Brahms Letters
A Symphony and Exhibition
A Symphony and Exhibition
Each season the New York Phil Harmonic performs a symphony honoring and paying tribute to a respected and known composer. This year it was to take place at the Lincoln Center of the Performing Arts in New York, featuring the work of Johannes Brahms, a Ger-man composer and pianist who shined throughout the Romantic Period. The event was also going to exhibit a series of never before published letters written by Brahms himself exploring his life and love, ultimately giving the event its name, "Brahms Letters". Lincoln Center wanted to market this event keeping in mind timelessness and elegance, to a wide audience of music lovers young and old and those interested in honoring history and noted composers.
With the name of the event in mind, I found inspiration through Legendary typographer, Doyald Young. His work motivated the core of this piece. He speaks of type as permeating our lives. It's all around us shaping how we feel, think and live. This can be held true with music as well as typography. I knew immediately that I wanted to incorporate Doyald's Young Gallant typeface. The beauty and elegance of this clean formal script mimic the classical masterpieces of Johannes Brahms. I created a series of instruments with the use of only type, allowing the letters to illustrate their physical form. These instruments were the center piece of my promotional material. They can be seen within the poster series, embossed collectors gift cards sold at the event, as well as custom wrapping paper to be used for giveaway
