Bryant Park Picnic Performances Presented by Bank of America: American Symphony Orchestra | New York Profiles

New York Profiles showcases five American composers who lived and worked in New York, whose scores reflect the diverse musical styles of the mid – 20th century and celebrate their lasting influence on both the city and American music.

In what has become a cherished tradition, the American Symphony Orchestra is pleased to debut its 2025-26 season at Bryant Park with New York Profiles, a concert showcasing five American composers whose works reflect the diverse musical styles of mid 20th century America. Each of these composers had strong ties to New York, a city that was central to their creative lives.

Aaron Copland, a defining voice of American music, made New York his home while composing Appalachian Spring, an homage to American pioneer life. Henry Cowell shaped New York’s early experimental music scene, as heard in his Hymn and Fuguing Tune No. 10. Julia Perry was closely connected to New York’s musical institutions such as Lincoln Center, where her A Short Piece for Small Orchestra was performed and recorded. Ulysses Kay, whose Joy and Fears is drawn from his soundtrack to The Quiet One, was also a key figure in New York’s cultural world, while Norman Dello Joio’s New York Profiles is a vivid musical portrait of the city, composed as a tribute to his native New York. 

These composers, living and working in New York during the 1940s and ’50s, contributed to what is known as the Golden Age of American classical music. New York Profiles celebrates their lasting influence on both the city and American music.