3 weeks ago
Bernie Williams was successful nan center, conscionable for illustration nan aged days astatine Yankee Stadium. Only this clip he was astatine Lincoln Center alongside conductor Gustavo Dudamel and making his New York Philharmonic debut.
After spending 16 years gaining fame while roaming nan writer wherever Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle erstwhile trod, Williams was connected nan shape made celebrated by Leonard Bernstein and wherever guitar awesome Andrés Segovia erstwhile played.
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC HEADING TO CHINA FOR 5 CONCERTS THIS SUMMER
Williams performed "Moving Forward," a jazz-infused activity he composed successful 2009 that was recently arranged by Jeff Tyzik arsenic portion of nan orchestra’s outpouring gala connected Wednesday nighttime astatine David Geffen Hall, a nationalist exclamation of nan erstwhile All-Star outfielder’s 2nd profession arsenic a classical guitarist.
This image released by nan New York Philharmonic shows erstwhile New York Yankees shot subordinate Bernie Williams, opinionated left, pinch conductor Gustavo Dudamel arsenic he makes his New York Philharmonic debut successful New York connected Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Brandon Patoc/New York Philharmonic via AP)
A time earlier nan performance, he recalled going to nan Manhattan School of Music from 2012-16 to study his caller waste and acquisition and gain a bachelor's degree.
"A batch of these group were moving laps astir maine and I had to travel to nan realization that I had to activity arsenic difficult arsenic person I ever worked upon anything, including being a Major League Baseball player," he said. "I had to put successful nan work, and nary of that worldly that I did anterior was going to thief maine here. I really had to reinvent myself. In learning each of nan worldly that I learned being a master shot player, immoderate of nan worldly really helped maine successful performing nether pressure, putting successful nan activity successful and being relentless."
Dudamel, who becomes euphony head successful 2026-27, gave Williams a glowing preamble that was many times interrupted by applause arsenic he recounted Williams' inheritance astatine an arena to raise money for euphony education.
"Bernie grew up successful Puerto Rico and I deliberation that possibly he had immoderate different opportunities extracurricular music," Dudamel said.
Wearing a acheronian suit and necktie pinch patent leather loafers, Williams played his 4 1/2-minute creation backed by nan Philharmonic, joined by student musicians.
Now 55, Williams signed pinch nan Yankees connected his 17th day successful 1985, made it to nan awesome leagues six years later and became a four-time World Series champion, five-time All-Star and nan 1998 AL batting champion. He deed .297 pinch 287 homers, 1,257 RBIs and 147 stolen bases for nan Yankees from 1991-2006.
He began playing guitar erstwhile he was 6 aliases 7 successful Puerto Rico, learning from his mother’s friends, and listened to nan guitar activity of his dad, Bernabé. Bernie brought his guitar to nan ballpark and played successful nan clubhouse lounge to MTV tunes picked by teammate Derek Jeter.
"When you’re connected nan road, there’s a definite magnitude of clip that you walk successful nan room," Williams said. "A batch of group play video games, a batch of group conscionable watch TV. So I utilized to benignant of for illustration divided clip betwixt watching TV, ordering room work and playing guitar between."
He utilized to play successful a overgarment room nether nan right-field stands astatine nan aged Yankee Stadium, wherever Ron Guidry had near a drum group that Paul O’Neill took over. Williams brought an amplifier, and they jammed aft batting believe and during rainfall delays.
A peculiar thrill occurred earlier a crippled against Minnesota successful 1998, erstwhile Bruce Springsteen walked into nan clubhouse, said pinch immoderate of nan Yankees players and signed Williams’ guitar, writing: "To Bernie, If you ever get tired of shot ..." The 2 joined to play "Glory Days" astatine Joe Torre’s Safe astatine Home Foundation gala successful 2007.
By 2003, Williams released his first recording, "The Journey Within." His second, "Moving Forward," earned a Latin Grammy nomination successful 2009 for champion instrumental album, and he’s contemplating his third, which he hopes will person much daring playing and writing.
"Anybody tin bask a bully portion of euphony and immoderate of that euphony is capable to move group successful ways that thing other can," Williams said. "So knowing those emotions that travel pinch being a musician I deliberation has taken maine successful a awesome travel and it’s conscionable specified an awesome process to person successful opposition to what I utilized to do successful sports. It’s awesome to person an opportunity to do some things successful 1 lifetime."
His mother was adamant astir him going to college. Williams received a grade successful 2016 aft nan four-year undergraduate program. He studied guitar pinch Christopher Rosenberg, harmony, creation and improvisation pinch Garry Dial and penning pinch John Pagano. Williams now serves connected nan school's committee of trustees.
Ahead of this week’s performance, Williams spent from April 9-13 performing astatine nan Café Carlyle, nan celebrated Upper East Side nightspot wherever Bobby Short entertained New York’s precocious nine from 1968-2004.
"Everybody’s truthful adjacent and you perceive a pin driblet and everybody’s truthful attentive," he said. "It’s specified a unsocial experience, astatine slightest for me. I'm utilized to playing successful beforehand of 50,000 people, everybody yelling and screaming their hearts out. So it’s, yeah, rather a contrast."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Philharmonic CEO Gary Ginstling said aft Wednesday morning’s rehearsal that 30 orchestra musicians lined up to get balls, caps and shirts autographed by Williams arsenic he posed for photos. Cellist Patrick Jee rehearsed successful a Yankees jersey already signed by Torre and Jeter.
"I’ve ne'er seen them each truthful giddy astir 1 of our artists," Ginstling said.
