Celebrate the musical legacy of Leonard Bernstein at a FREE eight-hour marathon of his music, plus dance, conversation and film exploring the many facets of his creative life.
The Leonard Bernstein marathon includes selections from West Side Story and On the Town, possibly his most famous works, both about his hometown New York City.
Of course, you don’t have to spend all eight hours at this year’s Wall to Wall festival at Symphony Space. The program is in three segments, between two-and-a-half and three hours each.
This is the 40th anniversary of the FREE Wall to Wall festival, which has a different musical theme each year. Leonard Bernstein’s music was the first, and now again the 40th.
Wall to Wall is Saturday, May 19, from 3pm to 11pm. Expect to wait on line to get in. Or, you can purchase a reserved seat.
- Note – Symphony Space is in a residential area of the Upper West Side, on Broadway at 95th St. Please be kind and respectful to residents and local businesses and do not block the sidewalk.
Learn more about Leonard Bernstein here.
Here is the scheduled program:
Segment 1: 3 PM – 5:30 PM The 1940s & ’50s featuring Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs, The Lark, and instrumental interludes from Candide, West Side Story, and more
Segment 2: 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM The 1960s, ’70s, & ’80s including Chichester Psalms, Three Meditations from Mass, Halil, and more
Segment 3: 8:30 PM – 11 PM A celebration of Bernstein’s Broadway songs from West Side Story, Wonderful Town, Candide, On the Town, Peter Pan, and more.
Full Listing
Segment 1: 3pm – 5:30pm
Prologue & “One Hand, One Heart” from West Side Story
Prelude, Fugue and Riffs
Synchronicity Piano and Percussion Duo
Garah Landes, Piano
Gregory Landes, Percussion
Randy Landau, Bass
Chad Smith, Clarinet/Alto Sax
Anniversaries, Part 1
Nina Bernstein Simmons, Narrator
Simon Mulligan, Piano
The Lark: French and Latin Choruses
Cantori New York
Mark Shapiro, Music Director
El Salon Mexico (Copland, arr. Bernstein)
“Scherzo” & “Mambo” from West Side Story
DUO: Stephanie and Saar
“Three Dance Episodes” (Dance, with music from On the Town)
Keigwin + Company
La Bonne Cuisine
“Plum Pudding”
“Tavouk Guenksis”
“Ox-tails”
“Rabbit at Top Speed”
Annie Chester, Mezzo-Soprano
Makoto Winkler, Baritone
Grant Wenaus, Piano
“Conquering New York” from Wonderful Town
Overture from Candide
“Three Dances” from Fancy Free (arr. Sam Davis)
with original choreography by Sara Brians
Pit Stop Players
Joshua Rosenblum, Music Director
Andrew Wilson, Dancer
Chaz Wolcott, Dancer
JP Viernes, Dancer
Segment 2: 5:30pm – 8:30pm
“So Pretty”
Harolyn Blackwell, Soprano
Grant Wenaus, Piano
Chichester Psalms (arr. for choir, piano, harp, percussion)
MasterVoices
Ted Sperling, Music Director
Elizabeth Smith, Soprano
Matthew Deming, Alto
Douglas Purcell,Tenor
Aaron Theno, Bass
Stacey Shames, Harp
Garah Landes, Piano
Randy Landau, Bass
Gregory Landes, Percussion
Halil: Nocturne for Flute, Percussion and Piano
Mindy Kaufman, Flute
Eric Huebner, Piano
Daniel Druckman, Percussion
Pablo Rieppi, Percussion
Sae Hashimoto, Percussion
Anniversaries, Part 2
Nina Bernstein Simmons, Narrator
Simon Mulligan, Piano
Simple Song
John Brancy, Baritone
Peter Dugan, Piano
Janet Axelrod, Flute
Summer Boggess, Cello
Three Meditations from Mass
Nick Canellakis, Cello
Michael Brown, Piano
Two Love Songs
Grant Wenaus, Piano
Tesia Kwarteng, Soprano
To What You Said
John Brancy, Baritone
Peter Dugan, Piano
Summer Boggess, Cello
Waterfront (Dance, with music from On the Waterfront)
Keigwin + Company
A Conversation
David Denby
Alexander Bernstein
Nina Bernstein Simmons
Music for Two Pianos
DUO: Stephanie and Saar
Dance Suite
Calliope Brass
Segment 3: 8:30pm – 11pm
Performers include:
Mikaela Bennett
Adam Halpin
Rebecca Luker
Larisa Martinez
Megan McGinnis
Ryan Silverman
Betsy Wolfe
…and more!
Bernstein’s Broadway segment is curated and produced by Joel Fram and Annette Jolles.
Program is subject to change.
What do you think about this? We welcome your comments.