ramey, Corinne (November 29, 2013). "Music to Really Young Ears: New York Philharmonic's Concerts Cater to Toddler Set". The Wall Street Journal.

Sources

• Shanet, Howard (1975). Philharmonic: A History of New York's Orchestra. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 978-0-385-08861-9.

Further reading

• Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts. Edited by Jack Gottlieb. New York: Doubleday, 1970.
• Olsen, Kathleen A. The Contributions of Leonard Bernstein to Music Education and Audience Development. Master's thesis from The Crane School of Music, Potsdam New York, 2009.
• Schonberg, Harold C. "Bernstein Offers a Lesson in Music", The New York Times, 19 January 1958, p. 81.

External links

• "Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts", TheTVDB (includes a list of all episodes)
• Bernstein's Studio, which includes some audio clips
• "Young People's Concerts Scripts" (Bernstein), Library of Congress
• Young People's Concerts at IMDb  
• All 53 Bernstein episodes playlist on YouTube