Back to Press Release List > 11/11/2009 - Celebrate the Holidays with The New York Pops, Sandi Patty & The Polar Express at Carnegie Hall

On December 18 and 19 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, guest conductor John Morris Russell leads The New York Pops and vocalist Sandi Patty in two evenings of festive carols and holiday favorites. Known to many simply as “The Voice,” Ms. Patty is one of the most acclaimed female vocalists in contemporary Christian music today. The five-time Grammy Award winner has also received four Billboard Music Awards, 39 Dove Awards, and has been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. She recently headlined a sold out Broadway music revue in Cincinnati with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra entitled Sandi Patty’s Broadway. Ms. Patty and the New York Pops will be joined by the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, directed by Francisco J. Núñez, at these performances led by Mr. Russell, Music Director of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra in Ontario, Canada.

The New York Pops and Mr. Russell continue Carnegie Hall’s celebration of the holiday season the following day on Saturday, December 19 at 2:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage with a Carnegie Hall Family Concert performance of the beloved holiday children’s tale The Polar Express along with other holiday favorites. Actor John Tartaglia narrates the performance, which again features the Young People’s Chorus of New York City. Based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express depicts the story of a young boy who embarks on a journey of self-discovery when he boards a powerful magical train headed to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. This performance features images from Allsburg’s 1986 Caldecott Medal-winning children’s book and a score written by film composer Alan Silvestri, who wrote the music for the 2004 feature film adaptation, including the new holiday classic “Believe.” Charlotte Blake Alston—storyteller, narrator, and singer—performs during the pre-concert activity beginning one hour prior to the concert. This concert is recommended for children ages 5–12. The special 25th anniversary edition of The Polar Express book, which includes a CD audio recording read by Liam Neeson, a note from Chris Van Allsburg, and a keepsake “All Aboard” ornament, will be available for purchase at The Shop at Carnegie Hall.

About the Artists
While her 30-year career is heavily rooted in contemporary Christian music, in recent years Sandi Patty’s reach has extended beyond the gospel genre. For over ten years, Ms. Patty has performed with symphonies across the country including the Boston Pops, Cincinnati Pops, Dallas Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Houston Symphony, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, and many more. Her first pops album, An American Songbook, was recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and features several favorites from her symphony performances. In 2000, she was the featured headliner for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s annual Yuletide Celebration, and later became the most requested headliner in the celebration’s history. Ms. Patty’s relationship with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra soon gave her an opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream of performing the Broadway show tunes that she’d listened to as a little girl when she was invited to perform a Broadway revue called Sandi Patty’s Broadway featuring songs from such classic musicals as West Side Story, My Fair Lady, The Phantom of the Opera, The Music Man, and many others.

John Morris Russell has consistently won international praise for his extraordinary music-making and visionary leadership. Since his 2001 appointment as Music Director of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra in Ontario, Canada, he has ushered in a new era of unprecedented artistic growth and has invigorated the musical life of the Windsor-Essex region. As a guest conductor, Mr. Russell has led many of North America’s most distinguished ensembles, including the orchestras of Toronto, Edmonton, Victoria, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Dallas, Minnesota, Oregon, Colorado, and Louisville; Miami’s New World Symphony, New York City Ballet, and New York Philharmonic. 2009 marks Mr. Russell’s 12th season conducting the concerts of the “LinkUP!” music education program presented by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute. Last season, he made his debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl and was immediately reengaged for this summer. Mr. Russell has previously served as associate conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for 11 years where he regularly led concerts at Music Hall and the Riverbend Music Center.

The internationally-acclaimed multicultural Young People's Chorus of New York City, directed by Francisco J. Núñez, was founded in 1988 to foster personal and artistic growth and cross-cultural understanding among children and to provide a safe haven where young people from different backgrounds could come together to learn and create music. The chorus has performed in venues ranging from The White House to Smetana Hall in Prague, and represented the United States at the 2005 World Symposium on Choral Music in Kyoto. The chorus also recently sang for Pope Benedict XVI on his first papal visit to the U.S.

Singer, actor, dancer and puppeteer, John Tartaglia earned a Tony Award nomination for his performance in the Tony-winning Broadway musical Avenue Q, for which he originated the roles of Princeton and Rod. Tartaglia recently played the part of Pinocchio in the Broadway cast of Shrek The Musical, and was seen as Lumiere in Disney's Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. A 10-year veteran of Sesame Street, Tartaglia was one of the youngest puppeteers ever to perform on the show, starting at the age of 16. In addition to his work on Sesame Street he also starred in Sesame Workshop's innovative English as a Foreign Language project, Sesame English. Tartaglia is also executive producer and star of Disney Channel's Johnny and the Sprites, and has appeared on Discovery Channel's Animal Jam and Disney Channel's Bear in the Big Blue House and JoJo's Circus. Tartaglia is a past host of the New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts.

The New York Pops is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States, and the only professional symphonic orchestra in New York City specializing in popular music. Led by Music Director Steven Reineke, the orchestra performs an annual subscription series and birthday gala at Carnegie Hall, enjoying one of the venue’s highest subscription renewal rates of any series. The New York Pops was founded by former NBC Music Director Skitch Henderson in 1983 with a mission to create greater public awareness and appreciation of America’s rich musical heritage. Along with performing at Carnegie Hall, The New York Pops tours throughout the world and gives free concerts in New York City parks through its Summermusic program. The orchestra’s media projects include performing for the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular on NBC, nationwide radio broadcasts, and numerous recordings. The New York Pops’ extensive education programs allow thousands of public schoolchildren to participate in concert and music-making experiences at Carnegie Hall and in schools throughout New York City’s five boroughs.

Program Information
Friday, December 18 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 19 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
THE NEW YORK POPS
John Morris Russell, Conductor
Sandi Patty, Guest Artist
Young People's Chorus of New York City
Francisco J. Núñez, Founder and Artistic Director

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH SANDI PATTY!

The five-time Grammy-winner sings holiday favorites in a traditional concert of Christmas carols and music for Hanukkah.

Tickets: $33, $37, $46, $74, $94, $104
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Saturday, December 19 at 2:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
CARNEGIE HALL FAMILY CONCERT: THE NEW YORK POPS
John Morris Russell, Conductor
John Tartaglia, Narrator
Young People's Chorus of New York City
Francisco J. Núñez, Artistic Director

THE POLAR EXPRESS

Celebrate the magic of the holiday season with The New York Pops performing the beloved children’s tale, The Polar Express as well as other holiday tunes sure to warm the hearts of your entire family.

Pre-concert activities will take place one hour before each performance and are free to all ticket holders.

Carnegie Hall Family Concerts are made possible, in part, by generous endowment gifts from Mr. and Mrs. Lester S. Morse Jr., and the Henry and Lucy Moses Fund.

Tickets: $9

Bank of America is the Proud Season Sponsor of Carnegie Hall.

Ticket Information
Tickets are available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 West 57th Street, or can be charged to major credit cards by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800 or by visiting the Carnegie Hall website, carnegiehall.org. Tickets for The Polar Express Family Concert will be priced at $9.

For Carnegie Hall Corporation presentations taking place in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, a limited number of seats, priced at $10, will be available day-of-concert beginning at 11:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:00 noon on Sunday until one hour before the performance or until supply lasts. The exceptions are Carnegie Hall Family Concerts and gala events. These $10 tickets are available to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis at the Carnegie Hall Box Office only. There is a two-ticket limit per customer.

In addition, for all Carnegie Hall presentations in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage a limited number of partial view (seats with obstructed or limited sight lines or restricted leg room) will be sold for 50% of the full price. For more information on this and other discount ticket programs, including those for students, Notables members, and Bank of America customers, visit carnegiehall.org/discounts.

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Photo Credits: John Tartaglia (© Steve J. Sherman); Sandi Patty (Courtesy of Carnegie Hall); John Morris Russell (© Gordon Baer); Polar Express (Courtesy of Chris Van Allsburg and the Houghton Mifflin Company)