Each Sunday evening from 7-9 p.m. you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up-and-coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from W.Y. Huang, Sara Devoe, and Luminous Crush.
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Singaporean singer-songwriter W. Y. Huang has released the new song “Life Just Lately.” The New York-based musician captivates audiences with his groovy instrumentals and irresistible vocals.
Sara Devoe is a singer/songwriter from Albany. She takes most of her inspiration from artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Haley Heynderickx, Field Medic, and Grimes. Her catchy song “am i pretty in the light?” will be played on EQXposure on Sunday.
Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) has announced Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s 2024 summer season with six Sunday afternoon programs from June 16 to August 18 at the infamous Spa Little Theater.
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s summer season will open with “Romantic Masterpieces,” showcasing works from Brahms and Arensky on June 16, followed by “Musical Mosaics” featuring Mozart, Puccini, Brahms and Dvořák on June 23.
“Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Brahms” with the Escher String Quartet will follow on July 14, an “Enchanting Winds” program on July 21 and “Beethoven, Ravel, and Schumann” on August 11. The season will close with “The Carnival of the Animals” on August 18, in its original instrumentation for chamber ensemble.
Announcing the exciting season, Elizabeth Sobol, the President and CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center shared that the summer season will “open the the Spa Little Theater doors for our community to experience world-class chamber music – now year round — is an important part of our expanded mission” and they’re also looking forward to continuing this new tradition with their partners at CMS under the brilliant direction of Wu Han and David Finckel.
Anchored by Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Artistic directors Wu Han (piano) and David Finckel (cello), this season’s guest artists also include violinists Bella Hristova, Chad Hoopes, Kristin Lee, Adam Barnett-Hart, Brendan Speltz, Danbi Um, and Francisco Fullana; violists Paul Neubauer, Pierre Lapointe, Matthew Lipman, and Guillermo Figueroa; cellists Dmitri Atapine, Brook Speltz, Nicholas Canellakis, and Sterling Elliott; double bassist Nina Bernat; pianists Wu Qian, Anna Geniushene, Evren Ozel, and Michael Stephen Brown; clarinetists Romie de Guise-Langlois and David Shifrin; flutists Demarre McGill and Sooyun Kim; Hugo Valverde on horn; bassoonist Peter Kolkay; harpist Bridget Kibbey; percussionists Ian David Rosenblum and Ayano Kataoka, and The Escher String Quartet.
SPAC is a very special place to hear music. We always find the brief journey from the highway into the park totally transformative, preparing us to experience the greatness of music surrounded by the glories and miracles of nature. SPAC is so much more than a park: it’s a place for communal appreciation of the finest the world has to offer, and CMS is immensely proud to be a part of it.
CMS Artistic Directors Wu Han and David Finckel
The summer season follows two previously announced spring concerts offered by CMS. The final spring performance is slated for May 11 with pianist Wu Han, violinist Chad Hoopes, and cellist David Finckel featuring works by Mozart, Mendelssohn and Smetana.
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center residency is presented by Charles Schwab – Maureen Parker from June 16 – August 18
June 16: Romantic Masterpieces
Wu Han, piano
Wu Qian, piano
Bella Hristova, violin
Dmitri Atapine,cello
Arensky – Six Children’s Pieces for Piano, Four Hands
Arensky – Trio No. 1 in D minor for Piano, Violin, and Cello
Brahms – Selections from Hungarian Dances for Piano, Four Hands
Brahms – Trio in C major for Piano, Violin, and Cello
June 23: Musical Mosaics
Chad Hoopes, violin
Kristin Lee, violin
Paul Neubauer, viola
Matthew Lipman, viola
David Finckel, cello
Dvořák – Drobnosti (Miniatures) for Two Violins and Viola
Puccini – Crisantemi for String Quartet
Mozart – Quintet in C minor for Two Violins, Two Violas, and Cello
Dvořák – Selections from Cypresses (Echo of Songs) for String Quartet
Brahms – Quintet in G major for Two Violins, Two Violas, and Cello
July 14: Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Brahms
Escher String Quartet
Adam Barnett-Hart, violin
Brendan Speltz, violin
Pierre Lapointe, viola
Brook Speltz, cello
Anna Geniushene, piano
Mozart – Quartet in B-flat major for Strings
Mendelssohn – Quartet No. 1 in E-flat major for Strings
Brahms – Quintet in F minor for Piano, Two Violins, Viola, and Cello
July 21: Enchanting Winds
Evren Ozel, piano
Demarre McGill, flute
Romie de Guise-Langlois, clarinet
Juri Vallentin, oboe
Hugo Valverde, horn
Peter Kolkay, bassoon
Rossini – Quartet No. 4 for Flute, Clarinet, Horn and Bassoon in B-flat major
Saint-Saëns – Sonata for Oboe and Piano
Taffanel – Quintet in G minor for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn
Poulenc – Sonata for Flute and Piano
Mozart – Quintet in E-flat major for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, and Piano
August 11: Beethoven, Ravel, and Schumann
Michael Stephen Brown, piano
Nicholas Canellakis, cello
Danbi Um, violin
Beethoven – Sonata in G minor for Cello and Piano
Ravel – Sonata for Violin and Cello
Schumann – Trio No. 1 in D minor for Piano, Violin, and Cello
August 18: The Carnival of the Animals
Wu Han, piano
Wu Qian, piano
Sooyun Kim, flute
David Shifrin, clarinet
Bridget Kibbey, harp
Ian David Rosenbaum, percussion
Ayano Kataoka, percussion
Richard Lin, violin
Francisco Fullana, violin
Guillermo Figueroa, viola
Sterling Elliott, cello
Nina Bernat, double bass
Biber – Sonata representativa in A major for Violin and Continuo
Bach – Concerto in A major for Keyboard, Strings, and Continuo
Vivaldi – Concerto in D major for Flute, Strings, and Continuo
Ravel – Introduction et allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet, and String Quartet
Saint-Saëns – Le carnaval des animaux for Ensemble
All summer 2024 CMS events will be held at the Spa Little Theatre in Saratoga Springs, with tickets and subscriptions being available starting March 13, and fans can visit spac.org for more information
Worldwide music phenom Donny Osmond is set to play at the Palace Theatre in Albany this summer. Donny will perform his timeless hits along with latest album Start Again. Along with the Palace Theatre July 3, Donny plays in NYC July 12 and Niagara Falls July 13.
The Palace Theatre in Albany has announced Donny Osmond’s return to their main stage this July. Osmond will stop in Albany as a part of his upcoming summer tour. The tour sees two other dates in New York, including NYC and Niagara Falls.
Osmond will showcase his talent and perform tracks from his latest album Start Again. This album marks the artist’s 65th album, a massive career milestone. Along with the latest album, Osmond will perform all-time hits from his catalogue like “Soldier of Love,” “Sacred Emotion” and more.
Donny Osmond headlines his award-winning solo residency at Harrah’s Las Vegas which was voted Best New Show, Best Performer, Best Resident Headliner and Best Production by The Las Vegas Review Journal.
Donny Osmond has notably entertained a vast array of audiences with his varied career choices. He has starred on Broadway as Gaston in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and hosted multiple Emmy nominated television shows. The critically acclaimed song Captain Li Shang’s “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from the Disney film Mulan was sung by Donny.
Tickets go on sale Friday, March 8 at 10AM. To purchase tickets to see Donny Osmond at the Palace Theatre, click here.
Circles Around the Sun returned to Albany for a sold out show at Lark Hall on Saturday, March 9, with Mikaela Davis and Southern Star opening the night. With five disco balls on stage for the two bands, the audience was presented to an incredible evening of Discofied Grateful Dead-inspired dance music.
“Home in the Country” from her 2023 release And Southern Star led to a bit of improv, then shifted to “The Pearl,” which had a subtle Grateful Dead-esque intro. Towards the end of “Leave it Alone,” Davis encouraged the crowd to engage in ‘wooing’ – to which they eagerly participated – before smoothly moving into Alice Coltrane‘s “Journey in Satchidananda.” Davis then gave a shout out to her and the band’s collective Upstate roots, hailing from the Catskills, Syracuse and Rochester, before wrapping up her set with “Other Lover.”
Setlist: Cinderella> In My Groove, Home in the Country, The Pearl, Get Gone, Leave It Alone > Journey in Satchidananda> Promise, Other Lover
Circles Around the Sun took the stage for what would be a nearly two-hour performance, with John Lee Shannon (guitars), Adam MacDougall (keys), Dan Horne (bass), and Mark Levy (drums) channeling the spirit – but not the songs outright – of the Grateful Dead. What transpired was the full crowd grooving along, dancing outright but never standing still as Circles went full Disco on the Dead.
Whether it was the “Language“-adjacent “Away Team,” the slow funk disco of “Landline Memories,” or mellow 1970s mall music churning into a nightclub fever pitch in “Immoveable Object,” the performance led the crowd jive relentlessly.
Early Circles songs – “Babyman” and “One for Chuck” – put the focus on bassist Dan Horne, who held the beat all night, and effortlessly drove the tempo towards a swinging disco of “Money’s No Option.” A standing encore brought Mikaela Davis and her harp back out to the stage for a trio of songs – “After Sunrise” (originally a Sergio Mendes and Brazil 77 song, reworked by the artists), Gloaming Away (a late 70’s synth strut) and the hypnotic grooves of “Language.” The encore alone could have extended another hour and none of the sell out crowd would have complained.
Circles Around the Sun – Lark Hall, Albany – Saturday, March 9, 2024
Blues legend Taj Mahal and Gambian legend-in-the-making Sona Jobarteh graced the stage of the Hart Theater at The Egg on Thursday, March 7 for an immaculate night of globe-spanning music.
Taj Mahal – photo by Conor McMahon
Sona Jobarteh is the first female griot kora master, hailing from one of the five principal kora-playing families in West Africa. With a history spanning 1,000 years, Sona continues a legacy handed down for generations, for the first time to a woman who makes her presence known on the stage and in her home of The Gambia. Jobarteh’s humanitarian activism has led to her founding The Gambia Academy, an institution dedicated educational reform for Africans on the continent of Africa.
Pairing her virtuosity on the kora and the guitar with ethereal vocals, Sona and her band blended traditional West African music with blues and pop from the Mother Continent, and in doing so created an original sound that is at times hypnotic. Walking out one at a time – first the percussion and bass, then guitar and finally Jobarteh – the audience was led immediately to engage in a call and response song, “Jarabi,” with an outset intention to engage all for this very full evening of music.
For an hour, Jobarteh demonstrated with precision the kora while her band crafted beats unlike any other. Each song was given an introduction, with meaning and spirituality invoked throughout, making the connection to the music deeper as the performance progressed. Jobarteh is a beacon of light from West Africa, shining farther west than her ancestors could have ever imagined.
Sona Jobarteh and her band at The Egg – photo by Pete Mason
Harlem-born Taj Mahal took the stage a short while later, strutting out to center stage in his signature Panama hat, surrounded by at least seven guitars of varying sound and size. Opening with “Wild About My Lovin’,” his vocals were tinged with age and rasp, perfect for a gritty blues love song. “Fishing Blues” and the classic “Corrina” followed, after Taj Mahal noted that he had a lack of radio hits over his career.
“Queen Bee” was dedicated to the guys in the audience, with a suggestion that they play this song for their girl the next chance they get. A hint of the Caribbean could be heard in the steel drums of Robert Greenidge (formerly of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefers Band) throughout the evening, while the Hawaiian steel guitar of Bobby Ingano on a cover Santo and Johnny’s “Sleepwalk” creating a creole stew of blues from across the hemisphere.
Taj Mahal and his band with Sona Jobarteh and her band
For an encore, Sona Jobarteh and her band were welcomed back to the stage to perform, “Giant Step.” Watch the song below and photos by Conor McMahon.
Taj Mahal Setlist: Wild About My Lovin’, Fishing Blues, Corrina, Bettye and Dupree, Cakewalk into Town, Queen Bee, Slow Drag, Roscoe’s Mule, Lovin’ in my Baby’s Eye, Sleepwalk, Blackjack Davey, Giant Step (with Sona Jobarte and her band)
Albany based jam band Hilltop recently released their brand new EP, Getting There Together on February 16. This follows the 2022 release of Live Rips, and is their latest studio output since “Prophecy” – a stand alone single from July of 2022.
The quartet is made up of brothers Reid and Stephen Perry on drums and percussion, along with Aris Nieuwkerk and David Klang on guitar and bass respectively.
Getting There Together is mixed bag of rock, funk, jam and country influences.The band defines Getting There Together as“a collection of 4 songs from our catalog that outline the importance of living in the moment and cooperating.”
Photo Courtesy of hilltoptheband.com
The EP begins with “Beautiful”, a rock and jam inspired song introduced by its catchy unison guitar and bass riff. The song tackles lyrical themes of living in the present, stating “our future concerns and past regrets will all fade away.” It eventually transitions into spacey like ambience, which allows Aris the space to build a unique solo before returning back to the main unison riff to end the song. During their live performances, Hilltop is known for extending these sections, allowing the spontaneity of improvisation to lead the direction of the song.
“Sunshine” starts with an intro reminiscent of Pink Floyd, a quiet soundscape that slowly builds and crescendos into a funk-rock inspired groove. The bass and drums are locked in and really drive the feel of the song. The chemistry between the two are apparent on this recording. Hilltop’s use of vocal harmonies on the chorus add an additional layer of depth and power to their message. Sunshine contains a short, overdriven guitar solo that leads to a final chorus with the refrain “we’ll make our own sunshine today”, continuing with this trend of optimism and positivity in their lyrics.
The third song off the EP, “Something New,” contains beautiful guitar harmonies layered by Aris. These first three tracks are accredited to songwriting duo Aris and Reid.
“Moonshine”, the final song on the EP, is heavily inspired by traditional country and bluegrass. Walking bass, a chugging train beat, and country guitar picking all meld to create the only David Klang (bass) original released on Getting There Together. David is also Hilltop’s Mastering Engineer for the entirety of the EP.
Getting There Together by Hilltop is currently available on all streaming services here.
Photo courtesy of www.hilltoptheband.com
Hilltop 2024 Tour Dates:
03/29 – Electric Haze (Supporting Dead Man’s Waltz) – Worcester, MA
The human body is made up of 206 bones and on Wednesday, February 28th, the voice of Paul Janeway touched every single one of them during a dynamic, soul-shaking performance at The Egg in Albany. Along with his 7-piece powerhouse jazz ensemble, St. Paul & the Broken Bones cooked up a near perfect mix of colorful showmanship, joyful jams, and fantastic fan interaction as the band not only celebrated their third time playing the beloved venue, but also the ten year anniversary of their breakthrough debut album, Half The City. It was their first time back in the area since wowing the crowd last year at the annual Saratoga Jazz Festival.
Paul Janeway of St. Paul & the Broken Bones performing in Albany on 2/28/24.
A wet and windy Wednesday night outside The Egg, things started cooking inside with an impressive opening set from Bowling Green, Kentucky’s Sugadaisy. Combining a modern grunge vibe with a healthy dose of psychedelic pop, the venue’s excellent acoustics made them sound huge right off the rip. Sparked by a Daniel Johnston Hi, How Are You T-shirt worn by one of the guitarists, there were moments you simply couldn’t help but think of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain. Unsure what to make of Sugadaisy at first, by the time they finished their short, but energetic set, it’s fair to say they’d won the Albany crowd over and earned a slew of new fans. Following a brief set change, it was finally time for St. Paul & the Broken Bones to take over.
Sugadaisy opened the show for St. Paul & the Broken Bones on 2/28/24.
Rising to prominence with over a decade of near constant touring, the Birmingham, Alabama-based rock n’ soul band boasts more than a million monthly listeners on Spotify, have released 5 studio albums and shared stages with a veritable who’s-who of music royalty that includes the likes of Sir Elton John and The Rolling Stones. Known for the signature falsetto voice of their flamboyant frontman Paul Janeway (aka St. Paul), The Broken Bones also consist of bassist Jesse Phillips, guitarist Browan Lollar, drummer Kevin Leon, keyboard player Al Gamble, trumpeter Allen Branstetter, trombonist Chad Fisher and Amari Ansari on saxophone.Â
St. Paul & the Broken Bones performing at The Egg on 2/28/24.
Kicking off their headlining set in style, each member of The Broken Bones came out one-by-one to the darkened stage, seamlessly picking up their instruments to join in on the opening “Marvin Jam” before the always dapper-looking Janeway sauntered out of the shadows to a massive applause. Instantly turning up the funk with “Flow With It (You Got Me Feeling Like), St. Paul & the Broken Bones wasted no time getting right to their biggest chart topping hit, “Call Me,” which the crowd immediately recognized and sang along to. All warmed up and feeling good, Janeway would take a brief moment to acknowledge the audience and make note that their debut album, Half the City, had been released ten years ago this week. Thanking the crowd for helping give them a career, the band would then play the album’s title track followed by an emphatic, soul-wrenching rendition of “I’m Torn Up,” the album’s opening song.
“I can’t let it down, this hope I feel
Oh this city has made me cry but I still can’t leave her
The streets paved with pain of all my past loves
Please don’t let it die cause I have had enough”
Lyrics from “Half the City”
From something old to something new, St. Paul & the Broken Bones would change things up a bit with a pair of songs, “Wolf in Rabbit Clothes” and “Sea Star” from their most recent album, 2023’s Angels in Science Fiction. Growing up on a steady diet of gospel and soul music like The Stylistics, Sam Cooke and old school Marvin Gaye, it’s easy to see where St. Paul & the Broken Bones draw their influences from, but it’s not often you hear a white man that sings falsetto with the power and control of Janeway. What really sets him apart, however, is the way he’s able to command the entire stage. Working both sides while simultaneously showcasing some fancy footwork (and fancy shoes), Janeway’s presence was mesmerizing.
St. Paul & the Broken Bones performing in Albany on 2/28/24.
Singing falsetto from the depths of his soul, so hard in fact, that at times it had him dropping to his knees reaching for the notes, like he did on “Grass is Greener.” After receiving a huge ovation for his efforts, Janeway quietly disappeared back into the shadows. Far from a one-man-show, The Broken Bones took over from there with an extended “Roach Clip” jam that saw each member taking turns soloing in the spotlight and the energetic Amari Ansari running from one side of the room to the other wailing away on his saxophone to the delight of the ultra-attentive Albany crowd.
The powerful horn section was heavily featured once again during “LivWithoutU,” before the dirty, slowed-down groove of “Minotaur” put the audience in a near euphoric trance. Building the energy back up with a pair of tunes from 2018’s Young Sick Camellia, “GotItBad” > “Apollo” would bring the main portion of the show to a close and leave fans hollering for more.
Baby
Is there a right when all is wrong?
Is there a partner when we’re left all alone?
Oh, but I wanna feel something real
Lyrics from “Sanctify”
St. Paul & the Broken Bones performing in Albany on 2/28/24.
Returning to the stage now wearing a sparkling sequin cape, Janeway would take his theatrics to the next level. First falling to floor and rolling around like a guitar-less Marty McFly as he crooned the lyrics to “Like a Mighty River,” the crowd who had largely remained seated to this point, finally got up on their feet when Janeway suddenly jumped off the stage to join them.
St. Paul & the Broken Bones performing in Albany on 2/28/24.
As fans quickly grabbed their phones to snap obligatory selfies, the connection between the artist and the audience here felt completely authentic. Singing “Sanctify” while climbing all the way up to the soundboard area of The Egg’s backrow, the man who once thought he wanted to be a preacher found his Albany congregation in the palm of his hand. High-fiving as many of them as he could on the way down, the entire room seemed to be smiling ear to ear. Back on stage for the disco-vibed “Last Dance,” the energy in the Egg had reached its boiling point. Already three songs into the encore, fans were given one last treat and one final song from Half The City as “Broken Bones and Pocket Change” would bring the stellar performance to a close. After a well-deserved standing ovation, even the seasoned ushers were left commenting on just how good of a show this was.
St. Paul & the Broken Bones performing in Albany on 2/28/24.
After playing in Buffalo the next night, St. Paul & the Broken Bones officially wrapped up their year-long Angels In Science Fiction tour in Charlottesville, VA on March 3rd. After taking a couple weeks off, the band will return to their stomping grounds of Birmingham, Alabama for a hometown throwdown on March 23 before setting off on a lengthy European tour later this summer.
St. Paul & the Broken Bones | February 28,2024 | The Egg | Albany, NY
Setlist: Opening Marvin Jam, Flow With It (You Got Me Feeling Like), Call Me, Half the City, I’m Torn Up, Wolf in Rabbits Clothes > Sea Star, Grass Is Greener, Roach Clip, Livwithoutu, Minotaur, GotItBad > Apollo.
Encore: Like a Mighty River, Sanctify, The Last Dance, Broken Bones & Pocket Change.
DJ and producer Ben Silver – best known for his work with Orchard Lounge, will play a solo set at Putnam Place this Friday, March 8, with B2B special guests SM INK and CAUZEE.
Presented by BRZY Studios and Putnam Place, the evening promises to immerse attendees in the deepest realms of house, techno, and downtempo sounds.
Supporting acts include SM INK, a rising talent from New York’s capital, and Cauzee, Albany’s own late night sound manipulator. Together, the pair will deliver back-to-back sets that blend minimal, deep tech, and house, guaranteed to keep the dancefloor energized.
Organizers of the show are also using the evening as a platform to help raise funds for Music Education. Working with the Ian McGuire Music Scholarship Fund (IMMSF), a raffle will be held, where participants have the chance to win a VIP package, which includes two passes for the event, two more for any future show at Putnam Place, plus a special “Spring Garden” vinyl record from IMMSF.
Proceeds will support music education, continuing the legacy of Philadelphia musician Ian McGuire. The Ian McGuire Music Scholarship Fund is dedicated to advancing music education for aspiring musicians. Established in memory of Ian McGuire, it aims to nurture the next generation of talent, reflecting Ianâs passion and dedication to music.
Doors open at 9:30 PM with the show starting at 10 PM. The 21+ event at Putnam Place showcases not only rising talent from Albany’s electronic scene, but also Ben Silver’s distinguished style, sets aiming to blend ethereal cosmic synths and refined rhythms, a craft perfected through years of national touring and club residencies.
Albany Symphony has unveiled its celebratory 2024-2025 season to kick off in October with concerts taking place in a wide variety of Capital Region concert venues, including the legendary Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, the Palace Theater, Proctors, and EMPAC
David Alan Miller, Music Director of Albany Symphony and Grammy-winning conductor.
The 2024/2025 season includes soloists; Yuval Chen, Raman Ramakrishnan, Bokyung Byun, Karen Hosmer, Grace Shryock, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Harmony Zhu, Amaryn Olmeda, Kala Ramnath, Stephen Williamson and Third Coast Percussion. This season’s new work will include Tania León, Joan Tower, Nicky Sohn, Daniel Roumain, Loren Loiacono, Missy Mazzoli, Reena Esmail, Bobby Ge, Clarice Assad, Sophia Jani, and Christopher Theofanidis.
The programming for this season has been curated by the award-winning conductor David Alan Miller. “We are thrilled to share our new season with you,” said Miller. “In addition to many of the greatest classics of all time, we are looking forward to introducing you to some of the most beautiful and inspirational new and recent works by the most compelling living American composers. We also look forward to working with an amazing group of guest artists, including a brilliant up-and-coming guest conductor who graduated from Guilderland High School! I promise you an absolutely unforgettable, thrilling journey of musical exploration. My brilliant Albany Symphony musician colleagues have never sounded more beautiful!”
The 2024-2025 season features several brilliant soloists. Beloved Albany Symphony oboists Karen Hosmer and Grace Shyrock will perform at the Holiday Mozart and Vivaldi concert. Harmony Zhu, a teenage prodigy who made her debut with the Albany Symphony in 2020, will perform Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Kala Ramnath, a seventh-generation violinist specializing in Hindustani (Indian) classical music, will perform. Prize-winning guitarist, Bokyung Kim will premiere a new concerto written for her by Nicky Sohn. Amaryn Olmeda will perform Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto under the baton of guest conductor, Lidiya Yankovskaya, Music Director of Chicago Opera Theater, who grew up in Guilderland, NY.
The 2024-2025 season runs from October through the American Music Festival in June. The deadline to renew the subscription is April 14. Through the Nielsen Associates’ Student Access Program, students can purchase discount subscriptions and enjoy the full benefits of being a subscriber for as little as $45. To purchase a subscription online, fans can visit here or call the Albany Symphony Box Office at 518-694-3300.
Albany Symphony 2024/2025 Season:
**Artists, programs, venues, and dates subject to change
TCHAIKOVSKY’S FIRST CONCERTO
Palace Theatre, October 19, 2024
Yuval Chen, piano
Tania León: Pregón (world premiere)
Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1
Carl Nielsen: Symphony No. 4 “The Inextinguishable”
DVORAK’S “NEW WORLD”
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, November 16 + 17, 2024
Raman Ramakrishnan, cello
Bedřich Smetana: “The Moldau” from Má vlast
Joan Tower: Cello Concerto “A New Day”
Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”
HOLIDAY MOZART & VIVALDI
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, December 21 + 22, 2024
Bokyung Byun, guitar
Karen Hosmer & Grace Shyrock, oboes
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Johann Sebastian Bach: Sinfonia from “Christmas Oratorio”
Nicky Sohn: Guitar Concerto (world premiere)
Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto for Two Oboes
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No. 35 “Haffner”
THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS
Palace Theatre, December 8, 2024
BEETHOVEN’S PASTORIAL
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, January 11 + 12, 2025
Mark Bamuthi Joseph, speaker
Carlos Simon: Fate Now Conquers
Daniel Bernard Roumain /
Marc Bamuthi Joseph: Forgiveness, Suite for Spoken Word & Orchestra
Ludwig Van Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral”
RACHMANINOFF’S PAGANINI RHAPSODY
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, February 15 + 16, 2025
Harmony Zhu, piano
Randall Thompson: A Trip to Nahant
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Loren Loiacono: Sleep Furiously
Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 1, “Spring”
BARBER’S BREATHTAKING VIOLIN CONCERTO
Proctors, March 8, 2025
Lidiya Yankovskaya, guest conductor
Amaryn Olmeda, Violin
Missy Mazzoli: Orpheus Undone
Samuel Barber: Violin Concerto
Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 7
BOLÉRO
Palace Theatre, April 5, 2025
Kala Ramnath, violin
Maurice Ravel: Boléro
Reena Esmail: Concerto for Hindustani Violin
Hector Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique
MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS
Palace Theatre, May 3, 2025
AMERICAN MUSIC FESTIVAL: WATER MUSIC
EMPAC, June 14, 2025
Stephen Williamson, clarinet
Third Coast Percussion
Bobby Ge: Water Music (world premiere)
Clarice Assad: Percussion ConcertoSophia Jani: What do Flowers do at Night?
Proctors and theRep have announced their show lineup for the 2024-2025 season. After hosting “The Not So Late-Night Show” on Feb. 26, the Proctors Collaborative hosts John Gray and Lydia Kulbida were joined by Philip Morris, Proctors CEO, and Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, producing artistic director of theREP, to announce the remarkable shows coming to the MainStage at Proctors in Schenectady and the Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany.
Pictured: AEA Actor, Joshua Redfield and local actress Emily Curro
The first show of the KeyBank Subscription Series at Proctors, Some Like it Hot, is set in Chicago when Prohibition had everyone thirsty for excitement. Some Like It Hot is the “glorious, big, high-kicking” story of two musicians forced to flee the Windy City after witnessing a mob hit. With gangsters hot on their heels, they catch a cross-country train for the life-chasing, life-changing trip of a lifetime.
Next, in December, Proctors is bringing a musical based on one of the greatest entertainers of all time, Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson’s unique and unparalleled artistry comes to Schenectady as MJ, the multi-Tony award-winning new musical centered around the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour, begins a tour of its own.
Starting in 2025, the MainStage will host another show, Parade, in January. Leo and Lucille Frank are a newlywed Jewish couple struggling to make a life in the old red hills of Georgia. When Leo is accused of an unspeakable crime, it propels them into an unimaginable test of faith, humanity, justice, and devotion.
In February, a theatrical event unlike anything else will be coming to the MainStage with Life of Pi. Based on the novel that sold more than 15 million copies and became a worldwide phenomenon, Life of Pi is an epic story of perseverance and hope that speaks to every generation and also “gives new life to Broadway” according to The Today Show.
Following Life of Pi, Proctors will bring a corn-fed, corn-bred American musical to the MainStage with Shucked in March- a musical that is sure to satisfy the fan’s appetite for a great musical theater. In April, they will welcome a love letter to the theatre with Funny Girl. This bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on stage. Everyone told her she’d never be a star, but then something funny happened—she became one of the most beloved performers in history.
Last, Proctors will host the Disney classic Beauty and the Beast in June. Fans will witness Disney’s newly reimagined 30th-anniversary production of the musical – filled with the romance and grandeur audiences know and love.
In addition to the shows in the KeyBank Broadway Series, Proctors will also offer three subscriber exclusive add-ons with Hadestown in October 2024, Come From Away in March 2025, and Clue in May 2025. Proctors subscribers can choose a crossover show from theREP’s 2024-2025 season.
Starting in September, theREP kicks off the 2024-25 season, presented by OverIt, with Seared by Theresa Rebeck. Brilliant, hot-headed chef Harry scores a mention in a food magazine with his signature scallops, and his business partner Mike finally sees profits within reach. The only problem? – Harry refuses to recreate his masterpiece for the masses. For an extra treat, scallops will be cooked live on stage each night.
Just in time for the holidays, A Sherlock Carol by Mark Shanahan will begin in November. Reunite with the characters you love from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens, now brought together in this hilarious holiday whodunit filled with intrigue, suspense, and a helping of holiday cheer.
Starting the rest of the season in 2025 is The Lehman Trilogy by Stefano Massini. Weaving together nearly two centuries of family history, this grand theatrical event charts the humble beginnings, outrageous successes, and devastating failure of the Lehman financial institution that would ultimately bring the global economy to its knees.
In April, theREP will feature their 2023 NEXT ACT! New Play Summit winner with the world premiere of Rosie is Red And Everybody is Blue by John Spellos. Rosie is unhappy–and when Rosie is unhappy, everybody else is too! Her unemployed son has moved back in, her brother-in-law came to visit for a week and is showing no signs of leaving, the bills are mounting up and the only one that seems to listen to her is her husband—whose ashes live in the urn on the fireplace mantel.
Last in theREP’s upcoming season is Once by Enda Walsh with music and lyrics by Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová in July. Over one fateful week, an unexpected friendship quickly evolves into an inspirational musical collaboration. As the music soars to powerful new heights, the unlikely connection is deeper and more complex than an everyday romance. Subscribers to theREP 2023-2024 season presented by OverIt can choose a crossover show from the KeyBank Subscription Series at Proctors.
black woman shout and jumping
Subscriptions for the 2024-25 KeyBank Broadway Series at Proctors and the 2024-25 season at theREP presented by OverIt go on sale on Feb. 27. Subscriptions are available through the Box Office at Proctors, in person or through the phone at (518) 346-6204 Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. or Sunday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Single ticket on-sale dates have yet to be announced for the upcoming season.
