Singing in the Summertime

One last Summer Sing: Mozart’s Requiem

soalteba — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 21:59:29 +0000

Summer 2010 is coming to an end, but there’s one more Summer Sing in the neighborhood (although it’s a bit of a hike). The Putnam Chorale is hosting a Summer Sing and Open House at 7:30 PM on Saturday, August 28, at the First United Methodist Church on Main Street in Brewster, NY. The conductor of the Mozart Requiem will be Douglas Anderson. Admission is $10. For more information call 845-279-7265.

Live from Lincoln Center: “South Pacific”

soalteba — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 02:12:09 +0000

Check out your local PBS station this week as Live from Lincoln Center presents Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “South Pacific” starring Kelli O’Hara and Paulo Szot as Nellie Forbush and Emile de Becque. WNET will be showing it on Wednesday 8/18 at 8:00 PM as well as Sunday 8/22 at 12:30 PM. WLIW will show it on Sunday 8/22 at 3:30 PM.
The classic score includes “Some Enchanted Evening,” “There Is Nothing Like a Dame,” “I’m In Love With a Wonderful Guy,” “Younger Than Springtime,” “This Nearly Was Mine” and more. The original Broadway production won ten Tony Awards; this production by Lincoln Center Theater, the first Broadway revival, won seven Tony Awards.

Full disclosure: Kelli O’Hara and I are both alums of Oklahoma City University!

More Summer Sings in August!

soalteba — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 00:57:20 +0000

What better way to spend a hot summer evening than singing beautiful music in a nice, air-conditioned building! The Westchester Chorale has planned three August Sings at the Music Conservatory of Westchester, 216 Central Avenue, White Plains, New York 10606. This is the sixteenth season of Summer Sings presented by the Chorale, Chorus in Residence at the Larchmont Avenue Church. All August Sings are on Tuesday evenings at 7:15 p.m. The admission fee of $10 ($5 for students) includes refreshments and use of a rental score, although participants are asked to bring their own scores, if possible. For information call (914) 309-0279 or visit their website at www.westchesterchorale.org.

On August 3rd, Westchester Chorale Music Director Douglas Kostner will lead Schubert’s Mass in G and the Vivaldi Gloria. On August 10th, Benjamin Niemczyk, Conductor of the Westchester Oratorio Society will lead the Brahms Requiem. And on August 17th, Steven Fox, Music Director of the Taghkanic Chorale, conducts Mozart’s Mass in C Minor.

Beam Me Up, Scotty!

soalteba — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 13:19:11 +0000

Lots of great music to choose from tonight! Just read in Charles Sibirsky’s blog that he (piano), Bob Arthurs (trumpet), Dave Frank (tenor sax), Joe Solomon (bass) and Robert Weiss (drums) will be playing at the University of the Streets, 130 East 7th Street in Manhattan. The hall is one flight up. Music from 8:00-10:30ish. Charles writes: “We’ll be playing standards from the American Songbook as well as some bebeop tunes, Tristano, Monk, Konitz and who knows what else. There is no set list. We’ll decide in the moment.” I wouldn’t have expected it any other way!

Closer to home, jazz vocalist Glenda Davenport and pianist Carl Viggiani will be performing tonight at the Division Street Grill in Peekskill from 7:30-10:30. Carl tells me the restaurant just got a new baby grand piano; nice (although he could make beautiful music on a cardboard box!).

Electric Hot Tuna and Steve Earle perform tonight at the Purchase College PAC. The show starts at 8:00. Now if I could just beam myself from Purchase to Peekskill to Manhattan to catch a set of each…

Taconic Opera to Host 7/27 Summer Sing of Opera Choruses

soalteba — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 02:55:12 +0000

The Taconic Opera will host its second annual Summer Sing of Opera Choruses on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 7:30 PM at the Music Conservatory of Westchester, 216 Central Avenue (one block from the County Center) in White Plains, NY 10606. The air-conditioned conservatory is fully handicapped-accessible and offers free parking; it is also convenient to public transportation. Come sing some of the most popular opera choruses…or just come to listen, learn and enjoy. The evening’s conductor will be Dan Montez, the General Director of the Taconic Opera, who will share humorous insights into the world of opera. The sing will include choruses by the “who’s who” of opera: Verdi, Puccini, Bizet, Rossini and more. Admission is $10 and includes refreshments and the use of scores. For further information, call 914-649-1826 or visit the Taconic Opera online.

Dan Montez

Summer Sing of Brahms “Ein Deutsches Requiem” on July 20

soalteba — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:58:52 +0000

The Westchester Choral Society will present the last in their 2010 series of Summer Sings at and in conjunction with the Music Conservatory of Westchester, where they are chorus in residence, at 7:30 PM on Tuesday, July 20. Michael Conley (Choral Arts Society; West Village Chorale) will conduct the perennial favorite “Ein Deutsches Requiem” by Johannes Brahms.

Michael Conley

Neither a rehearsal nor a performance, a summer sing is open to both singers and listeners. The evening’s conductor leads all comers in a choral masterpiece (or two), offering attendees the chance to renew their acquaintance with an old favorite or try out an unfamiliar work. Area choristers enjoy getting together with members of other choruses, and unaffiliated vocalists have the opportunity to meet other singers and conductors.

The Summer Sing will begin at 7:30 PM at the air-conditioned conservatory, located at 216 Central Avenue in White Plains. The conservatory is fully handicapped-accessible and offers free parking; it is also convenient to public transportation. The admission fee of $10.00 ($8.00 for students) includes refreshments and use of a score. For information call WCS administrator Katie Goulart at 914-761-3900 ext. 103.

Met’s “Hamlet” on PBS on Sunday 7/18

soalteba — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:33:32 +0000

I’m looking forward to watching the Metropolitan Opera’s broadcast of Ambroise Thomas’s “Hamlet” today on Great Performances at the Met on PBS; in the NY area, it’s on at 12:30 on WNET and 3:30 on WLIW. English baritone Simon Keenlyside is Hamlet and German soprano Marlis Petersen is Ophélie in this French opera. Louis Langrée conducts the performance that also features Jennifer Larmore as Gertrude, Toby Spence as Laërte and James Morris as Claudius. Natalie Dessay was originally scheduled to play opposite Keenlyside but had to bow out due to illness, and Petersen had to step in on short notice, just days before the premiere. (Read the New York Times review and see a related video.) Drama onstage and off–the stuff of opera!

Westchester Choral Society Summer Sings

soalteba — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 18:14:30 +0000

Here are three mini-commercials for the Westchester Choral Society’s 2010 Summer Sings.

Summer Sing of Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” on Tuesday, July 13

soalteba — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 23:28:13 +0000

Again this Tuesday evening the Westchester Choral Society will present a Summer Sing of a beloved choral work in conjunction with and at the Music Conservatory of Westchester. This week, Dr. John King, Music Director of the New Choral Society of Westchester, will conduct Mendelssohn’s “Elijah.”

Neither a rehearsal nor a performance, a summer sing is open to both singers and listeners. The series, which will continue through July 20, takes place at 7:30 PM at the air-conditioned conservatory, which is located at 216 Central Avenue in White Plains. The conservatory is fully handicapped-accessible and offers free parking; it is also convenient to public transportation. The admission fee of $10.00 ($8.00 for students) includes refreshments and use of a score.

Dr. John King

Thomas Hampson Sings on Mahler’s 150th Birthday

soalteba — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 02:34:02 +0000

Thomas Hampson begins a season-long celebration of Mahler’s 150th birthday on Wednesday, July 7, with a live recital with Wolfram Rieger, piano, webcast by www.medici.tv beginning at 9:00 AM EDT. The recital will take place in Mahler’s birth-house in Kaliste, Czech Republic. The webcast will be available for 60 days following the concert.