Since its founding in 1900 with the mission of bringing the best music at affordable prices to New Yorkers on a limited budget, Peoples' Symphony Concerts has always had a commitment to not only present the master artists of the time but also to introduce outstanding young musicians with the potential of becoming future leaders. Here are just a few of such artists presented during the past five decades, when PSC has been guided by Frank Salomon, with the first season that they appeared in the series in parenthesis. A large and grateful audience (for many, the concerts are an essential part of their lives) is a reward for the artists who generously come and share their music for a fraction of their normal fees.

This note from a longtime subscriber, a retired City university professor, expresses the sentiments of so many members of the PSC Family:

I look forward to attending these concerts knowing that I will enjoy the exceptional performances given by well-known musicians and exciting new musicians, many of whom have eventually become well-known. Part of my enjoyment involves listening to music to which I would not normally be exposed.

For subscribers Stephen & Carol:

We admire your dedication to continuing the work of those founders a century ago who aspired to make high culture available and affordable. We applaud your efforts to support young, astonishingly talented musicians, to reach out to schools and underserved audiences.

For a subscriber whose son came as a toddler and is now a conducting student:

PSC is an incredible resource for classical music lovers, many of whom are students, families and the elderly on fixed incomes… PSC is one of those unknown but wonderful labors of someone’s love in NYC that has persisted despite all sorts of obstacles. It is a gem and I hope it continues forever to provide joy to the people of NY City.

For the New York Times:

Peoples’ Symphony Concerts is Essential - Carnegie Hall-quality artists for less than the price of a Manhattan movie ticket or even a large popcorn.

For New York Magazine:

PEOPLES’ SYMPHONY CONCERTS World-class music for bargain-basement prices has long been the irresistible premise of this series...

DURING THE LAST FIVE DECADES, PEOPLES’ SYMPHONY CONCERTS HAS PRESENTED MANY EXCEPTIONAL YOUNG MUSICIANS EARLY IN THEIR CAREERS. HERE ARE JUST OF FEW OF THOSE WHO HAVE GONE ON TO BECOME INTERNATIONALLY-ACCLAIMED ARTISTS:

Pianists:

Emanuel Ax (77-78); Jonathan Biss (05-06); Yefim Bronfman (92-93); Jeremy Denk (98-99); Richard Goode (73-74); Stephen Hough (90-91); Lang Lang (02-03); Paul Lewis (03-04); Radu Lupu (79-80); Murray Perahia (72-73); Andras Schiff (87-88); Peter Serkin (69-70); Jean-Yves Thibaudet (90-91)

Strings:

Joshua Bell (92-93); Augustin Hadelich (09-10); Jennifer Koh (03-04); Yo-Yo Ma (81-82); Itzhak Perlman (65-66); Gil Shaham (95-96); Pinchas Zukerman (69-70)

Others:

Richard Stoltzman (85-86); Dawn Upshaw (92-92); Frederica von Stade (77-78)

Chamber Music Ensembles:

Artemis (03-04), Brentano (96-97), Calidore (15-16), Cleveland (72-73), Dover (13-14), Ebene (13-14), Emerson (82-83), Guarneri (65-66), Takacs (86-87), Tokyo (72-73), Vermeer (71-72) String Quartets; ECCO (East Coast Chamber Orchestra - (08-09), eighth blackbird (09-10), Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio (78-79).

Here is a more comprehensive list of some of the artists presented by Peoples’ Symphony Concerts over the past five decades at the most affordable prices anywhere:

PIANISTS

Behzod Abduraimov,  Joaquin Achucarro,  Lief Ove Andsnes, Claudio Arrau, Lydia Artymiw, Gina Bachauer, David Bar-IIllan, Inon Barnaton, Yefim Bronfman, John Browning, Jonathan Biss, Rafal Blechaz, Jorge Bolet, Sara Davis Buechner, Shura Cherkassky, Arnaldo Cohen, Frederick Chiu, Bella Davidovich, Lise de la Salle, Jeremy Denk, Simone Dinnerstein, Anna Federova, Zoltan Fejevari,Till Fellner, Vladimir Feltsman, Rudolf Firkusny, Leon Fleisher, Claude Frank, Bruno Leonardo Gelber, Kirill Gerstein, Alon Goldstein,  Adam Golka, Richard Goode, Gary Graffman, Helene Grimaud, Benjamin Grosvenor, Horacio Guitterez, Lorin Hollander, Mieczysław Horszowski, Stephen Hough, Marc-Andre Hamelin, Eugene Istomin, Ethan Iverson, Joseph Kalichstein, Lilian Kallir, Vadyim Kholodenko, Zoltan Kocsis, Stephen Kovacevich, Lili Kraus, Anton Kuerti, Lang Lang, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Paul Lewis, Cecile Licad, Kuok-Wai Lio, Louis Lortie, Radu Lupu, Lee Luvisi, William Masselos, Brad Mehldau, Alexander Melnikov, Anton Nel, Ken Noda, Garrick Ohlsson, Maria Joao Pires, Murray Perahia, Jean-Benard Pommier, Andras Schiff, Peter Serkin, Orli Shaham, Russell Sherman, Abby Simon, Ignat Solzhenitsyn, Jean-Louis Steuermann, Yevgeny Sudbin, Jacky Terrasson, Alexandre Tharaud, Denes Varjon, Lars Vogt, Shai Wosner

STRINGS

Salvatore Accardo, Kristof Barati, Joshua Bell,  Carter Brey, & Christopher O'Reilly, Anner Bylsma, Renaud Capucon, Ray Chen, Pamela Frank, Joseph Fuchs, Vadim Gluzman, Augustin Hadelich, Ida Haendel, Narek Hakhnazaryan, Lynn Harrell, Daniel Hope, Paul Huang, Steven Isserlis, Stefan Jackiw, Leonidas Kavakos;  Young Uck Kim, Jennifer Koh, Gidon Kremer,   Yevgeny Kutik, Jaime Laredo, Cho Liang Lin, Yo-Yo Ma, Mischa Maisky, Anthony Marwood, Sharon Robinson, Gil Shaham, Kian Soltani, Vladimir Spivakov, Arnold Steinhardt & Diane Monroe, Scott St. John,  Janos Starker, Isaac Stern, Christian Tetzlaff,  Camille Thomas, Istvan Vardai, Jan Vogler, Itamar Zorman, Pinchas Zukerman

STRING QUARTETS

Aizuri Quartet, Amadeus Quartet, American Quartet, Artemis Quartet, Auryn Quartet, Belcea Quartet, Alban Berg Quartet (also w. Philippe Entremont);  Borodin  Quartet, Borromeo Quartet, Brentano Quartet, Budapest Quartet, Calidore Quartet, Casals Quartet, Cavani Quartet, Chilingharian Quartet, Cleveland Quartet, Colorado Quartet, Dover Quartet, Ebene Quartet, Emerson Quartet, Goldmund Quartet, Guarneri Quartet, Jack Quartet, Jerusalem Quartet, Johannes Quartet, Juilliard Quartet, Jupiter Quartet, Keller Quartet, Mendelssohn Quartet, Miami Quartet, Miro Quartet, Modigliani Quartet, Moscow Quartet, Muir Quartet, Orion Quartet, Pacifica Quartet,  Panocha Quartet, Parker Quartet, Quartetto Italiano, Quatour Danel, Shanghai Quartet, Signum Quartet, Skampa Quartet, St. Lawrence Quartet,  Smetana Quartet, Takacs Quartet, Tokyo Quartet, Vellinger Quartet, Viano Quartet, Ying Quartet, Ysaye Quartet

CHAMBER ENSEMBLES

Emanuel Ax and Yo-Yo Ma, Beaux Arts Trio, Borodin Trio,  Buswell-Parnas-Luvisi Trio, Calefax Reed Quintet, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Chung Trio, Continuum, Cygnus, eight blackbird, Empire Brass, Goldstein-Peled-Fitterstein Trio, Israel Chamber Project, Junction Trio, Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, Musica Antiqua Koln, Musicians from Marlboro, Nash Ensemble, Opus One, Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, Septura Brass,  Skride Piano Quartet, Joseph Swensen & Jeffrey Kahane, TASHI, Tempest Piano Trio, Theater Chamber Players of the Kennedy Center, Vienna Octet, Windscape, Wind Soloists of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe

CHAMBER ORCHESTRAS

Australian Chamber Orchestra, Belgrade Chamber Orchestra/Janigro, Berlin Chamber Orchestra, Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia, Curtis Symphony Orchestra, Czech Chamber Orchestra, East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO), Israel Camerata, Janacek Chamber Orchestra, Jupiter Symphony, Chamber Orchestra Kremlin, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Orpheus, Paillard Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra of Paris, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra

OTHER  ARTISTS

Julius Baker, Allison Balsom, Eddie Barbash, Bolcom & Morris, Chanticleer,  Crofut & Luxon, Bernarda Fink, James Galway, Wycliffe Gordon Quintet, Hilliard Ensemble, Heinz Holliger, Sharon Isbin, Klezmer Conservatory Band, Ute Lemper, Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Anthony McGill, MILOS, Mark Padmore, Susanna Phillips, John Shirley-Quirk & Leon Fleisher, Sam Reider, Paula Robison, Richard Stoltzman, Dawn Upshaw, Benita Valente, Frederica von Stade, Waverly Consort, Roderick Williams