NY Pops 42nd Birthday GalaShoshana Bean, Sofia Carson, Taylor Dayne, Micaela Diamond, and Angélique Kidjo Join The New York Pops for its 42nd Birthday Gala, “Words And Music: Diane Warren”

New York, N.Y. (February 19, 2025) — Notable guest artists including Shoshana Bean (GRAMMY Award winner and two-time Tony Award nominee), Sofia Carson (star of Netflix’s Purple Hearts and Carry-On), Taylor Dayne (singer of the number one hit “Love Will Lead You Back”), Micaela Diamond (Tony Award nominee for Parade and original Broadway cast member of The Cher Show), and Angélique Kidjo (five-time GRAMMY Award winner) will join The New York Pops to honor legendary songwriter Diane Warren at the orchestra’s 42nd Birthday Gala, Words and Music: Diane Warren, on Monday, April 28, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. Additional guest artists to be announced.

Diane Warren is an accomplished songwriter with nine #1 hits and thirty-three top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, and is tied for holding the record for the most #1 songs written by one writer in Billboard history. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001, she received the Johnny Mercer Award in June 2024. Warren has earned 16 Academy Award nominations including most recently for “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight, won a GRAMMY and has received 15 nominations, received an EMMY, and is a two-time Golden Globe winner whose songs have been featured in more than 150 films. A documentary about her life and career, Diane Warren: Relentless, is in theaters now and streaming exclusively on MasterClass.

Proceeds from the Gala support The New York Pops orchestra and the organization’s PopsEd music education programs. The concert is followed by a black tie optional dinner and dance at the Mandarin Oriental New York.

Concert Information
THE NEW YORK POPS 42ND BIRTHDAY GALA
Words and Music: Diane Warren
Monday, April 28, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall
Steven Reineke, Music Director and Conductor
Diane Warren, Music Honoree
Nadine Wong, Corporate Honoree

Shoshana Bean, Guest Artist
Sofia Carson, Guest Artist
Taylor Dayne, Guest Artist
Micaela Diamond, Guest Artist
Angélique Kidjo, Guest Artist

Ticket Information
Dinner Dance tickets include a tax-deductible donation and can be purchased by calling 212-765-7677 or by visiting https://bit.ly/NYPopsDinnerDance. Tickets to the full gala evening range from $2,000 (concert and dinner seating for one) to $100,000 (premier concert seating and VIP seating for sixteen).

Concert-only tickets are additionally available via carnegiehall.org, CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800, or the Carnegie Hall Box Office at 57th and Seventh.

About the Artists
Comprised of 78 musicians, The New York Pops is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States, now in its 42nd season as the only professional symphonic orchestra in New York City specializing in popular music. Led by Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke, the orchestra performs an annual subscription series at Carnegie Hall, and is among the venue’s most presented ensembles. The New York Pops’ annual birthday gala is celebrated each spring, raising funds for the orchestra and its education programs. The orchestra performs annually in Queens, NY at Forest Hills Stadium, a 14,000-seat historic concert venue.

The New York Pops celebrates the diversity of popular music’s evolving songbook. Every concert is a unique experience, with influences that range from Broadway melodies to film scores, jazz, rock, pop, and more. The orchestra collaborates with stars from the stage and screen including Sara Bareilles, Kristen Bell, Clive Davis, Montego Glover, James Monroe Iglehart, Capathia Jenkins, Carly Rae Jepsen, Angela Lansbury, Queen Latifah, Cyndi Lauper, Norm Lewis, Barry Manilow, Kelli O’Hara, Adrienne Warren, Dionne Warwick, Miss Piggy, and others.

Through its PopsEd music education programs, The New York Pops fulfills its dedication to lifelong learning and collaborates with public schools, community organizations, and senior centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City. PopsEd allows thousands of New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds to participate in fully customizable residency programs that blend traditional education with pure fun. These programs make music open to all and use tools like composition, lyric writing, performance, and mentorship to foster learning and unbridled creativity. In doing so, PopsEd excites students and gives them skills they can apply to all areas of their lives. 

The New York Pops is committed to serving all members of the community. Through its Kids in the Balcony and Kids in the Stadium programs, thousands of children and their parents have had an opportunity to see The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and Forest Hills Stadium free of charge. To date, PopsEd programs have served over 100,000 New York City students. 

Over the years, the orchestra has presented free concerts in city parks, community organizations, and senior centers; performed the National Anthem at sports venues; and toured throughout the world. Past media projects include the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular on NBC Television, a nationally syndicated radio series, and performances on PBS. The orchestra’s discography encompasses recordings of popular standards, theater and film scores, and music for the holidays.

The New York Pops was founded by Ruth and Skitch Henderson in 1983 with a mission to create greater public awareness and appreciation of America’s rich musical heritage through presentation of concerts and education programs of the highest quality. The New York Pops is a non-profit organization supported solely through the generosity of individual donations, institutional grants, corporate sponsorships, and concert income.

Follow The New York Pops on Facebook (facebook.com/thenewyorkpops) and Instagram (@thenewyorkpops).

Steven Reineke has established himself as one of North America's leading conductors of popular music and is in his second decade as Music Director of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. Additionally, he is Principal Pops Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Principal Pops Conductor of the Houston and Toronto Symphony Orchestras.

Reineke is a frequent guest conductor with The Philadelphia Orchestra and his extensive North American conducting appearances include Dallas, Detroit and the Ravinia Music Festival.

On stage, Mr. Reineke has created programs and collaborated with a range of leading artists from the worlds of hip hop, R & B, Broadway, television and rock including: Maxwell, Common, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Cynthia Erivo, Sutton Foster, Megan Hilty, Cheyenne Jackson, Wayne Brady, Peter Frampton and Ben Folds, amongst others. In 2017 he was featured on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" leading the National Symphony Orchestra - in a first for the show's 45-year history - performing live music excerpts in between news segments. In 2018 Reineke led the National Symphony Orchestra with hip hop legend Nas performing his seminal album "Illmatic" on PBS's Great Performances.

As the creator of more than one hundred orchestral arrangements for the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Mr. Reineke’s work has been performed worldwide, and can be heard on numerous Cincinnati Pops Orchestra recordings on the Telarc label. His symphonic works Celebration Fanfare, Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Casey at the Bat are performed frequently in North America, including performances by the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic. His Sun Valley Festival Fanfare was used to commemorate the Sun Valley Summer Symphony’s pavilion, and his Festival Te Deum and Swan’s Island Sojourn were debuted by the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops Orchestras. His numerous wind ensemble compositions are published by the C.L. Barnhouse Company and are performed by concert bands worldwide.

A native of Ohio, Mr. Reineke is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio (2020 Alumnus Distinguished Achievement Medal), where he earned bachelor of music degrees with honors in both trumpet performance and music composition. He currently resides in New York City with his husband Eric Gabbard.

About the Honorees
Diane Warren is one of modern music’s most celebrated songwriters. She has penned nine #1 and thirty-three top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and is tied for having written the most #1 songs as a sole writer in Billboard history. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001 and received the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award from the organization in June 2024. Her distinguished catalog features beloved songs including “Only Love Can Hurt Like This,” “Un-Break My Heart,” “If I Could Turn Back Time” and “Rhythm of the Night.”

She has received 15 Academy Award nominations, is a GRAMMY winner with 15 nominations, an EMMY winner, and is a two-time Golden Globe winner whose songs have been featured in more than 150 films, including chart-topping hits “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” (Mannequin, 1987) “Because You Loved Me” (Up Close and Personal, 1996) “How Do I Live” (Con Air, 1997) “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” (Armageddon, 1998 ) and “Til It Happens To You” (The Hunting Ground, 2015). In November 2022, Warren became the first songwriter in history to receive an Honorary Oscar, as voted on by the Academy's Board of Governors. Most recently, she wrote the original song "The Fire Inside," performed by Becky G for the film Flamin' Hot, directed by Eva Longoria, which marked her 15th Oscar nomination. Upcoming projects for Warren include the original song “The Journey” performed by H.E.R. for the feature film The Six Triple Eight directed by Tyler Perry and scheduled to be released by Netflix in select theaters on December 6, 2024, and on Netflix on December 20, 2024, among other exciting projects and songs. The documentary Diane Warren: Relentless which provides an intimate, rarely seen look at the life, career, and process of Warren, is in theaters beginning January 10, 2025, and streaming on MasterClass starting January 16, 2025.

She is the sole owner of her publishing company Realsongs, the most successful female-owned and operated business in the music industry. Warren is a recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a nod to her legendary career, having worked with many of today's most popular artists, including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, H.E.R., Snoop Dogg, Paloma Faith, Jon Batiste, Maren Morris, John Legend, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Andra Day, Justin Bieber, Jennifer Hudson and Janelle Monáe, in addition to having written songs for iconic artists such as Whitney Houston, Cher, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, and many more.

Nadine Wong is a Private Wealth Advisor, Executive Director, and Global Sports and Entertainment Director with Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management in New York since 1991. She works directly with high-net-worth individuals, multigenerational families, and foundations delivering advice founded on a culture of excellence and driven by global insight to enhance her client’s financial and social capital. Her clients include high net worth individuals, family offices, foundations, and Emmy®, GRAMMY®, OSCAR®, and Tony Award® recipients.

In 2018, Nadine was awarded to Forbes’ inaugural list of Best-in-State Wealth Advisors and Forbes’ inaugural list of America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors. Annually through 2024 she was also recognized in those categories. Morgan Stanley honored her with the inaugural 2014 Women of Achievement MAKERS award for her leadership, ethics, and excellence.

She is Co-Founder of Morgan Stanley’s Out on Broadway, Co-Chaired the Multicultural Networking Group, and served on the Alternatives Investment Advisory Council for five years. She is a speaker at Barrons, Forbes, Dramatist Guild, and Morgan Stanley Leadership Conferences. You can listen to her five series podcasts with host tennis legend Chris Evert on “What Moves You” answering tennis players’ most common financial questions.

She is a Tony Voter, Trustee and Vice-Chair at the American Theatre Wing and Co-Chaired their 2017-2023 Galas and Co-Chaired the 2013 Innocence Project Benefit. Nadine connects artists and Morgan Stanley clients to raise awareness for non-profits such as American Theatre Wing, American Repertory Theater, Hispanic Federation, The New York Pops, Second Stage Theater and Stuttering Association for the Young.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Nadine was a Fashion Model with the Ford Modeling Agency and two-time national game show winner of “Concentration” and “Win, Lose or Draw”.

Nadine received her B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley in Architecture and M.B.A. in Finance from Columbia University.

Photo credits: Diane Warren by Rony Alwin; Shoshana Bean by Justin Patterson; Sofia Carson by Elias Tahan; Taylor Dayne by Sequoia Emanuelle; Micaela Diamond by Justin Patterson; Angélique Kidjo by Brantley Gutierrez

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Contact: 
Katlyn Morahan
Morahan Arts and Media
katlyn@morahanartsandmedia.com
(646) 378-9386