Free New York Philharmonic Concert in Cunningham Park on Thursday

They’re the best in the world. They’ve been practicing since 1842. And they’ve offered these kinds of concerts since 1965. This Thursday, the New York Philharmonic will give a free, outdoor presentation in Cunningham Park as part of a summer tour through the outer boroughs. Music Director Alan Gilbert, a native New Yorker whose resume includes stints with the Royal Stockholm, Hamburg NDR, Boston Symphony and Berlin philharmonics, will lead the musicians, while Principal Cello Carter Brey, a virtuoso known for flawless technique and complete musicianship, will take the spotlight. (Brey’s violoncello is a rare J. B. Guadagnini made in Milan in 1754.) Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B Minor and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 in E Minor are included in the program, which will end with pyrotechnics by Bay Fireworks. Details: New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Park, July 11, 8 pm, 193rd Street Field in Cunningham Park, Fresh Meadows, free.

(Photo: Chris Lee)