The Recordings of Benjamin Zander - NEC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra

NEC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra CDs
Benjamin Zander and The New England Conservatory
Youth Philharmonic Orchestra

Founded in 1962, the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra (YPO) is the premier orchestra of the NEC Preparatory School and is comprised of accomplished young musicians between the ages of 12-18. The YPO has been under the leadership of Music Director and Conductor Benjamin Zander for the last 31 years. Visit the YPO page to find out more about these talented young artists.

Visit the Youth Philharmonic for purchasing details on the below recordings!

Read Essay from
Liner Notes

Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" and Larry Bell's "Hansel and Gretel."

Disc One: Read CD Essay

1. Peter and the Wolf - Sergi Prokofiev [26:41]
2. Hansel and Gretel - Larry Bell [30:23]
3. "Poohsticks" - A.A. Milne [20:19]
From The House at Pooh Corner, in The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh read by Benjamin Zander
Total time [77:24]

Read the stories behind the tour.

Listen to the performance of Paganini 1st concerto by 16-year-old
Stefan Jackiw

2001 Live in Venezuela and Cuba

"... the performances of Ein Heldenleben and the supplementary works on the program are of a standard to rival the very best in the catalogs." Read on...

- Fanfare

Chosen as one of the Records Of The Year.
"STUNNING"

- Bernard Jacobson - Fanfare Magazine

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Disc One: Read CD Essay
I.	The Hero
II.	His Adversaries
III.	His Companion
IV.	His Battlefield
V.	His Accomplishments in Times of Peace
VI.	His Retirement and Live's Fulfillment (Lily Francis, solo violin)
VII.	Niccolò Paganini (1728-1800) Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 6 Allegro Maestoso (Stefan Jackiw, violin)
VIII.	Jules Massenet (1842-1912) "Méditation" from Thais (Stefan Jackiw, violin)
IX.	Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) Enigma Variations, Op. 36 Nimrod

Read the stories
behind the tour

1999 Live in Mexico City and Havana

"...beautifully paced... impressively played."

- Michael Manning, The Boston Globe

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Disc One: Read CD Essay
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) Piano Concert No.2 in C minor; Opus 18
Soloist: Hong Chun Youn, piano
1. Moderato
2. Adagio sostenuto
3. Allegro scherzando

Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
4. Overture to Candide

Guido Lòpez-Gavilán (1944-)
Conducted by the composer and perfomred together with Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil "Amadeo Roldán"
5. Guaguancó

Astor Piazzola (1921-1992)
6. Oblivión from the film Enrico IV Arturo Márquez (1950-)

7. Danzón No.2

John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)
8. The Stars and Stripes Forever

Sir Edward Elgar (1957-1934)
9. Nimrod

Disc Two:
Dimitri Shosfakovich (1906-1975)
Symphony No. 5 in D minor; Opus 47
1. Moderato

2. Allegretto

3. Largo

4. Allegro non trappo

Read the story entitled
"High Spirits in São Paolo"

1997 Live in Brazil "Zander Conducts Mahler"

"NEC Youth Philharmonic pulls off miraculous Mahler."

- Boston Globe

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Disc One: Read CD Essay
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor
PART I
1. Trauermarsch: In gemessenem Schritt. Streng. Wie ein Kondukt. [12:14]

2. Sturmisch bewegt. Mit grosster Vehemenz. [14:32]

PART II
3. Scherzo: Kraftig, nicht zu schnell. [16:36]

PART III
4. Adagietto: Sehr langsam. [9:19]

5. Rondo-Finale: Allegro giocoso. Frisch. [16:02]

1995 Live in Buenos Aires at the Teatro Colón

"... The Playing is unbelievable in it's conviction and communication ..." Read on...

- American Record Guide

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Disc One: Read CD Essay

1. Sym No.9 in e, Op.95 (From The New World): Adagio. Allegro Molto

2. Sym No.9 in e, Op.95 (From The New World): Largo

3. Sym No.9 in e, Op.95 (From The New World): Molto Vivace

4. Sym No.9 In e, Op.95 (From The New World): Allegro Con Fuoco

5. Pno Con No.1 in b-Flat, Op.23:
Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso. Allegro Con Spirito. - Haesun Paik

6. Pno Con No.1 in b-Flat, Op.23: Andante Semplice.
Prestissimo. Andante Semplice. - Haesun Paik

7. Pno Con No.1 in b-Flat, Op.23: Allegro Con Fuoco - Haesun Paik

Read about the tour in
"The Story Of Rosario

1993 Live in Santiago, Chile

"It is possible that a distracted listener could think that this was one of those famous orchestras where players had spent long years or even their entire adult lives as members... Who cannot be astonished and moved by young people so devoted to music."

- La Epoca

"A splendid and rare TV event - without a single celebrity, without any dumbing down, without a single phony sentiment. just a bunch of hard-working and talented kids who play with all their hearts. Don't miss it." - Ellen Pfeiffer's review of the PBS video, "A New World of Music" about the YPO's tour to Chile and Argentina

- The Boston Herald

"The youth orchestra film ("A New World of Music") left me almost speechless with admiration... (it) was truly moving."

- Eric Barnow

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Disc One: Read CD Essay
Glinka (1804-1857)
1. Overture to Ruslan and Ludmila [5:29]
Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64

2. Andante - Allegro con anima [15:28]

3. Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza [13:51]

4. Valse: Allegro moderato [6:08]

5. Finale: Andante maestoso - Allegro vivace [12:30] Elgar (1857-1934),
Enigma Variations, Op. 36

6. Nimrod [3:52]


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