Songwriter Diane Warren has won an Honorary Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. Her songs have been recorded by the likes of Cher, Celine Dion and Aerosmith. It’s easy to see why she was a fitting honoree for New York Pops’ 42nd Birthday Gala, Words and Music at Carnegie Hall on April 28.
The New York Pops is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States. Founded by pianist, composer and conductor Skitch Henderson, and now led by Music Director Steven Reineke, the only professional symphonic orchestra in New York City is famous for its diverse programming that includes jazz standards, film and Broadway scores, holiday celebrations, R&B and hip-hop. Not as well known is New York Pops’ extensive PopsEd Education Programs.
New York Pops’ 42nd Birthday Gala welcomed four high school conducting apprentices, as well as young singers and dancers from New York Pops educational partners, The Camp Broadway Ensemble. While in the audience, all 837 seats in the top tier of the auditorium were filled with youngsters from the Kids in the Balcony program.
Of course, onstage were some of the pop world’s biggest stars singing some of Warren’s biggest hits. The performers swept onto the stage in their glamorous clothing and belted song after song, backed by the orchestra, playing original arrangements, and supporting vocalists Stephanie Fisher, Melodie Ray and Charlyn E. M. Wills.
Warren is known as a master of the love song. The songs’ intense emotionality, complicated arrangements and subtle key changes need to interpreted by talented performers. The New York Pops assembled a group of top-notch singers for this show: Shoshana Bean, Sofia Carson, Taylor Dayne, Arianna DeBose, Micaela Diamond, Brandon Victor Dixon, Angelique Kidjo, Mykal Kilgore, Storm Large, LeAnn Rimes and The War and Treaty.
Micaela sang “If I Could Turn Back Time.” Shoshana sang “Because You Loved Me.” Mykal sang “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” Charlyn Willis wowed the audience, stepping in at almost the last minute for Hailey Kilgore to sing “I Was Here.”
The show ended, most appropriately with the full cast singing “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.” We can believe this applies to both Warren and the educational program the gala supports.
photos by Richard Termine
New York Pops’ 42nd Birthday Gala, Words and Music.
Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, 881 Seventh Ave.
reviewed on April 28, 2025
1 hour, 45 minutes
Steven Reineke, Music Director and Conductor
