In celebration of Philip Glass's 75th birthday, the American Composers Orchestra is presenting the US premiere of Glass's Ninth Symphony plus the NYC premiere of Arvo Part's Lamentate, with pianist Maki Namekawa at Carnegie Hall on Glass's birthday, January 31. The orchestra will be led by ACO co-founder Dennis Russell Davies. According to a press release:

The program notes describe Glass's Symphony No. 9 as "a large scale, three movement work for orchestra, and while direct in form, it will be formidable in performance with piccolos doubled, horn section fortified, and with bass brass, and timpani doubled. The Ninth promises to be, in the composer's words 'big and unrelenting,' with an avoidance of solo passagework, this piece will be a real team effort throughout. Each movement follows a similar plan: an opening theme broadly stated a contrasting highly energized middle section, and a slower ending with a newer version of the opening theme. Throughout the work becomes increasingly dense and contrapuntal thereby giving the whole work its overall dramatic shape."

Glass's birthday will also be celebrated two days earlier (1/29) at Le Poisson Rouge with Orange Mountain Music and special guests Kronos Quartet, Dennis Russell Davies, Maki Namekawa, Ira Glass, Michael Riesman, Ensemble Signal, Bruce Brubaker, Tim Fain and more. Tickets for this show are on sale now.

It will again be celebrated at the Tune-In Music Festival at Park Avenue Armory which takes place from February 23-26. "Highlights Include: A World Premiere by Hal Wilner, Bill Frisell and Ralph Steadman, Glass's Music in Twelve Parts, An Evening of Music and Poetry with Patti Smith and Philip Glass, and Glass's Another Look At Harmony." Tickets for the Tune-In festival's events are on sale now.

The Metropolitan Museum is also hosting a celebration for Philip Glass this April (it appears to have been rescheduled from 1/21). The event is taking place on April 21 at The Temple of Dendur and will feature Glass performing his chamber music with violinist Tim Fain. Unreserved seating is on sale now.

Program information on the Carnegie Hall show below...

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