The 52nd summer of the New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks, Presented by Didi and Oscar Schafer, brought almost 100,000 music lovers to hear the New York Philharmonic perform for free in every New York City borough. In his final appearances in New York as Music Director, Alan Gilbert led masterworks by Dvořák, Bernstein, and Gershwin — all written in New York and premiered by the Philharmonic. Local bands gave pre-concert performances, and audiences joined the Orchestra in community performances of the “Goin’ Home” theme from Dvořák’s New World Symphony, all part of The New World Initiative and the Philharmonic’s 175th anniversary season celebration of its hometown.
