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 four times the repertoire that another symphony might be expected to do. Principal players of the orchestra also perform the majority of the concertos, other solos, and chamber music in the NYCB repertory as well. The orchestra accompanies the ballet on all of its North American tours, and while the ballet uses local orchestras on its international tours, members of the NYCB Orchestra often go along as soloists or extras. Besides the members of the orchestra, the NYCB has six pianists on full-time staff. They all perform in the pit with the orchestra on a regular basis. The NYCB Orchestra