Santtu-Matias Rouvali & / 1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 3, 2019

SANTTU-MATIAS ROUVALI TO MAKE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC DEBUT

NEW YORK PREMIERE of Bryce DESSNER’s Wires Featuring the Composer on Electric Guitar in His Philharmonic Debut

Program Also To Include TCHAIKOVSKY’s Romeo and Juliet, Overture-Fantasy SIBELIUS’s Symphony No. 1

November 14–16, 2019

NIGHTCAP Kravis Nightcap Series at the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse Curated by Bryce Dessner, Hosted by Kravis Creative Partner November 16, 2019

Santtu-Matias Rouvali will make his New York Philharmonic debut conducting the New York Premiere of Bryce Dessner’s Wires, featuring the composer (lead guitarist of The National) on electric guitar in his Philharmonic debut; Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, Overture-Fantasy; and Sibelius’s Symphony No. 1. The program will take place on Thursday, November 14, 2019, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 15 at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, November 16 at 8:00 p.m.

Bryce Dessner’s Wires combines his influences from New York and the European avant-garde. The title refers to both instrumental wires — primarily the strings of electric guitar, harp, and piano — and wires used in communication, such as phone lines and electrical transmissions. It was premiered in 2016 by Ensemble intercontemporain, founded by former Philharmonic Music Director Pierre Boulez. The Philharmonic has presented Mr. Dessner’s music twice before: Wave Movements in 2015 and Gift in 2016.

Bryce Dessner will curate a Nightcap concert on Saturday, November 16, 2019, featuring works by Mr. Dessner, Kaija Saariaho, Berio, and performed by pianist Adam Tendler and the Trimbach Trio, comprising yMusic violinist , violist Nadia Sirota, and cellist Gabriel Cabezas. The 2019–20 Kravis Nightcap series presents seven late-night, cabaret-style concerts curated by contemporary composers who engage in conversation about the music with host Nadia Sirota, The Marie-Josée Kravis Creative Partner. Taking place at the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse after select subscription programs, these events explore themes related to those Philharmonic concerts in a casual setting.

Finnish conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali’s 2019 recording of Sibelius’s First Symphony with the Gothenburg Symphony , where he serves as chief director, received the Gramophone Editor’s Choice Award, French Diapason d’Or “Decouverte,” Choc de Classica, and German Record Critics’ Award. Le Monde wrote: “Rouvali’s inspired baton triggers

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unrelenting storms, white-hot or icy blasts of air, breathless expectations … giving the Sibelian fresco a rarely heard sense of urgency and tragic intensity.”

The New York Philharmonic will offer an allotment of free tickets to young people ages 13–26 for the concert on Friday, November 15 as part of Philharmonic Free Fridays.

Biographies Subscription program: Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Bryce Dessner, New York Philharmonic Nightcap: Bryce Dessner, Nadia Sirota, Adam Tendler, Rob Moose, Gabriel Cabezas

Tickets Single tickets for the subscription program start at $34. A limited number of $18 tickets for select concerts may be available to students within 10 days of the performance at nyphil.org/rush, or in person the day of (valid identification required). Tickets for Open Rehearsals are $22. The New York Philharmonic is offering an allotment of free tickets to young people ages 13–26 for the concert Friday, November 15 as part of Philharmonic Free Fridays; learn more at nyphil.org/freefridays.

Single tickets to Nightcap performances start at $25. (Ticket prices subject to change.)

Tickets to New York Philharmonic performances may be purchased online at nyphil.org or by calling (212) 875-5656, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday; 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 5:00 p.m. Sunday. Tickets may also be purchased at the David Geffen Hall Box Office. The Box Office opens at 10:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and at noon on Sunday. On performance evenings, the Box Office closes one-half hour after performance time; other evenings it closes at 6:00 p.m.

For press tickets, contact Lanore Carr at (212) 875-5714 or [email protected].

Event Listing

New York Philharmonic

David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center

Thursday, November 14, 2019, 7:30 p.m. Open Rehearsal — 9:45 a.m. Friday, November 15, 2019, 8:00 p.m. Saturday, November 16, 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Santtu-Matias Rouvali*, conductor Bryce Dessner*, electric guitar

TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet, Overture-Fantasy Bryce DESSNER Wires (New York Premiere) SIBELIUS Symphony No. 1

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Kravis Nightcap Series Curated by Bryce Dessner

Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse 165 West 65th Street, 10th Floor

Saturday, November 16, 2019, 10:30 p.m.

Bryce Dessner, curator Nadia Sirota, host Adam Tendler, piano Trimbach Trio Rob Moose, Nadia Sirota, Gabriel Cabezas,

Composer Bryce Dessner, lead guitarist of The National, will curate a program featuring works by Mr. Dessner, Kaija Saariaho, Berio, and Meredith Monk following a New York Philharmonic concert that includes Mr. Dessner’s Wires, in which he performs on electric guitar, receiving its New York Premiere that week.

* New York Philharmonic debut

ALL PROGRAMS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

* * * Nadia Sirota is The Marie-Josée Kravis Creative Partner.

* * * Major support for Philharmonic Free Fridays is provided by an Anonymous Donor. Additional funding is provided by Muna and Basem Hishmeh.

* * * Citi. Preferred Card of the New York Philharmonic.

* * * Programs are made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

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Contacts Adam Crane, Vice President, External Affairs (212) 671-4990; [email protected]

Deirdre Roddin, Associate Director, Public Relations (212) 875-5701; [email protected]

Jen Luzzo, Manager, Public Relations (212) 875-5707; [email protected]

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Photography and video are available in the New York Philharmonic’s online newsroom, nyphil.org/newsroom/1920, or by contacting the Public Relations Department at (212) 875-5700 or [email protected].

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