Mission: Founded in 1842, the New York Philharmonic is by far the oldest symphony orchestra in the United States and one of the oldest in the world. The Orchestra currently plays some 180 concerts a year. On December 18, 2004, the Philharmonic gave its 14,000th concert - a milestone unmatched by any other orchestra in the world. Since its inception, the Orchestra has championed the new music of its time, giving the first performances of many important works. This pioneering tradition has continued to the present day, with works of major contemporary composers regularly scheduled each season. A longtime media pioneer, the Philharmonic has a long history of broadcasting on radio and television. More recently, the Philharmonic became the first major American orchestra to offer downloadable concerts, recorded live, and released by DG Concerts exclusively on iTunes. (Less)

New York Philharmonic is a 501(c)(3) organization, with an IRS ruling year of 1928, and donations are tax-deductible.