Eric Whitacre debuts new Robert Frost setting at Carnegie Hall in his 25th performance with DCINY

Grammy Award-Winning Composer Eric Whitacre to Conduct "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" at Carnegie Hall for the First Time in 25th DCINY Collaboration

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, April 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- DCINY (Distinguished Concerts International New York) is proud to present The Music of Eric Whitacre at Carnegie Hall, commemorating DCINY’s 25th performance with the world-renowned composer and conductor with a historic first. The evening’s program is a career-spanning celebration of Whitacre’s most beloved works, including “Lux Aurumque,” “Five Hebrew Love Songs,” “Hurt,” and selections from “The Sacred Veil,” alongside works by fellow luminaries Jennifer Lucy Cook, Moses Hogan, and Sarah Hopkins. To mark this 25th collaboration, the finale will immerse the audience in a 360-degree performance of Whitacre’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” the masterwork with a legendary 25-year journey to its premiere, conducted by Eric Whitacre at Carnegie Hall for the first time. The concert takes place one night only on Monday, April 13, 2026, 7:00 PM at Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall.

Behind the finale of “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” lies one of the most extraordinary stories in contemporary choral composition, a 25-year musical odyssey of inspiration, heartbreak, and ultimate triumph. In recorded program notes, Whitacre speaks on video about this work’s relationship to “Sleep,” the Charles Anthony Silvestri poem the world knew this music by for 25 years which Whitacre has performed with DCINY in both Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center many times. “What struck me most…is how different the Robert Frost setting is compared to [Charles Anthony Silvestri]’s setting…,” he says. “Very few of the musical notes have changed, but the intention in the piece, it’s astounding to my ears.” Eric Whitacre calls the work “a testament to how powerful the poetry is when performing in choral music, our shared art form.” Hear the full story of how “Stopping by Woods” became “Sleep” and became “Stopping by Woods” again in the composer’s own words at youtube.com/watch?v=NxhqoBnMQ0U.

“Returning to Carnegie Hall this weekend in collaboration with my long-time trusted collaborators and friends at DCINY is an absolute joy,” says Eric Whitacre. “Meeting singers and their directors from across North America and beyond is nothing short of an honor. Reuniting with those who have performed with me before, experiencing the musical evolution in rehearsals, and sharing the emotions of those who step onto the legendary stage at Carnegie Hall for the first time is profoundly moving.”

“We are so proud to celebrate Eric Whitacre’s 25th performance with DCINY in such a historic way,” says Iris Derke, Co-Founder and General Director of DCINY. “His ability to connect with performers and audiences alike is unmatched, and this immersive concert will fill every corner of Carnegie Hall in a transformative experience for all.”

“If you have never experienced an Eric Whitacre performance, then prepare to be mesmerized,” DCINY Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Jonathan Griffith has said. “There’s a reason why he is one of today’s most celebrated composers. His music reaches past the bounds of form and touches the heart.”

Whitacre will be leading Pianist Kelly Yu-Chieh Lin, the Distinguished Concerts Singers International, and the DCO (Distinguished Concerts Orchestra) String Quartet. Performing groups include 3 Rivers Chorale (OR), Chariton High School Concert Choir (IA), Eastern Sierra Community Chorus (CA), Edwardsville High School Choirs (IL), Foothill High School Choral Program (CA), Friends’ Central Upper School Chorus (PA), Inola High School Choir (OK), Louisburg High School Select Choir (KS), Perry High School Chorus (GA), Singing Sergeants of Wilson Memorial High School (VA), Spokane Falls Community College Chamber Singers (WA), Sprague High School Choir (OR), Gladiator Concert Choir (FL), The Noteables (VA), Vocal Academy of Oklahoma (OK), Whitachords, and Individual Singers from around the globe.

ABOUT ERIC WHITACRE:
Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor, Eric Whitacre, is among today’s most popular musicians. A graduate of The Juilliard School, his works are performed worldwide, and his ground-breaking Virtual Choirs have united well over 100,000 singers from more than 145 countries. Born in Reno, Nevada, Whitacre displayed an early passion for music and began his formal training in composition at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and later earned a master’s degree in composition from the Juilliard School.

Whitacre is especially known for his unique use of harmony and texture which create lush, atmospheric soundscapes that have captivated audiences worldwide. His choral works including “Lux Aurumque,” “The Sacred Veil,” and now finally “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” have been performed by prominent choirs and Grammy Award-winning ensembles, helping to revitalize interest in contemporary choral music. This will be Whitacre’s 25th collaboration with DCINY.

ABOUT DCINY:
Recognized in the top 10% of things to do worldwide with the Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award for two consecutive years, Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) is the leading producer of world-class concert experiences in the world’s most renowned venues with the best of the best, including Eric Whitacre and Sir Karl Jenkins. Founded by Iris Derke and Jonathan Griffith to unite a global community of artists and audiences and empower music education programs, DCINY Changes Lives through the Power of Performance. For more information, visit DCINY.org. For high-resolution images for media use, please contact Press@DCINY.org.

CONCERT DETAILS:
What: “The Music of Eric Whitacre”
When: Monday, April 13, 2026, at 7:00 PM
Where: Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, 881 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY
Tickets: carnegiehall.org | 212-247-7800 | Carnegie Hall Box Office
Info: DCINY.org | Concerts@DCINY.org | 212-707-8566
Description: DCINY presents The Music of Eric Whitacre, a musical celebration of Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor Eric Whitacre’s 25th performance with DCINY. Whitacre conducts Distinguished Concerts Singers International in an extraordinary evening of contemporary choral masterworks, including his beloved “Lux Aurumque,” “Hurt,” “Five Hebrew Love Songs,” and selections from “The Sacred Veil,” alongside works by Jennifer Lucy Cook, Moses Hogan, and Sarah Hopkins. For the historic finale, Whitacre conducts “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” for the first time at Carnegie Hall, surrounding the audience in an immersive, 360-degree choral experience.

Iris Derke
DCINY
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Eric Whitacre, Program Notes: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening | In Whitacre's own words, how Stopping by Woods became Sleep became Stopping by Woods again.

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