The Adirondack Wind Ensemble’s Eleanor Marcus Memorial Concert was held on Sunday, Sept. 22 at the E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium in Plattsburgh.
The Adirondack Wind Ensemble (AWE) celebrated Eleanor Marcus’s love of music through its annual Memorial Concert. Marcus graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in 1943 and loved music, attending almost every music event at E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium for decades until her passing. Since its founding in 2002 by Daniel Gordon, a member of the music faculty at SUNY Plattsburgh, AWE has performed an annual concert in E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium.
AWE is a professional musical ensemble of wind and percussion instruments comprised of music educators and other outstanding community musicians from around the North Country. Its performers represent every public school district in Clinton County as well as several communities beyond. AWE is dedicated to providing quality concert performances by members of this community for this community.
From 2010-20, AWE performed its program at a second venue in either Lake Placid or Saranac Lake.over the years, AWE has also performed at Battle of Plattsburgh Commemorations (2002-2004), in annual fall concerts at Plattsburgh High School (2007-2009), at First Night Saranac Lake (New Year’s Eve 2014), and as part of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival (2020). These geographic expansions have made AWE a true “Adirondack” Wind Ensemble.
Program: “Home in the Adirondacks”
Gustav Holst (1874-1934):
Second Suite in F, Op. 28b (1911) – March – Song without Words “I’ll love my love” – Song of the Blacksmith – Fantasia on the “Dargason”
Maurice Whitney (1901-1984):
Introduction and Samba (1951) – for alto saxophone and band
Todd Pray, soloist – Intermission –
Ian Deterling (b. 1990)
Images of the Adirondacks, Op. 25 (2024) – Autumn Colors – Mountain Sunset – Tempest
– AWE Commission, World Premiere –
Charles Ives (1888-1897) arr. Elkus
Old Home Days – Waltz (1874-1954) – The Opera House – Old Home Day – The Collection – Slow March – London Bridge Is Fallen Down!
The New York Philharmonic has announced the recipients of this year’s Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music. The honor has been awarded to American composers David Lang and Missy Mazzoli.
One of the world’s largest new-music prizes, the Kravis Prize includes $200,000 and a commission for a work that the New York Philharmonic will premiere. Lang’s new work will be premiered in the 2025–26 season, and Mazzoli’s will be premiered in 2026–27. Additionally, the NY Phil has named Kate Soper the Kravis Emerging Composer, an honor bestowed as part of The Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music. Soper receives a $50,000 stipend, including a commission to compose a work that the Philharmonic will premiere in May 2025. Funding for both honors comes from a $10 million gift to the New York Philharmonic in 2009 by Henry R. Kravis in honor of his wife, Marie-Josée, for whom the Prize is named.
The Philharmonic has performed two works by Missy Mazzoli: Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres), conducted by Dalia Stasevska (October 2021), and River Rouge Transfiguration, led by Daniela Candillari (February 2023). Musicians from the NY Phil have also performed Mazzoli’s works on CONTACT!, the new-music series (November 2014; April 2015), and Kravis Nightcap (October 2022). In February 2025 Mazzoli will be a featured speaker at the Young People’s Concert: The Future Is Innovation, in which the Orchestra, led by Jerry Hou, will reprise Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres).
Missy Mazzoli
The NY Phil has performed five works by David Lang, beginning in January 1991 with the New York Premiere of Eating Living Monkeys, conducted by Zdeněk Mácal, and most recently with the June 2019 World Premiere of prisoner of the state, conducted by then Music Director Jaap van Zweden. Additionally, Lang’s works have been performed by Musicians from the New York Philharmonic on two NY Phil new-music series: CONTACT! (January 2017) and Sound On (June 2019; March 2022).
In naming Kate Soper the Kravis Emerging Composer, the NY Phil is commissioning a work that will mark the Philharmonic’s first performance of one of her orchestral compositions. The NY Phil will give the World Premiere of Kate Soper’s Orpheus Orchestra Opus Onus — the fulfillment of her commission as part of being named a Kravis Emerging Composer — in May 2025, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. Soper, in her NY Phil debut, will also perform in the work as the soprano soloist. The only previous occasion on which the Philharmonic presented her work was a CONTACT! concert (November 2015), when Musicians from the New York Philharmonic performed Into That World Inverted for horn and piano.
David Lang
For more information on the NY Philharmonic’s Marie-Josée Kravis Prize recipients, click here.
Jones Beach State Park has announced that on November 22, Magic of Lights drive-through light show is returning for the holiday season. The event lasts from Nov 22 to Jan 4.
Magic of Lights, the family-friendly, drive-through holiday lights festival, is celebrating the grandest holiday of the year with a dazzling, sparkling, and twinkling series of magical light displays in a 2.5-mile drive-through experience, the longest and brightest ever, at Long Island’s Jones Beach State Park beginning on November 22 and running nightly through January 4. Inside the comfort of their own vehicle, guests will enjoy Magic of Lights’ classic holiday favorites including Winter Wonderland, the 12 Days of Christmas, Toyland, festive Elves and Reindeer Road. In addition to the 200 foot long Enchanting Tunnel of Lights, there will also be other new light tunnels to delight and amaze.
Other illuminated displays include the 32-foot-tall, animated Mattel’s Waving Christmas Barbie®, Prehistoric Christmas featuring life sized dinosaurs celebrating the season, and the legendary BIGFOOT® Monster Truck. Created with over two million sparkling lights, Magic of Lights is a nostalgic and festive event everyone will enjoy. The Toyota Holiday Village, which allows guests to walk through a magical out-of-car area featuring Santa Photos, refreshments, and other holiday activities, will also return at both locations. A new augmented reality feature will be introduced this year as well to make the magical experience even more interactive, with details set to be released in November.
The Magic of Lights uses the latest CAD technology and is hand-crafted at the Magic of Lights warehouse in Medina, OH, then, transported to Long Island. The displays combine for more than 10 miles of LED lighting across all presentations, in the trees, and on the buildings. There are 10 different colors of LED bulbs used. The highest scene is 32-feet tall, and the longest is several hundred feet long.
The steel displays are designed, bent, cut, and welded into about 800 frames combined in different configurations to create each show’s giant winter holiday scenes. Magic of Lights is open Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. (dusk) until 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. (dusk) until 11 p.m. Admission is $30 in advance or $35 at the gate on weekdays and $30 in advance or $40 at the gate on weekends through November. Price is based per car. Special pricing is available for limousines and buses.
Group ticket rates are available and can be purchased online. For dates, times, and ticket availability, visit magicoflights.com.
A benefit concert for Creative Music Studio will be held at (Le) Poisson Rouge in Greenwich Village on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
This special event will feature a diverse lineup of artists performing everything from experimental surf rock to poetry to beloved tunes by Medeski Martin & Wood through both solo and improvised group jam sessions. Artists such as Ava Mendoza, Billy Martin aka illy B, and Joe Russo, will be performing at the benefit, among other instrumentalists and poets. All proceeds from this show will go to the Creative Music Foundation.
Creative Music Studio aims to engage musicians and listeners through workshops, recordings, and concerts worldwide. For 40 years, Creative Music’s main program was the Creative Music Studio, a physical 45-acre campus in Woodstock NY where musicians lived. Residents include hundreds of Guiding Artists, including several MacArthur ‘Genius’ Award winners (George Lewis, John Zorn, Cecil Taylor, John Cage, Charlie Haden). Over 550 concerts were recorded and were digitized as part of the CMS Archive Project.
Since 2008, (Le) Poisson Rouge has had indie rock, contemporary classical, electronica, metal, jazz, world music, and everything in-between on its stage. in the heart of New York City’s historic Greenwich Village to reflect the rich musical culture of the city it calls home. A Gallery Bar that hosts art exhibitions, stand-up comedy, and drag queen bingo make LPR the most eclectically independent venue in NYC.
General Admission – Advance Standing room tickets – $51.50 | 7:00 PM GA doors
Prospective performing musicians have announced show cancellations at the East Village’s Rockwood Music Hall following the venue’s sudden closure.
Known for their seemingly never ending roster of all flavors of live music, Rockwood Music Hall has built quite the reputation for themselves over the past twenty-odd years of operating.
Boasting up to ten performances a day by local, national, and global artists alike on their nine-by-nine foot stage, Rockwood provided smaller artists the chance to work with a larger venue with high-quality production and fans the opportunity to know they’re a part of something much bigger than themselves.
Many household names got their start at Rockwood, including Sara Bareilles, Lady Gaga, and Elle King among countless others. With such an extensive daily schedule, artists were offered opportunities to return routinely and build their audience while retaining 100% of merch sales made within the venue’s walls – something invaluable to smaller acts.
In addition to their live performances, Rockwood records thousands of live shows each year with many being released formally. Notable live releases include Johnnyswim, The Marcus King Band, and Gretchen Parlato’s Grammy-nominated “Live in NYC” album.
It’s for all of these reasons and more that the sudden removal of Rockwood’s events calendar on their website and subsequent announcements from several upcoming performers of show cancellations left regulars and newcomers alike in shock.
Posts from New York’s Finest’s Oscar Bautista, Americana artist Arielle Silver, and several others detail the surprise and disappointment felt in response to an e-mail seemingly received by all artists on the morning of November 10 that were booked for upcoming and future dates at Rockwood .
“Due to circumstances beyond our control, this Rockwood Music Hall location has closed its doors today, Sunday November 10 2024. Hence all shows going forward are cancelled. Apologies for the short notice and thank you for your support. Please reach out if needed.”
– Rockwood Music Hall, in email to artists
The end of Rockwood Music Hall marks the end of an era for New York City’s music scene, and it’s not difficult to say the same for the music industry as a whole. A beloved venue for avid music listeners and up-and-coming stars alike, the loss of Rockwood is sure to be felt sorely.
As of writing, there is no formal announcement on Rockwood Music Hall’s website or social media accounts concerning the venue’s closure.
On Friday, November 22 at 8 pm, saxophonist Eric Alexander and his quartet will perform a set of bebop jazz at Flushing Town Hall.
Eric Alexander, joined by David Williams (bass), Neal Smith (drums), and Rick Germanson (piano), has been described by NPR as “one of the finest bebop saxophonists in the world.” After releasing more than 40 albums as a quartet or sextet leader, and being heard in over 100 albums that feature his playing, Alexander has been on the cutting edge of the jazz scene for over 30 years.
Eric Alexander started on the piano at the age of six and took up the clarinet three years later. He switched to alto sax when he was 12 and studied classical music. When he was 18 years old, he fell in love with jazz and settled for the tenor saxophone. At William Paterson College in New Jersey, he advanced his studies under the tutelage of Harold Mabern, Joe Lovano, Rufus Reid, and others.
In 1991, Alexander placed second behind jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman, and ahead of Chris Potter, in the Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition. He then decided to become a professional jazz musician. In 1992, Alexander released his debut album, Straight Up for Delmark. More recordings followed, including Man with a Horn (1997) and a 1998 quartet with George Mraz, John Hicks, and Idris Muhammad, Solid!. That year also marked Alexander’s first recording with One For All, his enduring jazz sextet with Jim Rotondi, Steve Davis, Joe Farnsworth, Peter Washington, and Dave Hazeltine.
”Jazz plays such an important part in the history of Queens,” says Clyde Bullard, Flushing Town Hall’s Jazz Producer in Residence. “We at Flushing Town Hall want to continue the legacy of great jazz with outstanding established as well as emerging jazz artists on our stage. We are delighted to welcome the extremely talented Eric Alexander.”
Saxophonist, multi-wind artist, composer, and arranger Kris Jensen will perform a one-time intimate show at The Other Side in Utica on Nov. 16. Door opens at 7:00 p.m.
Kris Jensen, a versatile musician, has performed throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Bangkok, Thailand, and Switzerland. Jensen has performed alongside many prominent artists in both jazz and rock, most notably, the legendary Allman Brothers Band and many of the individual members’ bands including Gregg Allman and Friends, Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, Dickey Betts and Great Southern. He has also played with trumpet legend Maynard Ferguson, and many others.
In 1996, Jensen was a semi-finalist in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. He has studied Jazz and African-American music at the University of Hartford, where he would later teach. Jensen has recently appeared with jazz legends such as trombonist Curtis Fuller, alto saxophonist Phil Woods, and pianist Larry Willis. He has appeared on New Jersey Public Television with Maynard Ferguson, on “Late Night with David Letterman” with Gregg Allman & Friends, and on stage with The Allman Brothers Band, and The Dave Matthews Band.
The Other Side is a small community space dedicated to offering a platform for expression to artists and activists from around the region and beyond. Since 2007, The Other Side has been the go-to destination for jazz musicians and audiences alike.
Orrin Evans adds, “I have been listening to our next jazz guest, saxophonist, flautist & composer Kris Jensen and I’m happy to report that our music director, Dr Mike Dubaniewicz has done it again. Kris Jensen is a ‘beast’ whether blowing w/ the Allmans or with a jazz contingent. The backing band w/ Mike D. on sax, Dan Pugh on organ and Mike Cortese, drums is going to rock the joint.”
Learn more about The Other Side in Utica and purchase tickets here.
Rochester fan-favorite live music venue Anthology has announced its official reopening with two upcoming shows following their surprise closure in 2022.
Opened in 2015, Anthology quickly grew to be one of Rochester’s favorite concert halls. With names including but not limited to Bleachers, Anthrax, Bad Suns, Twiddle, and Andy Frasco & the U.N. gracing their stage, Anthology brought in fans from local units and big names alike while cultivating a uniquely sophisticated yet down-to-earth live music environment.
Known for their intimate show atmosphere despite having the room to house a few hundred concertgoers, Anthology’s reputation as a venue was generally one of upscale but not snobbish attendee experience with a gorgeous interior to boot all the way up to its closure.
With little to no fanfare, Anthology closed its doors in the summer of 2022- much to the local community’s surprise and dismay.
While there were never any formal announcements posted to the venue’s website or social media accounts, any and all posts that indicated as such have been wiped from their pages following the groundbreaking announcement made on November 12- Anthology’s doors will open once again.
Anthology veterans and indie rock unit Joywave seem to be in thanks for Anthology’s return. In conversation with CITY Magazine, Joywave member and vocalist Daniel Armbuster explained that their search for a venue to house a homecoming show for their fall tour led to the fateful conversation with owner and operator, Phil Fitzsimmons.
“I said, ‘hey, how about you reopen Anthology? We need it.’ He listened. Horrible lesson for me. I’ll be walking around town making suggestions forever now. The Irondequoit Bay Bridge should be open year round. Please tell the county executive for me.”
– Phil Fitzsimmons
Joywave’s hometown shows and Anthology’s victorious return comes in the form of “JOY 2 THE WORLD: A Two Night Event Featuring Joywave”. The Christmas spirit will be in full effect over the band’s doubleheader on December 20 and 21.
For more information on how to attend and celebrate the return of one of Rochester’s beloved concert venues, check out Anthology’s Facebook post for the event here.
To keep up to date on everything Anthology and future shows, be sure to check out the venue’s official website here.
Returning for their 21st year, the Native American Music Awards has announced the list of nominees for this year’s ceremony, in addition to opening the public voting ballot.
Originally debuting at Foxwoods in Connecticut in 1988, the Native American Music Awards has traveled the country in its celebration of Indigenous music, drawing in audiences from near and far as they honor the best of the best in today’s Native American musicians.
With over 200 artists in consideration each year, official nominees are selected by the national Advisory membership before being brought to the public.
Now over 20 years into the tradition, over one million people join the voting process through the public ballot forum in addition to the Advisory’s votes. In an exciting announcement, the NAMA has made the 2024 nominee list and opened voting to the public.
The public voting ballot is open now on NAMA’s official website. To learn more and cast your ballot, visit here.
Malta restaurant and live music venue Nanola has announced its celebration of 11 years of service. The venue celebrates the milestone the week of November 11 with a slew of exciting menu deals and various live musical performances.
Nanola operates as a bar and restaurant open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. They provide some of the area’s best burgers and wings as well as some Cajun and New Orlean’s specialties. Jambalaya and even fried alligator from time-to-time graces Nanola’s menu. The restaurant has also hosted many events from weddings to funerals. They have a stage with professional sound and have had many acts take the stage over the years.
Local cover bands and solo acts tend to fill Nanola’s schedule these days, but they still pull out the big guns occasionally and have hosted acts such as White Denim, Rusted Root, Caroline Rose, Bob Moses, Tokyo Police Club, Dogs in a Pile. Owner Shane Spillenger has repeatedly kicked himself for turning down Goose on a random Wednesday one week. This week they will be hosting Shake Rattle and Roll Dueling Pianos and Saturday night 80’s cover band Aquanett.
Nanola also hosts weekly trivia, and all your sports viewing events with the NFL package. They also have open mic monthly and karaoke sprinkled in. In the warmer months they have three beach volleyball courts that have leagues almost every day of the week. The volleyball leagues are run by Spillenger’s partner Matthew Wink. US Olympic players have used the courts for practice.
To coincide with this week’s anniversary, they are refining the menu to Nanola’s tried and true favorites. For a limited time only Nanola will be bringing back its buy-one-get-one happy hour between 4 and 6pm seven days a week. They will also be offering 1-dollar wings for a limited time only.
For more information on Nanola’s 11-year anniversary celebration and to check out upcoming shows and menu changes, click here.
