On Friday, we received an open letter to Mayor Bloomberg from Brooklyn Philharmonic Artistic Director Alan Pierson. In it, Pierson offered that the Brooklyn Phil would gladly play free concerts in the city’s parks since the New York Philharmonic is not programming any such concerts this year. “Since our cousin, the New York Philharmonic, has other activities that don’t allow them to continue the tradition of free concerts in the parks this summer, we’d be happy to step in and play for free for the people of New York City in their place. We’d very much like to help New Yorkers properly celebrate this summer’s warm evenings…Even more, we’d love to get the people of New York City involved in picking what they’d like to hear—so we could easily set up an informal poll on our website (bphil.org) to let the listeners choose their favorites.” Of course, they’d need to pay the musicians, so Pierson offers that MetLife or Target may pony up the cash.
We contacted a representative at NY Phil and, although they don’t have an official response to the Brooklyn Phil’s letter, they did send back the official response concerning summer concerts: “Due to the scheduling impact of planned pre-season events by the New York Philharmonic, the traditional Concerts in the Parks series will not take place this season. The series will return in the summer of 2012, with free, outdoor concerts throughout the city. As previously announced, Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic will appear in a free concert in Central Park, featuring Andrea Bocelli, on September 15, 2011.”
No word yet from the Mayor’s office if they will take Pierson up on his challenge.
The Brooklyn Philharmonic had been on hiatus for some time, not having a full complement of players or season in nearly two years. Pierson was announced in January and has promised a “new era” for the orchestra.
