NYS Music 202​1

Category: News Desk

  • Saratoga’s Opera-To-Go will Continue Virtually in Schools

    Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Opera Saratoga announced that their OPERA-TO-GO tour will continue virtually. The company’s in-school program will continue to provide a unique arts education experience to the students of the Capital District. The new program will feature the world premiere of “The Selfish Giant,” a one-act opera based on Oscar Wilde’s short story, written by Brazilian-American composer Clarice Assad and librettist Lila Palmer. It was commissioned by the American Lyric Theater specifically for younger audiences.

    Opera Saratoga has re-envisioned the OPERA-TO-GO program as a digital initiative over the past six months. It is available for free to educators for their students. The program will be ready for schools in late February, and is comprised of the following elements:

    opera to go

    “For over 20 years, Opera Saratoga has offered its OPERA-TO-GO touring program to elementary schools in February and March each winter,” said Artistic and General Director Lawrence Edelson. “While we love visiting schools and introducing children to opera, proceeding with an in-person tour this winter and spring would not only be impractical, but also irresponsible. Safety must come first. However, we are still committed to providing access to the performing arts to students as well as robust arts education resources to educators – whether they are teaching virtually, in person, or in some combination of the two.”

    Opera Saratoga is creating a series of short video lessons on opera, aligned to New York State Common Core Standards in Music, Theater, Visual Arts, and English/Literature at grade levels from K-5, as well as the National Social Emotional Learning Standards. For each grade level, there will be a series of six videos, each 10 to 15 minutes in length, available for use in class, or for at-home viewing. Each video is accompanied by a comprehensive teacher’s guide that includes details of the alignment to State standards, and grade appropriate follow-up activities for students.

    Opera Saratoga is making a professional audio recording of the new opera “The Selfish Giant.” This recording will be fully integrated into the digital curriculum, providing opportunities to explore subjects including adaptation (how a short story becomes an opera), the role of the librettist, the role of the composer, collaboration, how words and music come together to create sung theater, the textual and musical “building blocks” of opera, and how opera is produced on stage.

    Using the recording, students will have the opportunity to make their own film versions of “The Selfish Giant” by creating art that reflects the story and music. A scene-by-scene breakdown of the dramatic action of the opera will be provided to each class participating in the program, along with very clear, grade appropriate instructions. Students will be assigned specific moments of the opera to illustrate in a manner appropriate to their age/grade level, through drawing, painting, collage, or digital photography.

    Opera Saratoga will then create films of “The Selfish Giant,” synching the recording of the opera to the art created by the students that bring each scene to life. Each school or class will have the opportunity to create their own versions of the film. In the spring, these videos will be completed and made available to share with family members as well as on each school’s website and social media channels. Opera Saratoga will create an online library of student-created films of the opera, which will be hosted on the company’s website. 

    Educators who are interested in offering this program to their students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 should register no later than January 22.

    Opera Saratoga is able to provide free access to the entire video lesson series with educational support materials for all teachers and all schools. However, as the company does have limited capacity to create the opera-video projects, this portion of the program will be limited to schools in Saratoga, Warren, Washington, Essex, Albany, Rensselaer, and Schenectady counties, and will be limited to the first 50 schools or classes that register for the program. 

  • Harlem Gospel Choir Announces Performance at Sony Hall

    Harlem Gospel Choir is known for their contemporary gospel sound with a touch of jazz and blues They announced their upcoming performance at Sony Hall in New York City, right around the corner from Times Square. The show will broadcast via live-stream from Sony Hall on January 18, 2021 at 3PM. 

    Harlem Gospel Choir

    The Harlem Gospel Choir has been performing for over two decades and are known for being one of America’s premier gospel choirs. They are deeply rooted in the history of the African-American slave trade. It’s widely known that black gospel music can be traced back to the 1700’s, when African slaves were brought to America against their will. Eventually their unique African musical heritage was combined with Christianity to create the gospel sound that is widely known today. The Harlem Gospel Choir presents the modern gospel classics as performed in the black churches of Harlem today.

    Sony Hall is a multi-genre live venue located in the heart of New York City. It’s known as a one-of-a-kind concert hall which is enhanced by Sony technology to provide people with an one of a kind entertainment experience. The venue was established in 2018 and is owned and operated by Blue Note Entertainment Group. It has standing room for 1,000 people or seating capacity for 500 people and a full service restaurant and bar. Sony technology 360 Reality Audio, 4K Remote Cameras, and Headphones that support the 360 Reality Audio.

    This special performance is being done in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. and according to the Choir, “It will be a very special show with new material, and a few surprises.” The performance will take place live on January 18, 2021 at 3PM and will be available with the access code until January  25, 2021 at 11:59PM EST. Access to the virtual stream code is $25. People interested in purchasing a ticket can do so here.

    For more information the Harlem Gospel Choir and their Sony Hall performance, visit their website.

  • NIVA Awards First Set of Grants To Venues Across the Country

    It’s no surprise that the music industry has struggled to stay afloat since the start of the pandemic. Venues have shut down permanently and performers have resorted to online live streaming instead of in-person concerts. There is light at the end of the tunnel, though. The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is giving out its first set of grants to music venues around the country.

    NIVA Grants
    A concert attended by a huge audience before Covid.

    Music fans, artists and corporations from all over donated to NIVA’s Emergency Relief Fund. This amounted to $3 million in short term relief for independent venues and promoters in need of economic help. The recently passed COVID-19 Relief Law includes provisions from the Save Our Stages Act, to give financial assistance to the music industry. Unfortunately, there’s still time before they see any of the funds coming through. These grants are put in place to help keep the venues doors from closing.

    This aid would not have been possible without the help of everyone who has supported NIVA. Thank you especially to the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund Committee co-chairs, Lisa Gedgaudas, Chris Zacher, and Carl Swanson, who dedicated endless hours to making sure this program could assist as many venues and promoters as possible. We’re immensely grateful to them, but the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund is just a temporary life raft for these small businesses.

    Rev. Moose – NIVA Executive Director

    NIVA came to fruition when the pandemic forced large gatherings to come to an abrupt halt. Since then they have acquired 3,000 members in all 50 states. NIVA’s goal is to preserve the environment of live music and to focus on separate and supplemental initiatives, such as the Emergency Relief Fund.

    The Giving Back Fund administered The Emergency Relief Fund through a panel of third party industry experts.

    “It’s hard to imagine our futures without the lively spirit and culture of independent music venues,” said Marc Pollick, president of the Giving Back Fund.

    The fund is tax-deductible so that individuals, companies and foundations can contribute. They are currently still taking donations with a goal of $11 million to provide essential business relief to everyone who has applied.

    With a maximum grant amount of $25,000, this is only short-term help. And we are pained that we can’t provide grants to all who applied, because our industry’s need far exceeds the donations we’ve collected so far. We’re grateful that Congress passed the latest COVID Relief law, but it will likely take months before the grants are received. We’re trying to help those most at risk of going under while they wait.

    Rev. Moose – NIVA Executive Director

    For now, NIVA will use these critical grants to help hold suffering businesses over until the COVID-19 law provides more permanent economic stability. This allows them to maintain their current payments in hopes that the industry does not flatline and when everything goes back to normal they can prosper ahead of this economic disaster.

  • Bobby Shmurda Possible Prison Release as Early as February

    The long-awaited release of Brooklyn rapper Bobby Shmurda could come much earlier than expected. The incarcerated emcee — born, Ackquille Jean Pollard — was arrested in December 2014, along with his associates, his brother and GS9 label-mate Rowdy Rebel on charges of drug and gun possession, reckless endangerment and conspiracy to commit murder.

    Bobby Shmurda Release

     Rowdy Rebel was released on December 15thafter Shmurda took a plea dealthat saw his time extended to lessen his label mate’s. Shmurda was up for parole in September but was denied as a result of disciplinary actions for behavior while in prison. It was then believed that he would serve the full length of his sentence — which was set to end on December,11 2021 The state Department of Correction subsequently restored his credit for good behavior and now the “Hot N****” rapper may be released as early as  February 23, 2021. The conditions of his release are of course contingent on the rapper’s behaviors, with one infraction possibly delaying his release until the end of the year, TMZ reports. 

    Bobby Shmurda Release

    While Shmurda has been incarcerated, he has maintained his strong following — especially on social media — and if theresponseto Rowdy Rebel’s release is any indication, then Shmurda will be coming home to a hero’s welcome. 

    Bobby Shmurda Release

  • Dr. Dre Speaks Out Following Apparent Brain Aneurysm

    Dr. Dre was hospitalized late Monday night at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles following an apparent brain aneurysm. TMZ reported that Dre is stable and lucid, and doctors are continuing to figure out what caused the brain bleed.

    dr dre

    The 55-year-old legendary rapper and producer, whose real name is Andre Romell Young, updated fans on his well-being on social media, speaking out for the first time since his hospitalization. “Thanks to my family, friends, and fans for their interest and well wishes,” said Dre via an Instagram post made late Tuesday night.

    Dr. Dre first climbed the ranks of the West Coast hip hop scene with N.W.A, soon rising to fame in the music industry, arguably becoming one of the top music producers of all time. He co-founded Death Row Records and produced works by Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg and Eminem, among many others.

    Not long after Dre’s initial Instagram post, celebrities took to social media, wishing the music industry mogul well.

    “Send your love and prayers,” Tweeted fellow N.W.A member and West Coast icon, Ice Cube.

    The Brain Aneurysm Foundation notes that ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal in about half of all cases, and survivors have a 66 percent chance of permanent neurological deficits.


  • Palace Sessions return with Moriah Formica, Sawyer Fredericks & Madison Vandenburg

    The Palace Sessions return with a trio of young talent that have each found a national audience. Moriah Formica, Sawyer Fredericks and Madison Vandenburg will be stream performances from Albany’s Palace Theatre on January 13 at 7pm on the Palace Theatre’s

    Formica, Fredericks and Vandenburg have each found fame through nationally broadcast music competition shows The Voice (Formica and Fredericks) and American Idol (Vandenburg). Through their performances and runs into the finals of their respective shows, they have each amassed a large following, bringing a focus to the Capital Region of New York.

    The Palace Sessions is a monthly live music series featuring some of our favorite regional acts performing in unique spaces within the historic performing arts center. Watch previous episodes of The Palace Sessions below.

    During the stream, donations can be made to benefit the Palace Performing Arts Center, Inc. – the 501(c)3 non-profit organization that owns and operates the historic Palace Theatre. Donations can be made or directly through the Palace Theatre’s Text To Give program, by texting Palace2020 to 44321.

    The Palace has been Albany’s iconic downtown landmark for the past eight decades, bringing  the biggest names in entertainment to the Capital Region. The history and programming of the  Palace is a unique and often untold story with roots dating back to the period of the Great  Depression. The Palace Theatre, built in 1931, originally presented vaudeville acts, feature films  and became a civic auditorium before closing its doors in 1969. The theatre maintains its original  beauty and design and is a historical landmark in the City of Albany.

    The Palace Performing Arts  Center was established in 1984 and incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1989, created to  operate the Palace Theatre. The mission of the Palace is to bring world-class arts and  entertainment to New York’s Capital Region, greatly enhancing the area’s cultural and economic  development. Our mission is carried out through core programming and community initiatives  that include performing arts entertainment, free arts education, family-friendly performances,  free summer movies and a classic movie program series. The Palace has a significant economic  footprint with over $3.5 million in ticket sales and 180,000 patrons. 

    Palace Sessions is presented by the Palace Theatre, the City of Albany and Mirth Films.

  • Capital Region Venues Donate Virtual Black Violin Concert to Students

    Three Capital Region performing arts venues banded together to donate a virtual Black Violin concert to students of all grade levels.

    Black Violin
    Hip-hop duo Black Violin. Wil Baptiste (left) Kev Marcus (right).

    Proctors Collaborative, Saratoga Performing Arts Center and Troy Savings Bank Music Hall are the three venues that will provide the virtual concert to classrooms from Feb. 22 to April 2. Between those days, students can experience an explosion of classical and hip-hop music from the duo, Black Violin.

    Teachers have been given the enormous and challenging task of teaching their students in person and, or virtually at the ready. Arts education has suffered during the pandemic. Tens of thousands of students would have visited any one of our venues for educational programming during this school year. Opportunities such Black Violin can straddle the disconnect of social distancing, support wellness and foster creative development and critical thinking.

    Christine Sheehan, Director of Education at Proctors Collaborative

    Black Violin normally consists of Wil Baptiste on viola and Kev Marcus on violin, but for the show DJ SPS and drummer Nat Stokes will join them. Together, the group describes themselves as a “classical Boom” because of their distinctive sounds of both classical and hip-hop.

    Black violin has held strong for 16 years in the music industry. The pair gained notoriety for their mixture of modern tunes and vocals with old school orchestral music. Since their start, they have sold out headline concerts across the country at various notable venues. Performing around 200 shows, many have been for low-income students in urban communities.

     “The stereotypes are always there, embedded so deep in our culture. Just by nature of our existence we challenge those ideas. It’s a unique thing that brings people together who aren’t usually in the same room, and in the current climate, it’s good to bring people together,” said Baptiste. 

    Capital Region teachers are able to register for the virtual event starting Jan. 5 on https://school.proctors.org/blackviolin/. Teachers who do want to participate will be given a study guide, link and access code prior to the show.

  • “Beat of the Boroughs: NYC Online” Receives $33K Grant to Extend the Series

    “Beat of the Boroughs: NYC Online” received a $33K grant to extend the series through the Spring of 2021. The series is presented by the Center for Traditional Music and Dance (CTMD) and it highlights the artistry of New York City’s leading immigrant performers from around the world. The grant came from the Howard Gilman Foundation. 

    The 33K grant will allow CTMD to spotlight 100 New York City-based immigrant and folk artists with their series with the help of the previous funding CTMD received from the Scherman Foundation and the NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund. 

    The Howard Gilman Foundation supports a cross-section of New York City-based performing arts organizations of varying structure, style, and budget size. The organization is committed to serving geographically and culturally diverse organizations devoted to excellence in both artistic achievement and audience experience.

    The artists being featured in the “Beat of the Boroughs: NYC Online” include several National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship Award winners—represent the strength and diversity of the cultural sector in the City’s five boroughs, with traditions hailing from Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Gambia, Haiti, Iraq, Japan, Mongolia, Ukraine, and West Africa, among other areas. 

    Immigrant artists have suffered hardships due to COVID- 19, particularly in New York City, with many unable to support themselves due to venues shutting down, the lack of endowments, and government aid. A recent report by the Center for an Urban Future found that many immigrant-led and immigrant-serving arts organizations are facing fiscal catastrophe, reporting revenue losses amounting to 50 percent or more of their annu­al budgets. This grant to showcase immigrant performances could make a huge difference for these severely impacted performers. 

    Peter Rushefsky, Executive Director of CTMD spoke on the pandemic and its effects on CTMD saying, “New York City’s traditional and folk artists have been particularly impacted by both the pandemic and the anti-immigrant political climate in our country. Amid the pandemic, many of these artists have structural impediments including the digital divide and language barriers to access federal relief funds or private sources of funding. Now more than ever we need to support these artists, who have suffered losses because of canceled concerts, performances, exhibitions, and other events. It is imperative that we come together as a city to support and celebrate our immigrant communities.”

    For more information on the Center for Traditional Music and Dance and their “Beat of the Boroughs: NYC Online” visit their website.

  • Flushing Town Hall Announces Jazz Inspired “Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration”

    Flushing Town Hall announced it’s jazz inspired “Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.” The performance will be a live virtual performance led by band leader Carol Sudhalter on January 13, 2021. 

    The performance will be part of their Jazz Jams series hosted by Flushing Town Hall. The series premieres monthly and features artists from across the globe. Jazz musicians come together to play their tunes reflecting each month’s theme. This month’s theme is Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. The performance will take place on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 7PM EST and will feature jazz musicians from New York City and across the world will play tunes reflecting the pursuit of racial justice in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

    Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s deep appreciation of music as an “instrument of change” is one of the main inspirations for it being the muse of January’s Jazz Jams. As The International Musician once noted that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr considered jazz to be “triumphant music” and had once written that, “Jazz speaks for life. The blues tell the story of life’s difficulties, and if you think for a moment, you will realize that they take the hardest realities of life and put them into music, only to come out with some new hope or sense of triumph.”

    The interesting thing about the Jazz Jams programming is that Flushing Town Hall opens it up to the public for performance slots. Musicians interested in participating on January 13, 2021 should email education@flushingtownhall.org with their suggested three- to four-minute tune they intend to play. The performance can be live or a pre-recorded audio or video (but not a professional, edited recording such as a CD or YouTube video). Musicians who previously performed are now welcome to return. Each month, up to five returning musicians and up to 15 new musicians can participate. Selection is on a first-come, first-served basis.

    The performance will be free to the public and available to watch live on Flushing Town Hall’s Facebook or Zoom.