Orchestra hopes to pack Heckscher tonight

By Michael R. Ebert
michael.ebert@newsday.com


If the weather cooperates, up to 4,000 Long Islanders could flock to Heckscher Park for the powerful sounds of the Long Island Philharmonic, says Executive Director Steven Belth.

“It’s packed every year,” said an enthusiastic Belth of tonight’s free event. “Hopefully, the weather will be great, because people come out in droves for this show.”

According to Belth, the philarmonic’s “Music Under the Stars” program will include American favorites, such as John Philip Sousa’s traditional tune, “Star & Stripes Forever,” to classics from Richard Rodgers and Leonard Bernstein, such as “West Side Story” selections. David Wiley will also conduct a salute to the armed forces and a medley of movie music.

Other performances will include solo cellist Zuill Bailey and The Metronomes, a collection of 25 string-playing Long Island students.

“It’s music at its highest level,” said Belth, suggesting that spectators bring blankets. “It’s really the ultimate sound. And being outdoors, there’s no amplification used either. It’s just high-quality musicians playing high-quality music.”

In its 28th season, the 60-person Long Island Philharmonic is the region’s largest performing arts organization. It was founded in 1979 by folk singer Harry Chapin and is currently the resident orchestra of the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in Brookville.

The Long Island Philharmonic’s performance will take place at the Chapin Rainbow Stage in Huntington’s Heckscher Park at 8:30 p.m. For more information, call the Long Island Philharmonics’s office at 631-293-2222 or visit liphilharmonic.org.