Aside from the unseasonably warm weather this week, the other sign that spring has come early to NYC is this week's arrival by the incomparable Vienna Philharmonic for their annual residency at Carnegie Hall. Led by their longtime collaborator - and one-time colleague - Franz Welser-Möst, the Viennese perform staples by Schubert, Brahms, Richard Strauss, Schoenberg, and Bartòk, as well as a new work by longtime VPO violinist René Staar. 

And, lest we forget that we have a pretty good orchestra of our own right here, the Austrian Cultural Forum has just opened a new exhibit celebrating the joint 175th anniversary of the Vienna and New York Philharmonics. On display through March 10, the exhibit features rare materials from both the Vienna and New York archives, including historic conducting scores, programs, letters from composers and conductors, and an installation by Austrian artist Nives Widauer. The exhibit then travels to Vienna, where it will open during the NY Phil's stop there during their spring tour. 

Tickets for all three concerts are still available at the Carnegie box office or online. We'll share our impressions throughout the weekend.