NYS Music 202​1

Category: Classical

  • A New Year’s Eve Celebration will take the Stage at the Universal Preservation Hall Featuring Zachary James and Laurie Rogers

    A New Year’s Eve celebration has been announced at Universal Preservation Hall and will be featuring Zachary James and Laurie Rogers. The festive concert will take place at 7PM on December 31, 2021 and is presented by Opera Saratoga and Proctors Collaborative. The concert will feature a variety of popular, Broadway, and classical favorites. It  will also culminate in Opera Saratoga’s much anticipated announcement of its 2022 Summer Festival Programming.

    New Year’s Eve Celebration

    Zachary James is well known to local audiences for his remarkable portrayal of the title role in Opera Saratoga’s production of Man of La Mancha this past summer on the SPAC Amphitheater Stage. He also starred on Broadway as Lurch in The Addams Family and has also appeared in South Pacific and Coram Boy. His Off-Broadway credits include The Most Happy Fella, Irma La Douce, Sweeney Todd, and The Pirates of Penzance. His work on the opera stage includes the Metropolitan Opera, English National Opera, Teatro Real, Opera Philadelphia, LA Opera, Opera Queensland, Arizona Opera, Virginia Opera, Nashville Opera, Anchorage Opera, Central City Opera, and more. Zachary has recorded multiple solo albums including his most recent Christmas release, Wonder and Joy. 

    Laurie Rogers who has been the Opera Saratoga’s Head of Music Staff and Director of the company’s Young Artist Program for the past ten years will be performing alongside Zachary James on piano. Laurie has served as Associate Conductor with LA Opera and has prepared productions for San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, the Canadian Opera Company, Minnesota Opera, American Lyric Theater, Wolf Trap Opera, Utah Opera, Arizona Opera, and Washington National Opera, among many others. In addition to her role at Opera Saratoga, she currently serves as the Music Director for Opera at The Peabody Institute, and conducts and concertizes nationally.  

     Philip Morris who is the CEO of Proctors Collaborative spoke on the upcoming event saying, “We are the Proctors Collaborative because we love to partner with our neighbor cultural organizations.  This is a great way to open the New Year and restart what we hope will be an ever-expanding relationship with Opera Saratoga,”

    Tickets are available online at www.operasaratoga.org or www.universalpreservationhall.org. Tickets are free, but seating is limited, and advance reservations are highly recommended. All attendees will be required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 to enter UPH and must remain masked at all times in the venue.

    For more information on the New Year’s Eve celebration featuring Zachary James and Laurie Rogers visit Opera Saratoga’s website or Universal Preservation Hall’s website.

  • Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center to Return To Saratoga Springs

    Saratoga Performing Arts Center announced they will again partner with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, renewing an annual residency. “CMS at the Meadows,” hosted at Pitney Meadows Community Farm open-air High Tunnel greenhouse, will present twelve performances in 2022, spanning June, July, and August. The diverse orchestra will take on masterworks by the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, and Dvořák. 

    ‘CMS at the Meadows’ at Pitney Meadows Community Farm.

    “One of the highlights of this past summer’s programming was the glorious confluence of stunning music-making in a magnificent natural setting. Thanks to our partners at The Farm, we are excited to be going back there for the summer 2022 season,” said SPAC President and CEO Elizabeth Sobol. 

    Led by artistic directors David Finckel and Wu Han, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will highlight a diverse array of performers and composers. Some CMS guests, like the acclaimed Escher String Quartet, make a welcome return to Saratoga Springs. Others, like German clarinetist Sebastian Manz, Brazilian oboist Hugo Zouza, Taiwanese-American violist Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu, and American hornists David Byrd-Marrow and Kevin Rivard, will appear at SPAC for the first time ever. 

    A previous performance of CMS at the Meadows holds an open-air crowd mesmerized.

    In addition to highlighting both familiar classics and new frontiers, CMS will also continue their intentional efforts to highlight BIPOC music and musicians. A special Juneteenth concert will see acclaimed BIPOC composers Jessie Montgomery, Florence Price, and William Grant Still make their SPAC debuts. 

    “It will be an exciting summer, and we can’t wait for everyone to hear it,” Finckel and Wu Han shared in a statement. 

    The Hill Tunnel at Pitney Meadows Community Farm.

    Tickets to all six Chamber Music Society programs (performed at 3 pm and 6 pm rain or shine) will be available for purchase at spac.org, beginning on December 10th with a presale for SPAC members. The general public will be able to purchase tickets starting December 17th. See the full summer schedule below: 

    Sunday, June 12 @ 3PM & 7PM: Quintessential Quintets

    ANI KAVAFIAN, Violin

    IDA KAVAFIAN, Violin

    PAUL NEUBAUER, Viola

    STEVEN TENENBOM, Viola

    DAVID FINCKEL, Cello

    Mozart: Quintet in G minor for Two Violins, Two Violas, and Cello, K. 516 (1787)

    Dvořák: Quintet in E-flat major for Two Violins, Two Violas, and Cello, Op. 97, “American” (1893)

    Sunday, June 19 @ 3PM & 7PM: From the Harlem Renaissance to Today  

    MSIMELELO MBALI, Bass–baritone

    WU QIAN, Piano

    STELLA CHEN, Violin

    GUILLERMO FIGUEROA, Violin

    TIEN-HSIN CINDY WU, Viola

    NICHOLAS CANELLAKIS, Cello

    Still: Suite for Violin and Piano (1943)

    Montgomery: Duo for Violin and Cello (2015)

    Price: Quintet in A minor for Piano, Two Violins, Viola, and Cello

    Additional vocal works TBA

    Sunday, July 10 @ 3PM & 7PM: The Magic of Mixed Ensembles

    MICHAEL BROWN, Piano

    CHAD HOOPES, Violin

    KEITH ROBINSON, Cello

    TOMMASO LONQUICH, Clarinet

    KEVIN RIVARD, Horn

    TBA, Viola

    Mozart: Quartet in G minor for Piano, Violin, Viola, and Cello, K. 478 (1785)

    Schoenfield: Trio for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano (1986)

    Dohnányi: Sextet in C major for Clarinet, Horn, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Piano, Op. 37 (1935)

    Sunday, July 17 @ 3PM & 7PM: Astounding Winds

    JUHO POHJONEN, Piano

    ADAM WALKER, Flute

    HUGO SOUZA, Oboe

    SEBASTIAN MANZ, Clarinet

    MARC GOLDBERG, Bassoon

    DAVID BYRD-MARROW, Horn

    Reicha: Quintet in E minor for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn, Op. 88, No. 1 (1811-17)

    Beethoven: Quintet in E-flat major for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, and Piano, Op. 16 (1796)

    Françaix: L’heure du berger for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, and Piano (1947)

    Poulenc: Sextet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, and Piano (1932-39)

    Sunday, August 14 @ 3PM & 7PM: The Escher Quartet

    ESCHER STRING QUARTET

    ADAM BARNETT-HART, Violin

    BRENDAN SPELTZ, Violin

    PIERRE LAPOINTE, Viola

    BROOK SPELTZ, Cello

    Haydn: Quartet in B-flat major for Strings, Hob. III:78, Op. 76, No. 4, “Sunrise” (1797)

    Walker: Lyric for String Quartet (1946)

    Webern: Langsamer Satz for String Quartet (1905)

    Dvořák: Quartet in E-flat major for Strings, Op. 51 (1878-79)

    Sunday, August 21 @ 3PM & 7PM: Beethoven’s Archduke

    WU HAN, Piano

    ARNAUD SUSSMANN, Violin

    DAVID FINCKEL, Cello

    Beethoven: Trio in C minor for Piano, Violin, and Cello, Op. 1, No. 3 (1794-95)

    Beethoven: Trio in B-flat major for Piano, Violin, and Cello, Op. 97, “Archduke” (1810-11)

  • Alice Tully Hall To Resonate With Mozart’s Greatest Hits on December 14

    The American Classical Orchestra has joined in on celebrating indoor concerts and will be performing an all-Mozart program at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center on December 14th, titled “Restore.”

    Alice Tully Hall and Julliard School

    New York City’s foremost period instrument orchestra is back in Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall conducted by the Orchestra’s Founder and Artistic Director Thomas Crawford and includes the composer’s substantial masterpiece, the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola. In Crawford’s piece he’ll feature soloists Aisslinn Nosky, violin, and Maureen Murchie, viola. Later he’ll feature the Flute and Harp Concerto with harpist Parker Ramsay and flutist Emi Ferguson, in addition to Mozart’s popular Symphony No. 29.

    We’ll hear from harpist Parker Ramsay and the Handel and Haydn Society’s Principal Flutist Emi Ferguson first on Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra. At just 18 years old, Mozart wrote the light-hearted Symphony No. 29 which remained a foundational piece in the composer’s career, posing as a signature of his classical style. For Sinfonia Concertante, showcase violist Maureen Munchie will have to tune her viola a half-tone higher where Mozart wanted to create a brighter sound.

    Alice Tully Hall

    Munchie has performed on both modern and Baroque violin and viola across the US and overseas with Trinity Baroque Orchestra, Handel and Haydn Society, all the way to Broadway’s pit of Tootsie, so fortunately for her this will be an easy feat. The “a fearsomely powerful musician” violinist Aisslinn Nosky will also be a featured soloist, channeling skills she’s learned from hailed The Toronto Star, the Eybler Quartet, and being Concertmaster of the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston.

    Restore 

    Parker Ramsay, harp; Emi Ferguson, flute; Aisslinn Nosky, violin; Maureen Murchie, viola

    All-Mozart Program:      

    Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra in C Major, K. 299

    Symphony No. 29 in A Major, K. 201                                  

    Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola in E-flat Major, K. 364 (320d)

    Tickets priced at $35–$75 are available online at lincolncenter.org or by calling CenterCharge at 212.721.6500. Concertgoers will need to comply with Lincoln Center’s visitor guidelines, including COVID protocols, which can be found here.

  • Caroga Lake WinterFest Returns December 16-19

    World-class musicians from the Caroga Lake Music Festival will return to Fulton County over December 16-19 to celebrate the holiday season during WinterFest. Performances are slated for the towns of Caroga, Johnstown and Gloversville.

    caroga lake winterfest

    Among the four scheduled performances over December 16 to 19 will be musical festivities featuring works by Tchaikovsky, Bach, Corelli, holiday sing-along favorites and more. See below for a schedule of Caroga Lake Music Festival WinterFest events in the Mohawk Valley.

    Encore! Jazz Sessions: A Low-Key Christmas 

    Thursday, December 16 – 7:00pm – Nick Stoner Inn, Caroga Lake – Tickets: $15 

    Featuring Grammy Award-winning bassist Geoff Saunders and friends

    CLMF WinterFest at Paul Nigra Center 

    Friday, December 17 – 7:00pm – Paul Nigra Center for the Creative Arts, Gloversville  – Tickets: $15 (Livestream available)

    CLMF WinterFest at St. John’s Johnstown 

    Saturday, December 18 – 7:00pm – St. John’s Episcopal Church, Johnstown, NY – Free Admission 

    Donations appreciated and split between Caroga Arts and One Church Street. Livestream available via St. John’s Episocpal Church facebook page

    Holiday Sweets & Suites! – Featuring Caroga Arts Ensemble 

    Sunday, December 19 – 4:00pm – The Glove Theatre, Gloversville – Tickets: $10 per person, $30 per family of four 

    Special guests Suliman Tekalli (violin) and Mathieu Cognet (piano) performing Tekalli’s original virtuosic arrangement of The Nutcracker Suite.

  • Proctors to host ESYO Holiday Spectacular with special guest Madison Vandenburg

    The Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO), known regionally and nationally for engaging young musicians from Upstate New York and western Massachusetts in the joyful pursuit of musical excellence, has announced its 2021 Holiday Spectacular, Sleigh Ride, with special guest Madison Vandenburg.

    The family-friendly holiday concert is scheduled for Sunday, December 19, at 3pm at Proctors in Schenectady, featuring a sleigh full of talent, including ESYO’s flagship ensemble Symphony Orchestra. They will be conducted by former ESYO Music Director Helen Cha-Pyo, the newly formed ESYO Chamber Orchestra, and the ESYO Youth Jazz Orchestra. Joining ESYO for this one night only performance is 2019 American Idol finalist Madison VanDenburg, who returns home for the holidays to premiere the orchestral version of her new single, “The Light of Christmas.”

    The concert program weaves together a seasonal story by Children’s Moonbeam Book award-winning author Vicki Addesso Dodd with sparkling holiday favorites, Christmas carols, and inspired Symphonic classics.. After finding themselves aboard Santa’s sleigh, audiences travel the world seeing the holidays through the eyes of a child and the sounds of music.

    Accompanying each scene is music like Leroy Anderson’s iconic Christmas jingle “Sleigh Ride,” Waldteufel’s “Skaters Waltz,” “Troika” by Prokofiev, and a jazzy arrangement of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Also featured on the program is the famed holiday classic “(There is No Place Like) Home for the Holidays” by Glenville-native Robert Allen. Exhausted from their sleigh ride, the children fall asleep and wake up on Christmas morning to hear the orchestral premiere of Madison VanDenburg’s new hit single.  In the finale, the audience is invited to join VanDenburg for a traditional carol sing-along. 

    Music is the best accompaniment to the holidays. The pandemic has challenged us all and kept many from seeing their families during the holiday season. We believe that our musicians and our community could use a magical sleigh ride and sparkling music to reignite the light and love of the holidays.

    Rebecca Calos, Empire State Youth Orchestra’s Executive Director

    Written by multi-platinum songwriters Kenny Lamb (NSYNC, Justin Timberlake, Rhett Akins) and Anthony Little (Tina Turner, Backstreet Boys, and Reba), VanDenburg immediately connected with the song. “It’s not just a Christmas song. It is also about hope and togetherness and seeing the world from a place of love,” said VanDenburg. ”Music has always been a powerful way of helping people through tough times, and after the last year and a half, I think we all need to be reminded of the light that Christmas brings and that there will be good times ahead.”

    After performing at the Schenectady Tree Lighting and Holiday Parade, Madison VanDenburg will tour the U.S. with her holiday hit before returning home to unwrap a new orchestral arrangement with her hometown youth orchestra and illuminate Downtown Schenectady. With support from local recording engineer Dan Czernicki at Classical Recording Service, videographer Griffin Bengraff, and LIVE Sound Inc, Sleigh Ride will stream online in ESYO’s Virtual Concert Hall on Christmas Day.  

    For tickets to Sleigh Ride, An ESYO Holiday Spectacular, call Proctors Box Office at (518) 346-6204 or buy online here for $25 – group rates apply for groups of 10 or more. This concert is made possible through a grant from Schenectady County Legislature’s County Initiative Program.

  • Binghamton Philharmonic presents “Home for the Holidays” on Dec. 11

    On Saturday, December 11 at 7:30pm, the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra will continue its 2021-2022 Season with “Home for the Holidays,” a concert of symphonic holiday favorites, including The Polar Express, selections from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, and Festive Sounds of Hanukkah.

    Binghamton Philharmonic Holidays

    Jazz singer Ayana Del Valle will perform holiday classics, including “O Holy Night,” “The Christmas Song” and “Feliz Navidad,” and lead the audience in a Christmas sing-along. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available for photos at 6:30pm in the lobby, and Nancy Wildoner will perform a pre-concert holiday organ recital at 7:00pm.

    The Binghamton Philharmonic is a professional orchestra tracing its roots to 1949, when Fritz and Marie Wallenberg started a chamber orchestra in Binghamton. The Wallenberg family founded the Binghamton Symphony in 1955, and later merging with the BC Pops in 1996, to form the Binghamton Philharmonic. With a dedication to providing the Southern Tier with performances of live music by artists and making great music accessible to all through innovative, The Binghamton Philharmonic offers engaging and affordable programming within and beyond the concert hall. 

    The schedule for Binghamton Philharmonic “Home for the Holidays” on Saturday, December 11 includes:

    6:30-7:30pm: Photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus

    7-7:20pm: Organist Nancy Wildoner plays the Robert Morton IV/24 Theatre Pipe Organ

    7:30pm: Home for the Holidays concert, starring Ayana Del Valle

    The performance is located at the Broome County Forum Theatre, 236 Washington St. For more information visit the Philharmonic’s website.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViRo2ZJDp3M

  • The Sound of Life in the Air – Classical Flutist Melanie Chirignan Speaks of the Vibrancy and Variation Hidden in the Classical World

    Originally from Hauppauge, Melanie Chirignan is a flautist known for her musicality and versatility of repertoire. Her eclectic tastes have led Melanie to collaborate with many different performers and ensembles.

    Melanie Chirignan

    Melanie earned her Bachelor’s in Music Performance and Music Education graduating magna cum laude from SUNY Fredonia and her Master’s degree in Flute Performance at the Hartt School. She has taught general music, chorus, and orchestra, and has taught every level from elementary school to conservatory level students. Melanie has taught workshops on the “Origins of South American Folk Music” through Hartford Performs, with Alturas Duo. An adjunct faculty at the College of Saint Rose, she is also a member of Quintocracy, who are artists in residence at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.

    Interview by Liam Sweeney, for RadioRadioX/The Xperience Monthly

    RRX: Many people take classical instrument lessons when they grow up, few pursue it, and you have. And not only have you beat the odds, you’re pretty much one of the people boosting the odds for others. How do you think you were able to beat the odds and wind up with a classical career?

    MC: Wow, thank you for the huge compliment. Well, everyone that sticks with music at all has some talent, so that’s not it. I treat it like a job because it is, and I persevered and practiced a lot for many, many years. Also, I really love chamber music. Concerts are the highlight of the month, so I make sure to keep scheduling things. When I find a piece I want to play, I find the players, and create an event. I keep finding pieces I must play, and so it goes on.

    Melanie Chirignan

    RRX: You are a flautist, which for the uninitiated, means you play the flute. You also play piccolo and alto flute. I think many people, including our readers, might be hard-pressed to tell the difference between these based on sound alone. How would you describe the differences in these three instruments?

    MC: The piccolo is smaller and requires much more precision than the flute. It’s like it has a smaller bullseye, and the tiniest lip movement or change in air speed will be heard. It is an octave higher and can really sing out over an entire orchestra. It’s small but mighty. The alto flute is much bigger than the flute. It has a more hollow, mellow sound than the flute. Many people like the alto flute best because they find the more diffuse tone pleasant. I like the flute best because of the bigger dynamic range (it can play louder and softer than alto flute) and I like its richness, how it has more harmonics in the sound.

    RRX: You’ve played in so many places, including, but certainly not limited to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Albany Pro Musica, Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, and Proctors. If all the places you’ve played were in a lifeboat, it would sink. Describe one that has a special meaning to you.

    MC: The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall is so acoustically perfect; it is literally awe-inspiring. The sensation is that the hall supports your sound and helps you play your best. This is why the hall has such an internationally known reputation. For me, I’m so thrilled to have a residency there with my wind quintet Quintocracy, and Jon Elbaum and the staff are so great to work with-those things help make it stand out as outstanding to me too.

    RRX: We are used to covering the more rock ‘n’ roll side of things. And we do so because it’s not just a music, it’s a story. Insane tours, bar fights, Egos left and right. But classical is different. It seems closed off, hermetically sealed from drama. Is it? Are there adventures that go beyond the movements? Is the community just organized differently?

    MC: I think for me, I try to take life’s drama and use it to play as musically as possible. I remember after my first heartbreak, my teacher told me to use those feelings to play, and we came back to Debussy’s Syrinx. Unlike pop music, classical musicians strive to never play the same phrase exactly the same. We come up with variations constantly, and so I think being attuned to the nuances that are your human emotions helps your musical expression. That being said, there is of course drama. Look at Mozart in the Jungle! Luckily, I got to be an extra in, and never experienced anything like that. Although we as classical musicians may look like we have it all together, my duo partner once forgot his pants-well his concert pants, he had jeans on.

    RRX: The flute and the piccolo are woodwinds. Their drivers are breath. And unlike singing, which is basically simple to do but impossible to master, some feel that woodwinds are just impossible to do. And you’re performing for an hour or more sometimes, which makes it harder. Is there a breathing technique that makes it easier?

    MC: You’re correct that the flute is a tough instrument for air usage. It wastes the most air out of all the winds because there isn’t a mouthpiece to blow into that is sealed. Air gets blown across and there is wasted air, unlike the clarinet, oboe, bassoon, or any brass instrument. However, you learn to be efficient with your embouchure (the shape of your mouth), and with your air. I think if you’re used to practicing for a couple of hours a day, then you just get used to the breathing, you’re trained for it and have that endurance built up. I think practicing yoga has helped me with body awareness and breathing. Since I’m small, I make sure my cardio game is strong, which also helps my flute playing. I remember my undergrad teacher telling me she started running a few months before having to play the Neilson concerto to build up her lung capacity.

    RRX: You teach as an adjunct professor at Saint Rose, and privately. And you teach all levels, from elementary school to conservatory level students. When I hear “conservatory” I think, are there named levels of learning? What does a conservatory student learn that’s different from a student just below that level? Is it just gradual?

    MC: A conservatory is different from a liberal arts education in that you’re only learning music. My extraordinary high school flute teacher, Michelle LaPorte, convinced me that I should go for a liberal arts education so that I would be a more well-rounded person. The idea is that being well-rounded would be reflected in your artistry as a more engaged, fulfilled listening experience. I think she was right, but I did go to a conservatory for my master’s degree to fine-tune my playing.

    RRX: This is where you answer the question I didn’t ask. Longest breath? Pied piper’s type of flute? Educate, enlighten, emote – the floor is yours.

    MC: We keep hearing that classical music is dying, but it’s not. It’s just being re-birthed in different, more creative ways. Groupmuse for instance, is an organization that facilitates people to have BYOB chamber music house concerts. It has launched and is thriving in many cities as well as internationally. Also, I think with more awareness, women composers and black composers that weren’t previously published or brought into the classical canon are beginning to. I think there’s some great changes ahead.

    For more info on Melanie Chirignan and to subscribe to her mailing list, visit MelanieChirignan.org

  • Olmos Chamber Ensemble to Bring “Classical Hodepodge” To Unity Hall

    When it comes to classical music, it is hard to remember each piece’s name, composer, movement, opus, etc. Maybe that’s why Olmos Chamber Ensemble came up with “Classical Hodgepodge”. At Unity Hall, the free film premiere of the Olmos Chamber Ensemble will take place on Sunday, December 5 at 3PM.

    The Olmos Ensemble film features a recent concert and interviews with the performers. You’ll hear works from Jacques Ibert, Maurice Ravel, George Gershwin, and Claude Debussy with performances hailing straight from Texas.  Proof of vaccination and ID are required to attend the program and face masks are encouraged. The doors will open at 2:30pm. 

    olmos chamber ensemble

    The film will be shown upstairs in Unity Hall’s main stage theatre on the large screen and broadcast through Unity Hall’s concert sound system.

    Established in 1994, the Olmos Ensemble has created a global name for itself as a premier chamber music organization. From numerous world class performances, live broadcasts and recordings Olmos Ensemble has increasingly gained more recognition with each performance. From the few players of the San Antonio Symphony that founded this ensemble you can find leading musicians from across the United States.

    Rachel Ferris as a soloist represents Barneveld with her upbringing.  The native of Central NY holds the position of Principal Harp with the San Antonio Symphony. Her academic career started at Poland Central School and graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy. Later she received a prestigious Bachelor’s Degree in Harp Performance from Oberlin College and Conservatory.  The other notable names you might recognize in the concert are Mark Teplitsky, the principal flute of the San Antonio Symphony and Mathew Cohen a nationally recognized violist and graduate of Julliard’s Master of Music Program.

    Thanks to the support of Unity Hall Membership and funds from the Decentralization Program, we can look forward to more performances from the Olmos Ensemble.

    Unity Hall is located at 101 Vanderkemp Avenue in Barneveld, New York. Information about upcoming concerts and other Unity Hall events can be found here.

  • American Symphony Orchestra Announces Details of 60th Anniversary Season

    The American Symphony Orchestra celebrates its return to the stage and its 60th anniversary season in 2021-22 with four full-orchestra programs at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall, and a free opening concert titled Mahler in New York at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on December 16. The opening program focuses on composers whom Mahler had championed during his years in New York.

    Additional highlights comprise the U.S. Premiere of Sergei Taneyev’s massive final work, At the Reading of a Psalm (January 28, 2022); an all-Duke Ellington program—cancelled at the start of the pandemic—featuring jazz pianist Marcus Roberts and his Trio with such works as Black, Brown, and Beige Suite; Sophisticated Lady; and Night Creature for Jazz Band and Orchestra (March 24, 2022); and a free closing program of living American PulitzerPrize-winning composers including Melinda Wagner, Richard Wernick, Shulamit Ran, and a world premiere by Puerto Rican composer Roberto Sierra with legendary electric violinist Tracy Silverman (June 5, 2022). .

    Now in its 60th season, the American Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1962 by Leopold Stokowski, with the mission of providing music within the means of everyone. Music Director Leon Botstein expanded that mission when he joined the ASO in 1992, creating thematic concerts that explore music from the perspective of the visual arts, literature, religion, and history, and reviving rarely performed works that audiences would otherwise never have a chance to hear performed live.

    Nothing can compare to the thrill of live performances. We are overjoyed at our return to the stage after the restrictions of the past year and to once again be able to play for our beloved audiences in person. To celebrate this especially meaningful event on the occasion of our 60th anniversary season makes it even more significant.

    American Symphony Orchestra Music Director Leon Botstein

    Leon Botstein provides the musical context for most of the concert programs in lively, 30-minute Conductor’s Notes Q&A sessions. These discussions, animated learning opportunities for both new concertgoers and music connoisseurs alike, begin one hour before each concert and are free for all ticket holders.

    AMERICAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Leon Botstein

    Leon Botstein has been music director and principal conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra since 1992. He is also music director of The Orchestra Now, an innovative training orchestra composed of top musicians from around the world. He is co-artistic director of Bard SummerScape and the Bard Music Festival, which take place at the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College, where he has been president since 1975. He is also conductor laureate of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, where he served as music director from 2003–11. In 2018, he assumed artistic directorship of Campus Grafenegg and Grafenegg Academy in Austria. Mr. Botstein also has an active career as a guest conductor with orchestras around the globe, and has made numerous recordings, as well as being a prolific author and music historian. He is the recipient of numerous honors for his contributions to the music industry. In 2019, The New York Times named Leon Botstein a “champion of overlooked works…who has tirelessly worked to bring to light worthy scores by neglected composers.”

    Mahler in New York

    Thursday, December 16, 2021, 8 pm, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam AveConductor’s Notes Q&A 7 pm. This free 60th anniversary performance opens the ASO season in the glorious Cathedral of St. John the Divine with a survey of some of the composers whom Mahler had championed during his time in New York, including George Whitefield Chadwick, Alphons Diepenbrock, and Henry Hadley. Mahler’s famous Adagio from his Symphony No. 10 will also be performed.Taylor Raven, mezzo-sopranoGeorge Whitefield Chadwick: Melpomene OvertureHenry Hadley: The Culprit Fay, Op. 62Alphons Diepenbrock: Hymne an die NachtGustav Mahler: Adagio from Symphony No. 10 

    Tickets: The performance is free, reservations are required and can be made online at americansymphony.org. Ticket holders will need to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 using a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to enter the venue and details can be found here.

    Sergei Taneyev’s At the Reading of a Psalm, U.S. Premiere

    Friday, January 28, 2022, 8 pm, Carnegie Hall (Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage) Conductor’s Notes Q&A 7 pm to be confirmed closer to the date as part of the venue’s guidelines The ASO returns to Carnegie Hall for its Vanguard Series with the U.S. Premiere of Sergei Taneyev’s final work, At the Reading of a Psalm. Conceived as a massive statement of Russian Orthodox faith at the onset of WWI, this large-scale cantata for full orchestra, double chorus, and vocal soloists showcases the dramatic effect of Taneyev’s contrapuntal mastery.Wendy Bryn Harmer, sopranoEve Gigliotti, mezzo-sopranoJoshua Blue, tenorHarold Wilson, bassBard Festival ChoraleFirst Movementi.      Chorus (Allegro tempestoso)ii.     Double Chorus (Andante sostenuto)iii.    Chorus. Triple Fugue (Fuga a tre soggetti, Andante – Allegro molto)Second Movementiv.   Chorus (Allegro moderato – Fuga. Allegro tenebroso)v.    Quartet (Andante)vi.   Quartet and Chorus (Adagio ma non troppo)Third Movementvii.  Interlude (Allegro appassionato)viii. Aria (Alto Solo) (Adagio piu tosto largo)ix.   Double Chorus (Finale) (Adagio pietoso e molto cantabile-Allegro moderato-Allegro molto) 

    Tickets: Priced at $25–$65, tickets are available at carnegiehall.org, by calling CarnegieCharge at 212.247.7800, or visiting the box office at 57th St & 7th Ave. Ticket holders will need to follow the venue’s guidelines and show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 using a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to enter the building.

    Duke Ellington + Marcus Roberts Trio

    Thursday, March 24, 2022, 8 pm, Carnegie Hall (Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage)Conductor’s Notes Q&A 7 pm to be confirmed closer to the date as part of the venue’s guidelinesThe American Symphony Orchestra toasts the genre-defying genius of Duke Ellington with an evening including New World A-Comin’ and Three Black Kings for jazz trio and full orchestra with renowned jazz pianist Marcus Roberts. Originally scheduled for March 2020 but canceled due to the pandemic, the concert features Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Catherine Russell. Roberts worked with the ASO in United We Play, a short film featuring three world premieres commissioned by ASO and released in December 2020 on the Orchestra’s streaming platform ASO Online.Marcus Roberts Trio    Marcus Roberts, piano    Rodney Jordan, bass    Jason Marsalis, drumsCatherine Russell, vocalistAll-Duke EllingtonBlack, Brown, and Beige Suite (Arr. Maurice Peress)Satin Doll (Arr. Chuck Israels)Harlem (Arr. Luther Henderson & Maurice Peress)Sophisticated Lady (Arr. Morton Gould)New World A Comin’ (Arr. Maurice Peress)Three Black Kings (Completed by Mercer Ellington, Arr. Luther Henderson)Night Creature for Jazz Band and Orchestra (Arr. Luther Henderson, Ed. Gunther Schuller) 

    Tickets: Priced at $25–$65, tickets go on sale December 22 and are available at carnegiehall.org, by calling CarnegieCharge at 212.247.7800, or visiting the box office at 57th St & 7th Ave. Ticket holders will need to follow the venue’s guidelines and show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 using a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to enter the building.

    American Masters

    Sunday, June 5, 2022, 8 pm, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th StreetConductor’s Notes Q&A 7 pmThe ASO offers another free performance to close its 60th anniversary season. In line with the ASO’s long history of championing American artists, the closing concert offers a trio of American Pulitzer Prize-winning living composers including Melinda Wagner and two of her mentors, Richard Wernick and Shulamit Ran. Philadelphia-born Melinda Wagner’s Concerto for Flute, Strings, and Percussion was distinguished for its well-crafted flute solo. Boston native Richard Wernick’s Viola Concerto—written for violist Walter Trampler and Leon Botstein (who conducted the 1987 premiere)—alludes to the well-known Dylan Thomas poem “Do not go gentle into that good night.” Shulamit Ran’s Symphony, commissioned by The Philadelphia Orchestra, also won the Kennedy Center Friedheim Award the same year as her 1991 Pulitzer. The program’s highlight is the world premiere of Roberto Sierra’s newly commissioned Concerto for Electric Violin, which presents a mixture of Sierra’s Latin-influenced ideas and modern compositional techniques through the voice of the electric violin, performed by the renowned electric violinist Tracy Silverman.Tracy Silverman, violinRoberto Sierra: Concerto for Electric Violin (World Premiere)Melinda Wagner: Concerto for Flute, Strings, and Percussion (work awarded with 1999 Pulitzer Prize)Richard Wernick: Viola Concerto (“Do Not Go Gentle…”)Shulamit Ran: Symphony (work awarded with 1991 Pulitzer Prize) 

    Tickets are free but required. Ticketing and reservation access information will be available in early 2022 at americansymphony.org and jazz.org. Ticket holders will need to follow the venue’s guidelines and show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 using a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to enter the building.

  • GEMS Announces Open Gates Project With Three Concerts Featuring Women of Color

    Gotham Early Music Scene also known as GEMS announced their Open Gates Project launching with three concerts featuring women of color. The concerts will take place November 12-14, 2021 across three boroughs of New York City. 

    Open Gates Project inaugural concert series is The Divine Feminine: Centering Women of Color in Early Music. This concert series is focusing on the 17th–century works celebrating the animating feminine spirit featuring an ensemble composed of women of color.

    The 17th–century female composers it will be focusing on are Chiara Margarita Cozzolani, Barbara Strozzi, and Francesca Caccini. The concerts will be performed by outstanding rising and established American and international artists, with careers encompassing early, chamber, and Classical music, opera, jazz, and musical theater. The program is bookended with works devoted to the Virgin Mary. It opens with Madre, de los primores by New World visionary Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz who is considered the first great Latin American poet and recognized for her influential perspectives on women and scholarship. Pergolesi’s glorious and sublime Stabat Mater closes the program.

    The Open Gates Project and GEMS as a bigger entity is committed to helping make significant efforts to make early music performance opportunities more equitable for artists of color and more accessible to historically excluded communities of color. Over the coming year, the Project will offer a rich variety of music performed by distinguished artists for diverse audiences throughout New York City.

    The three performances will take place starting on Friday, November 12, 2021 at 7 PM at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Manhattan. Then on Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 7 PM at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center in Queens. And will wrap up on Sunday, November 14, 2021 at 4 PM at the Pregones Theater in the Bronx. All audience members must have proof of vaccination and wear a mask. Check the GEMS website closer to the opening dates for full COVID-19 protocols and any updates.

    The lineup includes Nicole Besa singing soprano, Aine Hakamatsuka singing soprano, Heather Hill singing soprano, Amaranta Viera singing soprano, Tanisha Anderson singing mezzo-soprano, Guadalupe Peraza singing mezzo-soprano, AnnMarie Sandy singing mezzo-soprano, Hai-Ting Chinn singing alto, Jessica Park on violin, Maria Romero Ramos on violin, Amelia Sie on violin, Patricia Ann Neely on viola da gamba, and Duangkamon “Wan” Wattanasak on harpsichord.

    The program includes performances of: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz: Madre, de los primores, Chiara Margarita Cozzolani: O dulcis Jesu, Barbara Strozzi: I baci, Francesca Caccini: O vive rose, Alessandro Stradella: Sinfonia No. 22 in D minor, and Giovanni Battista Pergolesi: Stabat Mater.

    Tickets are available for $15–$30 ($5 for students, ID required at venue) are all General Admission seating and are available online by calling 212-866-0468, or at the door depending on availability.. 

    For more information on the GEMS Open Gates Project and its upcoming events visit their website.