The Crackalackin’ Concert of Classical Music 

The Crackalackin' Concert is FREE. The after-party ball on stage runs from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Tickets are $25 before September 13 and $30 after and include refreshments. Space is limited for the ball. 

One of the United Palace of Cultural Arts’ (UPCA) programming goals is to find innovative ways to make classical music accessible to new and old audiences, particularly by combining the genre with other art forms. “The Crackalackin’ Concert of Classical Music” serves as a dynamic platform designed to break down barriers and make the beauty of classical music accessible to everyone, including underrepresented communities, ensuring it resonates with a diverse and inclusive audience. (NOTE: “Crackalackin’” is old-time (as far back as the 1990s!) urban slang for what’s new, relevant, and happening. We think it is a great description of how people should feel about classical music.

This year’s theme is Music Brings Us Together and features performances and mash-ups by: 

• Association of Dominican Classical Artists (ADCA) 
• DJ Boo 
• New York Baroque Dance Company
• Leadlights Ensemble 
• Opera on Tap
• Sofrito & the Blues
• Washington Heights Community Choir (WHCC) 

“So many people are turned off by classical music because they see it as a corny, elitist art form," said Fitelson, who 11 years ago co-created The Hip Hop Nutcracker, now an annual touring show produced by New Jersey Performing Arts Center. “We believe classical music is timeless and seek new, crackalackin’ ways to help audiences discover it.” 

The day will kickoff with a performance by the Crackalackin’ Symphony Orchestra, freshly created for the event by community musicians of all skills.

The event features the world-premiere of a collage of videos taken of the Hudson River by Northern Manhattan residents while students from several local community programs, overseen by ADCA, perform the musical score live. The music, Bedrich Smetana’s symphonic poem “The Moldau,” celebrates another river, the Vltava which runs through Prague where Smetana became known as the Father of Czech music. 

Another unforgettable moment will be the United Palace debut of Opera on Tap’s Operacade, which evokes nostalgia for another time while simultaneously providing innovative, interactive community engagement. 

Finally, the New York Baroque Dance Company will simultaneously bring the Crackalackin’ Concert to a close while kicking off the first Crackalackin’ afterparty costume ball, where guests will have the opportunity to dance to live music on stage with professional dancers, recreating popular choreographies from 1776-1840. 

“An Uptown Ball - Dancing the Revolution” features dances from the early days of the United States and revolutionary era, including choreography created in honor of George Washington and music by African-American composer Francis Johnson (1792-1844), who was so popular in his time that he was commissioned to create music for Marquis de Lafayette’s Farewell Tour of America in 1824. Dances will be taught to ticket holders at the ball – guests are encouraged to dress in period costume. Stage access to the ball requires a separate admission ticket and includes refreshments.   

(The ball is made possible in part with funds from Creative Engagement, a regrant program supported by the funding agencies DCLA in partnership with the City Council and NYSCA with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by LMCC.) 

Finally, the New York Baroque Dance Company will simultaneously bring the Crackalackin’ Concert to a close while kicking off the first Crackalackin’ afterparty costume ball, where guests will have the opportunity to dance to live music on stage with professional dancers, recreating popular choreographies from 1776-1840.

“An Uptown Ball - Dancing the Revolution” features dances from the early days of the United States and revolutionary era, including choreography created in honor of George Washington and music by African-American composer Francis Johnson (1792-1844), who was so popular in his time that he was commissioned to create music for Marquis de Lafayette’s Farewell Tour of America in 1824. Dances will be taught to ticket holders at the ball – guests are encouraged to dress in period costume. Stage access to the ball requires a separate admission ticket and includes refreshments.   

(The ball is made possible in part with funds from Creative Engagement, a regrant program supported by the funding agencies DCLA in partnership with the City Council and NYSCA with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by LMCC.)