The Crackalackin' Concert of Classical Music

The Crackalackin' Concert is FREE. 

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 Bringing It Back Home, Uptown and features performances and mash-ups by: 

• Crackalackin' Symphony Orchestra
• DJ Boo 
• Leadlights Ensemble 
• Washington Heights Community Choir (WHCC) 
• Washington Heights Community Conservatory of Fine Arts (WHCCFA) and Association of Dominican Classical Artists (ADCA)

“So many people are turned off by classical music because they see it as a corny, elitist art form," said Fitelson, who 12 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.” 

Act I kicks off with a performance by the Crackalackin’ Symphony Orchestra, freshly created for the event by community musicians of all skills, performing new arrangements of Celia Cruz songs and William Grant Still's "Poem for Orchestra."

The event features the world-premiere of a collage of videos taken of the community by Northern Manhattan residents while students from several local community programs, overseen by ADCA, perform  "Bacchanale Dance" from Camille Saint-Saëns' grand opera "Samson and Delilah." 

Leadlights performs "The Seasons of Inwood," created by violinst Evelyn Petcher based upon the wide range of stories, musical ideas, and reflections on Inwood.

The Washington Heights Community Choir sings tunes with local ties, inviting the audience to join in a sing-along.

As always, throughout the day DJ Boo will perform his turntable magic, mixing the classical genre with the beats and sounds of today.

Act II features the debut of 4 songs of a work-in-progress celebrating the United Palace's 100th anniversary in 2030. The show, "Wonder Theatre Revival," is a musical history of the United Palace and its audiences, written by Mike Fitelson and brought to life by 6 singers and a dozen local musicians. 

This event is made possible by the United Palace of Cultural Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts, and an anonymous donor angel.