Since 1954, the Brooklyn Philharmonic has been the borough’s only professional orchestra and has established an illustrious reputation, performing more than 166 world premieres, 65 of them commissions. The winner of 22 ASCAP Awards in “Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music,” the “modern urban orchestra” counts among its past conductors Robert Spano, Dennis Russell Davies, and Lukas Foss.
With the recent appointment of Alarm Will Sound conductor Alan Pierson to the post of Artistic Director, the Brooklyn Philharmonic has made it abundantly clear that it strives to transcend boundaries of genre and shed the stereotype of the orchestra. Under Pierson’s leadership, the ensemble will bring its new series Junctions to communities throughout Brooklyn with free and low-cost concerts at both indoor and outdoor venues. Collaboration is a vital component of the Philharmonic’s performances, which include joint performances with Mark Morris Dance Group, drummer Brian Chase of the rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and rapper Mos Def (in an upcoming concert in 2012).
The Brooklyn Philharmonic’s outreach includes a School Composition Initiative for students in grades 2 through 5 and a Composer Mentorship Program. The encouragement of creativity extends to the Brooklyn community at large, with an open call for remixes of Beethoven’s Third Symphony (“Eroica”); the winning remix will be arranged by composer Andrew Norman and performed as part what is being called the Beethoven Remix Project.
- Public Transportation: Varies by venue, but generally very good
- Handicapped Accessibility: Depends on venue
- Performances/Programs: 15–16 performances per season
- Ticket Prices: Many concerts are free. Others range from $12–$55
- Subscriptions: When you buy tickets to all performances that have a charge, you receive an almost $40 discount (all 5 for $102.50)
- Membership: Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated.
