The New York Philharmonic announces Concerts in the Parks, Presented by Didi and Oscar Schafer, will return this June 13-16.
The Concert in the Parks series has become an iconic New York summer experience since it began in 1965. It transformed parks across the city into a patchwork of picnickers and allowed them to hear classical music under the stars. More than 15 million listeners have been delighted by the performances since their inception.
“Music and nature — two vital human needs — come together with the Concerts in the Parks,” said NY Phil Chairman Emeritus Oscar S. Schafer. “More than any other experience, it is a time when New Yorkers can come together to simply enjoy themselves outdoors. Didi and I can’t wait to join tens of thousands of our neighbors and visitors to enjoy this magnificent Orchestra perform in parks across the city.” Music Director Jaap van Zweden will conduct the concerts, which take place at Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx (June 13); the Great Lawn in Central Park, Manhattan (June 14); Cunningham Park, Queens (June 15); and Prospect Park, Brooklyn (June 16).
Jaap van Zweden began his tenure as the 26th Music Director of the New York Philharmonic in September 2018. He has also served as Music Director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic since 2012. He has conducted performances on three continents, and at age 19 he became the youngest-ever concertmaster of Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Speaking about the Concerts in the Parks, Zweden said “This season, I look forward to returning to conduct the New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks, which are such an important tradition in New York City. These special events give all New Yorkers, as well as visitors to our city, an opportunity to experience the NY Phil in beautiful outdoor settings and at the same time enjoy our New York City parks throughout all the boroughs.”
Jaap van Zweden.
The program will include Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, Rossini’s William Tell Overture, J. Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus Overture and On The Beautiful Blue Danube, and works by two New York Philharmonic Very Young Composers. All four outdoor performances will begin at 8:00 p.m. and conclude with fireworks. In addition, musicians from the New York Philharmonic will perform a Free Indoor Concert, on Sunday, June 18, 2023, at 4:00 p.m., at St. George Theatre in Staten Island.
Empire State Youth Orchestra’s CHIME (Creating Harmony Inspiring Musical Excellence) program has announced that their students recently worked with the composer Adrian Gorson to create their own composition. The composition is called “Amplify Our Voice” (AOV) with a theme of “Stop Violence, Show Kindness” and the performance will occur on May 19th at 5:30 p.m. in the Schenectady High School Auditorium.
Amplify Our Voice offers CHIME students a powerful vehicle to create an original composition, process emotion, explore shared experiences, and “amplify” their voices to the world. The process begins with students choosing a theme. Once the theme is selected, students have workshops on improvisation later creating musical motifs and mini compositions based on the chosen topic. Students create an original, multi-level work in collaboration with a resident artist/composer through reflection, experimentation, and composition.
CHIME’s AOV initiative places youth in the driver’s seat, and opens the door to limitless innovation, and organic, creative expression. Its goals fundamentally change the traditional youth orchestra paradigm by empowering youth to exert personal influence over musical style. This transforms the traditional music education system into one that is culturally responsive, relevant, and equitable. AOV assists students in mastering their instruments and layering their artistic and experimental voice atop those who have preceded them, and to break new ground for others to follow in their footsteps.
“Over the course of this project, I’ve seen a lot of growth with the student’s confidence and ability to express themselves. Whether it was through improvisation sessions, composing their own pieces, or leading discussions, I certainly sense some healthy fearlessness to share their voice. The final piece of music that was created from all their work and inspiration is really beautiful and moving, but seeing this new feeling of empowerment in the students is the real goal.”
Dr. David Bebe, CHIME Conductor/ESYO Curriculum & Enrichment Coordinator
This year’s composer Adrian Gordon is no stranger to CHIME. In the fall students performed his piece “A Hero’s Journey” in the fall, and he has been collaborating with them virtually throughout the year. On March 13 Gordon visited the CHIME sites, Yates Elementary, Van Coralear Elementary, and Proctors and not only presented his first musical draft of this year’s AOV piece but also took feedback from the students.
This weekend (May 12–May 14), Caroga Arts Collective will host its Spring Residency Concert Series, featuring world-class artists and a sneak peek at the Caroga Lake Music Festival summer 2023 lineup.
The Caroga Arts Collective announced the spring residency concerts, stopping at Gloversville, Cobleskill, and Little Falls. The Spring Residency concerts are completely free of charge, but donations are encouraged to support arts programming in the community. The mission of Caroga Arts Collective is to reimagine the Caroga experience through the power of the arts, founded in 2012 by Kyle Price when he invited friends to his grandmother’s house on Caroga Lake, where they presented a week of free concerts, calling themselves the Caroga Lake Music Festival (CLMF). Today, Caroga Arts presents over 50 performances and community events annually bringing world-class artists from various genres of music, visual art, poetry, and film to the Southern Adirondacks.
From Friday, May 12 to Sunday, May 14, Caroga Arts host its Spring Residency concerts, stopping first at Karpeles Museum in Gloversville at 7 p.m., the Cobleskill United Methodist Church at 7 p.m., and Rock Valley Brewing Co. in Little Falls at 1 p.m. As part of the organization’s commitment to music education, the musicians will also be visiting local schools in Johnstown, Wheelerville, and Broadalbin-Perth, to bring the joy and magic of music to the next generation. Thirty minutes before each performance, Founder and Artistic Director Kyle Price will give a season preview, sharing insider information about the upcoming Caroga Lake Music Festival lineup.
For more information about the free residency concerts, go here.
In celebration of the 10th anniversary, The Next Festival of Emerging Artists has announced their season schedule, which will take place from May 26 – June 9, at various venues in NYC, including the Kaufman Music Center and Tishman Auditorium.
The Next Festival of Emerging Artists, founded in 2013, provides young performers and composers (ages 20-30) with an immersion into 21st century music. Designed to cultivate the next generation of 360° artists, the Festival focuses on contemporary music, entrepreneurship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and developing artist citizens. A champion for living composers, Next Festival commissions new compositions by both established and early career composers every year, presenting over 75 Guest Artists in the last 10 years, including Pulitzer, Grammy, and MacArthur award winners. Prioritizing artist futures, not the present bottom line, the Festival supports Fellows through a radical “pay-what-you-can” model, ensuring that deserving talent is able to participate regardless of financial circumstances. The Festival has been awarded grants by the Amphion, ASCAP and BMI foundations, and the Copland Fund for Music.
Headling this years festival is guitarist Yvette Young. Hot off the heels of a national tour with her math-rock band Covet, Young will work directly with 20 hand selected string musicians from all over the country in the creation of new work for string orchestra.
Residencies and performances will take place as part of American Composers Orchestra’s SONiC Festival in New York City and at PS21/Performance Spaces for the 21st Century in Chatham, New York.
It is extremely rare to find a festival that fosters an environment of hard work and camaraderie while making contemporary music its primary focus. The Next Festival is an extraordinary home for new music.
-Jeffrey Zeigler, Cellist, Past Next Festival Guest Artist
The Next Festival of Emerging Artists Schedule
The 2023 SONiC Festival opens with Ecstatic Music, featuring multi-Grammy nominated violinist Curtis Stewart, alongside pianist and Kaufman Music Center Resident Aaron Diehl, the Harlem Quartet, and a chamber orchestra of musicians from The Next Festival of Emerging Artists and Kaufman Center’s Special Music School, conducted by Peter Askim. A New Sounds Live co-presentation hosted by WNYC’s John Schaefer, the program brings new creative voices to the fore, in part through reinterpreting works from the past, including the world premiere of Stewart’s ACO-commissioned work Embrace.
Thursday, June 1, 7:30pm Ecstatic Music Series / American Composers Orchestra’s SONiC Festival Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center, 129 W 67th St, New York, NY 10023 Tickets $25:
Friday, June 2, 7:30pm Program of World Premieres for String Orchestra PS21/Performance Spaces for the 21st Century, 2980 NY-66, Chatham, NY 12037 Pay As You Wish All proceeds benefit the Crellin Community Parks & Recreation Department
Next Festival Performance Fellows will present a 10th Anniversary program of world premieres for string orchestra by 2023 Guest Artist and guitarist Yvette Young, 2022 Pulitzer-Finalist Leilehua Lanzilotti, violinist and 2022 fellow alum Che Buford, saxophonist Matthew Evan Taylor, and The Next Festival’s Artistic Director Peter Askim. This event is the culmination of a weeklong residency at PS21’s state-of-the art venue on 100 acres of unspoiled meadows, trails, and woodlands in the heart of the Hudson Valley.
Saturday, June 3, 7:30pm Program of World Premieres / American Composers Orchestra’s SONiC Festival Tishman Auditorium at Mannes, 63 5th Ave, New York, NY 10003 Tickets $20 Suggested Donation
After two weeks of rehearsals, performances, and individual coaching, Next Festival Fellows share their 10th Anniversary program as part of ACO’s 2023 SONiC Festival, a NYC-wide celebration of the breadth and vibrancy of the nation’s modern composers. The Next Festival will perform new innovative works by Featured Guest Artist Yvette Young, as well as Leilehua Lanzilotti, Che Buford, Matthew Evan Taylor, and Next Festival Director Peter Askim.
Thursday, June 8, 7pm Composer/Choreographer Workshop / ACO’s SONiC Festival and EarShot Program Tishman Auditorium at Mannes, 63 5th Ave, New York, NY 10003 Free with RSVP
The Next Festival’s 2023 Choreographer, Composer and Performance Fellows premiere new music and dance works, intermingling the world premiere of ACO EarShot compositions with a works-in-progress dance showing. This is the culmination of a week-long workshop, consisting of rehearsals, collaboration and spontaneous creation. ACO’s EarShot is the nation’s first ongoing program for creating relationships between orchestras and composers, in partnership with American Composers Forum, League of American Orchestras and New Music USA.
For Tickets and more information, please visit the Next Festival’s website.
Troy Chromatic Concerts and Troy Savings Bank Music Hall have announced the full 2023-24 Troy Chromatic Concert Series schedule, which marks the series’ 126th season.
Since 1918, the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall has been the exclusive venue of these concerts and it is an honor to now have the Troy Chromatic Concerts formally under the umbrella of the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Corporation. In 2023, the two organizations merged to ensure the legacy of these concerts carries on long into the future. The upcoming season will feature five phenomenal concerts, including a Grammy nominated cellist, an all Irish chamber orchestra and more.
Grammy award-nominee Seth Parker Woods has established a reputation as an innovator in the genre as a cellist of “power and grace”, who possesses “mature artistry and willingness to go to the brink” as praised by The Guardian.
Adventurous musicians The Knights, dedicated to transforming the orchestral experience and removing barriers between audiences and music, team with Chris Thile. Accomplished mandolinist Thile is a founding member of Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek, and critically acclaimed MacArthur Fellow and Grammy Award-winner.
Formed in 1918, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine is considered to be one of the finest symphony orchestras in Eastern Europe. Presenting a program rich with energy and unusually adventurous, this is a can’t miss event.
Since 1999, Camerata Ireland have been pushing the boundaries of musical collaboration. Established by the internationally renowned pianist, Barry Douglas CBE, Camerata Ireland exists to celebrate the incredible musical talents that exude from this small island on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.
Violinist Tessa Lark joins legendary guitarist Frank Vignola to create an intimate musical experience. Performing intricate original arrangements of classics that span from classical to jazz and old to new, the duo mixes elements of improvisation with their collective breadth of musical ingrates resulting in a unique and unforgettably exciting performance.
All performances take place at the historic Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Current subscribers may renew their tickets now, with new subscriptions open to the public on July 5th, and single tickets going on sale on August 1st.
The Cooperstown Music Festival announced the events scheduled for its 25th-anniversary celebration, taking place at various places around Cooperstown during the month of August.
The Cooperstown Music Festival 25th anniversary celebration includes concerts with a variety of acts, as well as a performance from the traveling Caroga Arts Ensemble. Founded in 1999 by flutist Linda Chesis, the festival has been bringing world-class chamber music performances to the Cooperstown area. The festival has featured performances by the American, Juilliard, St. Lawrence, Jupiter and Jasper, String Quartets, and more.
Kicking off the festival is Harry Allen’s All Star NY Saxophone Band on Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Otesaga Resort Hotel. Jazz saxophone legend Harry Allen joins forces with Ken Peplowski and Grant Stewart on tenor saxophone, Gary Smulyan on baritone saxophone, James Chirillo on guitar, Mike Karn on bass, and Aaron Kimmel on drums for an evening of small group jazz with a big band feel. On Aug. 8 at 7 p.m., also at the Otesaga Resort Hotel is Nuevo Tango: JP Jofre and Tommy Mesa. Argentinian bandoneon master JP Jofre will join forces with the highly-acclaimed Cuban-American cellist Tommy Mesa for a program exploring the fusion of classical music and tango, performing works by Astor Piazzolla alongside original works by the Grammy-nominated Jofre.
Harry Allen’s All Star Band. Left column: Ken Peplowski, Grant Stewart, Gary Smulyan; Center: Harry Allen; Right column; James Chirillo, Mike Karn, Aaron Kimmel
Continuing on Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Otesaga Resort Hotel is Caroga Arts Ensemble: A String Serenade, a “round robin” musical extravaganza with works ranging from quartets to chamber orchestra. On Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Christ Episcopal Church is All-Bach, where CSMF Artistic Director Linda Chesis combines forces with festival favorites Joseph Lin, violin, Michael Katz, cello, and the inimitable Bradley Brookshire on harpsichord, celebrating the music of J. S. Bach. In addition to performing a selection of Bach’s instrumental sonatas, they will be joined by Glimmerglass Festival Young Artists Emilie Kealani, soprano, and Kyle Tingzon, countertenor, for performances of Bach’s beloved arias.
Caroga Arts Ensemble.
Finally on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. at The Farmers’ Museum is the Borromeo String Quartet with Linda Chesis on flute. Hailed by the Boston Globe as “simply the best,” the quartet returns to the Cooperstown Music Festival to perform Beethoven’s op. 127 as well as works by Amy Beach and Elena Alberga. To purchase tickets and find out more information about the festival, visit here.
CNY Jazz has announced the return of their in person scholastic enrichment programs across the Central New York region, and has announced the first schedule of events.
Despite the hard hit by the pandemic and its negative impact on schools and families, CNY Jazz’s Scholastic programs continued to provide youth enrighment in virtual and hybrid settings. This year, the organization’s “pipeline” of enrichment programs that follow students through grade school and into college returns full force, with the goal of full enrollment in live settings across the area.
The first to occur is the 3rd annual “Berkshire Bank Interscholastic Jazz Festival,” to take place Sundays May 7 and 21 at the newly renovated and covered Sharkey’s Event Center in Liverpool. From 3 to 8 p.m. each day, the public and band parents can enjoy free admission, Sharkey’s food, drink, and the region’s finest school jazz ensembles of all kinds: combos, big bands, even a jazz string group, accompanied by nationally renowned guest soloists who will double as master class clinicians with each group.
This year’s guest CNY Jazz Scholastic teaching artists are Claire Daly, baritone saxophonist with the seminal DIVA jazz orchestra and founding member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center education faculty, and Mike Carbone, jazz studies leader at Binghamton University.
“This program was born because kids everywhere were forced to rehearse 12 feet apart in school with masks and were not able to perform in school. Morale was non-existent, and programs were in jeopardy. When I heard this, we put this outdoor event together quickly. As it turned out, educators, students, and parents alike loved the format and setting. Now it’s a permanent fixture on the enrichment scene for the extended region.”
Larry Luttinger, CNY Jazz Leader
For over 20 years in Central New York, the last day of school in June is always closely followed by the CNY Jazz Scholastic SummerJazz Workshop, where kids get to explore the arts of improvisation. Newly moved to the W. Carroll Coyne Center for the Performing Arts at LeMoyne College, the 2023 workshop will be held June 26-29th and will be topped off with a visit by internationally recognized jazz educator John Piazza, Jr., who will coach the program’s four combos and solo with them.
The ultimate CNY Jazz pipeline program is the CNY Jazz Youth Orchestra, accessible by audition to all as a pre-professional apprenticeship program, a paying summer job for area youth, who join the American Federation of Musicians and receive prevailing rates for performing free public concerts throughout the summer. This season’s venues include Cazenovia Counterpoint, Le Moyne College, the Northeast Jazz & Wine Festival, and the Manlius Amphitheater. CNY Jazz Youth Orchestra dates and times will be announced at a later date.
For more information on all CNY Jazz Scholastic programs and to register for a particular event, please visit the CNY Jazz website.
To conclude the 67th season of the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra, they’ll go back, a long time ago, to a galaxy far far away. “May the Fourth Be With You” will be performed at the Anderson Center for the Performing Arts in Vestal on Thursday, May 4 at 7:30pm.
Maestro Daniel Hege will lead the Philharmonic in performing the music of John Williams, including themes from The Force Awakens, Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, and of course, the original Star Wars Suite. Additionally, there will be live narration by Joshua Sedelmeyer, who will weave together the epic story of Star Wars with the music.
Joshua Sedelmeyer is an alumni of the Ithaca College BFA Acting program and studied abroad at the Moscow Art Theatre School in Russia (National Theatre Institute’s Mats program) and the IC London Center in England. Josh is based in Upstate New York, between Binghamton and Ithaca, and works regularly with many companies throughout the region. He is often sought for his physical acting approach (Edgar, King Lear), his playfulness and vivacity within ensembles (Clown, The 39 Steps), and for his comfort with adapting to a wide range of theatrical styles (Puppeteer in The Snow Queen, Austin in True West, Edmund in Long Day’s Journey into Night).
Josh also has developed an ease at creating rapport with audiences during interactive performances, such as “Pops” concerts with the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra (The Magical Music of Harry Potter, A Night at the Ballet’s Romeo & Juliet, and Star Wars, May the Fourth).
Founded by Fritz and Marianne Wallenberg in 1955, the Binghamton Philharmonic was founded by David Agard and Russell Hawkes, presenting an annual series of classical, pops, and chamber music concerts in Downtown Binghamton and throughout Broome County. The professional musicians of the Philharmonic, represented by Local 380 of the American Federation of Musicians, hail from the Southern Tier, New York City, and surrounding states.
For tickets and more information, contact the Binghamton Philharmonic box office at 607-723-3931 or visit www.binghamtonphilharmonic.org.
The New York Youth Symphony (NYYS) has announced the launch of a new 44-piece string orchestra for New York City residents ages 10-18 years old, named Crescendo.
The brand-new orchestra Crescendo will provide access to outstanding music education for a diverse range of students affected by the pandemic. In addition to weekly ensemble rehearsals, students will receive chamber music coaching, workshops, and masterclasses with professional musicians as well as guidance on audience engagement, careers in the arts, audition preparation, and more. Students will study and prepare music by historically underrepresented composers, including women, members of the LGBTQIA community, and people of color, as well as standard works from classical composers.
The New York Youth Symphony was founded in 1963, internationally recognized for its award-winning and innovative educational programs for talented young musicians. It was awarded the 2023 Grammy for Best Orchestral Performance – Classical, the first youth orchestra to win a Grammy in this category. The NYYS has provided over 7,000 students opportunities to perform at world-class venues including Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Joe’s Pub, and The Times Center, all while learning valuable skills like commitment, discipline, focus, and collaboration.
Music Director of Crescendo, Tanatchaya Chanphanitpornkit
The Music Director of Crescendo is Tanatchaya (Tanya) Chanphanitpornkit, who is no stranger to the impact music can have on a child’s life. “I never had access to, or really knew about playing music until I came to the United States. In Thailand, it wasn’t part of the conversation at all, and it has made me understand the importance of access and education right here in our own backyard.” She was born into poverty in the farmlands of Thailand, and it wasn’t until she moved to New Jersey at the age of 10 that she had some exposure to classical music in middle school, and after her father’s death, she dived into playing the bass. “It is with that experience that I truly believe that Crescendo could not only help the lives of youth around NYC, but the world by bridging the gap in music education and teaching everyone the power of music and building a love for it,” she added.
Crescendo’s Ensemble-in-Residence for the first year will be the Aizuri Quartet, who has had a relationship with NYYS for several seasons through the Chamber Music and Composition programs. They will be holding four sectionals – two for each concert cycle, performing with the orchestra at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall on April 21, 2024, at 3 P.M. Crescendo will perform an additional concert at Merkin Hall on November 20, 2023, at 7 P.M. For more information, visit here.
The American Classical Orchestra has announced its final concert this season on Thursday, May 18, at Alice Tully Hall: Romantic Fantasy
American Classic Orchestra’s Romantic Fantasy will be an evening of Romantic music by Rossini, Schumann, Sarasate, and Grieg, played on period instruments. The program features Filipino-American baritone Enrico Lagasca, critically acclaimed for his role as Daedalus in the U.S. premiere of Jonathan Dove’s opera The Monster in the Maze, and Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient violinist Rachell Ellen Wong. The program will begin with a brief presentation by orchestra founder and artistic director Thomas Crawford.
Founded in 1984 as the Orchestra of the Old Fairfield Academy, the ensemble was renamed the American Classical Orchestra in 1999. Founder and Artistic Director Thomas Crawford established its new and permanent home in New York City in 2005. It is now the City’s only full-scale orchestra dedicated to performing 17th, 18th, and 19th century music on period instruments.
