The Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes will perform at the Rockwell Museum in Corning for the first time in three years with the 2022-23 Musicians’ Choice Chamber Series on Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
The Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes offers a concert season of five full orchestra concerts, including a side-by-side Young People’s Orchestra and professional musician collaboration, the Musicians’ Choice Chamber Music Series, concerts by the Chorus of the Southern Finger Lakes, the youth ensembles, and educational outreach programs. The orchestra is guided by distinguished Music Director and Conductor Toshiyuki Shimada, helping to highlight the musical achievements of the youth in the area.
The concert at the Rockwell Museum in Corning, the only Smithsonian Affiliate in Upstate New York, will feature principal players Emily Dobmeier (clarinet) and Rosanna Moore (harp) presenting “From a British Point of View.” Both received doctoral degrees from the Eastman School of Music and have been playing together for over five years.
This concert features three works by living and recent British composers. The first piece is the melodic Victorian Kitchen Garden Suite by Paul Reade, which became popular in the 1980s when a BBC show aired by the same name. The second piece on the program is Arcadian Sketches, composed a decade later by John Marson. The final piece, Sonata for Clarinet and Harp by Andy Scott, written in 2002, is influenced by Eastern European folk rhythms and jazz harmony.
Other concerts on the Musicians’ Choice Chamber Series will be held at the Rockwell Museum in Corning on Feb. 3 and at North Presbyterian Church on March 31. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the Jan. 13 show, and tickets are on sale now.
Happy New Year! Hopefully you are all rested up and ready to kick off January 2023 with a bang Rochester! January brings a big slowdown in touring acts around these parts, and in most parts of the country. But luckily for us, Rochester has a broad and deep pool of fantastic local talent to sate our live music appetites and this January they are coming out in full force to get us out of our warm abodes and out into the bars, clubs, theaters and anywhere else live music can be squeezed into.
Here are five+ must-see shows happening around town this month, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg, so make sure to get out there and support the local music scene and treat your cabin-fevered brain to some much needed aural relief.
We’re recommending two different shows on the same night, but if you play your cards right you could do both. Herb Smith plays trumpet for the Rochester Philharmonic but with the Freedom Trio he expands his sound palette with plenty of effects and literally the freedom to explore the outer boundaries of jazz and beyond. With Peter Chwazik on a massive 9-string bass and Joe Parker flying free on drums, the possibilities are endless and the results are a joy to hear and be a part of.
One of Rochester’s many recent breakout bands, Mikaela Davis kicks off a three show residency at our favorite honky tonk, Abilene Bar and Lounge, that will warm January and creep into early February. Each night will feature two sets and as yet unannounced themes. We wouldn’t recommend missing any of these Thursday night throw downs but really, you absolutely have to get yourself to at least one. A favorite of Bob Weir’s and ours alike, this harpist and her band Southern Star are as can’t miss as they come, and Rochester gets three intimate opportunities to groove down with them in a cozy and intimate bar.
Shows January 19, 26 and February 2 will start at 8pm and tickets are $15/$20 dos.
Certainly you can get out to all of these awesome individual local shows, but there won’t be any better option for celebrating the local music scene than the annual (until Covid stopped it for 2 years) Homegrown Festival thrown by Lovin’ Cup. This year’s show will feature performances by Teagan and the Tweeds, A Girl Named Genny, The Mighty High & Dry, The Moho Collective, Friday In America, and The John Payton Project. That’s a full day of some of the best music you’ll here in Rochester, plus there’ll be tons of local food, beers and crafts to enjoy as well.
Fresh faced instrumental progressive rock quartet Vertices is putting on a festival of their own at Flour City Station. They’ll play a full set of their heavily improvised high energy jams and are a new band that you’ll want to keep a close eye in 2023. Painted Birds will also perform and everything will be stitched together with DJ sets from DDH PVH. There will be catered food, live painting, and art vendors making this another cant-miss celebration of the local art scene.
Everything gets going at 8pm and tickets are $10/$15 dos.
The Park Theater in Glens Falls has announced upcoming events for the month of January including comedy, jazz groups, and bands.
The Park Theater was the first movie theater in Glens Falls upon its opening in 1911. In 1937 the theater was converted into a printing plant for the Glens Falls Post, and it was changed back to a performing arts center in 1984. After renovations in 2014, it reopened as a theater in 2018. During the month of January, the Park Theater has a little bit of everything happening.
On Jan. 14, the theater presents Hiroya Tsukamoto, back by popular demand. He is an award-winning innovative guitarist, composer, and storyteller, who recently won second place in the International Finger Style Guitar Championship. His instrumental abilities are both groundbreaking and breathtaking. The show opens at 7:30 p.m. with music at 8 p.m., and tickets are $15 now, and $20 the day of.
Experience some of the best jazz music in the Capital Region with “Third Thursday Jazz” featuring The Matt Niedbalski Trio featuring organist, Will Gorman, and guitarist, Eric Zolan on Jan. 19. Tickets are $10 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.
The Park Theater Foundation presents ‘Live & Local’ featuring Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band on Jan. 26. Dubbed “one of the Capitol Region’s best singer/songwriters” by David Van, Fulmer is an engaging performer, performing his own music. The Carriage House Band returns with a fluid lineup of some of the most versatile musicians in the Capital Region. Early bird tickets are $15, and the day of the show is $20, with the show starting at 7:30 p.m.
Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band
Lastly, on Jan. 27, The Park Theater Foundation presents ‘Comedy After Dark’ featuring highly-acclaimed NYC-based comedian, Caitlin Cook. She combines witty one-liners and mixes them with musical comedy to create her shows, bringing her to stages like the Comedy Cellar, the Stand, Comedy Works, ACME, and more. Tickets are $22 for the early bird special and $25 the day of the show, starting at 8 p.m.
For more information about upcoming events and to purchase tickets, go here.
