NYS Music 202​2

Tag: chautauqua institution

  • Chautauqua Institution Announces 150th Season, Summer Assembly Events Scheduled

    The Chautauqua Institution announced its 150 season, and annual Summer Assembly events, running from June 24 to August 27.

    Chautauqua Institution

    The Chautauqua Institution will be putting on live performances ranging from lectures, orchestras, and concerts with new and old faces. Some lecturers include Stranger Things and The Goonies actor Sean Astin on June 30, NPR puzzle master Will Shortz on July 7, political commentator Bill Kristol on July 10, and Jordan’s Her Majesty Queen Noor on Aug. 25.

    The Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra will have 23 performances in weeks one through nine. The Music School Festival Orchestra will present five concerts in 2023 during its residency weeks one through six. The School of Dance will be in residence weeks one through seven, with performances inclusive of two student dance galas and the beloved Alumni All-Star Dance Gala. The Chautauqua Opera Company & Conservatory will produce a combined season featuring five productions. The 2023 theater and opera repertoire will be announced in January.  

    The Chautauqua Institution announced some exciting performers set to come to the Amphitheater. On June 30 at 8:15 p.m. a special performance by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons graces the stage. The group has sold over 100 million records worldwide, with Valli having a very successful solo career as well. July 7 at 8:15 p.m. brings Straight No Chaser to the stage, a group with 2 RIAA Gold Certified albums, over 1.5 million concert tickets sold, over 1 billion streams on Pandora, and over 2 million albums sold worldwide. Other artists performing include Natalie Merchant and Girl Named Tom, among others.

    The Chautauqua Institution has an exciting lineup announced for the Summer Assembly programs. Gate passes and single event tickets, as well as parking and docks, will go on sale to the public on Jan. 17, with the season’s best prices from Jan. 17 through Feb. 20.

  • Chautauqua Institution President Michael E. Hill Releases Statement

    The president of Chautauqua Institution, Michael E. Hill, released a statement in light of the recent stabbing of author Salman Rushdie on Aug. 12. Rushdie was set to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution before he was attacked on stage. Read the full remarks from President Hill below.

    chautauqua institution
    Sean Smith/The Chautauquan Daily

    “By now you have likely heard we suffered a terrible tragedy at Chautauqua yesterday. What we experienced is unlike anything in our 150-year history. It was an act of violence, an act of hatred, and a violation of one of the things we have always cherished most: the safety and tranquility of our grounds and our ability to convene the most important conversations, even if those conversations are difficult.

    “Chautauqua is a community of people of all faiths and none. Our collective family is holding Salman Rushdie and Henry Reese, as well their families, close in prayer and close to our hearts. We have been in touch with their loved ones, and I was grateful to spend a very brief amount of time with Mr. Reese yesterday evening. 

    “But yesterday was also an attack on an ideal we cherish: that freedom of speech and freedom of expression are hallmarks to our society and to our democracy, they are the very underpinnings of who we are and what we believe, what we cherish most. 

    “We are called to take on fear and the worst of all human traits – hate.  And let’s be clear: what many of us witnessed was a violent expression of hate that shook us to our core. We saw it with our own eyes and in our faces. 

    “But we also saw something else that I don’t want us to forget. We saw some of the best of humanity in the response of all those who ran toward danger to halt it. 

    “I watched a member of our staff hurl themselves at the attacker.  

    “I saw Chautauquans rush the stage to help secure the perpetrator, making it possible for police to remove him. 

    “I saw Chautauquans who are doctors and nurses rush to provide selfless care while the ambulance arrived. 

    “I saw what our Chaplain of the week, Terri Hord Owens, called us to possess: a generous, radical love for each other and this community. 

    “So where do we go from here? How do we think about the days that follow? When hatred shows its ugliness… 

    “The response must be love, of course, but also action. We must return to our podiums and pulpits. We must continue to convene the critical conversations that can help build empathy; obviously, this is more important now than ever. 

    “There will be time in the days and weeks ahead to reflect on all we’ve experienced, and we have already been working on how to adapt to yesterday’s horror to ensure our conversations continue. We will soon share operational details about how we will proceed through the remainder of the 2022 Summer Assembly.

    “At this time, we are called to double down on our prayers for Mr. Rushdie and Mr. Reese and all those who love them. We are called to stand witness that this Chautauqua has but one choice: to ensure that the voices that have the power to change our world continue to have a home to be heard. That is ours to do. 

    “We can take the experience of hatred and reflect on what it means. Or we can come together even more strongly as a community that takes what happened yesterday and commits to not allowing that hatred to be any part of our own hearts.  

    “I know this community and I know that you will make a choice for hope and goodness.”

    Police identified the attacker as 24-year-old Hadi Matar who has been charged with attempted murder and assault. Rushie, 75, is currently in critical condition from the tragic attack. Henry Reese, who was to moderate the discussion, also suffered a minor injury to the head. To stay up to date with the stabbing news, visit the Chautauqua Institution’s website. 

  • Chautauqua Institution Continues Impressive 2022 Summer Assembly

    On July 23, Chautauqua Institution began its fifth week of the nine-week 2022 Summer Assembly season. With weekday lectures and popular entertainment, the entire season examines various themes and invites an impressive lineup over the course of the summer.

    Chautauqua Institution Ampitheater
    Chautauqua Institution Ampitheater

    Each week of the Chautauqua Institution’s Summer Assembly has a specific theme, and Week Five is “The Vote and Democracy.” The week includes famed musician Lyle Lovett whose 14-album career spans elements of genres such as folk, country, jazz, swing, gospel, blues, and more. The Grammy award winner is a legendary performer and artist beloved in popular music today and will play on July 29 at 8:15 pm.

    Other special guests joining the institution’s week five program include New Yorker staff writer Jelani Cobb, president of the Campaign Legal Center Trevor Potter, former CEO of the Partnership for American Democracy Diana Aviv, acclaimed author Wajahat Ali, and the family of comedy legend Carl Reiner.

    Other upcoming popular acts to look forward to coming to Chautauqua include NYO Jazz on August 1, country music star Brett Eldredge on August 5, British vocal ensemble VOCES8 on August 9, and many more.

    Week Four of the Summer Assembly included singer-songwriter Gina Chavez and a combined performance of the professional Chautauqua Symphony and pre-professional Music School Festival orchestras. The week’s theme,  “The Future of History,” also included other entertainment such as historians Jon Meacham and Annette Gordon-Reed, and comedian Jay Leno.

    Chautauqua Institution was founded in 1874 and was originally known as the Chautauqua Lake Sunday School Assembly. The not-for-profit has expanded its community reach immensely, hosting 7,500 people in residence daily during a nine-week season, and hosting many public events. 

    For the full list of Popular Artists coming to the Chautauqua Summer Assembly for the summer, see below. For ticket information, visit the Chautauqua Institution website, here.

    July 29 – Lyle Lovett

    August 1 – NYO Jazz

    August 5 – Brett Eldredge

    August 9 – VOCES8

    August 17 – Matthew Whitaker

    August 19 – Girl Named Tom

    August 20 – Hiss Golden Messenger & Aoife O’Donovan

    August 21 – Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas

    August 22 – Deeper Than The Skin

    August 22 – Punch Brothers

    August 23 – Rhiannon Giddens

    August 24 – The Avett Brothers

    August 25 – Emmylou Harris and Mary Chapin Carpenter

    August 26 – The Beach Boys and The Temptations

    August 27 – Chita Rivera

    August 28 – Steamboat Bill Jr.

  • Chautauqua Institution In Jamestown Announces Summer Amphitheater Shows

    The Chautauqua Institution in Jamestown has announced its 2022 Amphitheater shows, with a huge lineup of artists and comedians.

    chautauqua institution summer
    Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater.

    Prominently, singer Sheryl Crow will be playing on July 12, bringing hits like “All I Wanna Do” and “Soak Up the Sun” to the Amphitheater. Her openers will be five-time Grammy-winning bluesman Keb’ Mo’ and blues band Southern Avenue.

    Sheryl Crow.

    On July 11, Cuban pianist and composer Aldo-López-Gavilán will be performing. Excelling as a recitalist and performer, he will also be joined by his brother Ilmar Gavilán, who is a child prodigy and began his career at age 14.

    The Gavilán Brothers.

    July 15 brings ABBA The Concert, said to be the most authentic tribute to ABBA. They will play all the songs that made ABBA great, including “Mamma Mia,” “S.O.S,” “Money, Money, Money,” “The Winner Takes All,” and “Waterloo.”

    On July 16, Chautauqua School of Music faculty members Aaron Berofsky, Kathryn Votapek, and Felix Wang with pianist Phillip Bush will be performing.

    Aaron Berofsky, Kathryn Votapek, Felix Wang, and Phillip Bush.

    On July 23, pianist Brian Zeger and the members of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and School of Music will be performing. Zeger appears regularly as guest faculty at the Chautauqua Opera Conservatory and is widely recognized as one of today’s leading collaborative pianists.

    Brian Zeger and other members of the Orchestra.

    On August 5, Brett Eldredge will be performing. He is a country music star, with seven number one radio hits, nine gold and platinum-certified singles, two gold-certified albums, and multiple CMA, ACM, and CMT Music nominations and wins.

    On August 8, there will be a dynamic ensemble filled with America’s top brass players, called Seraph Brass, performing. They are winners of the 2019 American Prize in Chamber Music.

    Seraph Brass.

    On August 17, jazz pianist and organist Matthew Whitaker will be at the Amphitheater. Profiled on shows such as 60 Minutes and The Today Show, Whitaker has played at places like Carnegie Hall and with artists like Jason Moran and Jon Batiste.

    Matthew Whitaker.

    There are loads of other events happening at the Chautauqua Amphitheater including comedian Jay Leno, The Voice winners Girl Named Tom, The Avett Brothers, and Stars of the Peking Acrobats.

    This summer’s shows at the Chautauqua Amphitheater in Jamestown will be packed with loads of talent, from musicians to comedians to even acrobats. Tickets can be found here.