Park Avenue Chamber Symphony to Honor Veterans at Carnegie Hall in November

The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony Orchestra will honor United States military veterans with a large-scale concert at Carnegie Hall on Saturday, November 19. The event will serve as the New York premiere of Dreams of the Fallen, an acclaimed piano, orchestra and chorus work by composer Jake Runestad, featuring the poetry of Iraq War veteran Brian Turner.

Led by PACS music director David Bernard and hosted by WQXR's Terrance McKnight, the performance will be one of the largest ever to grace Carnegie's historic Stern Auditorium -- a total of 200 choristers, comprised of members from the West Point Glee Club, New Amsterdam Singers and Young New Yorkers Chorus, will take over Perelman Stage for the gala.

In addition to the premiere of Dreams of the Fallen, the concert will also feature a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. In a press release published by BroadwayWorld, music director Bernard vividly described composer Runestad's musical military ode:

"Jake Runestad's scarring view of the impact of war on our soldiers long after they leave the battlefield, followed by Beethoven's testament to universal brotherhood not only gives voice to soldiers' struggles, but also represents our aspiration for peace," said David Bernard. "Through this concert we hope to not only honor those who have served, but also honor what they have served for; a better tomorrow."

Runestad's Dreams of the Fallen was first performed on Veterans Day, 2013, in an acclaimed performance by the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the Symphony Chorus of New Orleans and pianist Jeffrey Biegel. In an interview with Johns Hopkins Magazine, Runestad described the initial spark that set him on the course of composing the heralded Dreams composition:

"I had been reading a lot of news articles about soldiers coming home and really struggling to assimilate back into everyday life," Runestad says. 

The upcoming November concert will also feature the musicianship of lead pianist Biegel, in addition to chorus singers Kristin Sampson, Edith Dowd, Cameron Schutza and David Leigh.

The event starts at 8 p.m. on November 19. Check out carnegiehall.org or call (212) 247-7800 for tickets.

TagsPark Avenue Chamber Symphony Orchestra, Jake Runestad, Brian Turner, David Bernard, Terrance McKnight, West Point Glee Club, New Amsterdam Singers, Young New Yorkers Chorus, Ludwig van Beethoven, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Chorus of New Orleans, Jeffrey Biegel, Kristin Sampson, Edith Dowd, Cameron Schutza, David Leigh