On June 14, Punk Island NYC announced that they had to reduce the number of stages for their upcoming “Quinceañera” festival from five to three at the American Veteran’s Memorial Pier in Brooklyn due to circumstances out of their control. Though their stages have been reduced, Punk Island has retained 75% of their lineup, and the free event is still to be on June 18.
Punk Island is a community of punks who love music, musicians, fans, friends, and family. They aim to bring the vitality, diversity, and intensity of the NYC punk scene into the light of day. These efforts have culminated annually for the past 15 years, as free, all-ages music festivals.
While they tried to explore alternatives to allow all the bands to play, their efforts were rejected. Punk Island was forced to cut bands from the roster, all of which have been contacted. The organization is currently unable to provide specific details on the situation, but are willing to have in-person or over the phone discussions with those that may need further clarification.
None of these cuts were made lightly. We deeply apologize for this unfortunate situation. We made every effort to maintain the event in its original form, but ultimately, our influence is limited.… To the bands that were dropped from the lineup, we want to assure you that your participation is secured for next year’s event.
The 31st edition of the New York State Blues Festival kicked off Thursday afternoon of June 15th at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, underneath beautiful blue skies. The annual event, which has grown substantially over the last thirty years, is known for being one of the largest, free, multi-day blues festivals in the northeast, and features a mixture of local, regional, and national blues acts.
Brandon Santini performs at the 2023 NYS Blues Festival
The festivities kicked off Thursday afternoon with a high energy set by Syracuse’s own Fillmore Blues Band. As the band took to the stage, the areas in front of the stage were already filled with early arriving blues fans, eager to get the party started. Festival goers sang and danced as the Fillmore Blues Band weaved their way through a 75 minute set of covers and originals. The set showcased a band known for their dynamic musical improvisation. Led by Mike Petroff on harmonica and vocals, the performance did not disappoint those in attendance. Petroff even took his harmonica into the crowd, playing stage-side on top of a table, giving passionate onlookers an up close view of the musician.
The Fillmore Blues Band kicked off the 2023 NYS Blues Festival
Next up was Memphis based rocker and blues harmonicist, Brandon Santini. Santini launched into his set with a harmonica solo which set the stage for his performance. The set was high energy, and saw crunchy blues guitar riffs to back Santini’s deep vocals and harmonica playing. Santini paid tribute blues harmonica legend Sonny Boy Williamson, with a phenomenal rendition of “Nine Below Zero”. Santini, who played the festival in 2016, was easily an early favorite of the audience as many in attendance came donning his merchandise. His set did not disappoint.
Brandon Santini performs at the 2023 NYS Blues Festival
Headlining the evening were the Blood Brothers ft Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia. The duo of blues guitar heavy-weights were touring in support of their January 2023 full length album Blood Brothers. Easily one of the most anticipated sets going into the weekend, the two did not let those in attendance down. The long time friends, known for their immense musical chemistry on stage, showcased why Joe Bonamassa once stated “They finish each other’s sentences, musically.” Their set, which leaned heavily on tracks from their self titled release, saw the pair dual on many guitar solos. Their passion for the music was visible from the audience, as the two routinely flashed smiles to each other as they tried to “out dual” the other.
Blood Brothers ft Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia perform at the 2023 NYS Blues Festival
The festival continues through Saturday and features headliner and blues legend, Buddy Guy with direct support from Samantha Fish on Saturday night. Admission is free.
The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall has recently announced the anticipated return of their Summer Square Concert Series. The free concerts will be held in the Music Hall courtyard every Saturday evening at 6 p.m. beginning on July 8 and will run all the way through the summer until August 26.
The Troy Summer Square 2023 lineup presents concert goers with the opportunity to hear all types of genres from Jazz to indie/rock. The concert series’ kick off performance on July 8th will present the unorthodox Dust Bowl Faeries to the Troy community, a circus, post-punk, gypsy and psyche-folk band founded by Ryder Cooley & Hazel, a taxidermy ram who performs with the band as their spirit animal. In addition, The Summer Series will present seven more performers to their outdoor stage.
The Troy Music Hall is known for bringing forth top talent from around the state to the area as well as highlighting old and new performers from their own community. This summer will be no different as the Music Hall is prepared to take Troy on a most memorable musical journey. For more information, visit here.
Troy Summer Square 2023 Lineup
July 8th: DUST BOWL FAERIES:
A faerie-tale fusion of circus, post-punk, gypsy and psyche-folk music.
July 15th: BRONTE ROMAN:
Pop Vocalist performs lush Jazz ballads and delightfully swings to hits from the Great American Songbook.
July 22nd: CAROL DAGGS:
Pianist and vocalist, composer and arranger applying musical Jazz sounds to the auditory apparatus and soul via vocal and instrumental flow.
July 29th: JULIA ALSARRAF:
Singer and multi-instrumentalist whose songwriting ranges from contemporary folk to indie pop/rock. Her music has been described as deep, soulful, and vulnerable.
August 5th: IDA MAE SPECKER:
Fiddler, folk singer and songwriter whose music fuses original, contemporary, and traditional material, bringing heartfelt new life and relevance to the chain of American folk music.
August 12th: TRISKELE:
The Capital Region’s premier all female Irish Band! Stunning harmonies that touch your soul.
August 19th: AIVA & HAYLEY:
Singer songwriters from Latham, NY now attending Berklee College of Music in Boston. Performing covers from different genres and original music as well.
August 26th: JEANNE O’CONNOR QUARTET:
Jeanne O’Connor is a vocalist who brings her clear, expressive alto voice to pop, Latin music, and R&B.
Billie Essco flourishes within the hip-hop and fashion scene on his own terms. Holding it down for Buffalo, NY – which he also describes as a “hyperbaric chamber.” Essco is a Buffalo kid through and through. The city of of Buffalo is known for its grimy-ness and is known to make men out of boys by placing individuals on the frontlines and running them through the gauntlet. Hence, some get chewed up, spit out and booed off stage – others accept the challenge and emerge war-ready. Billie Essco stands tall amidst the onslaught of adversity as a true Fashion Rebel in every sense of the word.
Twitter/@BillyEssco
Subsequently, Griselda Records x Fashion Rebels encompass everything that hip-hop has been missing. The way that they have ushered in their own style, adornment, musical influence and mastery resembles the way that A$AP Mob emerged to fill a void in the 2010s. Griselda Mob carries the torch in a valid manner through top-tier excellence and curation.
Surging Buffalo Renaissance
Beautifully, Billie Essco blossomed under the Griselda umbrella as a contemporary curator. His brand, Cafe spurned from the idea that local cafes felt outdated without contemporary taste. To coincide with Cafe, his brand Czen specializes in repurposed garments and consciously progressive graphic design.
-Recently, Cafe announced a collaboration with New Era.–
Nonetheless, the way he designed the brand represents meticulous construction. Drawing from his Fashion/Textile technology experience at Buffalo State – Billie came up with two four-letter brands. The brevity and impactful nature of these eight letters combined with the color schemes and exquisite patterns create the ultimate consumer’s dream.
Multihyphenate Ghetto Couture
Incredibly, the most beautiful part about Essco’s creations lies within their multifaceted roots. Everyone gets their start from somewhere – it just so happens that Billie arose from Buffalo’s trenches. Essco’s vision received the ultimate boost in 2020 when he styled Westside Gunn for the Off-White x Louis Vuitton Paris Fashion Show. Working with Virgil Abloh encouraged him to double down on his efforts.
A political-conscious contemporary brand, Cafe represents the times and adapts accordingly. Similarly, Cafe + Czen releases merchandise that deconstructs racist policies and politics. Auspiciously, with youthful aura and purity, the Cafe trucker hat gives off a Midwestern type vibe. Geographically, this makes perfect sense given Buffalo’s proximity to Cleveland. Foundationally, this brand performs well and resonates heavily with consumers because of its underlying message and the creative connections associated with its core brand elements.
Undoubtedly, the world needs more people like Billie Essco – a critical thinker with historical prowess, tried-and-true methodology and contextually colorful design schemes. In like manner, the young designers continues to elevate with a collaboration with New Era symbolizing a major milestone. Essco’s journey can serve as inspiration for many Buffalo natives. A person who pursues spiritual and mental growth will never plateau in regards to their potential. No matter what age, color or creed – you have limitless abilities – just tap into your gift and never stop working toward your destiny.
President Joe Biden, in a briefing on June 15, spoke on his progress in eliminating “junk fees” that companies often charge. Many major ticketing companies, such as Live Nation, SeatGeek, and xBk will be switching to “all-in” ticket pricing, where all fees will be disclosed upfront.
As stated in his State of the Union Address, Joe Biden planned to fight against junk fees. These junk fees are hidden charges that companies add onto a person’s bills without them really being able to do anything about it. This can often pose an issue for working class people, where these extra charges can quickly add up. For the live music industry, this often occurs at the end of the purchasing process after a person has already spent time comparing options. According to Biden, the solution to this is “all-in pricing,” where all fees are presented upfront in order to not surprise consumers at the end of their purchase.
Biden mentioned several companies represented at the briefing who had already been using the process, such as TickPick, DICE, Newport Festival Foundation, and Airbnb. Some had been using all-in pricing for years, whereas others, like Airbnb, only started recently.
One of the companies to recently agree to this plan was Live Nation, which will automatically list all prices at its own venues upfront starting this September. Customers will also have the option of an all-in option for all other tickets on the platform. Other companies joining it include: SeatGeek, a smaller, mobile-focused ticketing company; and xBk, a small venue in Des Moines, Iowa.
This is real transparency, which leads to more competition, brings down costs for working Americans, keeps growing our economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down.
President Joe Biden
Biden called for competitors to these companies to follow suit and adopt this pricing model as well. He affirmed that this was not the final step, and there was more work to do to address issues in the online ticketing industry and with junk fees. Biden also thanked Congress for the legislation they are working on to address junk fees across industries.
New York based art punks Blonde Redhead are heading on tour to celebrate their first new album in nearly a decade. Sit Down For Dinner is due on September 29th via section1 Records and the band are warming up for the tour with intimate gigs in London, Los Angeles, and Brooklyn’s Baby’s All Right. Check out the dreamy lead single “Snowman” along with photos from the show at Baby’s on Wednesday, June 14th.
Blonde Redhead at Baby’s All Right, 6/14/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello
Blonde Redhead’s catalog dates back to the mid 90s when the post-punk and shoegaze scene was thriving in New York City. The band, consisting of vocalist Kazu Makino and twin bothers Simone and Amedeo Pace, released nine records to their name with the last one, Barragán, coming back in 2014. After a mostly quiet hiatus with some scattered shows, the trio is back at it with a new LP and lengthy headlining tour. The band just played intimate warm up shows in LA and NYC, with the next one at The Lexington in London in July. The full tour kicks off in October with a North American run followed by a leg in Europe. Head over to the band’s website for the full itinerary.
Blonde Redhead at Baby’s All Right, 6/14/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello
The excitement was palpable at Baby’s on Wednesday night. All the fans who made it out to the show knew they were in for a treat to see the legendary band in such an intimate setting. Housing only a couple hundred people, the venue quickly packed in tight. After the opening bands finished up, Kazu, Amedeo, and Simone took to the stage to meticulously set up their gear. The audience began to buzz with anticipation, and the trio was well aware of it. At one point, Simone asked a fan in the front to plug in his pedal board to an outlet he couldn’t reach, much to the fan’s delight.
Blonde Redhead leaned heavily into the more recent parts of their catalog, opening the show with “Falling Man” from 2004’s Misery is a Butterfly followed by the slinky darkwave of “Here Sometimes” from 2010’s Penny Sparkle. The trio played a few unrecognized songs off the upcoming record Sit Down For Dinner including two labeled “Sit Down For Dinner 1 & 2” on the handwritten setlist. The main set ended with lead single “Snowman” followed by an encore featuring “Silently” and “23.”
The trio breezed through the short but immensely captivating setlist with an effortless grace you would expect from a band playing together for 30 years. At one point, Kazu felt there was some feedback coming from her set-up, asking the crowd if they were hearing what she was. Someone yelled from the darkness “we don’t hear it, you all sound amazing!” The statement brought big smiles to the band, who continued to unleash their infectious art punk.
Blonde Redhead at Baby’s All Right, 6/14/2023. Photo by Joseph Buscarello
Aside from the warm up show next month in London, the band is opening for Phantogram on August 31st in Utah. Kazu, Simone, and Amedeo then take a short break before kicking off the tour in October in San Francisco. Blonde Redhead return to New York on November 10th for a show at Brooklyn Steel. Tickets are still available HERE and make sure to check out Sit Down For Dinner this September.
Harlem Stage has announced its 40th Anniversary Season, taking place from September 2023 to June 2024. It aims to celebrate Harlem Stage as an institution that has been a platform for emerging and established artists of color. Many of the events for the 2023-2024 season feature artists with whom Harlem Stage has built long-term relationships.
Credit: Harlem Stage
Aaron Davis Hall, Inc., later named the Harlem Stage, was opened in 1983 to provide resources, a platform, and an audience for artists of color due to their unequal treatment and recognition. For almost 40 years, the organization has championed the unique and diverse artistic legacy of Harlem. They continue to be a voice for justice as well as historical examination and denunciation of racism and its legacy.
Harlem Stage has hosted legendary artists, including Harry Belafonte, Max Roach, Sekou Sundiata, Abbey Lincoln, Sonia Sanchez, Eddie Palmieri, Maya Angelou, and Tito Puente. The organization has also won the Association of Performing Arts Presenters William Dawson Award for Programming Excellence and Sustained Achievement in Programming.
Harlem Stage began in a time of great inequity, resulting in a form of censorship by exclusion of visionary artists of color. Our intent was to level the playing field by supporting the development of their new work in new forms. Artists of color are constantly in a dialogue with their worlds—and Harlem Stage has always sought to be a place where all of our constituents can engage in the kind of transformative discourse that enriches our lives and broadens our horizons.
Artistic Director and CEO Patricia Cruz
Events
WaterWorks Commissions
A signature program of the Harlem Stage, WaterWorks is intended to identify and cultivate emerging or established artists of color. It engages with the community through residencies and educational activities.
On Dec. 9, 2023 is the “WaterWorks Emerging Artists Showcase,” which will feature artists such as: interdisciplinary performing artist and painter Shantelle Courvoisier Jackson; singer/songwriter Hannah Lemmons; choreographer and dancer Bobby Morgan; interdisciplinary artist, composer, and pianist Mary Prescott; and trumpeter and composer Kalí Rodríguez-Peña.
March 29 and 30, 2024 will have Ambrose Akinmusire performing “Banyan.” It is an intersection of griot, mentor, and oral historian in social history that culminates in this multi-part suite.
On May 3 and 4, 2024, Tamar-kali will be presenting excerpts from the work-in-progress opera “Black Damask.” The opera is about the life and times William Dorsey Swann, who is the first to dub himself as a “queen of drag.” Following the excerpts will be a discussion with the creators of the opera.
E-Moves
“E-Moves” is Harlem Stage’s flagship dance series and has showcased movement-based creations for over 20 years. For the 40th Anniversary Season, Harlem Stage is inviting back several artists critical to the institutions dance legacy.
On a yet-to-be-announced date is Kyle Abraham, who created “Pavement” through the WaterWorks program and first performed with E-Moves in 2006.
EVIDENCE and Ronald K. Brown will return on Oct. 13 and 14, 2023 for a not-to-be-missed performance featuring work from an emerging choreographer, as selected by Brown. EVIDENCE first performed with the organization in 1998.
April 19 and 20, 2024 will feature the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. Their performance in 2024 will include an emerging artist selected by Jones. They performed at the opening of the Harlem Stage Gatehouse in 2006.
On May 17 and 18, 2024, nora chipaumire is presenting “ShebeenDUB” featuring three dancers and a dub DJ. A monumental sound installation, the “soundshitsystem” will be used for the performance. The installation was designed by Ari Marcopoulos and Kara Walker, and constructed by Matt Jackson Studio. nora chipaumire herself is based in Berlin, Germany and Harare, Zimbabwe.
Camilla A. Brown, first in E-Moves in 2004, is returning June 14 and 15, 2024. She is presenting her own work alongside the work of her associate choreographers: Rickey Tripp; Mayte Natalio; Chloe Davis; and Maleek Washington. The theme for the night is “BLACK JOY.”
Guest Curated Programs
On March 1 and 2, 2024, Vijay Iyer is returning to guest curate and perform in “Eternal Spirit: Vijay Iyer and Friends Celebrate the Music of Andrew Hill.” The ensemble includes: drummer Nasheet Waits; trumpet player Milena Casado; and saxophonist Mark Shim. Iyer originally wrote a commissioned work with the Harlem Hall called “Holding It Down.”
Jason Moran will guest curate and perform on April 26 and 27, 2024 for “Pianos for Duke Reimagined: Featuring Jason Moran, Abdullah Ibrahim, and Friends.” Moran originally played Duke Ellington’s music in 1999 with Harlem Stage for “Piano’s For Duke” alongside other superstars of piano. The event for April is to be presented on the 125th anniversary of Ellington’s birth.
Special Projects
Sept. 14, 2023 will have the “Harlem Stage 40th Anniversary Concert” in collaboration with Bryant Park. A thus-far unannounced major jazz artist will be performing.
On Oct. 20 and 21, 2023, Craig Harris will be presenting “TONGUES OF FIRE (in a harlem state of mind),” a combination of music, poetry, and movement. It is an exploration of the evolution of the Harlem community from the ’70s to present day.
“In the Court of the Conqueror,” performed by george emilio sanchez, will be on Nov. 3, 2023. It is a solo performance that revolves around the 200-year-old Supreme Court ruling that reduced sovereignty for native nations, juxtaposed against sanchez’s own experiences with Indigenous identity in an Ecuadorian immigrant household.
On March 22 and 23, 2024, Stew’s “HIGH SUBSTITUTE FOR THE DREAD LECTURER: Baraka Jones in Dub” will be featured. It is in the spirit of his other work, the critically acclaimed “NOTES OF A NATIVE SONG,” and is focused on the twin influences of his life and art.
Uptown Nights
To be fully announced in September 2023, “Uptown Nights” will feature “Uptown Nights Latinx Music Series” from Sept. to Dec. 2023. Uptown Nights is a music series that presents an array of artists from across genres.
The Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens announced it is celebrating its 80th anniversary and officially opening its new state-of-the-art building on July 6.
Photo credit Albert Vercerka/Esto.
Louis Armstrong is a definitive arbiter of Jazz and America’s first Black popular music icon, entertaining millions from heads of state and royalty to the kids on his stoop in the working-class neighborhood of Corona, Queens. The Louis Armstrong House Museum preserves his legacy by offering guided tours of the historic home and preserving Armstrong’s 60,000-piece archives. The brand-new Louis Armstrong Center, located across the street from the historic home, will further help celebrate his legacy by offering year-round exhibitions, performances, readings, lectures, and screenings through an array of public programs for all ages. It now includes the home itself that reflects the personal values of Louis Armstrong and the garden that serves as a place for gatherings and a place for live performances.
This is a landmark moment for the Louis Armstrong House Museum. Standing on the shoulders of the jazz and community greats who have come before us, the new Louis Armstrong Center invites today’s musicians, neighbors, and global fans to discover Louis and Lucille Armstrong’s story from a new perspective. We will bring the Armstrongs’ unique archives alive through new interactive events. And we will ensure that music once again rings out on 107th Street through groundbreaking programs in collaboration with emerging artists and contemporary icons.
Executive Director Regina Bain.
The opening of the 14,000 square foot Center has spurred the creation of new programming. The Museum is announcing the upcoming season of its groundbreaking Armstrong Now, which will feature the creation and debut of new works by Esperanza Spalding, Amyra León, and Antonio Brown. Armstrong Now will provide established and emerging artists with a platform to create new work inspired by Armstrong’s legacy, as well as the vast collection of artifacts and documents in the Armstrong archives.
Also included at the Center is the new exhibition curated by Jason Moran, Here To Staywill look at Louis Armstrong’s five-decade career as an innovative musician, rigorous archivist, consummate collaborator, and community builder. “In Here to Stay, we amplify Louis Armstrong’s ability to connect with communities locally and globally. His star shines bright worldwide, but especially here at his home in Corona, Queens. I consider this one of the ‘wonders’ of the world, meaning, we have Lucille and Louis’ magnificent home, and now a museum dedicated to his life and archive,” said Moran.
Photo provided by the Louis Amstrong Museum.
Ticketing and information about all of the Louis Armstong Museum’s events and programs can be found here.
Basilica Hudson is gearing up for a busy summer 2023 with six Jupiter Nights events taking place from June-August in the gallery building. Additionally, Basilica Hudson will host legendary NYC electronic music party The Bunker Hudson Valley on July 8th in both the main hall and gallery space.
Melissa Auf der Maur, a musician, and filmmaker Tony Stone founded Basilica Hudson in 2010. It is housed in a reclaimed, solar-powered 1880s industrial factory on the riverfront of Hudson, NY. The organization welcomes over 20,000 visitors each season. They enjoy genre-pushing music festivals, large-scale marketplace events, regular film screenings, an artist residency program, public installations, and other community gatherings. The majority of its programs are free or sliding scale.
Through its programs, Basilica Hudson supports the creation, production, and presentation of independent arts and culture. The organization strives to forge experiences that aspire to the scale, grit, and beauty of its surroundings. It draws inspiration from Hudson’s epic history, the region’s artistic legacy, and environmental advocacy for its mission and programming.
Jupiter Nights
Jupiter Nights is a twice-monthly series held every other Thursday. The series, celebrating regional musicians and community through adventurous live concerts, rotating art exhibits, and local food, returns June 15.
Series highlights include Water From Your Eyes, whose latest album Everyone’s Crushed (Matador) just received a Pitchfork “Best New Music” nod. Kalia Vandever, an exploratory trombonist currently on tour with Harry Styles as part of his backing band, will also be featured.
Eclectic, cross-genre programming spotlights next-generation regional talent while creating space for both locals and visitors to come together and build community on a weekly basis. Admission for events goes directly towards supporting the artists and Basilica Hudson’s mission to be a platform for innovative voices in arts and culture.
There will be six Jupiter Nights events in Summer 2023, presented with additional support from Basilica’s green energy partners at SunCommon. Each event unfolds in tandem with monthly visual art exhibitions, connected to the performers whenever possible.
The Bunker New York is set to bring a full-on dance party to Basilica Hudson with The Bunker Hudson Valley on July 8th.
In the spirit of collaboration between the Bunker and Basilica, the event will feature three back to back sets in the Main Hall. The event will feature rising starts such as AceMo x DJ SWISHA, Analog Soul, and Sister Zo x Scotia.
Those who need a break from the dance floor can head over to the gallery for the “Going In” room. The “Going In” room is a quiet space with meditative music, featuring a durational set from Nyhne incorporating live and DJ elements. Community Rave Network’s Luv Bruvs aka SVB and Villi Manilli will hold down the room for the rest of the night.
There will be full production onsite with a custom sound system by White Rabbit Audio, and lights and lasers by Nitemind. Local 111 will be on hand with delicious food. Additionally, the party will feature a stocked bar.
More Information
Tickets to The Bunker Hudson Valley are available here. For additional information on the Summer 2023 season, visit Basilica Hudson’s website.
The New York Philharmonic started off summer with a bang on Tuesday, June 13th in the Bronx.
For years, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra has had a yearly summer concert in Van Cortlandt park, and last night continued the tradition. This summer, music director Jaap van Zweden conducts iconic classical pieces Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Johan Strauss’ On the Beautiful Blue Danube. The orchestra also plays Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, the William Tell overture, and Strauss’ overture to The Bat.
Audience members got to the Van Cortlandt Parade Grounds in the afternoon early before the concert. Hundreds of people were out on the grass before the sun set. With the orchestra playing such famous pieces, everyone was excited. Plus, audiences this summer get to hear recent pieces composed by two graduates of the New York Philharmonic’s Very Young Composers program.
Founded by John Deak, the very Young Composers Program (VYC) mentors kids and gives them the “tools they need to transform their musical ideas into finished compositions.” The kids also get to hear professional New York Philharmonic musicians—and sometimes the full orchestra—playing their work. The 12-week program works to empower children ages 8-15 and help them reach their full creative potential. Then, they can create art to express themselves and the world around them. The New York Philharmonic was founded in 1842, and it’s the oldest symphony orchestra in the country. Educational programs like the VYC ensure the future of music by making sure the next generation is given opportunities to learn. The two pieces that the orchestra are performing this summer were written when the students were in VYC.
Bronx resident Mio Mićić wrote their piece, Raft Dino Spies, in 2013 when they was just 9. “The title reflects the fact that I was 9,” they said to the audience last night. The piece depicts the experience of riding a rollercoaster that they went on as a kid. Mićić tried to compose it “as audibly realistic as possible” to make audiences feel the same experience. They even asks the musicians to do something unusual: to scream as loudly and long “as they’re willingly able.” Even though the music is memorable on its own, the screaming orchestra makes it stand out in audience’s minds.
Rodriguez wrote his piece in 2019. At the age of 12, he was inspired by the moon landing to write Trip to the Moon. He saw the moon landing footage and compared it to musical concepts. As the orchestra counts down from ten, they “[take] you for a ride and [give] you a perspective of such an amazing feat.” (Michael Rodriguez) Lately, Rodriguez has been inspired recently by Latin music, and how to compose for orchestras based in the style.
Just like always, the performance ended with a fireworks show. The New York Philharmonic is still performing free Concerts in the Parks this summer. On the 16th, they’ll be in Queens’ Cunningham Park, then Friday the orchestra plays at Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Both of these outdoor shows start at 8PM. Although sold out, the Philharmonic wraps up their concerts in the parks on the 18th with an indoor concert in Staten Island’s St. George Theatre. Still, concerts in Brooklyn and Queens are open for all! If you can’t make it this summer, you can still listen to some of the NY Philharmonic’s great work online.
