The Orchestra Now (TŌN) will continue its Spring 2021 season by live streaming two concerts March 7 and March 20, with conductors Andrés Rivas and Zachary Schwartzman.
The Orchestra Now from theorchestranow.org
Works on both concerts, ranging from rarely performed music for string orchestra to Vivaldi’s Concerto in G minor, Pärt’s memorial for composer Benjamin Britten and Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite after Bizet’s beloved opera, will be prefaced with brief remarks by TŌN musicians.
On March 7, assistant conductor Andrés Rivas will lead the orchestra in four works for strings. The english composer Bruce Montgomery will have his Concertino for String Orchestra performed. Montgomery’s work ranges over several genres, including soundtracking for the infamous British comedy series Carry On. There will also be works from composers Victor Herbert, Ingvar Lidholm, and Andrés Gaos.
On March 20, resident conductor Zachary Schwartzmen will lead an arrangement from Bizet‘s classic opera Carmen by Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin in advance of his 90th birthday in December 2022. Shchedrin’s works are known for their avant-garde and neoclassist sensibilities as well as folk and jazz sounds. His Carmen suite was intended for his wife, who is a ballerina. Conductor and Grammy-nominated recording artist Zachary Schwartzman will offer musical insights on the concert in a Zoom seminaron Thursday, March 11 at 7 PM EST. You can RSVP HERE.
The Orchestra Now from theorchestranow.org
It is a free concert with a suggested donation of $15-35. If you cannot attend the concerts in real-time, they will be posted here after March 11.
The Orchestra Now is a group of 72 young, vivacious musicians from 14 different countries. All members share a love for orchestral music, keeping it relevant in the 21st century by sharing their personal insights and artistic capabilities in a welcoming environment. Conductor, educator, and music historian Leon Botstein, whom The New York Times said “draws rich, expressive playing from the orchestra,” founded TŌN in 2015 as a graduate program at Bard College, where he is also president. The Orchestra Now offers both a three-year master’s degree program in Curatorial, Critical, and Performance Studies and a two-year advanced certificate in Orchestra Studies. You can find more about TŌN here.
Spaghetti Eastern Music returns with the maxi-single, “Blues for a Lost Cosmonaut.” The solo project of NYC and Hudson Valley-based musician Sal Cataldi, Spaghetti Eastern’s latest releases have ventured into ambient music. The sprawling new track occupies almost ten minutes of time and space, taking the listener on a peaceful star trek through the galaxy.
Despite lacking lyrics and hooks, “Blues for a Lost Cosmonaut” still makes room for a narrative and recurring themes. While an overall peaceful auditory experience, suspense and uncertainty creep up on the listener between stretches of serenity. In its most tense moments, “Blues” evokes the eerie prog-pop bookends of Gary Wright’s 1975 “Dream Weaver,” but this time the dissonance is in the middle. If Walt Disney World’s Space Mountain had a secret chill detour, this would be the soundtrack.
The inspiration came from watching some old videos of the early Soviet space program, especially the first space walk by Alexei Leonov. It was about recreating the contrasting moods and feelings that the film of this moment imparts. There’s peace, wonder and weightlessness combined with the realization that this could spin out of control at any moment, as it did for some early Soviet space explorers.
Sal Cataldi
Another clear inspiration is Fripp & Eno, an ambient side project consisting of Brian Eno and Robert Fripp. “Blues” is the third offering in a trilogy of similar pieces: in 2020, Cataldi released “Her Lemon Peel Raincoat” and “Peace Within.”
It’s just a fun exercise in soundscapes, in impulsive sound painting recorded in the wee small hours during the lonely moments of the COVID quarantine.
Sal Cataldi
Cataldi released his first album under Spaghetti Eastern Music in 2015, titled Sketches of Spam. He recorded “Blues for a Lost Cosmonaut” on his houseboat in Port Washington, Long Island, Houseboat Garlic Knot Studios, as well as at Sonic Garden in West Saugerties, New York. “Blues for a Lost Cosmonaut” is available for download and streaming on Bandcamp, CD Baby, iTunes, Spotify and elsewhere.
Beloved live music venue The Haunt in Ithaca, NY has been recently sold and demolished, but relocation begins soon.
At 702 Willow Street, The Haunt will be replaced by a building under the City Harbor Residential Project, which is under way now in Ithaca. Several residential buildings are in the process of construction all across town.
Ithaca’s most prominent local promoter, Dan Smalls of DSP shows, said on the matter “It allows me to work with the people we’re working with to look for a new and bigger and better location, which continues to be our plan,” He added, “The question is just when we will be ready to announce it. That’ll be hopefully soon, but we’re working very diligently toward a new location. Our goal is to be the premier live entertainment venue in Central New York. It’ll be a gathering place for not just live music, like The Haunt, but a real downtown gathering spot.”
The Haunt, Fall 2020 – photo by Casey Martin
Small recognizes that the pandemic renders it impossible to know when live music can resume, but he hopes that in 2022 it will be possible to have a full-capacity venue.
“(COVID-19 guidance) will dictate how quickly we move with the next project, but there will be a next project,” Smalls said. “Something that’s a usable, hopefully downtown location, and there’s lots of areas downtown that are currently being developed, so hopefully that gives people an idea of where that could be.”
Originally opening in 1960, The Haunt relocated in the 1990s to the West End which attracted both national artists and up-and-coming acts, fostering a space in Ithaca for large crowds and great music. Smalls remarks on attending concerts at the earlier Green Street location before it was relocated in the 90s. To make the new Ithaca location a vital venue in the region, Smalls cities the Higher Ground venue in Burlington, Vermont as a place he wishes to emulate.
The potential new location is hypothesized to land on 15-117 North Cayuga Street, the current location of the Masonic Temple, but after speaking to the owners, Smalls responded that the offer is not “on the table” just yet.
A little March madness may complement and contribute to sanity and help keep society on an even keel
Henry V. Porter, 1939
Since 2015, New York State Music has crafted a March Madness bracket delving into the musical harbors of our great state. As fans and musicians ourselves, we spotlight the great talent across New York in friendly competition and discovery.
Porter coined the term that went dark for four decades. March Madness, as you know it today, is commonplace in sport and bracketing. NYS Music is here to put a musical namesake on March Madness 2021. Its furry never looses sight of the underdog, a headliner’s humble beginnings, new musical discovery and rolling with the punches in our ever-changing industry.
These are 64 bands you might not know about, but should. Artists big and small, but all homegrown in New York. With the aide of our sponsors, NYS Music March Madness is a medium for these artists to be heard, grow and discovered. Go Listen. Go Vote. And let the Madness begin.
For any band starting out, there are things that need to be addressed. Among them, what venue you’ll play, who the promoter is, who handles the sound and lights, how you’ll market yourself, where you get merch from, and more recently, how you’ll stream your show. Fortunately, NYS Music has partnered with businesses across New York State to help bands meet these needs.
Central New York promoters Creative Concertsbring together fans at venues, stretching from Albany to Rochester and Syracuse to Ithaca. Lark Hall is the soon to open mid-sized venue in Albany that will host bands of all sizes, events and more. If you need to market your show, event, band or brand, Rochester’s Balbert Marketing has you covered. Need merchandise? Homegrown Eastern New York’s 518 Prints makes quality goods for local, regional and national bands or tours. High Peaks Event Production is a team with years of experience, aiding in all your stage, lighting and sound demands.JamCast proves high quality streams for bands, podcasts and much more. Between these companies, bands will find a great deal of what they need, and support businesses from across New York and the Northeast.
Vote now for your favorites and discover some of the great up and coming music that New York State has to offer!
NOTE: Make sure you vote in ALL matchups for each region.
Polls are now closed. Stay tuned for Round 2 voting, beginning Saturday, March 6 at 8am!
JamCast is a streaming platform that provides a unique experience using live, pre-recorded, archived audio & video performances, podcasting, vlogs, blogs, and more. It’s an online resource and database for all music industry professionals.
We’re also proud to present a bracket designed by the good folks at Wook+ Media, who have been keeping brackets going strong throughout the year, with unique topics and incredibly artistic designs. Check out the Round 1 graphic below:
Amityville Music Hall released a compilation album on Friday, February 26 to benefit its Long Island music venue.
Twenty-eight artists are included on the compilation, including John Nolan (Taking Back Sunday, Straylight Run), Jade Lilitri of Oso Oso, Johnny Booth, Sainthood Reps, Brian Byrne (Envy On The Coast, Violent Joy), Somerset Thrower, Rare Futures, and Wreath Of Tongues.
The album will be a mix of covers, originals, and stripped-down songs, available for a $15 donation on Long Island Emo’s bandcamp page starting on February 26th.
Amityville Music Hall has been a beloved hub for rock music in Long Island for many, many years. It has been the starting point for many bands that end up growing larger, but their nascence is from the Long Island scene. These small venues are critical to musicians and music lovers. As the pandemic continues, these venues need support in order to come back when it is safe in the future.
Go support AMH here:
Live music acts and DJ’s. Craft beers on tap. Daily events and specials. Available to rent for private events.Additional InformationLive music acts and DJ’s. Craft beers on tap. Weekly bar events and specials. Catering hall for private events.
The Crandell Theatre, Columbia County’s largest and oldest theatre located at 48 Main St. in Chatham, has raised $2 million towards their $3 million renovation goal.
Inside the Crandell Theatre. Photo via crandelltheatre.org
Built in 1926 by Chatham native and banker, Walter S. Crandell, the building designed in Spanish Renaissance style opened on Christmas day in 1926. The sound system was installed in 1929 and they played movies with audio called “talkies”. Anthony H. Quirino purchased the building in 1960 and stayed within the family’s possession until his son Tony died in 2010.
In 1998 film enthusiasts organized Chatham Film Club to regularly bring more independent and foreign films to the area. They made arrangements with Tony to rent the theatre out on a monthly basis on Sundays. Two years after, they collaborated with the Columbia County Council on the Arts and created the FilmColumbia festival which is a weekend of films shown in the theatre. After Tony’s passing, the CFC raised $600,000 to fix the theatre after its closing and purchasing it with the help of the community and Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, Lael Locke and Judy Grunberg. The CFC name officially changed to the Crandell Theatre in 2018.
The Crandell is a single-screened theatre that contains about 534 seats with over 422 auditorium seats and over 112 balcony seats. In 2013 they rebuilt the projection booth on the balcony to adopt digital projection and sound equipment. The current renovation plan includes upgrading the audio system, lobby and concession expansion. Additionally, they will make restrooms more current, replace seats and organize functional storage and workspace. The money made towards the renovation so far comes from fundraising and a $1 million pledge.
The theatre closed because of the pandemic but may reopen this summer if the state guidelines and their finances allow them. They plan to produce the FilmColumbia Festival this fall and hope to start reconstruction next January. If things go as planned, they can reopen with the renovations and host the FilmColumbia later next year.
Saturday Night Live welcomed Nick Jonas for 15th episode of Season46. Tonight’s cold open featured cast members feigning medical conditions in order to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Kate McKinnon continued her portrayal of Dr. Anthony Fauci, with Aidy Bryant as Senator Ted Cruz and Pete Davidson as Governor Andrew Cuomo. Despite criticisms of SNL having a liberal bias, both politicians were teased equally, with more than a nursing home joke thrown in Cuomo’s direction.
Gearing up for his first solo album since the success of the Jonas Brothers’ 2019 comeback, Nick Jonas had double duty as host and musical guest. In addition to new songs “Spaceman” and “This Is Heaven” he appeared in several skits throughout the night, playing Prince Charming and a Mirror fitness coach.
Besides promoting his new music, Nick is also set to return for his sophomore season as a coach on The Voice. In a Dionne Warwick Talk Show skit opposite Ego Nwodim, she told him, “I’ve heard you’re the most boring coach, even though one of the other coaches is John Legend.”
In his opening monologue, Nick paid homage to Broadway theatre, still shuttered nearly a year later, by singing “Drink With Me” from Les Misérables. Back in 2010, Nick played Marius in the London production of Les Mis at the O2 Arena. He also gave a shout-out to older brother and bandmate Kevin, who was in the audience, as well as his home state of New Jersey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCy5Gb9NYN0
Nick’s first song was his new single, “Spaceman.” With themes of isolation and disillusionment, the song references mask-wearing and the rising pandemic death toll, tying them up with an outer space metaphor. “And the numbers are high but we keep going down / ‘Cause we ain’t supposed to live with nobody around,” the chorus says.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12akdhW8OEs
He closed out the night by debuting “This Is Heaven,” which sounds suspiciously like his 2014 hit “Jealous.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p9TzfI6WGM
SNLreturns on March 27, with former cast member Maya Rudolph hosting and Jack Harlow as the musical guest.
Ryan Dugré is a New York-based multi-instrumentalist and composer. originally from Holyoke, MA. On February 19, the artist released his nostalgic LP Three Rivers.
Photo Credit: Annette Wong
Beginning in 2019, Dugré wrote the album’s instrumental pieces. Dugré’s work established shadowy undertones and an introspective melody. His utilization of guitar at the forefront of his work built the calmness of Three Rivers. He also supported this sound with piano, synth, strings, and sparse percussion.
The song-writing process behind Three Rivers was relatively fast-paced. Dugré developed an exercise where he created a new piece of music each day. He did this in order to build a routine of writing and creativity. The work he had to compose daily consisted of an improvisation, loose sketch, or a fully orchestrated piece.
Three Rivers Album Artwork
Dugré’s techniques allowed him to be vulnerable with his many colleagues who performed on the album alongside him. Three Rivers was re-recorded in October 2019 in Brooklyn with engineer Adam Sachs. This LP featured string arrangements from Ian Mcllelan Davis and contributions from Brett Lanier, Sean Mullins, Adam Dotson, and Will Graefe. Also, Leo Abrahams mixed the album.
The artist initially forced himself to commit to ideas without leaving time for second-guessing. He strived for an honest depiction of his original thoughts. Despite Dugré’s fast-paced process, he was able to develop intimate pieces throughout his work. Each track encapsulates the musician’s cinematic guitar-led instrumentals. He builds a simplistic mastery that is especially evident on his solo guitar track “Glace Bay.”
Over the past year, I have spent time looking through what records I could find about my ancestors. It has always intrigued me to try to picture what their lives were like. Hearing about their struggles and the relative poverty they endured puts things into perspective for me. Glace Bay is where my great-grandfather Edward Macmillan was born. It’s a coal mining town on the eastern tip of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. His father died in the mines in 1897 when he was three, leaving him as the eventual provider of the family. This piece is named in his memory.
Previously, Dugré has shared his elegant music at Le Festival d’été de Québec, Bonnaroo, and Haldern Pop Fest. He even has performed at NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series and on BBC 6 Radio. Dugré is on the rise, and his new LP is nothing short of this. Make sure to check out Three Rivers available now on major platforms.
Greg Graffin is most recognized as the lead vocalist and songwriter for the punk rock band Bad Religion, which he co founded in 1979. Graffin has also earned a PhD from Cornell and teaches natural science courses at UCLA. He has written several books on the topics of evolution and religion. In 2017, he released his third solo album, Millport.
In support of the album he played 3 sold out shows at Rockwood Music Hall in the Lower East Side of Manhattan on February 27th, 28th and March 1st in 2017. The album was released on March 10th of the same year.
Ken Rockwood opened the venue in 2005. It is a very small and intimate venue that has 3 stages, a bar and a record label of the same name. Usually Graffin plays on bigger stages with his main band Bad Religion, so to see him perform these new songs up close and personal was a real treat for me. I have been a huge fan for over 20 years.
The small stage was packed with instruments you would not see at a BR show such as a banjo, fiddle and a madalin. The band featured Guitarist Tommy Andrews, Drummer Jamie Miller and David Bragger who played multiple instruments.
The first song they performed was “Backroads of my Mind” which happened to be one of the first singles off the album. After the song, Greg noted that these were the first shows he has ever played guitar in front of a group of people while standing up. You can tell he wasn’t lying because he was using an actual shoelace as a guitar strap which was somehow perfect for matching the Country Rock/Folk genre.
The band then went into several more songs off the album including “Too Many Virtues”, “Time of Need” and the electric guitar driver “Lincoln’s Funeral Train”. One of the highlights of the night was the harmony filled Bluegrass track “Echo on the Hill”. The song was a great showcase of the band’s skills, particularly Bragger’s mandolin playing.
Before the last song, Greg Graffin jokes “for everyone who waited all night for a Bad Religion song” as they went into an rearranged version of “Sorrow” from BR’s 2002 Process of Belief album. The new version sounded awesome in the tiny room as the whole crowd sang along. It was really a great moment for any Bad Religion fan. It was a perfect night and the audience really felt connected with the band. I enjoyed it so much that I went back the following night which was just as amazing. After the shows Greg even stuck around to take pictures and sign autographs for the fans. It was a truly magnificent experience.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Architrave, AliT, Annie Scherer and many more.
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Kicking off the night is Architrave with their cover of True Widow’s “O.O.T.P.V.” A dark and cool jam, the track is brooding with a huge, electrifying sound. After discussion with members of True Widow, Architrave agreed all proceeds from the sale of the track would be donated to Feed the People Dallas Mutual Aid.
WEQX will also be matching that donation with a donation to something more local to us, the Free Food Fridge of Albany, a cool project that sets up fridges stocked with food staples, to help tackle food insecurity in the area.
Next up is AliT with “Sitting Pretty,” featuring a bright pop sound, drum machines, a huge boundless voice, and an all-heart sensibility. AliT is a true singer-songwriter and instrumentalist making pop music with a touch of grit, soul, and emo harmony. Tune in for AliT’s weekly set live on her Facebook page every Friday at 7:30 pm.
In the vein of Lana Del Ray comes Annie Scherer, a modern pop cinematic journey with images of longing and desire. Open minded listeners will hear the voice of a songwriter opening up her soul, crawling up the walls to find a new plane of existence. “Take Me Places” is a cool tune that transcends the idiom and is treated delicately with plenty of space for the listener to attach their own images to and yet want to listen again to bring those feelings back.
