Phila. Orchestra Patrons Join Musicians In A Sing-Along For Music Director's Birthday
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra has been having his cake, and eating it too, this week, performing a works in his "40/40 Project," while celebrating his 40th birthday.
KYW's Steve Tawa reports from the Kimmel Center.
Yannick Nezet-Seguin reflects on presenting 40 works this season that hadn't been heard in subscription concerts in the last 40 years.
"So far it's proven to be a present for everyone -- for me, because it's great to feel that I can expand the repertoire of the orchestra."
Nezet-Seguin says the well-known masterpieces are important to the Orchestra's core repertoire.
"But they also go hand and hand with neglected composers or neglected compositions."
Patrons attending the Friday concert were delighted to sing along with the Orchestra, which struck up a rendition of Happy Birthday to the Maestro.
They brought a cake on stage, and Nezet-Seguin licked some of the icing off of it, bowed graciously to the audience, and then pivoted on the podium to begin a Haydn Symphony.