New Year's has passed, but I'd like to share a favorite New Year's Tradition with you... as you can still see the videos on YouTube.

Two of my favorite orchestral programs of the year take place on New Year's Eve, when one can see the New York Philharmonic New Year's Concert from Lincoln Center, and on New Year's Day, when one can take in the Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert at the Musikverein in Vienna.

The VPO program also features a ballet troupe and some of the filming is done in a castle, and there is sure to be video highlights of such things as Lipizzaner Stallions, chocolate making, glass blowing, fine china, the Danube or some other cultural 'nugget'. The program used to be narrated by Walter Cronkite, for those of you who are familiar with him, and more recently Julie Andrews.

The tradition at our household for many years was to have lobster tails, hors d'oeuvres, cookies... and coffee and watch the show! It works!!

Given it is no longer New Year's, you can still see many of the VPO's & NYP's previous New Years Concerts on YouTube. Here are the links:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vienna+philharmonic+new+years

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=new+york+philharmonic+new+years

We don't see/hear these orchestras on television that often, so the New Year's programs are a real treat.

Enjoy!