Last night, Carnegie Hall was transformed into an outpost of Eastern European culture. There were flowers on stage and bouquets for the musicians. Patrons in black tie and glittering evening gowns double-kissed each other as they eagerly waited in line for their $26 glass of Sekt... er, Champagne. Even the President of the Czech Republic was in attendance, sitting in a first tier box with Clive Gillinson. 

Hanging above the stage were a pair of banners that broadcast the purpose behind all of this old-world pomp. One read "Year of Czech Music: 2024", a once-a-decade event that purports to "celebrate Czech music around the world" and coincides with the birth anniversaries of at least a half-dozen Czech composers, including Bedřich Smetana, Leoš Janáček and Bohuslav Martinu. At Carnegie Hall alone, there have been no fewer than seven Czech music events this week, including three from last night's featured guest: the Czech Philharmonic, the national orchestra of the Czech Republic and its foremost cultural ambassador.

Founded in 1896, the Czech Philharmonic has weathered more than its share of cultural and political upheaval, surviving two World Wars, the Cold War and the subsequent Velvet Revolution, all the while preserving their unique Czech sound. Since 2018, its been led by Semyon Bychkov, 72, who seems to have finally found a home after a long career as a journeyman conductor. (Bychkov says he'll step down after his current contract ends in 2028.) Bychkov, who was born in the former Soviet Union but emigrated to the U.S. when he was in his 20's, says he's connected with the musicians over their shared affinity for Czech music, as well as his own personal journey.

"I was told early on," Bychkov told Bachtrack in 2023, "that if I were just a Russian, or just an American, it probably would not really work. But because I’m a Russian who rejected the system and went away, they identify with that."

As far as I'm concerned, summer's all about seeing music outdoors, whether it's at the beach, in a park, or out of town. Better still if it's in a place that has multiple forms of entertainment, such as Saratoga Springs, NY with its many fine restaurants, shops, gardens and, well, horses. For me, a good day in Saratoga has a formula: go to the farmers market in the morning, fill your water bottle at High Rock Spring, then check out the shops on Broadway before heading to the track. After that, it's a quick dinner at the Hall of Springs, followed by a performance next door at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. 

They do all kinds of shows at SPAC: everything from dance, to jazz, to rock and pop. The multi-purpose amphitheater is similar in size to the Koussevitzky Shed at Tanglewood (5100 seats), but in a different configuration, with two levels of highly raked seats down to the stage below. (An additional 20,000 can be accommodated on the even-steeper lawn outside, though the view from there has never been great.) Fringed by tall pines and a running stream, it is an attractive place to spend a warm summer evening, as it was last Saturday when I went to hear the Philadelphia Orchestra, which has been performing at SPAC since it opened its doors in 1966. (The amphitheater was designed with the orchestra in mind, under the guidance of its former music director Eugene Ormandy.)

Attendance has long been problematic for the Philly concerts at SPAC - last Saturday, the amphitheater was less than half-full - but noone seemed to mind, what with New Kids on the Block coming in the following night. For a while now, classical music has been a loss leader at SPAC, with most of the center's income derived from the shows booked by Live Nation, many of which sell out. 

NYO-USA at World Orchestra Week, Carnegie Hall, 8/5/24

For most of its history, Carnegie Hall was dark for the summer: a concession to the days before air conditioning when most New Yorkers headed to the beach or mountains. But ten years ago, Carnegie opened its (air-conditioned) doors in July for the NYC debut of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (aka NYO-USA), which was founded the previous year. The brainchild of Carnegie's Executive and Artistic Director Clive Gillinson, the orchestra had a lofty goal: take the best teenage musicians (16-19) from around the U.S., put them up for two weeks (all expenses paid) where they train with principal players from the country's top orchestras, then have them perform in Carnegie's Stern Auditorium before going out on tour. Dressed in matching red pants and Chuck Taylors, NYO-USA - and it's younger brothers NYO2 and NYO Jazz - have now become an annual NYC tradition. 

This summer, Clive apparently decided it was time to do something a bit more ambitious, as Carnegie hosted it's first-ever World Orchestra Week: seven consecutive nights of concerts by youth orchestras from around the world, alongside NYO-USA and NYO2. In a radio interview on WQXR, Gillinson said that World Orchestra Week - or WOW - was a direct response to a world of increasing chaos and conflict, be it Russia's invasion of Ukraine or the ongoing war in Gaza. The concept was straightforward: by bringing these kids together and letting them share music stands, meals and Instagram accounts, their differences fade away, establishing friendships and paving the way for a better, more peaceful future. 

For the youth orchestras based outside the U.S., it was also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come to New York and perform at one of the most storied concert halls in the world. While those of us in the cheap seats sometimes take Carnegie Hall for granted, playing on this renowned stage can make an indelible impression on a young musician, raising their sights from playing in their after-school orchestra to something much greater. In certain cases, it can even lead to an escape from a life of poverty, war or repression.