About The New York Pops
About The New York Pops
Our Story
Comprised of 78 musicians, The New York Pops is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States, now celebrating its 42nd season as the only professional symphonic orchestra in New York City specializing in popular music. Led by Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke, the orchestra performs an annual subscription series at Carnegie Hall, and is among the venue’s most presented ensembles. The New York Pops’ annual birthday gala is celebrated each spring, raising funds for the orchestra and its education programs. The orchestra performs annually in Queens, NY at Forest Hills Stadium, a 14,000-seat historic concert venue.
The New York Pops celebrates the diversity of popular music’s evolving songbook. Every concert is a unique experience, with influences that range from Broadway melodies to film scores, jazz, rock, pop, and more. The orchestra collaborates with stars from the stage and screen including Sara Bareilles, Kristen Bell, Montego Glover, James Monroe Iglehart, Capathia Jenkins, Carly Rae Jepsen, Angela Lansbury, Queen Latifah, Cyndi Lauper, Norm Lewis, Barry Manilow, Kelli O’Hara, Adrienne Warren, Dionne Warwick, Miss Piggy, and others.
Through its PopsEd music education programs, The New York Pops fulfills its dedication to lifelong learning and collaborates with public schools, community organizations, and senior centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City. PopsEd allows thousands of New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds to participate in fully customizable residency programs that blend traditional education with pure fun. These programs make music open to all and use tools like composition, lyric writing, performance, and mentorship to foster learning and unbridled creativity. In doing so, PopsEd excites students and gives them skills they can apply to all areas of their lives.
The New York Pops is committed to serving all members of the community. Through its Kids in the Balcony and Kids in the Stadium programs, thousands of children and their parents have had an opportunity to see The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and Forest Hills Stadium free of charge. The New York Pops has also adapted its PopsEd programs to provide remote learning opportunities to students. Virtual programs have included residencies in virtual classrooms, free access to virtual concerts through Kids in the Virtual Balcony, and Kids on the Virtual Stage, a free comprehensive program that introduces middle school students to the professional virtual performance process.
Over the years, the orchestra has presented free concerts in city parks, community organizations, and senior centers; performed the National Anthem at sports venues; and toured throughout the world. Past media projects include the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular on NBC Television, a nationally syndicated radio series, and performances on PBS. The orchestra’s discography encompasses recordings of popular standards, theater and film scores, and music for the holidays.
The New York Pops was founded by Ruth and Skitch Henderson in 1983 with a mission to create greater public awareness and appreciation of America’s rich musical heritage through presentation of concerts and education programs of the highest quality. The New York Pops is a non-profit organization supported solely through the generosity of individual donations, institutional grants, corporate sponsorships, and concert income.
Steven Reineke has established himself as one of North America's leading conductors of popular music. In 2019, Mr. Reineke celebrated his tenth anniversary as Music Director of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. Additionally, he is Principal Pops Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Principal Pops Conductor of the Houston and Toronto Symphony Orchestras.
Reineke is a frequent guest conductor with The Philadelphia Orchestra and his extensive North American conducting appearances include Atlanta, Cincinnati, Edmonton, San Francisco, and Sarasota.
On stage, Mr. Reineke has created programs and collaborated with a range of leading artists from the worlds of hip hop, R&B, Broadway, television, and rock including: Maxwell, Common, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Cynthia Erivo, Sutton Foster, Megan Hilty, Cheyenne Jackson, Wayne Brady, Peter Frampton, and Ben Folds, amongst others. In 2017 he was featured on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" leading the National Symphony Orchestra - in a first for the show's 45-year history - performing live music excerpts in between news segments. In 2018 Reineke led the National Symphony Orchestra with hip hop legend Nas performing his seminal album "Illmatic" on PBS's Great Performances.
As the creator of more than one hundred orchestral arrangements for the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Mr. Reineke’s work has been performed worldwide and can be heard on numerous Cincinnati Pops Orchestra recordings on the Telarc label. His symphonic works Celebration Fanfare, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Casey at the Bat are performed frequently in North America, including performances by the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic. His Sun Valley Festival Fanfare was used to commemorate the Sun Valley Summer Symphony’s pavilion, and his Festival Te Deum and Swan’s Island Sojourn were debuted by the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops Orchestras. His numerous wind ensemble compositions are published by the C.L. Barnhouse Company and are performed by concert bands worldwide.
A native of Ohio, Mr. Reineke is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio (2020 Alumnus Distinguished Achievement Medal), where he earned bachelor of music degrees with honors in both trumpet performance and music composition. He currently resides in New York City with his husband Eric Gabbard.
musicians of the orchestra
Violin
Cenovia Cummins, Concertmaster
Michael Roth, Principal II
Martin Agee
Lorra Baylis
Sara Caswell
Monica K. Davis
Keats Dieffenbach
Karen DiYanni
Joyce Hammann
Rachel Handman
Conrad Harris
Josh Henderson
Ashley Horne
Karen M. Karlsrud
Stanley Kurtis *
Byung K. Kwak
Ira Lieberman *
Elizabeth Lim-Dutton
Katherine Livolsi-Landau
Lisa Matricardi
Laura Oatts
Louise Owen
Philip Payton
Dorothy Strahl
Belinda Whitney
Clara Zahler
Viola
Orlando Wells, Principal
Adria Benjamin
Andrew Griffin
Ardith Holmgrain
Christine Ims
J.J. Johnson
Dana Kelley
Karen Olson
Jack Rosenberg *
Veronica Salas *
Cello
David Heiss, Principal *
Deborah Assael-Migliore
Daryl Goldberg
E. Zoe Hassman
Sarah Hewitt-Roth
Daniel D. Miller
Deborah Sepe
Bass
Jeffrey Carney, Principal
John Beal
Lou Bruno
William M. Ellison
Richard Fredrickson *
Mark M. Minkler
Flute
Susan Rotholz, Principal
Helen Campo
Beomjae Kim
Oboe
Diane Lesser, Principal
Toyin Spellman-Diaz
English Horn
Randall Ellis
Clarinet
David Sapadin, Principal
Mitchell Kriegler
Bass Clarinet
Lino Gomez
Bassoon
Harry Searing, Principal
Tom Sefcovic
Horn
Lawrence DiBello, Principal
Karl Kramer
Jean F. Martin-Williams *
Susan Panny
Trumpet
Neil Balm, Principal *
James De La Garza
Tony Kadleck
Trombone
Richard Clark, Principal
Mark A. Patterson
John D. Rojak *
Tuba
Marcus Rojas, Principal
Timpani
Jonathan Haas, Principal
Percussion
James F. Saporito, Principal
Barry Centanni
Javier Diaz
Harp
Anna Reinersman, Principal
Orchestra Personnel Managers
Neil Balm
Jonathan Haas
Music Librarian
Manly Romero
* Member of The New York Pops since 1983
Board of Directors
- Founders
- Ruth and Skitch Henderson
- Chairman
- John Littzi
- Treasurer
- John Gardner
- Secretary
- Mary Carr Patton
- Members
- David Blakelock
- Jeffrey P. Englander
- Catherine French
- Megan Hayes
- Nicola Heryet
- Capathia Jenkins
- Norm Lewis
- Michael Maizner
- Nancy Rabstejnek Nichols
- Kelli O'Hara
- Robert S. Pohly
- Andrea Reiser
- Elizabeth Ritzcovan
- Michael Rosen
- Dorothy Samuels
- Jonathan Sands
- Rachael Sherman
- William T. Sullivan
- Anthony V. Thompson
- Kimberly Till
- Karen van Bergen
- Chairman Emeritus
- James A. Read
- Secretary Emerita
- June Freemanzon
administration
- President and Executive Director
- Anne M. Swanson
- General Manager
- Jamie Moses
- Director of Development
- Meredith Cappel
- Assistant Director of Development
- Chrissy Brinkman
- Education and Operations Manager
- Analisa Bell
- Marketing and Communications Manager
- Stephen Furda
- Administrative Coordinator
- Madison Davis
- Arts Administration Apprentice
- Ganling B. Chu
- Director, Kids on Stage
- Brian Worsdale
- Public Relations
- Morahan Arts and Media
- Music Librarian
- Manly Romero
- Orchestra Personnel Management
- Gemini Music Productions, Neil Balm and Jonathan Haas
- Legal Counsel
- Jeffrey P. Englander, Esq.
- Morrison Cohen, LLP
- Event Coordinator
- DS Consulting Group
- Designer
- Matthew Heckart
faq
Where do I buy tickets for The New York Pops concerts?
Tickets are available on Carnegie Hall’s website beginning each season in August. The Box office is located at Carnegie Hall (corner of 57th Street and Seventh Avenue). Tickets can also be purchased through CarnegieCharge by calling 212-247-7800. Tickets to The New York Pops Birthday Gala become available in January through The New York Pops office.
What should I expect at a New York Pops concert? How should I dress?
Learn more about the Carnegie Hall concert experience, including what to wear, here. New York Pops concerts are loads of fun, and you can expect to laugh and smile. Most New York Pops concerts last 110-120 minutes, including one intermission.
Do I qualify for a discounted ticket?
Visit Carnegie Hall’s discount ticket page for a list of all reduced-rate ticket programs.
How do I get to Carnegie Hall? Where is Forest Hills Stadium?
Carnegie Hall is located in midtown Manhattan, at the corner of 57th Street and Seventh Avenue. It is easily accessible by subway, bus, or car. More information can be found here. Forest Hills Stadium is located in Queens, on the grounds of the West Side Tennis Club. For information on getting to the venue, click here.
Who is Steven Reineke’s favorite singer?
Ella Fitzgerald is Steven’s all-time favorite singer.
Who were the first “stars” to appear with The New York Pops?
Opera legend Roberta Peters appeared with The New York Pops in January 1984.
“Throughout the evening, [Skitch] Henderson conducted with effusion. Time will tell whether the New York Pops can grow to become a mainstay in Manhattan's musical community. But Mr. Henderson's determination, and the enthusiasm of his forces, augur well for the young orchestra.” – Tim Page, The New York Times, January 22, 1984.
Work With Us
Thank you for your interest in working with The New York Pops. There are no openings at this time.
The New York Pops is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The New York Pops is actively striving to achieve greater diversity amongst our Board of Directors, staff, and orchestra. We are committed to an inclusive workspace, and we strongly encourage applications from BIPOC, AAPI, LGBTQ+ who are excited about contributing to our mission.
Annual Report and 990
The New York Pops is committed to transparency. We are grateful to our supporters and donors, who make possible all the work we do.
For detailed financial information, please see our most recent Form 990 and our audited financial statements for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
Click here to read our Education Report and learn more about how our PopsEd programs impacted students in the 2023-2024 school year.