By Hannah Reimann
Looking forward to the Fall, Village residents are in for a treat and the best bang for your buck if you love classical music. Peoples’ Symphony Concerts continues to provide an invaluable opportunity for New Yorkers of modest means to hear classical artists including wonderful new faces and new music. I have heard these concerts since I was a preteen pianist practicing my first sonatas and concertos – I can vouch that they are always outstanding, a tremendous value and well-attended. Plan ahead to get tickets for these popular and inexpensive concerts performed by excellent and famous musicians!
Frank Salomon celebrates his 50th anniversary as the Manager of PSC in 2023-2024. This and the series’ 125th season in 2024-2025 are rare major milestones. Since 1900, the series has been offering those not able to afford regular ticket prices with what the New York Times described as “Carnegie Hall-quality artists for less than a Manhattan movie ticket or even a large popcorn.” Performances are presented on twelve Saturday evenings at 7:30 PM at Washington Irving Campus (one block from Union Square) and on six Sunday afternoons at 2 PM in association with The Town Hall (one block from Times Square) and are also available virtually. Details on the series can be found at pscny.org for the 2023-2024 season,
Tickets are as low as $9.33 with a 6-concert subscription, children free, and a Students & Essential Workers’ Pass for its 18 concerts bringing the per concert ticket price to less than $2 and single tickets 50% off.
A major project that will span both seasons is a four-concert Schubert Sonata Cycle with the noted British pianist Paul Lewis giving the first two performances on Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, May 19. New music will be well represented, starting with the world premiere of a piano concerto that the series commissioned from acclaimed composer and jazz pianist Vijay Iyer for its Resident Artist Shai Wosner and ECCO (East Coast Chamber Orchestra) on Saturday, October 28, and in the programs of the Juilliard, Calidore, Danel and Mystery Quartets and the Kenari Saxophone Quartet. Long committed to introducing its audience to exciting new artists and ensembles, eight of its eighteen concerts will present artists making their PSC debuts.
Over the last five decades that Frank Salomon has guided the series, the PSC audience has had the opportunity of discovering such exceptional young artists as Ax, Bell, Biss, Bronfman, Denk, Goode, Hadelich, Lang, Laredo, Lupu, Ma, Perahia, Serkin, Schiff, Shaham, Stoltzman, Zukerman, the leading emerging quartets and chamber ensembles, as well as the masters of the day. Highlights of the last fifty years and the impact that the series has had on music in The City can be found at https://www.pscny.org/fs-history
One of the world’s most acclaimed pianists, Britain’s Paul Lewis embarks upon a rare two-season Complete Schubert Sonata Cycle as part of the celebration of the affordable Peoples’ Symphony Concerts 125th Season in 2024-25 and the 50th Anniversary of Frank Salomon as its Manager, in 2023-24. The legendary series has been providing world-class weekend concerts to New Yorkers on a limited budget since 1900 with subscription tickets as low as $9.33 per concert and children FREE. Photo credit: Kaupo Kikkas
