Megan Hayes and Dorothy Samuels Appointed to New York Pops Board of Directors.

The New York Pops has just announced the appointments of Megan Hayes and Dorothy Samuels to its Board of Directors.

Megan Hayes is a Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Blackstone’s Technology and Innovations group (BXTI). She also serves as the Head of Product. She oversees Planning, Finance & Reporting, Data Governance, Market Data, Communications and Training teams. These teams focus on maintaining operational and product excellence and well-managed practices. Before joining Blackstone in 2022, Ms. Hayes worked at Capital One, where she held several roles across the firm’s technology group. Prior to Capital One, she worked at Morgan Stanley, Bank of America and UBS in various areas including Digital, Data and Product. Ms. Hayes received a BA in Physics from New York University and a BE in Electrical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Dorothy Samuels had the privilege of serving as a member of The New York Times editorial board, a tenure that spanned five U.S. presidencies and four opinion page editors for over thirty years. That perch afforded an endlessly interesting window on unfolding history and an opportunity to help shape public debate on issues and causes she cares about. Dororthy wrote largely on justice, democracy, and civil rights/civil liberties matters, though, over the years, she dipped into just about everything but foreign policy. Upon departing the newspaper, Ms. Samuels was named a senior fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School, which allowed her to continue her writing and research efforts and to engage in reform-oriented projects, relieved of the constant deadline pressures and constraint of daily journalism. She is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and Northeastern University School of Law. Her experience prior to joining The Times included a brief stint as a corporate attorney, work for the Ford Foundation, and three years as Executive Director for the New York Civil Liberties Union, then the largest affiliate of the national ACLU. Ms. Samuels currently serves on the advisory board of The Roosevelt House Institute for Public Policy at Hunter College.

The New York Pops also welcomes Meredith Cappel to its staff as its new Director of Development. Meredith is a development leader with seventeen years of fundraising, marketing, and event planning experience, most of that time spent in the New York arts community. She comes to The New York Pops from Film at Lincoln Center where she worked six years in varying capacities. Most recently she served as the Associate Director of Philanthropy and led the organization's fundraising efforts from various sources including individuals, foundations, and events. She previously worked at Theater Communications Group (TCG) and prior to moving to New York, was the Director of Marketing at Easter Seals North Texas. She holds a master's and bachelor's degrees in Communications Studies from Baylor University.

Additionally, new orchestra members Joyce Hammann (violin), Rachel Handman (violin),  Philip Payton (violin), Andrew Griffin (viola), J.J. Johnson (viola), Beomjae Kim (flute), and Toyin Spellman-Diaz (oboe) will join The New York Pops for its upcoming season.

The New York Pops’ 2024-25 season of performances in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall includes Simply the Best: A Tina Turner Tribute with Adrienne Warren on Friday, October 18, 2024 at 8:00 p.m., One Night Only: An Evening with Max von Essen on Friday, November 15, 2024 at 8:00 p.m., Merry and Bright featuring Jessica Vosk on Friday, December 20 and Saturday, December 21, 2024 at 8:00 p.m., Let’s Misbehave: The Songs of Cole Porter on Friday, February 7, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. with Tony DeSare, Bria Skonberg, and John Manzari, and 100 Years of Epic Film Scores on Friday, March 14, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. In addition, The New York Pops hosts its annual cabaret fundraiser on Monday, October 7, 2024 at 54 Below featuring Matt Doyle and Max Clayton.

About the Artists

Comprised of 78 musicians, The New York Pops is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States, now celebrating its 41st season as the only professional symphonic orchestra in New York City specializing in popular music. Led by Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke, the orchestra performs an annual subscription series at Carnegie Hall, and is among the venue’s most presented ensembles. The New York Pops’ annual birthday gala is celebrated each spring, raising funds for the orchestra and its education programs. The orchestra performs annually in Queens, NY at Forest Hills Stadium, a 14,000-seat historic concert venue.

The New York Pops celebrates the diversity of popular music’s evolving songbook. Every concert is a unique experience, with influences that range from Broadway melodies to film scores, jazz, rock, pop, and more. The orchestra collaborates with stars from the stage and screen including Sara Bareilles, Kristen Bell, Montego Glover, James Monroe Iglehart, Capathia Jenkins, Carly Rae Jepsen, Angela Lansbury, Queen Latifah, Cyndi Lauper, Norm Lewis, Barry Manilow, Kelli O’Hara, Adrienne Warren, Dionne Warwick, Miss Piggy, and others.

Through its PopsEd music education programs, The New York Pops fulfills its dedication to lifelong learning and collaborates with public schools, community organizations, and senior centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City. PopsEd allows thousands of New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds to participate in fully customizable residency programs that blend traditional education with pure fun. These programs make music open to all and use tools like composition, lyric writing, performance, and mentorship to foster learning and unbridled creativity. In doing so, PopsEd excites students and gives them skills they can apply to all areas of their lives.

The New York Pops is committed to serving all members of the community. Through its Kids in the Balcony and Kids in the Stadium programs, thousands of children and their parents have had an opportunity to see The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and Forest Hills Stadium free of charge. The New York Pops has also adapted its PopsEd programs to provide remote learning opportunities to students. Virtual programs have included residencies in virtual classrooms, free access to virtual concerts through Kids in the Virtual Balcony, and Kids on the Virtual Stage, a free comprehensive program that introduces middle school students to the professional virtual performance process.

Over the years, the orchestra has presented free concerts in city parks, community organizations, and senior centers; performed the National Anthem at sports venues; and toured throughout the world. Past media projects include the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular on NBC Television, a nationally syndicated radio series, and performances on PBS. The orchestra’s discography encompasses recordings of popular standards, theater and film scores, and music for the holidays.

The New York Pops was founded by Ruth and Skitch Henderson in 1983 with a mission to create greater public awareness and appreciation of America’s rich musical heritage through presentation of concerts and education programs of the highest quality. The New York Pops is a non-profit organization supported solely through the generosity of individual donations, institutional grants, corporate sponsorships, and concert income.

Photo Credit: Richard Termine