THE NEW YORK POPS IN NYC CENTRAL PARK

The New York Pops

SummerStage kicks off its 2012 summer season by offering audiences the chance to see a first time collaboration between the world famous New York Pops orchestra and urban Latino band, Ozomatli. Join SummerStage as Ozomatli hits the stage to perform their works, set to brand new orchestration performed by the New York Pops orchestra and led by Music Director, Steven Reineke. Ozomatli's high octane, energetic sounds inspired by hip-hop, salsa, dancehall, samba and funk are a highlight of the SummerStage season.

City Parks Foundation's 2012 season of SummerStage presented by AT&T, New York's largest free performing arts festival, brings over 110 free performances to eighteen parks throughout the five boroughs. With performances ranging from American pop, Latin and world music to dance, comedy and theater, SummerStage fills a vital niche in New York City's summer arts festival landscape. Cutting edge artists from over 15 countries will perform at SummerStage, presenting the best of what is happening globally in the arts world as well as in the heart of the city. Since its inception twenty-seven years ago, more than six million people from New York City and around the world have enjoyed SummerStage. The festival runs till August 30th.

"AT&T* is proud to be the first city-wide sponsor of SummerStage, a quintessential New York City event," said Tom DeVito, AT&T's vice president and general manager for New York and New Jersey. "We plan to be on-site at performances in Central Park and every borough to provide New Yorkers with a more interactive experience at speeds faster than ever before on our LTE network, including the opportunity to check out the latest technologies on the market and access to phone charging stations for concert-goers."

ABOUT THE NEW YORK POPS

The New York Pops is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States, and the only professional symphonic orchestra in New York City specializing in popular music. Led by Music Director Steven Reineke, the orchestra performs an annual subscription series and birthday gala at Carnegie Hall. The New York Pops was founded by Skitch Henderson in 1983 with a mission to create greater public awareness and appreciation of America's rich musical heritage. The New York Pops' extensive education programs allow thousands of public schoolchildren to participate in concert and music-making experiences throughout the five boroughs of New York City.

ABOUT OZOMATLI

Ozomatli celebrates the multitude of cultures in Los Angeles with their music - a notorious urban-Latino-and-beyond collision of hip-hop and salsa, dancehall and cumbia, samba and funk, merengue and comparsa, East LA R&B, Jamaican ragga and Indian raga. For 15 years, they have entertained audiences around the world with their unique sound of horns, percussions, strings and vocals while promoting a positive message of peace. According to the LA Times, "Ozomatli's deep community connections and polyglot mix give the band a musical and cultural cachet." The seven multi-racial members of Ozomatli are committed to addressing social issues of local, national, and international importance through fun, yet inspirational entertainment.

About City Parks Foundation

Founded in 1989, City Parks Foundation (CPF) is the only independent, nonprofit organization to offer park programs throughout the five boroughs of New York City. CPF works in over 750 parks citywide, presenting a broad range of free arts, sports, and education programs, and empowering citizens to support their parks on a local level. CPF's programs and community building initiatives reach more than 600,000 people each year, contributing to the revitalization of neighborhoods throughout New York City. For more details, please visit www.CityParksFoundation.org. 

Photo Courtesy Of: Johanna Weber