New York City Ballet Concerto" for the occasion. He and Robbins co-choreographed and performed in "Pulcinella". Balanchine had produced an earlier Stravinsky festival in 1937 as balletmaster of the American Ballet while engaged by the Metropolitan Opera. The composer conducted the April 27th premiere of "Card Party". In 1975, Balanchine paid his respects to the French composer Maurice Ravel with a two-week "Hommage à Ravel". Balanchine, Robbins, Jacques d'Amboise, and Taras made sixteen new ballets for the occasion. Repertory ballets were performed as well. High points included Balanchine's "Le Tombeau de Couperin" and Robbins' "Mother Goose". In 1981, Balanchine planned a two-week NYCB festival
New York City Ballet also occasionally accompanies other dance companies when they visit The David H. Koch Theater from other cities. These engagements have included the Australian Ballet in the spring of 2012, and the San Francisco Ballet in the fall of 2013. Over the decades the NYCB Orchestra has welcomed other noted orchestral musicians to collaborate on special performances. Included among this group was John Serry Sr., who served as the lead orchestral accordionist during the NYCB's 20th anniversary season in the premiere of Jacques d' Amboise's "Tchaikovsky Suite" (1969). Andrew Litton was appointed to the position on December 16, 2014, and started